Carlos Price
The best places to retire for hiking pair nearby trails with the practical needs of retirement, including manageable living costs, healthcare and community amenities. Nine cities on a 2026 retirement list offer access to national parks, Appalachian routes, river bluffs or forest paths, without requiring a move to a remote mountain town.
Quick Facts
- The nine cities range from about 40,000 residents in Wausau to about 200,000 in Knoxville.
- Trail settings include national parks, the Appalachian Trail, river overlooks and a 1,200 mile route through Wisconsin.
- Several locations are described as having lower than average living costs or housing costs, but the article provides no specific dollar comparisons.
- State treatment of retirement income differs. Tennessee does not tax pension income, Social Security benefits or withdrawals from 401(k)s and IRAs.
National parks and mountain trails near town
Knoxville puts Great Smoky Mountains National Park within reach, with trails that range from easier walks to demanding mountain hikes. Alum Cave Trail and Charlie’s Bunion are well known routes in the park. Nearby alternatives include Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, Ijams Nature Center, Meade’s Quarry, Frozen Head State Park and sections of the Appalachian Trail.
The city has about 200,000 residents and sits on the Tennessee River, near Fort Loudoun Lake. That location also offers boating and paddling across hundreds of miles of navigable waterways. Residents have college town amenities, including sports, theater and downtown events, along with quality healthcare. Knoxville is about three hours east of Nashville. Tennessee’s tax treatment of pensions, Social Security and retirement account withdrawals is a financial consideration for people comparing destinations.
Rapid City, with about 80,000 residents in southwestern South Dakota, is a base for hikes among the Black Hills’ rock formations, forests and wildlife habitat. Trails include Black Elk Peak, Sunday Gulch and Palmer Gulch in Custer State Park, plus Crow Peak, Flume Trail and Buzzard’s Roost in Black Hills National Forest. Founders Park and Hanson Larsen Memorial Park offer options close to town.
Known as the Gateway to the Black Hills, Rapid City is also near Mount Rushmore and Badlands National Park. It has an arts scene and a lower than average cost of living. The source material says retirement income can go further in South Dakota, but does not provide a specific tax rate or breakdown, so retirees should verify how their own income would be treated.
Casper is a smaller choice, with about 59,000 residents along the North Platte River in east central Wyoming. Casper Mountain, Edness Kimball Wilkins State Park and Fremont Canyon provide nearby hiking. Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park are also within driving distance, although they are destinations for longer outings rather than everyday walks.
Casper’s outdoor options also include stand up paddleboarding, fishing and birding. The city has museums, an arts scene and a lower than average cost of living. It is about two and a half hours from Cheyenne, Wyoming’s capital.
For these three cities, a useful first step is to check the actual drive from a prospective home to the trails you expect to use most. A nearby park can be more practical than a famous national park several hours away, particularly if frequent outings are part of the plan.
Appalachian routes and Blue Ridge scenery
Johnson City, in East Tennessee’s Tri Cities region with Bristol and Kingsport, has about 75,000 residents. It sits near the Appalachian Mountains and Cherokee National Forest. Local walking and hiking choices include Buffalo Mountain Park, Winged Deer Park and Willow Springs Park, with Appalachian Trail sections also accessible.
The city is near the Virginia and North Carolina borders and about four hours from Nashville. Museums cover Miocene era fossils, railroad history, East Tennessee history and Cherokee roots. Music, public art and local festivals add options away from the trail. The source describes living costs as lower than average, and Tennessee has no state income tax, alongside its stated treatment of retirement income.
Roanoke, Virginia, has about 100,000 residents and a rare combination of access to both the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Appalachian Trail. Hikes nearby include Mill Mountain Park, Read Mountain Preserve, Tinker Cliffs, McAfee Knob and Peaks of Otter. George Washington and Jefferson National Forests bring more trails within reach.
Roanoke also draws mountain bikers, while the Upper James River and Smith Mountain Lake offer water recreation. Its performing arts, live music, museums and historic sites reflect Appalachian, African American, Civil War and railroad history. Richmond is about two hours away, and Washington, D.C., is about four hours away.
Lynchburg is about an hour from Roanoke, at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains and near the Appalachian Trail and Blue Ridge Parkway. The city has about 81,000 residents. Local routes include Alpine Trail, Blackwater Creek Trail, Point of Honor Trail and Liberty Mountain Trail System. Peaks of Otter, Devil’s Marbleyard, Sharp Top Trail and four Virginia state parks are also a short drive away.
Beyond outdoor access, Lynchburg offers more than 50 places on the National Register of Historic Places, including Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest. Its farmers market dates to 1783. Colleges and universities, arts and dining provide city amenities, while housing costs are described as lower than average.
River bluffs, forest paths and Wisconsin trails
La Crosse is a Mississippi River city of 51,000 known for bluffs, overlooks and an extensive trail network. Riverside Park, Hixon Forest and Great River Bluffs State Park are nearby. Perrot State Park, Wyalusing State Park and Beaver Creek State Park expand the choices within a short drive.
Boating and fishing are also popular. La Crosse is about two and a half hours southeast of Minneapolis and the same distance northwest of Madison, Wisconsin. Museums, performing arts and historic sites add indoor options. The city has a lower than average cost of living and strong healthcare access. Wisconsin does not tax Social Security benefits, but does tax other sources of retirement income.
Wausau, known as Wisconsin’s Basecamp, has about 40,000 residents in the north central part of the state. Rib Mountain State Park, Turkey Vulture Trail, Cedar Creek Trail and Sylvan Hill Park are nearby. A short drive can bring hikers to Eau Claire Dells or the Ice Age National Scenic Trail, a 1,200 mile route through Wisconsin.
Wausau is roughly three hours from Minneapolis and Milwaukee. Its arts and cultural scene, lower than average living costs and affordable housing are potential advantages for retirees. Like La Crosse, it is in Wisconsin, where Social Security benefits are not subject to state income tax. Other retirement income is taxed.
Dubuque, Iowa’s oldest city, has about 60,000 residents along the Mississippi River. Its 43 mile hiking and biking network and the Mississippi River Trail offer local outings, including river views and sights across Illinois and Wisconsin. At Mines of Spain Recreation Area, trails include Horseshoe Bluff Nature Trail, Calcite Trail and Julien Dubuque Trail.
Dubuque is about 90 minutes from Madison and about three hours from Des Moines. Other attractions include the Fenelon Place Elevator and the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium. The city also has music and theater, lower than average living costs, and no state taxes on Social Security benefits or retirement and pension fund withdrawals.
How the nine cities compare
The table summarizes the tradeoffs described for each destination. Cost descriptions are relative, not quoted budgets. Trail access can also mean very different things: an urban park for regular walks, a local forest network, or a drive to a national park.
| City | Trail access | Cost or retirement income detail | Other consideration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knoxville, Tennessee | Great Smoky Mountains, Appalachian Trail and local parks | Lower living costs; Tennessee does not tax pensions, Social Security or 401(k) and IRA withdrawals | About 200,000 residents, healthcare and river recreation |
| Rapid City, South Dakota | Black Hills trails, Custer State Park and nearby national parks | Lower than average living costs; retirement income is said to go further | About 80,000 residents and an arts scene |
| Casper, Wyoming | Casper Mountain, Fremont Canyon and nearby state park | Lower than average living costs | About 59,000 residents, with national parks within driving distance |
| Johnson City, Tennessee | Appalachian Mountains, Cherokee National Forest and local parks | Lower than average living costs; Tennessee has no state income tax | About 75,000 residents and local museums and music |
| Roanoke, Virginia | Blue Ridge Parkway, Appalachian Trail and national forests | No cost figure provided | About 100,000 residents and access to water sports |
| Lynchburg, Virginia | Blue Ridge, Appalachian Trail and four nearby state parks | Lower than average housing costs | About 81,000 residents and historic sites |
| La Crosse, Wisconsin | River bluffs, local forest trails and state parks | Lower than average living costs; Social Security is not taxed by Wisconsin | Strong healthcare access and river recreation |
| Wausau, Wisconsin | Rib Mountain and Ice Age National Scenic Trail | Lower than average costs and affordable housing; Social Security is not taxed | About 40,000 residents and an arts scene |
| Dubuque, Iowa | 43 mile local network, Mississippi River Trail and Mines of Spain | Lower than average costs; no state tax on Social Security or retirement and pension fund withdrawals | About 60,000 residents and cultural attractions |
What to check before choosing a trail town
Start with the routine you want, not the postcard view. Identify the kinds of walks you would use regularly, then compare how close those routes are to homes, groceries and healthcare. A city with a major park nearby may suit frequent short outings better than a town whose signature hikes require a long drive.
Next, build a realistic monthly budget. The descriptions of lower costs in these cities are not a substitute for comparing housing, utilities, transportation and healthcare in the neighborhoods under consideration. Tax rules also vary by state and by income type. Tennessee’s treatment of retirement income differs from Wisconsin’s, while the information available here does not give a detailed South Dakota tax breakdown.
Finally, consider the amenities that will matter when you are not hiking: arts, museums, events, dining and travel connections. These nine places offer different balances rather than one clear winner. A short visit in the season you expect to hike most can help reveal whether trail access and everyday life fit together.
Peter Simmons
Elizabeth Daniels
