Published April 30, 2026 08:21AM<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The natural processes that shape the earth\u2014the tectonic forces that create mountains and carve the ground beneath our feet\u2014affect every aspect of our environment. In the past year, I\u2019ve hiked crater rims atop active volcanoes and stood next to the world\u2019s largest reversing waterfalls. Geologically spectacular areas exist in protected spaces all around the world, and not just in national parks. They\u2019re in UNESCO Global Geoparks.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization<\/a>, these areas protect some of the most geologically impressive landscapes on earth. They also incorporate hiking trails and stories of indigenous\u00a0 communities who have lived among the landscapes of these global parks for centuries. Today, you can explore 229 designated sites across 50 countries worldwide. Geopark visitors can explore everything from geometric basalt columns and gorges in Ireland and Korea to glacial kettle lakes in Finland and mineral-streaked mountains in China.<\/p>\n UNESCO Global Geoparks exist at the intersection of geology, education, and sustainable tourism. Within these protected territories, locals and visitors converge not only to enjoy the views but to examine the geological history that has\u2014and continues to\u2014define the culture and communities around it.\u00a0<\/p>\n From ancient volcanoes and ice-age sculpted terrain to fossil formations and tectonic collisions, geopark landscapes tell a story 400 million years in the making. Each geopark showcases a unique environmental and societal tapestry tied into UNESCO\u2019s mission of connecting natural history with human culture. They also serve as \u201cliving laboratories<\/a>\u201d for scientists and everyday adventure-seekers alike. Within geopark limits, visitors can explore some of nature\u2019s rarest phenomena found on Earth.\u00a0<\/p>\n What separates geoparks from our national park system is the relationship between the park and people who\u2019ve lived among the landscapes for generations. National parks focus on monument preservation, protecting large swaths of land from development and removing pressures of modern life from impacting national park land. Geoparks operate on an entirely different philosophy. Surrounding communities aren\u2019t considered a threat but an essential part of the park.<\/p>\n UNESCO\u2019s Global Geopark designation requires people from local communities to be active stewards and storytellers of the land. For a park to maintain its designation, a site must demonstrate that locals are actively and genuinely involved in governance, education, and tourism, and not just employees or volunteers. Geopark programming and interpretation intentionally involves nearby residents, indigenous communities, historians, and local governments to make sure education reflects generations of lived experience in close relation to the land.\u00a0<\/p>\n So, what sets a geopark hike apart from your typical national park adventure, exactly? The unique stories behind the people and terrain you walk. If you\u2019re the type of hiker who\u2019s less interested in the summit and more eager to learn the history of the trails you tread, it\u2019s about time you added a geopark hike to your bucket list.<\/p>\n Where national parks pull crowds in the millions each year, geoparks tend to attract more intimate groups of curious and purposeful travelers interested in learning about nature and society\u2019s co-existence from centuries ago to today. And unlike national park hiking, which can take you deep into remote wilderness, geoparks tend to sit on the doorstep of modern civilization. Many of them are just a short drive from a major city.<\/p>\n Ready to hike in a geopark? These two UNESCO Global Geoparks<\/a> fly under the radar and offer rewarding trails with deep cultural and geological roots.<\/p>\n Japan\u2019s northernmost major island, Hokkaido beckons adventurers with rugged, little-traveled terrain. The ancestral land of the Ainu people, Hokkaido\u2019s terrain is elemental, full of active volcanoes, dense forests, and hot springs bubbling up from the earth. This natural and human history led to the designation of Toya-Usu UNESCO Global Geopark<\/a>, a stretch of volcanic terrain riddled with crystal-clear caldera lakes. Unlike national parks, which protect a single defined area, geoparks encompass a vast region that encompass an ecosystem of designated landscape: regional parks, national parks, towns, farmlands, and coastline included. Within the broader bounds of Toya-Usu geopark, Shikotsu-Toya National Park<\/a> is the fiery centerpiece.\u00a0<\/p>\n Here Mt. Usu reveals the story of a region where the landscape and daily life have long been dictated by the power of one of Hokkaido\u2019s largest active volcanoes. This highly active stratovolcano has erupted four times in the past century, most recently in 2000. In its shadow, local communities have developed a \u201cdisaster risk reduction culture<\/a>\u201d to safely coexist with the ever-present threat of volcanic activity.<\/p>\n To learn about Mt. Usu and the surrounding communities\u2019 tumultuous volcanic history, book a guided tour with a Hokkaido local, like Rie Egawa<\/a>, a \u201cVolcano Meister\u201d and guide for Mt. Usu. Her guided hikes with Sotoasobu Guides<\/a> uncovers the dramatic history of Mt. Usu\u2019s eruptions and the volcano\u2019s impact on surrounding villages and landscapes.<\/p>\n If you prefer to chart your own course, choose from several mapped Mt. Usu volcano hikes<\/a>. You can climb the short but steep 1.8-mile Mt. Usu Climbing Route (open late April through mid-November) that ascends to the base of the volcano\u2019s crater rim. From the summit, either hike down or hitch a ride down the Mt. Usu Ropeway, a window-walled gondola that\u2019s open year-round. From the drop-off at Usuzan Terrace, the 3-mile Mt. Usu Outer Rim Trail traces the crater rim out to an epic view from the Lake Toya Observation Deck before looping back.\u00a0<\/p>\nWhat Are Geoparks\u2014And How Do They Differ From National Parks?<\/h2>\n
Modern and Ancient Connections<\/h2>\n
Two Geoparks That Belong on Every Hiker\u2019s Bucket List<\/h2>\n
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Toya-Usu UNESCO Global Geopark, Hokkaido, Japan<\/h2>\n