Distance: 3 miles
Elevation gain: 600 feet
No, the mile-long scramble that gains 1,000 feet isn’t why this hike makes the list. Nor is it the 30-foot-tall, elevator-shaft entry into the belly of the Wichita Mountains. Rather, it’s the underground maze over and under boulders through the cave-like Rock Rooms. (You don’t need rope or technical skills for this trip.) Begin this 3-mile loop on the Elk Mountain Trail as you navigate 1.1 miles over scree to the mountaintop. Find the near-vertical entry into the Rock Rooms on the west side of the summit, and then use ledges to maneuver down the narrow, boulder-clogged chute. At the bottom, follow the openings through the various Rock Rooms. Crawl through the final tunnel to reach daylight and Charon’s Garden Trail, which loops 1.5 miles back to the trailhead.