| NATIONAL PARKS QUICKLINKS |
California
Rip & Go: Badwater Basin to Gold Valley - Death Valley National Park, CA
Don't waste winter: Tackle this cross-country canyon trek in the Lower 48's largest national park.Natural Wonders: Blowholes, Salmon Runs, & Wine Country
Hawaii's Nakalele blowhole rivals Old Faithful. Plus: Trek to Oregon's salmon run and California's wine country.National Parks Hall of Fame: Best Peak
No crowds. No frills. No cakewalk. This hang-on-for-your-life climb is not for the meager-hearted.Natural Wonders: Sonoma Valley's Wine Country
Wine making and hiking come together perfectly in the Sonoma Valley, where California meets the Mediterranean.Top 3 Ansel Adams Hikes
The legendary shooter once said that photographs were "usually looked at, seldom looked into." Take a look into three hikes that inspired some of Ansel Adams greatest photos, and take a few pictures yourself.America's Scariest Trails: What are You Afraid of?
Haunted mountains? Vanished campers? Bloodthirsty creatures? An evil wind that lures hikers over a waterfall? We dare you to hike America's scariest trails.America's Scariest Trails: Yosemite's Supernatural Wind
Go ahead and hike to this park's famous lakes and waterfalls. Just watch your step–and your back.Your Daily Tread: Local Hikes Across the U.S.
What's better than hiking every weekend? Hiking every day. Here are the best big-city escapes from New York to Los Angeles. Plus: Bill Donahue explores the remote reaches of Portland's Forest Park and discovers secrets even locals don't know.Quick Escapes: 10 Trails Near Major Cities
The perfect metro-area trail: close, wild, uncrowded. Here are 10 major city options.Undiscovered Hikes: 19 New Trails
Hike these paths before the masses find them.Vote on America's Best Trail
For our 2010 Readers' Choice issue we want to know your favorite trail in America.Where Solitude Rules
Sharing is for kindergarten. Take one of these 30 hikes and you can have the wilderness all to yourself.Where Solitude Rules - More Tips and Tricks
Alternative routes, where to find solitude in the Lower 48, and avoiding the crowds in America's most crowded parkWhere Solitude Rules - Lonely Summits
You won't find bottlenecks on these untrammeled peaks.Where Solitude Rules - Surprise Escapes
Find real solitude amid the crowds at these secret stashes.Where Solitude Rules - Wilderness Hideaways
Lose yourself in a private paradise the crowds have overlooked.Top 3 Perfect Substitute National Forests
Get national park-caliber scenery without crowds (or entry fees!) in these dead ringers for Great Smoky Mountains, Zion, and Yosemite.Party Peaks
Ten perfect summits for your next group hikeWeekend Planner: Quick Escapes
Get big views and rack up long miles with these close-to-home adventures.America's Newest Wilderness
A quick guide to the best acres, trails, and views.Natural Wonders: Three Treks to Life-List Phenomena
Check out the world's hottest hydrothermal fumarole, Glacier's grizzlies, and a venus flytryp in North Carolina.Top 3 Dune Hikes
Trek through a trio of wilderness playgrounds on shape-shifting mountains of sand.Insider's Guide: Yosemite National Park
With these top day, weekend, and week-long hikes, you'll see more than your fair share of Yosemite's wonders.Alone in a Crowd: Hiking Yosemite's North Rim
Yosemite Valley may be popular–rightfully so–but it still holds secrets. Hike this long-forgotten trail on the North Rim, and you'll have the granite icons to yourself.Top Cities to Raise A...
Does your kid want to be an ice climber? How about a thru-hiker, or paddler? These cities have just what you need.The Best Cities to Raise an Outdoor Kid
Which towns offer the ideal mix of accessible trails, inspiring teachers, and great recreational resources? We worked with The Outdoor Foundation to identify America's top 25 places to beat nature deficit disorder.The Best Cities to Raise an Outdoor Kid: The Winning 25
From Boulder to Juneau to Bozeman, see which cities made the cut for the best place to raise an outdoor kid, and why.Swimming Hole Hikes
Time to cool down. Hike to these refreshing swimming holes and settle right into summer.America's Best Dayhikes
From dawn-to-dusk epics in Utah canyons to lazy-picnic blueberry strolls in Maine–plus hikes to peaks, redwoods, hot springs, beaches, and more–here are 100 ways to spend a perfect day on the trail.Rip & Go: Glen Camp Loop - Point Reyes National Seashore
Hike across forested hills to gape at ocean vistas just one hour north of San Francisco.Three Trips to Natural Wonders
Discover the world's oldest tree, America's biggest cavern, and Florida's largest herd of wild horses on these three treks.Master the Steeps: High-Angle Hiking Trails
First, check out our tips for healthy hiking on steep terrain in the May 2009 issue then, put them to the test on one of our favorite high-angle trails from California to North Carolina.PACIFIC
Special Survey: Best Cities to Raise an Outdoor Kid
Take your pick of mountains, rainforests, deserts, or the ocean–or experience all four zones in a single day–one advantage of living the outdoor dream along the west coast of America.
Globetrotter: Leo Le Bon, the Godfather of Trekking
In this interview the founder of adventure travel dishes on his favorite wild places, oddest encounters, and the world's next great trekking destinations.Hikes and Trips in all 50 States
Use our comprehensive state-specific pages to find hikes in your home state our a state you're planning on visiting.Hikes and Trips in US Cities
Use our comprehensive city-specific pages to find hikes near your hometown or in a city you're planning to visit.Readers' Choice Awards 2009
Discover the best hike in every state, as voted by BACKPACKER readers. Plus: your essential gear, most desirable tentmate, worst-ever adventure movie, and our picks for the best reader-submitted photos.Life List: Climb Mt. Whitney
Climb the Lower 48's highest peak on a route with all of the thrills but none of the crowds.Best Damn Weekend Ever: See California Condors in the San Rafael Wilderness
We'll show you how to see these majestic birds in the wild.Top 3 Ice Hikes
Witness glittering underground gems, skate across frozen ponds, and wander amid towering walls of ice. Just don't try to lick anything.The Works: Snowshoe the Sierra
Pick your own path to an empty 14er.Trip Finder: Indian Summer Hikes
Fall camping season seems to go on forever with these fair-weather weekend trips.Top 3 Night Hikes
These dark-sky treks serve up perfect viewing spots for autumn's intergalactic bling in North Carolina, New Mexico, and CaliforniaAmerica's 10 Most Dangerous Hikes - Mist Trail, Half Dome, CA
Swallowed by Sierra sceneryTerror in the Trees
Ghost stories always seem scarier beside a flickering campfire. So, dim your headlamp and scoot up closer: our writer-at-large explores the ghoulish beginnings of these age-old tales and shares a few of his all-time favorite blood-curdlers. We dare you to read on.Thru-Hike The Roadless Sierra
Thru-hike the most remote miles in California's range of light
Above & Beyond
The world's tallest tree towers above a secret location deep within the lush, tangled backcountry of Redwood National Park. Determined to find this giant, our correspondent discovers something more incredible than he ever imagined.Walking the Talk
First John Francis stopped riding in cars. Then he stopped talking. More than three decades, two continent-spanning hikes, and countless trail miles later, he's still following his remarkable path of protest–only now he's not alone.Phenomenon: Glacial Relics
The Ice Age left its mark from Acadia to Yosemite. Here's scenic evidence.Don't Pay at the Pump: Photos and Mass-Transit Hikes
After reading Dan Koeppel's latest urban hiking adventure "Don't Pay at the Pump" (September 2008), we guarantee you'll want to crank "Magic Bus" and ditch the car on your next trip to the trailhead. We can help. Our map team has assembled more than 25 hikes you can access via public transportation. Plus, check out more of Michael Darter's photos and read Koeppel's 2004 feature, "I Climbed Los Angeles," to learn about his slightly insane 19-mile L.A. staircase route.I Climbed Los Angeles
One small step for our stair-obsessed man, one giant leap for fitness freaks everywhere.Trip Finder: Ridgewalks
From the West Coast to the Rocky Mountains to New England, we've got nine epic ridgewalks just for you.Big Trips Made Easy: Hayduke Trail, UT
Finding total Southwest solitudeBig Trips Made Easy: Glacier Peak Wilderness, WA
Exploring a high, wild corner of the North CascadesBig Trips Made Easy: Allagash Wilderness Waterway, ME
Floating a liquid maze in the Northeast's lake-riddled forestsBig Trips Made Easy: High Sierra, CA
Rambling a granite redoubtHike It: 4 Big Trips Made Easy
Ready to dial up the adventure meter? Try out your digital skills–and go places most people can't–on these life-list journeys.The Grand Tetons: 5 Hikes, 7 Days (or so)
How to retrace each segment of the author's perfect week from "A Perfect Week in the Tetons."Thru-Hike the Tahoe Rim Trail
Spectacular lake views, granite-edged trails, and surprising solitude will make you want to go in circles on the Tahoe Rim Trail.Return of the Natives: Paddling and Hiking Channel Islands' Lost Gem
After nearly two centuries of ecological havoc wreaked by invasive species, the gem of Channel Islands National Park is becoming a paradise again. ONLINE EXCLUSIVE: Watch a video and see two photo galleries from the island.Packing Out Waste: You Can Take It With You
Hikers learn to leave (absolutely) no trace on high-traffic peaks and trails.Hiking the Sierra High Route
On this burly, 210-mile traverse, which crosses 33 passes and barely touches established trails, you can find Alaska-sized scenery, complete solitude, and just enough risk to keep things interesting.Rock Star: Brett Dennen
Once a guide and counselor near Yosemite, up-and-coming musician Brett Dennen is now taking his backcountry jams to the masses.Hot Springs: Soak Here Now
6 more must-dip pools from Alaska to HawaiiHot Springs: The Perfect Pool
Here are the top wilderness soaks on the continent. Can you keep a secret?Trip Finder: Stay-Dry Spring Hikes
Stay dry on spring treks in Minnesota, New Mexico, and more.Where Have the Animals Gone?
Scientists hike deep into California's wild high country to probe for answers.Time 2 Go: See Newborn Animals
Looking to catch baby animals taking their first step? You can't go wrong with these picks.PERFECT DAY: Redwood National and State Parks, CA
Here's longtime ranger Jim Wheeler's plan for an eye-popping adventure among the ancients.Quick Fix: Death Valley National Park
Badlands, peaks, wildflowers: Catch the best of the California desert with this trio of hikes.Quick Fix: Death Valley National Park
Hiking Honeymoon: How to ruin a perfectly good marriage
What happens when a couple's vows are tested by hard miles and hunger pains on the John Muir Trail? A sore-footed bride tells all.Top 3 Get-There-Fast Hikes
You can only get so far off the grid in a single day - that is, unless you take a shortcut into the mountains. Many ski resorts, including the three premier sites mentioned below, open a lift or two in summer and fall, offering an express route to places high and wild. There's no other way to get this deep into the woods this fast.
How to See More Bats
Whether you fear, respect, or applaud these complex creatures of the night, the tips below will help you find and observe them.Lost & Found
John Donovan disappeared in a high-elevation blizzard, leaving rescuers and friends stumped. His backpack contained a miracle clue. Bill Donahue investigates.Trip Finder: 2-4 Day Warm-Weather Hikes
Track the sun on these 2-4 day trips in the Southeast, Southwest, and HawaiiTop 3 Easy Canyoneering Hikes
If you've always dreamed of descending into the center of the earth, try one of these creekbed hikes.Spend a Perfect Day in Joshua Tree National Park, CA
Join Gregory Mountain Products master pack designer for a day in Joshua Tree National ParkHow to Thru-Hike L.A. County
Thru-hike L.A. County? It can be done with Southern California's Backbone Trail.Three Southwestern Hikes to Test Your Senses
Joshua Tree, Zion, and the Guadalupe Mountains are three hike-worthy desert destinations.Half the Weight, Twice the Fun: Hike the John Muir Trail
Find out what happens when four people hike the 221-mile John Muir Trail in just a week. Then learn how to bag the classic in more sensible lightweight fashion.Top 3 Literary Hikes
Thoreau, Hemingway, and Kerouac all went into the backcountry to find the right words.The Plan: Doing Ultralight Right
In 10 days, carrying just 25 pounds, you can pound through the John Muir Trail...happily. Get the plan.The Gear: Cut the Fluff
Shave pounds from your whole packing list.The Hike: John Muir In a Week
Got a few days off, a pair of healthy feet, and a pain threshold higher than Dean Karnazes? You can (possibly) blaze the length of America's Most Beautiful TrailAmerica's Best Campsites
Whether you are after fishing holes or skinny-dipping, Backpacker tracked down the best campsites in the countryThe Pacific Crest Trail's Sonora Pass
You won't want to miss this breathtaking 8-mile dayhike.The Pacific Crest Trail's High Sierra
Some things are so inevitable there's no sense disputing them: death, taxes, and the unrivaled beauty of the Sierra.Hell On Wheels
Bob Coomber is determined to become the first man in a wheelchair to ascend a 14,000-foot mountain.Weekend Adventures: Big Tree Hikes
Get ready to feel puny--and profoundly grateful--on three hikes through ancient forests.Yosemite @ $7.38 An Hour: Seasonal Work in the National Parks
Our scribe-turned-pizzaman labors in the land of granite and pulls back the curtain on the seasonal-employment fantasy.The Works: Trans-Yosemite Ski Tour
Start packing now for a once-in-a-lifetime ski tour through silent, snow-draped Yosemite.Climbing, Hiking, and Paddling in Los Angeles
Forget Sunset Boulevard. The City of Angels' abundant coastline and steep canyons will have you creating your own walk of fame.Paddling's Greatest Getaways
16 wild ways to find backcountry solitude and big-time scenery. All this, and you can bring the ice chest, too.Adventure Weekend: Hike Big Sur, California
Scratch the picturesque postcard surface of Big Sur...and there's far more than you imagined, including hot springs and high-rise trails.Ultimate Summer Escapes: The Best Dayhikes and Backpacking Trips Near You
Coming soon to your city: far-out adventures that are shockingly close to home.Backpack, Paddle, and Mountain Bike along California's North Coast
See all (or any) of northern California's three faces.The Unbearable Lightness Of Being Scott Williamson
To hike from Mexico to Canada and back, a man needs strength and speed and luck. He needs something else, too. If only he knew what it was.America's Hardest Dayhikes
Push yourself on any of these challenging hikesEpicenter: The Scene In Bishop, California
Hike and climb-and then kick back-in a High Sierra sweet spot.High Points: Mt. Whitney, California
You could do it in a day, but don't rush this one.Death Valley Adventure Guide
Lose the sun-baked stereotype and bring thoughts of shady canyons and breezy passes.Hike Death Valley's Cottowood and Marble canyons
Flowing water means a lighter load and an easier time exploringSummer Hiking on the John Muir Trail
A backpacker's go light heaven: thru-hiking California's High SierraSecrets of Yosemite National Park
Sneak in the side door for a private viewing of the finest in California's High Sierra real estate.A Hiker's Guide To Surfing and Snorkeling
Use your backpacking skills at the best surfing, climbing, trail running, and even paragliding spotsLuxury Gone Wild At Ahwahnee
A night in Yosemite's most famous hotelCalifornia; Death Valley National Park
Camping in Death Valley might give you the hottest day of your life.Channel Islands National Park
This wild paradise is the Galapagos of California.Balloon Dome, Ansel Adams Wilderness
Don't let well-known Sierra neighbors like Yosemite overshadow this stunning wilderness.Climbing The Sierras: Banner Peak
Try climbing the standout Banner Peak, just around the corner from Mammoth Lakes.Climbing Yosemite: Mount Conness
Tuolomne Meadows monarch Mount Conness has been a classic Yosemite climb for years -- and for good reason.Climbing Yosemite: Matthes Crest
Matthes Crest features superb climbing deep in Yosemite's backcountry.Death Valley Warmed Over
Time spent in California's Death Valley can be a life-enhancing experience.Best Backpacking In California
Our comprehensive guide to the best backpacking you can find in California.Tahoe Rim Trail: A Heavenly Hike
Twenty years of hard work near Tahoe yields a 150-mile path so high, you'll breathe "angel air."Splendor Hiking The High Sierra
Take the finest mountains in the world, add high-country meadows, glacial valleys, alpine lakes, pine-and-hemlock forests, and what do you have? A recipe for backcountry bliss.Discover California's Point Reyes National Seashore
In Point Reyes National Seashore, you'll find peace and quiet in the heart of California's earthquake zone.California's Chumash Wilderness: Spritual Salvation
The condors know all about Chumash Wilderness, but luckily, the masses in Los Angeles don't.Hiking The Pacific Crest Trail
Everything you'd want in a long trail.Hiking California's John Muir Trail
This magnificent trail travels through three California parks while showcasing the natural wonders Muir worked to preserve.Snowy Destinations
Need someplace to go shoe with your snowshoes? Whet your whistle with one of these great places.Giant Sequoia National Monument
How do you protect the largest trees on Earth? Don't harm them in the first place.Hiking Henry W. Coe State Park, California
California's second largest park has an impressive trail system.Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California
Myths and cactus in California: A life-filled land of sand and mountains.California's Ahjumawi Lava Springs State Park
In the shadow of magnificent Mt. Shasta lies a relic of ancient times.Hoover Wilderness, California
Lay claim to your own California mountain valley and bask in utter solitude.Santa Catalina Island, California
Porpoises escort you to a rugged island where buffalo really do roam.Golden Trout Wilderness, Sequoia & Inyo National Forests, California
Catch rainbows -- trout, that is -- in Rockhouse Basin's rivers, where you're more likely to see a wildcat than another human.California's Smith River National Recreation Area
You're as likely to bump into Sasquatch as another human.Desolation Wilderness, Eldorado National Forest
Behind the forbidding name lies California's glacier-polished playground.Lake Pillsbury, Mendocino National Forest, California
Hiking and backpacking at its finest, through pastoral grasslands and forests of pine and fur.California's Ishi Wilderness
Ishi Wilderness trails run through stream-carved canyons, past stunning vistas, back to gold rush days.The Men Behind The Bay Area Ridge Trail
Galen Rowell talks about his and others' efforts to make the Bay Area Ridge Trail a reality.Ansel Adams Wilderness: Witness To Magic
With the click of a shutter, Ansel Adams captured the beauty and soul of wild places and showed us that in nature, there is magic.California's Trinity Alps: Dr. Seuss Hiked Here
Observe the uncanny resemblance between the good doctor's famous Truffula Trees and a field of fuzz-topped flowers 5 miles up Long Canyon.Joshua Tree's Bloomin' Good Hike
California: Journey through a desert to bear witness to some of the loveliest wildflowers you'll ever see.Treasure In San Francisco's Backyard
More than 200 preserves, parks, and other protected wildlands lie within 40 miles of San Francisco, exceeding Yosemite National Park in size, biodiversity, and visitation.Earthquakes in California's Fish Valley
When hiking California's Fish Valley, don't forget to pack your Richter scale.Baja Mexico: South To The Sun
Combine white sand beaches and gin-clear water with snow-free highland hiking, and you've got Baja, the perfect midwinter escape.The Faces Of Fall
If you think autumn is simply a time to rake leaves, then you need to read our guide to the best of the fall season.California's Cucamonga Wilderness
As ice-cream makers in Los Angeles once knew, the Cucamonga Wilderness is the essence of cool.Wild As It Ever Was
For almost half a century, California's rugged Ishi Wilderness hid "the last wild Indian." Even today, it is a place that can keep a secret.Mokelumne Wilderness Loop, CA
Where 100 unknown Sierra miles wait.California's Trinity Alps
Secret scrambles and lakes abound in this northern California wilderness.California's Redwood National Park
Walk among giants in Redwood National Park.California's Carson-Iceberg Wilderness
Dark, volcanic mountains soaring along the Pacific Crest make for a forbidding wilderness perfect for U.S. Marines in training -- or solitude-seeking hikers.Santa Catalina Island
Find a new kind of California beach on the undeveloped shores of Santa Catalina Island.California's Great Western Divide
Can you find solitude in Sequoia National Park? You can if you go off trail.Bay Area Spring Flings
Three Bay Area hikes that'll quickly make winter a distant memoryCalifornia's Land Of "Thoughtful" Giants
Redwood Meadow's massive trees and wild countryside have changed little since Muir passed through 100 years ago.Yosemite On A Bad Day Is Still Good
Sometimes a place is so magnificent that it burns itself into your soul and overrides all sensation-even the urge to heave up your guts.Yosemite: Treasure Of The Sierra
Forget what CNN and Your Daily News say about Yosemite's crowds and crime and traffic. the "treasure of the Sierra" is still a golden place for backpackers to escape.California's Dardanelles
Wondrous lava formations in the Sierra's granite kingdom.California's Cottonwood Lakes
The trails are lonely and the trout are always biting in this Inyo National Forest hideaway.California's Sespe Wilderness
A roadless wonder in California's Los Padres Wilderness.California's Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel Wilderness
The best wildlife stronghold in California.Big Sur's Redwood Trees
If the redwoods don't wow you, there's always the world-class California coastline.Goat Rocks Wilderness: A Real Eye-Popper
Some say Goat Rocks Wilderness has the best scenery along the 2,600-mile Pacific Crest Trail. Decide for yourself.San Gorgonio Wilderness: 2 Miles Above L.A.
Sierra scenery at L.A.'s backdoor.
