Sedona, AZ: West Clear Creek
Immerse yourself (literally) in the crystal clear waters of the Coconino National Forest on this multi-day amphibious trek that features classic‰ÛÓand unavoidable‰ÛÓcanyon swims.
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Phoenix, AZ: Geronimo Cave via Peralta TrailStunning views of Weavers Needle and a fun, route-finding slickrock descent make this 4.6-mile Superstition Wilderness loop a Phoenix favorite. Phoenix: Mescal MountainNative ruins and red-rock views are the main attractions on this 3-mile climb up a Sedona-area mesa. Grand Canyon National Park: Powell PlateauFollow the footsteps of John Wesley Powell to iconic views above the Grand Canyon on this backcountry trek. |
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Tucson, AZ: Sweetwater PreserveTake a sweet ride in Sweetwater, Tucson’s newest saguaro-packed trail system. This 7.6-mile sampler offers beginner-friendly singletrack and options for more technical trails, too. Jim Thompson TrailWe started at the Jordan Road trailhead, and hiked as far as the rim of Wilson Canyon just before the trail drops down into the canyon to head for Midgely Bridge. |
Trail Mix - West - March 2013Your region's go-now spring guide: Scramble to Salado Indian cliff dwellings in Arizona, spot bighorn sheep in Wyoming, and more. Grand Canyon National Park: Tanner-Escalante-Grandview CircuitIf you've hiked the park's established paths, it's time to raise your game. Explore the South Rim's wilder side with this 41.1-mile, off-trail trek. The challenges: routefinding, exposure, class 3 scrambling. The rewards: riverside beach camps, big views, solitude. Grand Canyon National Park: Boucher-Hermit LoopScramble through remote ravines, soak up private riverside vistas, and tour from rim to river on this stout, 25.1-mile circuit. |
Grand Canyon National Park: South Kaibab-Tonto-Bright Angel TrailStart early for sunrise in the canyon and crowd-free hiking on this 13.4-miler that descends to the gorge's mezzanine level. Grand Canyon Adventure Guide (2012 National Parks Series: Part 6 of 6)Find world-class scenery and challenges (no passport required) with our scouts' top day, weekend, and weeklong routes in the Big Ditch. Whether you're a canyon-country pro or a first-timer, we guarantee you'll find terrain that tests your boundaries. From the Field: BACKPACKER Trail Scouts' Top Western Local HikesWhether you want an uncrowded hike in Zion National Park or a five-miler through a gypsum dune field in New Mexico, our scouts have paved the way. |
Tanner-Escalante Loop, Grand Canyon National Park, AZBACKPACKER editor Jon Dorn and his wife have a tradition: They've been celebrating New Year's Eve in the backcountry for almost a decade. In 2009 they did a 40-mile, 5-day hike beneath the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. (Photos by Jonathan Dorn) Gunsight Canyon, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, AZIn spring 2006, BACKPACKER editors Jon Dorn, Peter Flax, and Kris Wagner joined a group of readers for a weekend of hiking and mapping in a remote slot canyon. (Photos by Jonathan Dorn) |
Hiking to Grand Canyon's Royal ArchJoin photographer Elias Butler on this trek to one of the Grand Canyon's hidden gems. November 2008 Reader PhotosThis month our readers found sun in Sedona, Arizona and snow and ice on Rainier–plus everything in between. |
Grand Canyon Challenge: Rim-to-Rim-to-RimDon't try this at home: See BACKPACKER's editor-in-chief's gonzo 21-hour hike with a friend into the Grand Canyon, rim-to-rim-to-rim. 3D Flyover: Grand Canyon's South RimDive off the Grand Canyon's South Rim and explore a waterfall-rich grotto and the canyon's largest natural rock bridge on this classic, 34-mile trek captured in vivid 3-D detail. 3D Flyover: Grand CanyonEnjoy yawning panoramas and no campsite competition along the Big Ditch's middle balcony–the Tonto Plateau–on a 5-day trek locals call "the jewels" for its perfectly placed (and lifesaving) springs. |
Editors' Choice Snow Award 2012: Sierra Designs Tov and L.L. Bean Ultralite 850Gear Editor Kristin Hostetter explains the new innovations in down insulation technology |
Editors' Choice Snow Award 2012: Vasque Snow Junkie UD BootsStaff Photographer Ben Fullerton reviews the lightweight Snow Junkie boots from Vasque |
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Phoenix: Boulder Canyon Phoenix: David Miller Loop Flagstaff, AZ: Humphreys Peak |

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