HARTS PASS to CANADA: The last 34-mile leg of the PCT might be one of the grandest, and possibly the least-traveled. In the remote Pasatayen Wilderness, hikers are the minority compared to the prized wildlife populations (grizzlies, gray wolves, lynx).

Find plenty of raw adventure on the Pacific Northwest Trail while hiking a 120-mile roadless stretch from Cold Springs Camp to Ross Lake in Washington‰Ûªs remote Pasayten Wilderness--the Lower 48‰Ûªs longest such track outside of the John Muir Trail.

A steep climb of 3,700 feet in 3.6 miles gains a firetower lookout with spectacular views of Mount Rainier, Mount Baker, and Mount Stuart.

Switchback 1,800 vertical feet to a sapphire-blue glacial lake in the shadow of Mt. Index on this moderate 6.4-mile round trip- with a killer picnic at Bridal Veil Falls.

Solitude rules on this 9.4-mile out-and-back hike along Little Kachess Lake to rock gardens ablaze with wildflowers,giant green forests, and a quiet lakeside hideout.

Hike 8.6 miles along a rippling creek and past high cliff walls to pockets of old-growth forest, birding hotspots, and a bonanza of wildflower patches.

Enjoy stunning views of Mt. Rainier, old-growth forest, and colorful summer wildflowers on this 2.8-mile hike to a pair of high alpine lakes.

Trek above old lava fields to the summit of Huckleberry Mountain on this 10.2-mile round-trip ramble in Gifford Pinchot National Forest.

Think of this hike as a five-star gourmet meal for the price of a cheeseburger, the crescendo will leave you utterly speechless, yet leave you wondering how you attained so much for so little effort.

This 6.5-mile counterclockwise loop starts at Rainy Pass and crests the 7,000-foot ridge above the lake for eagle-eye views of the glacier-topped Cascades.