Dayhike

The short and steep trip to Lake Agnes delivers with craggy peaks, scree fields (home to pika), and fish-filled alpine waters.

Follow this loop mixing on- and off-trail travel through vibrant wildflower displays and past snow-fed streams to a huge alpine lake with unbeatable campsite views of Mount Meeker.

This 10.5-mile out and back promises wildflower drenched meadows, stunning vistas, and two pristine alpine lakes perfect for a cold dip or sunrise photo op.

Beat the crowds by getting to this Oahu favorite extra early.

Capture some of North Carolina’s best views as you hike into the Linville Gorge Wilderness on this spring-perfect trek.

Get up close and personal with North America’s tallest waterfall and Yosemite Valley’s greatest hits on this 20.6-mile loop.

Enchanted Rock is the second-largest granite batholith in the country. Don’t know what a batholith is? Find out by hiking up one.

This classic hike in the Blue Ridge Mountains packs it all: a cascading stream, tunnels of rhododendron, and panoramic views, all only 45 minutes from Asheville

The classic Pacific coast waterfall is the destination; the 15-mile round-trip hike through evergreen forests, coastal grassland, and beachside cliffs is the journey.

Climb through Douglas firs and sword ferns to reach this 3,205-foot summit.

Climb Wa‘ahila Ridge below Mt. Olympus for some of the island's best views.

Find fields of poppies on this spring-perfect hike in the Chino Hills outside Lake Elsinore.

Climb above Phoenix for an aerie-like view over the valley.

Score an aerie overlooking the Buffalo River Valley to yourself when you visit Whitaker Point in the offseason.

Walk among giants on this quiet hike past the Grove of Titans and other 300-foot-tall redwood trees.

Savor views of the Sierra Estrella and Mazatzal mountain ranges on this close-to-home leg-burner.

Visit Georgia's best section of the Appalachian Trail in winter for a crowd-free experience and Blue Ridge vistas frosted in white.

See arches and sea stacks—and no people—when you visit the Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor in winter.

In winter, one of Sequoia National Park's most popular spots gets a much-needed dose of solitude

Get a new perspective on an iconic view when you look through Canyonlands National Park's famous Mesa Arch in winter.

This shoulder-season cruiser delivers you to some of the best views in West Texas.

Wander through the world's largest gypsum dune field in New Mexico.

Rescued hikers say they saw "two ships" and a "weird orb" while searching for UFOs on Boston's Buck Hill.

Part of the popular New Hampshire state park's trail system will be off-limits through the end of July.

Public indecency charges await a man spotted hiking nude in a Connecticut state park.

This college student knows his way around the fells and forests of Massachusetts.

A city crowdsourcing photography project inspired local dad to take his kids to every last one of Boston's 300-plus parks.

Estabrook Woods preserve might soon require dog walkers to keep a tight rein on their pets.

Check out BACKPACKER Contributors and Editors's author page.

Check out BACKPACKER Contributors and Editors's author page.

Check out BACKPACKER Contributors and Editors's author page.

Check out BACKPACKER Contributors and Editors's author page.

Check out BACKPACKER Contributors and Editors's author page.

Experience thru-hiking fever (and New England hardwoods) on this section of the historic Long Trail across Glastonbury Mountain. BY RYAN WICHELNS

Walk along Paint Creek in Yellow River State Forest on this overnight backpacking trip and you'll know it's true: Iowa is rugged. BY KOREY PETERSON

Get the closest to the Alps without leaving the States—by traversing the Presidentials, including Mt. Washington, in winter. BY RYAN WICHELNS

Take a breather from hiking the Presidentials and take in New Hampshire's White Mountains from a whole new perspective.

Appreciate the urban on a nitty-gritty city trek; dayhike to a crowd-free airy view; and snag a peak-bagging overnight on Los Angeles's best local hikes.

We've got your picks for the best after work, day-long, and overnight trips near Beantown, including the White Mountains, Blue Hills, and more.

Climb the peak with the infamous moniker "Home of the World's Weather" in winter.

Backpack into the heart of Sequoia National Park to the beautiful snow-melted Pear Lake in Tokopah Valley.

Squeeze this 4.3-mile dayhike in before the ferry departs for the mainland. Highlights: super rare pine trees and breezy views of the mighty Pacific.

This beautiful 4.3-mile loop adjacent to the Illinois River adds welcome relief--waterfalls, sculpted sandstone canyons, and impressive overlooks--to the usually pancake-flat landscape.

Explore 4.4 miles through old growth timber to a glacier-carved lake on this family-friendly hike in the Cascade Mountains.

This 6.6-mile loop features a coastal bluff with dazzling wildflower displays and a wild beach with exceptional views of the Olympic Mountains and the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

This 14-mile shuttle hike winds tranquil wooded slopes to five peaks over 3,400 feet in a remote section of the Catskills. Off-trail experience and navigation skills required.

Escape the crowds on the Catskill High Peaks with this 5.6-mile bushwhack to the range's highest trail-less summit. Compass skills required; hiking poles recommended.

This little-used trail plunges 1,700 feet through wildflower country to a cool reward by West Clear Creek. Watch for cairns on this 6.8-mile hike to avoid involuntary bushwhacks.

Hoof it up more than 2,000 feet over 2.3 miles on this leg-burner up Bear Mountain for huge, arcing vistas over Sedona's redrock wonderland and the lush Verde Valley.

Visit a lesser-known treasure of Harriman State Park on this 5.7-mile jaunt, which contours through hilly hardwood forest and along cascading creeks to a few peaceful ponds.

Veer off this popular trail on a scenic detour with elevated views of impressive rock formations and beautiful Oak Creek Canyon. This out-and-back variation runs 6.7 miles.

Trace the rugged, uninhabited coastline of Crystal Cove on this 5.2-mile out-and-back to sunbleached bluffs, swirling tidal pools, and a deserted settlement of old beach villas.

Trek into history on this 7-mile out-and-back in the San Gabriel foothills. You'll visit the ruins of a luxurious hotel and cog railway that date back to the early 1900s.

Hike 6 miles to an island of green space nestled in L.A.'s suburbs, then climb steeply to panoramic views of the nearby San Gabriel mountains and the Hollywood Hills.

Savor sunny views of Catalina Island and the Pacific Ocean, then descend to a cool creek under the pleasant shade of sycamore trees on this 8.9-mile canyon loop.

Hike, run, or bike this moderate 6.2-mile out-and-back, which follows a scenic, rolling ridgeline to a boot-shaped mesa with a stunning ocean vista.

Discover solitude again on this quiet, mostly forested 6.4-mile trek up a wrinkled Appalachian mountain to a delightful babbling brook. Bring tree ID book.

This steep 7.8-mile hike climbs through deep forest and alpine tundra to the summit of one of New Hampshire's famed Presidentials for views as far as Maine.

Walk 6.8 miles out and back on a rocky singletrack path into an intimate ravine streaming with cold, blue mountain waters. The hike ends at a quiet Appalachian high point.

This 9.8-mile out-and-back day hike or overnight explores a lesser-known corner of Slide Mountain Wilderness while summiting two rugged peaks taller than 3,800 feet.

A good spring hike, this 5.2-mile out-and-back strolls through the shade of old-growth forest to the peaceful banks of Lena Lake. The trail is snow-free most of the year.

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.

Climb past cascading waterfalls, alongside rocky ledges, and over three exposed summits on this 7.8-mile loop, which offers some of the best views in the White Mountains.

This 4.1-mile hike exposes the wilder side of northern Illinois, an untouched 3,000-acre tract filled with wildlife and a gravel cone formed by an ancient stream.

Cruise 5.2 miles along gentle foothills, Ireland-esque pastures, and past an old sawmill to a vista overlooking Boulder Canyon and the Front Range.

This 5-mile loop undulates through glacially tilled terrain under a hardwood canopy of magnificent fall colors in Kettle Moraine State Forest.

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.

This 7.3-mile loop hike takes you up a steep, rocky trail to an exposed, treeless summit that's the southwesternmost high peak in the White Mountains, and one of the prettiest.

Traverse a dramatic high ridge via 5 miles of the Appalachian Trail, ending at thru-hiker hangout Walasi-Yi Center.

This moderate 7.9-mile loop descends into lush tunnels of rhododendron, then rises to lofty views of endless forest in Fort Mountain State Park.

There are no car horns blowing on this pleasant 5-mile loop--just the therapeutic hum of mountain streams and a peaceful lake in the woods.

This preserve offers plenty of big city escape. Shady forests, gentle waterfalls, and a lofty vista over the Des Plaines River are just a few stops along this 10.1-mile multi-use loop.

This 6.5-mile loop passes through sage, chaparral, and oak groves to a high plateau with panoramic views of the Santa Ana Mountains.

This easy 4.7-mile route loops past Sycamore Canyon Falls and the shady bottom of Big Sycamore Canyon.

This challenging 2,000-foot climb coils through 7.9 miles of mixed forest then unloads killer views from the tops of two favorite local peaks.

A stiff climb is rewarded with Lord-Of-The-Rings-like views on this 8.6-mile, berry-strewn trek.

This 6.2-mile out-and-back follows the new Ira Spring Memorial Trail, which winds for 3.2 miles above Snoqualmie Valley, ending at picturesque Mason Lake.

This all-season, 7-mile loop in the Boulder River Wilderness gently ascends through fast-growing (and fast-falling) alders, fragrant cedars, and rugged Douglas firs.