Paddle Through a Florida Zoo in the Everglades
Alligators, birds, and even dolphins will be your company on this paddle.
It’s OK: Winter isn’t for everyone. Where some hikers tune up their skis and pull out their heavy layers, some of us are left dreaming of shorts weather. If that sounds like you, you don’t need to hibernate for the winter. Instead, chase summer on one of these six trips Backpacker encourages hikers to travel responsibly during the Covid-19 pandemic. Read up on current conditions and health department rules, practice social distancing, and consider opting for destinations closer to home.
Alligators, birds, and even dolphins will be your company on this paddle.
You don’t have to go far away to get far away in the perfect national park for winter.
Granite domes, long-limbed cacti, prehistoric wildlife, and legendary night skies should land this park on every hiker’s bucket list, so beat the spring rush by going now. We bet mild temps, quiet trails, and late blooms will leave you thinking this is the sleeper season, after all.
The sand beckons—but don't just throw down your towel and soak up the sun.
Towering cacti and no crowds make this a perfect hike for getting away from it all.
Walking in this gypsum dunefield is hard—but it's worth the trouble.
The plains meet the bottomlands in this unique ecosystem.