Shoulder Season Hikes

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

Amble past amber maples on Kittatinny Ridge as golden eagles and hawks soar overhead on this overnight loop. BY KATRINA ROSSOS

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

Scramble across the trailless desert in Joshua Tree's wild northeast corner to inner Basin Pass. BY EMELIE FROJEN

Explore the Superstition Mountains on this overnight across Red Tanks Divide. BY QUINN HARPER

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

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

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.

See across the Prairie State from 320-million-year-old sandstone outcrops.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

This 5-mile round-trip route to Munds Mountain offers postcard-quality views of Sedona's famed red rocks.

Climb two peaks, then return through an abandoned village on this historic 6.2-mile loop in Bear Mountain State Park.

See centuries-old endangered trees in one of the Eastern seaboard's last remaining maritime forests on this 6.2-mile out-and-back across a diverse barrier island.

Satisfy your wanderlust on this 5.4-mile out-and-back, which offers stop-and-gawk panoramas of the jagged Cascades blanketed by glaciers.

Paddle this 11.5-mile loop through open bays and protected salt marshes to beaches with giant sand dunes and historic buildings from the late 1700s.

Camp near an idyllic mountain stream on this 11-mile out-and-back into a deep, remote gorge scoured by small waterfalls in Georgia's Cohutta Wilderness.

This 8.3-mile lollipop loop quickly ascends 2,500 feet into the coastal hills; bring your camera to capture striking above-the-fog seascapes.

This remote, partly unmarked 10.4-mile route leads to a beautifully carved canyon with high desert views in Sycamore Canyon Wilderness.

First, check out the petroglyphs; then climb 2,500 feet to the state high point on this popular 11.6-mile out-and-back in Chattahoochee National Forest.

This 6.4-mile dayhike is a tour de force: You'll be rewarded with magnificent views, an isolated arch, and unusual plant life in Coconino National Forest.

Hike, ski, or bike a hidden pocket of sylvan wilderness just an hour from Manhattan.

This rigorous but rewarding 9.8-mile out-and-back on the Pacific Crest Trail climbs more than 2,000 feet to a summit with splendid high-desert views.

This 5.2-mile desert hike is great any time, but spectacular in spring when the Antelope Buttes bloom with native grasses and fire-orange poppies, the California state flower.

Hike 4.6 miles up the quieter, less-traveled west side on one of the mountain's oldest trails, alternating between forested scrambles, old streambeds, and exposed rock ledges.

This 12.1-mile loop skirts five reservoirs, cuts through forests of oak, hemlock, and birch, and gains 2,600 feet of elevation in 2,060-acre Middlesex Fells Reservation.

Enjoy soaring views from open ridges on this easy-access overnight.

Loop 5.7 miles into shaded hollows and up the highest dunes on Lake Michigan's southern shore in Indiana Dunes State Park.

Waterfalls, lush forests, and magnificent creekside views make this 5-mile out-and-back through Cliff Falls Wilderness a superb dayhike in northern Georgia.

This 14.4-mile loop starts in a lush canyon framed by a secluded waterfall, then ascends to a mellow ridgeline in the Santa Ana foothills.

This lovely 5.4-mile loop shaded by oaks, pines, and birches leads to the rushing headwaters of Flat Creek in Chattahoochee National Forest.

Venture into cowboy country on a faded cattle trail that visits desolate buttes, colorful meadows, and quiet vistas in 6 rolling miles (each way).

On this 6-mile loop in Blue Hills Reservation, you'll see dense hardwoods, meadows, ponds, glacial leftovers, rocky hills, and sweeping views of Boston.

This 5.8-miler loops in-and-around secluded islands of rare trees, diverse bird sanctuaries, and tranquil butterfly gardens in Hammonasset Beach State Park.

Visit Georgia's Little Grand Canyon on this 6.7-mile loop to backcountry shelters and geologic wonders in Providence Canyon State Park.

Nestled in a quiet corner of the Cohutta Wilderness, this 10.2-mile out-and-back features giant hardwood stands, waterfalls, and a remote mountain campsite.

This 7.3-mile loop leads to photo-worthy views of the colorful Santa Monica Mountains and the Pacific Ocean, then enters a highland meadow to a tranquil pond.

Hike through a variety of Arizona vegetation to a Native American ruin and a classic red-rock rim on this 8.4-mile out-and-back trip in black bear country.

Hike saguaro-covered hillsides to a small desert spring on this 5.2-mile loop encircled by mesas and red sandstone cliffs.

Rolling forestland and endless grassy meadows provide abundant habitat for mule deer, wild turkeys, and other wildlife on this 6.8-miler to an old ranch in the shadow of Longs Peak.

This romantic 6.1-miler follows Lovers Lane Trail to four waterfalls and countless cool swimming holes set in the deep forests of Olympic National Park.

From river valley to alpine meadows, this 10.8-mile hike features a brilliant flower display in midsummer and stunning Olympic Range views year-round.

Escape the Windy City on this easy 5.9-mile hike through a beautiful hardwood forest into ravines carved by glaciers more than 10,000 years ago.

Escape the city's bustle by leaving the mainland. This 10.4-mile loop explores the crowd-free hills and beautiful gardens of Santa Catalina Island.

Discover the remote cliff dwellings of a long-lost Native American tribe on this 8-mile out-and back in Tonto National Forest.

Hike rolling grassland punctuated by towering redrock formations to a ridge overlooking the Front Range on this 6-mile loop just 20 minutes from Denver.

This 5.8-mile loop takes you through a 400-year-old forest to summit the highest Bay State peak east of the Berkshires.

Navigate rocky canyon bottoms amid colorful cactus-studded hills on a 6.8-mile off-trail excursion in the Superstition Wilderness.

Sample two long paths on a 5.8-mile figure-8 loop through hemlock groves and along churning creeks to an AT shelter in Chattahoochee National Forest.

Bag three peaks and bird's-eye views of Boulder on this tour of the Flatirons. Bring a few extra energy bars: This out-and-back gains 5,000 feet in 11 miles.

This 5.2-mile trail kicks off with a short albeit aggressive climb, then rambles through meadows that explode with wildflowers in the summer. Craggy mountain vistas abound.

This scenic 4.2-mile hike in the Blue Hills Reservation loops under pines and passes by a rare Atlantic white cedar bog, home to 17 endangered species.

Tour three 14,000-foot peaks (and one unranked 14er) on this loop in the Mosquito Range.

Walk 8.2 miles through blooming rhododendron patches and towering hemlock stands to a double-spouted waterfall in Chattahoochee National Forest.

Where do the locals go? To the lovely waterfalls, big ocean views, and hidden ruins on this 4.3-mile dayhike in the Santa Monica Mountains.

Discover meadows rich in Civil War history and climb two peaks with views of Atlanta on this 10.4-mile loop.

Head up to a ridge overlooking the Hudson Valley and Catskills, and return through beaver and berry country.

Native ruins and red-rock views are the main attractions on this 3-mile climb up a Sedona-area mesa.