Free Maps! Our Contributors Favorite Local Hikes
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Blue Hills (James Leighton)
Sandia Crest (Kennan Harvey)
Our coast-to-coast network of field contributors mapped their favorite local hikes so you could send the trips to your mobile phone or access them on Backpacker.com.*
ALBUQUERQUE, NM
Sandia Crest Trail
From city center 23 miles
End this challenging, 13.5-mile dayhike up the southern spine of the Sandia Mountains with a civilized finish–microbrews at the High Finance Restaurant. Trip ID: 51493
ATLANTA, GA
Kennesaw Mountain
From city center 23 miles
Discover meadows rich in Civil War history and climb two peaks with views of the Atlanta skyline on this 10.4-mile loop. ID: 31716
BOSTON, MA
Blue Hills-Skyline Trail
From city center 14.8 miles
This loop in Blue Hills Reservation packs a lot of scenery into six miles: quiet hardwood forests, rocky hills carved by glaciers, and sweeping views of Boston. ID: 431589
BURLINGTON, VT
Mt. Philo
From city center 15 miles
Hike 2.1 miles to the 968-foot summit of Mt. Philo and score big views of Lake Champlain and peaks in the Adirondacks and Green Mountains. ID: 60199
CHICAGO, IL
Swallow Cliffs Woods
From city center 24 miles
You’ll twist-and-turn for 5.6 trail miles through the wind- and water-scoured ravines of this 800-acre park. ID: 23837
Cincinnati, OH
Mt. Airy Forest
From city center 7.7 miles
This 8.4-mile out-and-back–just 10 minutes from downtown–connects quiet wooded hills and stream-carved valleys. ID: 8210
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO
Garden of the Gods
From city center 4.8 miles
Tour a rock garden of giant proportions on this 4.8-mile loop. You’ll pass towering redrock monoliths, golden hillsides, and views of Pikes Peak. ID: 47104
LITTLE ROCK, AR
Pinnacle Mountain
From city center 19 miles
Reenergize yourself on this short but steep 2.5-mile hike (or trail run) to the top of the city’s landmark peak. ID: 43670
LOS ANGELES, CA
Temescal Canyon
From city center 19.6 miles
This 4.8-mile hike takes in a leafy canyon, a small waterfall, and ends with a sweet view of the Pacific Ocean. ID: 6943
MINNEAPOLIS, MN
Willow Falls
From city center 33.8 miles
This three-mile loop (located just across the Wisconsin line) delivers plenty of cool sights and sounds: rolling bluffs, crashing waterfalls, and beautiful lakeshore views. ID: 22903
*Text imap and the Trip ID to 32075. To view them online, type the URL backpacker.com/hikes/Trip ID. Example: For L.A.’s Temescal Canyon hike, text “imap 6943” to 32075. Or go to backpacker.com/hikes/6943. You’ll get directions, trail beta, a map, and more–at no charge from us!
NASHVILLE, TN
Radnor Lake
From city center 10.4 miles
Birds (240 species) far outnumber hikers on this 4.5-mile circuit over woodland hills to the often-breezy shore of Radnor Lake. ID: 22895
NEW YORK CITY, NY
Orchard Beach-Twin Island
From city center 15.9 miles
Sample rocky coastlines, beachside boardwalks, and brackish wetlands on this five-mile dayhike in Pelham Bay, the largest park in New York City. ID: 417758
PORTLAND, OR
Forest Park
From city center 8.3 miles
For the full story on the nation’s premier city park, read “The Wild Edge”. To sample one of the park’s best hikes, loop 5.3 miles through old-growth forests and along streams on the Leif Erickson Corridor and Maple Trails. ID: 25439
SAN FRANCISCO, CA
San Bruno Mountain State Park
From city center 8.9 miles
Loop 3.8 miles through a quiet oasis of undulating hills to San Bruno Mountain, on the city’s south side. The 1,076-foot summit overlooks the Pacific Ocean. ID: 7755
SALT LAKE CITY, UT
Mueller Park/North Canyon
From city center 11.2 miles
String together two scenic canyons, several campsites, long vistas, and local landmarks like Rudy’s Flats and Elephant Rock on this 9.2-miler. ID: 16951
SEATTLE, WA
Poo Poo Point
From city center 20.9 miles
This four-miler in Tiger Mountain State Forest climbs through a moss-draped forest to Poo Poo Point, a grassy perch overlooking the Issaquah Alps. ID: 364362
ST. LOUIS, MO
Walkers Island
From city center 11.5 miles
There’s more to Walkers Island than the name suggests. Camp (48 campsites), look for birds (egrets and herons), and cast for fish (catfish and crappie) on this 3.8-mile hike. ID: 330391
WASHINGTON, D.C.
Glover-Archbold Park Loop
From city center 4.7 miles
Minutes from the White House, you’ll find a series of tranquil, historic trails along the Potomac River and C&O Canal. Start on the Glover-Archbold Trail and hike 5.5 miles in a counterclockwise loop. ID: 39462
*Text imap and the Trip ID to 32075. To view them online, type the URL backpacker.com/hikes/Trip ID. Example: For L.A.’s Temescal Canyon hike, text “imap 6943” to 32075. Or go to backpacker.com/hikes/6943. You’ll get directions, trail beta, a map, and more–at no charge from us!
