Trips

This 6.1-mile loop wanders into Indiana's only wilderness area, Charles C. Deam Wilderness, along an exceptional ridgeline to the sometimes-dry Sycamore Branch Creek

Wander from bubbling cascades to scenic balds to wide ridgelines to old-growth forest on this classic 12.5-mile, 2-day loop in the shadow of several 5,000-foot peaks.

Wander through white pine, Eastern hemlock, and mountain laurel to the summit of Mt. Minsi on this 4.2-mile out-and-back sprinkled with lovely mountain overlooks.

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.

The 4.3-mile climb to McClellan Butte is steep and rugged, but the payoff on top of this strikingly sharp summit is nothing short of spectacular. Wear sturdy boots for extra support.

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.

This 4.2-mile hike begins in a deep cleft of the Santa Monica Mnts., then winds up a mellow ridgeline with gorgeous ocean views. Zuma Canyon is a lush basin of wildflowers in season.

This easy 5.3-mile loop rewards hikers with fine views of the Cascades without a big climb, then leads to a peaceful riverside lunch spot.

Scamper 4 miles into a picturesque canyon loaded with Technicolor rock formations and high desert species like the brown eagle, desert fox, and California condor.

Bring your swimsuit: This 4.6-mile canyon hike features picture-perfect waterfalls, chilly mountain pools, and slim sandstone walls set in lush oak and sycamore forests.

Giant stands of ponderosa pine alternate with patches of wildflowers along the rugged shorelines of Pinecrest and Catfish lakes on this isolated 5.9-mile loop.

Enjoy the views and solitude of this 9.6 mile out-and-back trek through wind and water-scoured ravines to glacier-carved moraines in southeast Chicago.

Paddle the Willamette River to great fishing holes and views of towering osprey nests, then hike a small, isolated island on this 7.8-mile adventure.

This 10.2-mile kayak or canoe trip starts out with a big rush over Class III rapids, then runs a mellow river lined with hardwoods rich with waterfowl and wildlife.

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.

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 or run 3 miles into a thick forest of pines, ferns, and firs within The Nature Conservancy's Wilderness Park, which is nestled on the suburban outskirts of the city.

Grab a first-class view of Mount Hood on this timeless 6-mile out-and-back to lakeside campsites and craggy mountain overlooks in Mount Hood Wilderness.

Embark on an 11.8-mile loop into the Ozark Mountains with haunted hollows and undulating ridgelines bearded in oak and rare views of the Arkansas Valley. Best hiked in fall or spring.

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.

Home to a 9-foot Sasquatch, or just apretty bit of forest solitude along the Willamette River? Some think the former, but you'll definitely find the latter on this 3.8-mile trek.

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.

Can't afford a full week in Glacier? Try this daylong sampler, a 5.2-mile hike that passes waterfalls and jagged peaks, climbing to an alpine lake pinched in by 3,000-foot walls.

This 6-mile out-and-back adventure serves up mountain forests, a peaceful creek, and an unbeatable lunch spot on the banks of a small alpine lake.

Named after a Forest Service employee who disappeared while hiking in the late 1990s, this 6.5-mile loop links rugged high desert terrain with deep, cool forest.

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.

Tag three mountains, including the highest point in Connecticut, on this 12.1-mile hike in Mt. Washington State Forest. Attractions include: pretty streamside camping, spectacular ridgeline hiking, fine mountain views, and a bounty of blueberries.

Not for the weak-hearted, this 6.8-miler gains 4,200 feet up wooded hills, through a weathered canyon, and onto the flanks of Mt. Olympus where views are beyond spectacular.

The rocky points of this 5.6-mile coastal hike offer some of the best tidal pool viewing in Southern California. Go at low tide to see crabs, sea stars, anemones, and sea hares.

A lung-burning 2,000-foot gain in 2.5 miles rewards with sweet ridgeline views of the Taos Mountains and Wheeler Peak. This dayhike runs 6.6 miles round-trip.

This 8.8-mile, out-and-back wooded hike runs the spine of the Appalachian Mountains to one of the most remote AT shelters in Pennsylvania.

See ospreys, harbor seals, and great blue herons on this 11.3-mile paddle past coves, sheltered islands, rocky coast, sandy beach, and a lobster/ice cream shack.

This 12.4-mile out-and-back is in country so wild, so remote, and so loaded with wildlife not even locals know much about this wilderness in the corner of Medicine Bow National Forest.

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

This 8.4-mile out-and-back--just 10 minutes from downtown--connects a handful of wooded hills and stream-carved valleys in Mt. Airy Forest.

This 15.9-mile hike or bike trip follows an abandoned railroad along the banks of the New River, which local geologists claim is the second oldest river in the world.

Hike through some of Oregon's largest old-growth cedars and Douglas fir to a pair of pristine lakes where you can swim, fish, and camp on this 14.4-mile out-and-back.

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.

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.

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.

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

Bag two peaks on this 12-mile out-and-back, with breathtaking views of Spokane, Coeur d'Alene, and the surrounding mountains, lakes, and prairies.

Wet your adventure whistle on this 5-mile out-and-back to four waterfalls and countless swimming holes in the picturesque Oneonta Gorge.

Take a 5-mile tour of grasslands and forests in this island-inside-an-island wildlife refuge.

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.

Climb an easy 1,000 feet above the Clackamas River to a three-tiered waterfall that rivals almost anything in Maui.

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

This old mining trail offers a 6-mile out-and-back on the shaggy, rugged Kenai Peninsula.

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.

This easy 3.4-mile dayhike skirts the swift waters of the Little River, then gently climbs to clifftop views of a deep river canyon in DeSoto State Park.

This 17.2-mile hike strings together two monster canyons with a hardy bushwhack across red-rock backcountry.

Discover the blue pearls of famed Indian Peaks Wilderness on this moderate 8.4-mile high alpine hike.

Backpack under tall Ponderosa pines to the highest peak east of the Rockies then continue to a landscape littered with needle-nose spires on this isolated 6.8-mile loop.

Gurgling mountain streams and peaceful vistas line this 9-mile loop in southern Shenandoah National Park

This 3-day backpacking tour of Banff National Park offers outstanding mountain views, plentiful wildlife, and scenic meadows full of summer wildflowers.

The steep, 6-mile out-and-back hike to 3,226-foot Kings Mountain makes a good early-season tune-up or midsummer wildflower tour.

Hike the backbone of eastern Pennsylvania on this moderate 10.8-mile round-trip along the AT, which visits craggy overlooks with stellar views of eagles and hawks.

This 3.9-mile, figure-8 loop meanders along the shores of glacial lakes under a mixed forest of hardwoods and pine-a perfect trail/off-trail adventure for ambitious young hikers.

Capture the renowned mystique of Lake Superior's solitary atoll on this traverse of Isle Royale, a pristine archipelago untouched by development and home to thriving wolf and moose populations.

This short but challenging hike climbs 1,300 ft. to shallow caves, a delicate natural bridge, and spectacular view of the Snake River. Good route-finding skills required.

In 6.1 miles, this trail winds through a bird refuge with more than 130 feathered species, a secluded canyon, and an old pioneer town flooded by the Willamette River in the 1800s.

Spot bald eagles from the overlooks along this rarely crowded 5.2-mile stretch of the North Country Trail in northern Wisconsin's Marengo Semi-Primitive Area. The route also makes a great snowshoe hike.

Enjoy views north and south along Kittatiny Mountain on this vigorous 10-mile loop.

Knock off two Santa Fe must-dos--Lake Katherine, the most beautiful lake in NM, and illustrious Santa Fe Baldy—in one long day on this strenuous 15.4-mile out-and-back.

At 9.9 miles, this multi-use loop gently climbs an old logging road crisscrossing Cotton Brook, then moves up the banks of a reservoir with dramatic views of the Worcester Range.

This 6.6-mile out-and-back canyon hike is fantastically verdant and loaded with glistening cascades, including the park's second highest waterfall.

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.

Hike near theropod and sauropod dinosaur tracks, then ditch the roadside crowds for some solitude and abundant views of the Paluxy River Valley on this 6.8-mile loop.

Mountainsides of wildflowers and alpine larches will excite all five senses on this 6-mile out-and-back mountain trek in Wenatchee National Forest.

Escape the city's smog on this pretty 7.3-mile loop into the chaparral-covered ecosystem of La Jolla Canyon. Fresh air and Pacific Ocean vistas are only a 30-minute drive from downtown.

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

Navigate the long, gorgeous valley of Bishop Creek's Middle Fork to alpine lakes beneath spectacular Sierra Crest peaks. Leave early for this arduous 17-mile hike.

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

Countless waterfalls, 100-mile mountain views, and groves of ancient trees make this 8.6-mile, one-way trek one of the best dayhikes in the region.

Explore a local wildlife hideout on this easy 3.5-mile loop into oak forest and along soggy wetlands near the Willamette River.

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 steep, 330-foot cliff descent begins a 5-mile out-and-back along one of SoCal's last undeveloped coasts--which happens to include a famous nude beach.

The 9.2-mile trek heads along one of California's last pristine beaches to the swimming grounds of harbor seals and the once-endangered California gray whale.

Roam dense forests and lush ravines on this 6.4-mile trek just minutes from downtown Portland.