Trips

This 14.6-miler rewards hikers with wildflower meadows and views over four monster peaks.

A roller-coaster 9.2-mile hike hits two peaks with views of Lake Pend Oreille, Rathdrum prairie, and the Selkirk and Coeur d'Alene Mountains.

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.

Explore wildlife-rich salt flats and marsh in one of the last undeveloped deltas in the Puget Sound Region.

This strenuous 11.5-mile loop hops three peaks to outstanding views in the Tongue Mountain Range, then returns along the gorgeous shoreline of Northwest Bay.

A 7.4-mile hike with nonstop views of the Olympics, leading to a summit on the eastern edge of Olympic National Park.

Climb less than 1,000 ft. to craggy overlooks of Lake Willoughby and Mount Pisah on this 8.3-mile out-and-back in Willoughby State Park.

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

You won't find sections of this 8.2-mile hike on any trail map. That's because, until recently, these two 3,500-foot mountains in the Catskill Mountains sat on private land.

Hikers must follow unofficial, angler, or game trails for most of this 3.1-mile circumnavigation of Conestoga Lake, a popular roosting ground for upland birds and gobblers.

Find rugged wilderness in central Indiana as you hike this 10.3-mile loop. Don't miss old Draper Cabin.

Follow Daniel Boone's intrepid bootsteps westward over silent ground carpeted with ferns and history on this 9-mile figure-eight over the recently restored Gap.

Trek 6.3 miles into one of the last virgin tallgrass prairies in Kansas to limestone outcrops overlooking a beautiful river valley and the grazing lands of 300+ buffalo.

Taste Alaskan wilderness without the national park crowds on this 4.2-mile dayhike. Or continue hiking up to 36 additional miles for an extra-long day, an overnight, or a weekend.

Stroll through Giant Sitka spruce to craggy coastal views, then climb into old-growth forest and wild meadows.

A 3,000-foot gain in 3.4 miles delivers landscape-painting vistas of pastoral valleys and idyllic California hamlets on this 6.8-mile round-trip.

This 7.4-miler scrambles the best of the eastern Cascades: waterfalls, fragrant forests, and a sprawling alpine lake.

Enjoy a gurgling creek, the staccato of canyon wrens, and ridgetop vistas on this 4.2-mile jaunt just minutes from downtown Pasadena.

An oak-shaded creek with cat tails and mountain lion tracks.

Tall grass mixes with prickly pear on this 5.4-mile loop to sprawling ridgeline views of the Santa Ana Mountains, Bell Canyon, and San Juan Canyon.

Ramble from canyon views to shady forest along the exposed cliff bands above Santa Ysabel Creek.

From the Chisos Mountains to the Chihuahuan Desert, this 3- or 4-day hike samples it all.

Climb high above the Pacific on this 6-mile loop over 3,111-foot Sandstone Peak, the highest point in the Santa Monica Mountains.

Camp under sharp peaks and sharper stars on this 4-day, 20-mile tour along the eastern edge of Yosemite National Park. Summits, swimming holes, and trout abound.

A 24-miler in the the Big Bend's remote west corner.

Paddle the Rio Grande through massive gorges on this exciting overnight. This 22-mile trip is easily done in 2 days.

This 25-mile  hike climbs six significant peaks in the northern Catskills, accumulating about 8,000 feet each of elevation gain and loss in steep, rocky terrain. This country looks and feel wild, and the views from its many lookouts easily rival those from the more-crowded high peaks.

Bag the best views withing 50 miles of Manhattan on this 6.5-mile loop along open ridges and bucolic forest trails in Harriman State Park.

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

This 9.4-miler leads to a serene mountain lake and a ragged peak in Snoqualmie National Forest. Earmark a weekend to explore both, or divide it into two shorter dayhikes.

Begin this quiet 8.4-mile, out-and-back at a glacier dug lake, then continue through farm and forest where whitetail deer, turkeys, and coyotes roam.

Explore a desert moonscape of otherworldly cacti on this 4.2-mile hike to an abandoned gold prospect. Take plenty of water and sunscreen.

Hit two alluring lakes while exploring a landscape carved by fire and chiseled by ice on this picturesque 9.2-mile out-and-back lined with plentiful wildflowers.

Solitude rules on this 6.2-mile out-and-back past the headwaters of a lively mountain stream where deer and black bears roam by the skeleton of a weatherbeaten homestead.

Enjoy the quiet trails and scenic views of Yosemite Valley's less-traveled twin on this 28.7-mile overnighter. Early season is marked by waterfalls surging with spring meltoff.

Explore one of the Lower 48's last remaining wild corners on this 11.6-mile loop from the High Chisos Mountains to the South Rim escarpment.

Pass through some of the wildest land in the Lower 48 on this stout 11.3-mile route that offers a wildlife showcase of grizzlies, mountain lions, moose, and wolverines.

This 12.4-mile out-and-back sweeps under a giant evergreen forest to a blossoming burn zone, then ends at an alpine lake perfect for stargazing.

This stunning 12-mile romp visits one of the most beautiful and rugged desert shrub-steppe areas of central Washington and is well worth the 2-hour drive from downtown.

Watch thriving bison herds while surveying million-year-old glacial architecture on this 4.2-mile lasso loop through the largest untouched mixed-grass prairie in North America.

Traverse the secluded ridgelines of the "Valley of Vapors" on this 12.4-mile loop through America's oldest National Park Service site.

Watch wild ponies trot by the seashore on this 11.1-mile loop along a unique barrier island. Bring a bucket and hunt for clams on the isle's massive, undeveloped beaches.

Discover ancient archaeology and island isolation (playful sea lions excepted) on this 5.2-mile loop through Santa Rosa's steep canyons and sandy beaches.

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.

Take in craggy seaside views from the summit of 1,532-foot Cadillac Mountain, the highest point on the Atlantic coast, on this 4.4-mile loop.

Camp on sandy beaches, explore untouched forests, and listen to gray wolves howl on this 16.2-mile hike on an isolated island in Lake Superior.

Find solitude in a geological playground of narrow canyons and pristine red sandstone arches on this rarely visited 4.5-mile loop.

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

Pass through a sanctuary of towering old-growth forest and lush open meadows on this 5.5-mile loop around The Ramparts with majestic views of snowcapped Rainier.

Revisit the early shipping days of the Potomac Valley on a 5.6-mile circuit of this 155-year-old route. Along the way, marvel at the East's steepest, most spectacular fall-line rapid.

This diverse 5.6-mile out-and-back, a park signature hike, passes colorful geysers and an eerie burn zone en route to a 100-foot cascade. Caution: Grizzly restoration area.

Travel into the fiery past of Mount Mazama on this 5.2-mile out-and-back to the park's highest peak, where sprawling views of the deepest lake in the United States await.

Hike above the world's largest cave network on this 6.6-mile out-and-back that passes secluded bluffs with exceptional views of Kentucky's last remaining old-growth stands.

Ascend North America's tallest dunes for a day surrounded by alpine peaks, a desert valley, and shifting mountains of sand on this 6.6-mile loop in America's newest national park.

Enjoy a quick escape from the urban jungle any time of year on this 4.1-mile figure eight with calming views of the park's rolling meadows and hills.

Climb Mt. Sterling and hike through history on this 16.4-mile loop through the eastern Smokies.

Avoid hiking crowds by paddling to a secret trailhead, where you'll also admire old Adirondack camps on this 8.6-mile paddle-hike combo in Adirondack Park.

Venture into the lost world of the ancient Fremont people where smoke-stained grottos and some of the finest petroglyphs around highlight this 4-mile journey.

This narrow sandstone wonderland is a gateway to unlimited off-the-grid backpacking near Navajo Mountain.

Hike 4.2 miles under huge stands of old-growth hem- lock and firs (saved by strong-minded tree-sitters) to a remote peak in Mt. Hood National Forest.

Circumnavigate South Sister, a snowy volcanic crater patched with glaciers and old lava fields, as you connect alpine lakes on this 29.9-mile camping loop.

This 8-mile backcountry trek serves up two mountain lakes, intimate views of Mount Rainier, and some off-trail scrambles in the Tatoosh Range.

Set aside a long weekend for great fishing on this 32.4-mile loop in the remote Salmon River Mountains, where crystal waters attract elk, moose, and bears.

Hike the vibrant meadows of the Olympics on this 17-mile out-and-back, passing a warplane crash site and old mining town in Buckhorn Wilderness.

Airy ledges offer splendid views of Lake Superior and the northern backwoods on this 18.6-mile stretch from County Road 6 to Silver Bay.

This 9-mile out-and-back slices across Mohican State Park along a 300-foot deep sandstone gorge to the launch pads of two impressive waterfalls.

Only 30 minutes from downtown, this 7.4-mile out- and-back runs a shady corridor of bottomland hard- woods teeming with deer, armadillos, and songbirds.

Escape to a secluded strip of rippling dunes on this 5.2-miler, which rewards your efforts with panora- mas from high above Lake Michigan.

Save this 5.5-mile loop in the city foothills for after work and see for yourself the watermelon-pink sun- sets that nearby Sandia Mountain is named after.

A stout, 15.4-mile off-trail loop to a handful of peaks in the Tobacco Roots finishes off at steamy hot springs perfect for relaxing sore muscles.

On a tight travel schedule? Sample Denali on a rugged 3.8-mile loop to a rocky playground of Dall sheep and panoramas of North America's tallest peak.

Hike lonely trails filled with Yosemite-like granite formations in Lost Creek Wilderness on this 15.4-mile out-and-back up the Retirement Range's highest peak.

Trek 24.4 miles to a 200-foot, glacier-fed waterslide, then bag the highest peak in the Trinity Alps. Bring a fly rod for rare red-meat brook trout.

Hike through Franconia Notch State Park's legendary birch forest before scrambling up the steep, polished, granite slabs of Mt. Flume on this 8.4-miler.

Spend a sunny afternoon on this 6.1-miler hike among the hardwoods of French Creek State Park, skirting two lakes with pleasant picnic spots.

Pass through sunburnt red canyons and cliffs marked with ancient petroglyphs en route to a secret swim- ming hole on this isolated 6-mile out-and-back.

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.

This 12.8-mile cardio challenge climbs 3,000 feet to sweeping vistas in Agua Tibia Wilderness. Start early with lots of water, and bring gaiters for the chaparral.