Trips

This steep 6.2-mile out-and-back leads to one of the most celebrated alpine scenes--Lake Blanche under the spires of Sundial Peak--in the Wasatch Range.

This rugged 11.2-mile out-and-back on the Ozark Trail winds through the volcanic uplift of the St. Francois range to Missouri's highest peak and tallest waterfall.

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.

Rising 2,500-plus feet over 4.6 miles, this strenuous trail zigzags through hemlock and rhododendron to a pair of exposed ridges with long Appalachian views.

Hike 8.2 miles on steep singletrack paths to rock overhangs where raptors soar, then onward to Sand Cave, a giant rock feature sculpted by wind and rain.

Experience the many moods of the chaparral and wildflowers in bloom en route to an unnamed summit on this 6.8-mile hike in Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park.

Hike 5.5 miles into Ansel Adams country to the top of Sentinel Dome and around to Taft Point for fisheye panoramas of Yosemite Valley.

Discover central Florida's hidden pocket of dry, undulating forest on this 8-mile loop through longleaf pine hills, wet prairie, and an abandoned lead mine.

Escape cookie-cutter suburbia on this 4.5-mile hike or bike through a mix of soaring ridges, lush canyons, and remnants from the ranchero era.

Tackle a heart-thumping 5.6-mile, out-and-back scramble over boulder fields to a 2,700-foot peak perched high above the coastal haze of the Pacific.

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.

See the result of millions of years of tectonic movement on this 7.9-mile loop beneath massive volcanic monoliths. Bring a flashlight for optional cave trails.

Explore the ranch estate of late cowboy humorist Will Rogers on this 5.4-mile trek among the Pacific Palisades ridgelines of Topanga State Park.

This 5.4-mile out-and-back has it all: 5-star camping, superlative swimming, and picture-postcard scenery along a patchwork of lakes in Tahoe National Forest.

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

This gentle 6.2-mile hike opens up with an orchestra of bird song, then leads to a marshy coastline perfect for viewing sunsets. Bring bug repellent.

This aggressive 20.2-mile loop snakes past canyon walls and up aggressive ridgelines to stellar views of the Laguna Mountains and beyond.

Hike into the Bitterroots' untamed backcountry, with its plentiful moose and berries, on this 11-mile out-and-back to an exquisite lakeside campsite.

Set aside 2 days to explore the Wenatchee Mountains on this 16-mile out-and-back, which features alpine lakes, glacier-draped peaks, and lots of solitude.

This 4.6-mile round-trip takes an old mountaineers' route past cascades and through alpine meadows to a classic peak in the shadows of Rainier.

For a mere 4.6-mile investment, you get a protected summit in Mt. Hood National Forest, and a rustic cabin serves as a relaxing base camp.

Catch an awe-inspiring view or Mt. Jefferson, among other classic Cascades peaks, from the summit of a glacier-carved mountain on this 5-mile out-and-back.

See a remote part of the Goat Rocks Wilderness on this 16.8-mile loop, which passes a fine array of giant fir, Alaskan yellow cedar, and a smattering of larches.

Dare to hike here: On his 18.4-mile overnight, you'll pass vacant mines and farms to enter land allegedly guarded by a ghostly brakeman.

Take a leisurely, 3.6-mile stroll to the more remote northern shore of Wisconsin's Lake Geneva, and discover a quiet, intimate, photogenic retreat.

Pass 21 waterfalls on this 6.2-mile, five-star loop through a wrinkled ravine and tranquil forest in Ricketts Glen State Park.

Hike 8.9 miles of undulating hills and blackjack oak forest along the mysterious, murky backwater bayous of Lake Texoma.

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.

Squeeze through house-sized boulders and pass tranquil waterfalls on this 4.6-miler in the rugged highlands of the Big South Fork River.

This 4.8-mile hike zigs along photogenic Mill Shoal Creek and leads to scenic, out-of-the-way waterfalls in Talladega National Forest.

This 16.2-mile overnighter in Dolly Sods Wilderness traverses a wild, isolated land more like northern Canada than the forests of West Virginia.

This 7.7-miler in St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge swings through salt marshes and forested swamps with birds, butterflies, and an occasional gator.

Follow this 9.9-mile loop past refreshing swimming holes and idyllic off-trail campsites to the evergreen shoreline of Kinsman Pond.

Escape on a 5-mile loop through Catoctin Mountain Park, where healthy hardwoods, unique fungi, and a host of fauna conceal this area's industrial past.

Test your legs and vertigo tolerance on this rugged, 11.8-mile out-and-back to a pinnacle of steep, weathered rock in Adirondack Park.

Thanks to an abandoned highway plan, this close-to-town 6.3-mile loop remains rugged and wild--a perfect quick escape for summer evenings and Saturday mornings.

Paddle to sandy sanctuaries, explore an old fort, and camp on the Boston Harbor Islands on this scenic 9.7-mile out-and-back to Peddocks Island.

Camp near an alpine lake beneath the fabled crags of the Crazy Mountains and watch frothing streams tumble over multiple falls on this 9.6-mile overnight.

Get high in a hurry on this 9.8-mile out-and-back that gains 3,500 feet and takes in eagle-eye vistas of Salt Lake and the Wasatch Range.

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 through history on this trek through Navajo lands.

Ditch the roadside crowds on this family-friendly, 4.1-mile out-and-back to an indigo lake framed by the mighty Tetons. Bring binocs: Songbirds abound.

Take an easy 4.4-mile walk--perfect for the whole family--through a stream-laced canyon to a picturesque rock bridge. Water shoes recommended.

This 9.6-mile out-and-back has quad-bustingly steep inclines and hairy downhills, but features long, magnificent views from Sugarloaf Mountain.

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

This 27-mile, 5-day trek circumnavigates Navajo Mountain and leads to Rainbow Bridge, the largest natural bridge in the world.

This 9.8-mile out-and-back strolls through sandy pine and oak forest, and across tidal creeks to stunning coastal views in Francis Marion National Forest.

Explore a ragtag slice of Ouachita National Forest on this 7.6-mile route through a sylvan playground of foxes, deer, bears, and wild turkeys.

This 11.8-mile ski or snowshoe loop explores a frozen waterfall and bison wintering grounds.

Solitude. Fresh air. Big views. It all unfolds on this vigorous 5-miler along a lively mountain stream to the highest point in Hudson Highlands State Park.

Explore a moist forest of Pacific silver fir on this 5.4-mile out-and-back to the aptly named Observation Peak, where views of volcanic peaks await.

Basecamp in a rarely visited basin and take daytrips to several alpine lakes with stunning views on this 17.2-mile, long-weekend backpacking trip.

Hike 7.8 miles round-trip into a river gorge chiseled into the Blue Mountains, an ecologically diverse uplift traversed by Lewis & Clark two centuries ago.

Pass a handful of big canyon waterfalls on your way up to an alpine lake with jaw-dropping views on this 9.4-mile out-and-back in Gallatin National Forest.

Climb to a pass high in the Wenatchee Mountains with colorful wildflower meadows, campsites, and eye-candy panoramas on this 5.4-mile out-and-back.

This 6.5-mile, figure-8 hike crosses old nut orchards, then follows a lazy river en route to the largest black cottonwood in the United States.

Move from scrubby desert to forested foothills on this 9.5-mile loop just minutes from downtown. Pack ample water and a raptor ID book.

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.

String together two scenic canyons, several campsites, long vistas, and local landmarks like Rudy's Flats and Elephant Rock on this 9.2-miler.

Ride some of western Colorado’s finest singletrack with tight turns, long descents, and stunning red sandstone on this 7.4-mile heart-pounder.

Hike 9.2 miles to a picturesque peak loved by Hudson Valley painters like Thomas Cole. This lasso loop passes two plane wrecks and provides unmatched views of the Catskills.

This 12-mile loop in Slide Mountain Wilderness connects popular trails with a rough route to secluded campsites and trail-less peaks near the headwaters of the Neversink River.

Amazing views of Catalina Island and Abalone Cove unfold right from the start of this 5.2-mile hike. Minutes from metro L.A., this quiet wildland is also home to red-tailed hawks.

This 5-mile loop winds through an undisturbed swath of parkland to babbling creeks and fine views across the San Fernando Valley to the San Gabriel Mountains.

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.

This 11.2-mile loop traces an old Shawnee trail over ragged foothills, across view-laden ridges, and into quiet, wooded hollows with darting streams.

This gentle 4.8-mile loop rolls through Texas woods and grasslands to a breezy lakeshore.

Climb to a historic lighthouse and spot a mysterious shipwreck in Lake Michigan on this 4.3-mile loop in Ludington State Park.

This brisk out-and-back quickly climbs nearly 2,000 feet in 2.5 miles to a long ridgeline with views of the Whites and a breezy summit.

This 9-mile lollipop loop is an adventurer's delight: scenic bluffs, spring-fed streams, quiet campsites, and--for those who dare--an elusive limestone cavern.

Delve into the rugged folds of New York's MacIntyre Mountains on this gentle 4.4-mile out-and-back.

Climb a lone sentinel rising above the rolling Maryland farmland on this short-and-sweet 5.7-mile loop to a mountain oasis in the sky.

Explore pristine alpine terrain from a high, scenic basecamp.

This rugged, 16.8-mile, 2-day backpacking trip reveals classic Appalachian wonders: idyllic waterfall-laden hollows, reborn woodlands, and scenic backcountry campsites.

Chug 6.2 miles along an old railroad scar and a lively creek to a wetland glade bustling with wildlife and birds in Monongahela National Forest.

Take this rugged 15.7-mile, mostly cross-country hike only if you like your summits and scenery served up with a big helping of solitude.

Get climbers'-eye views on this adventurous ramble to the peak's base--or summit--on this 3- to 5-day trip.

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