Trips

Solitude rules on this remote trek through wildflower meadows to a skyscraping post above the rugged backcountry of the San Juan Mountains.

Trek up sparsely-covered slopes and a broad talus ridge in the Sawatch Range to an overlook with endless alpine vistas.

Escape the cars and crowds and take this 11.8-mile trip up the glacier-carved slopes of Pikes Peak, a legendary summit noted for its gold rush in the late 1850s.

Tackle the iron-stained slopes of two secluded summits to photograph pristine views of the rugged San Juan Mountains.

A stout 3,382-foot climb up scree-filled gullies ends with rewarding sights on this solitary Sangre de Cristo summit.

Bag a rugged fourteener on this 20.8-mile lasso loop linking shady evergreens and long sunny scrambles to a beautiful peak high above the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness.

Drawn-out switchbacks lead past jumbled boulder gardens and old mining ruins to a sweeping finale above the high tundra. Post-trip bonus: Soak in the steamy baths at Princeton Hot Springs.

Traverse slippery shale and narrow sandstone ledges up this exposed pinnacle. Helmets recommended and a stomach for gut-clenching scrambles is mandatory.

The perfect prelude to the rest of Colorado's 14ers is this gentle 8.4-mile climb up talus slopes, past old mines to a broad summit in the Mosquito Range.

Link the bare summits of the Sawatch Range's southernmost 14ers for far-reaching views over the San Isabel National Forest.

Sample a classic stretch of the Appalachian Trail on this 11.5-mile route around a 1,000-foot gorge, with overlooks and eye-candy vistas of the Smokies.

Scale three lofty summits on this route in the sheer contours of the Sangre de Cristo Range, including the signature, knobby face of Crestone Peak.

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

Hike 'Bama's longest trail to reach its highest peak on this 20.6-mile out-and-back near the southern anchor of the Appalachian Mountains.

Link sandy hills with cypress swamps on this 3.7-mile tour of Little Ocmulgee State Park. Keep an eye out for gators and tortoises.

This backcountry trek to two classic San Juan summits, serves up vertical scrambles, formidable ridges, not to mention miles of stunning scenery.

Grab your boots or hop on your bike to hit one of the Dairyland’s newer trails on this 11.8-mile out-and-back along an old railroad trestle.

Get away for a night or three on this 12.8-mile lasso loop that delivers you to the high reaches of the Great Smoky Mountains.

Earmark 3-5 days for this backcountry trek to a campsite in Chicago Basin, where you’ll have a chance to climb a cluster of three 14ers in the San Juan Mountains.

Wandering fom remote hollows to picturesque ridges on Winding Stair Mountain, this 13-mile loop in the less-traveled Ouachita country is a must-hike.

Lasso two 14ers in 3 hours during the most moderate (and popular) 5-mile ascent you'll find in Colorado's Front Range.

Find an oasis of thick cypress groves, lakeside coves, and nesting bald eagles on this 4.8-mile lollipop loop in Ray Roberts Lake State Park.

Sheltered camps with bugling moose. Coves with ancient rock art. A raging waterfall. You'll find even the portages delightful as you paddle this 38-mile, 3-day route through Minnesota's million-acre water park into Canada's Quetico Provincial Park.

A leg-busting 8.4-mile round trip up Yale’s relentless southwest slopes culminates with soaring views over the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness and Arkansas River Valley.

Follow this popular route up a long, gentle ridge to gain intimate views of the Tenmile Range and the Continental Divide.

Travel 12 miles through dense evergreen groves and wildflower-dotted meadows to a lonesome fire outpost overlooking Boise National Forest.

Two different routes climb to the summit of this craggy San Juan peak.

Walk into a hikers' heaven on this 7.7-mile loop past waterfalls and through blooming meadows to a geologic hotspot of lava flows and active glaciers.

This 8.2-mile out-and-back is rarely hiked. If your legs can take a stiff, 3,434-foot climb, the payoff is best-in-show vistas of Rainier and its neighbors.

This 3-day, 29-mile loop around Mount St. Helens links old-growth forests to alpine lakes and meadows and offers a front-row look at the leftovers of this volcano's famous eruption on May 18, 1980.

This 9.6-mile overnight in the Russian Wilderness is pine-studded, alpine lake-riddled, and in-your-dreams beautiful.

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.

Crave big views? Get your fix on this challenging 15-mile dayhike in the San Gorgonio Wilderness and bag SoCal's third-highest summit.

This 22-mile Toiyabe Range loop offers a front-row vantage of vibrant aspen glades, crowdless peaks, and the frozen-wave geography of central Nevada.

Lazy folks drive to the top. Be a champ and hike the 7.8 miles from farm fields and hardwood forests to the highest summit in Massachusetts.

This 11.2-mile hike strings together the five summits of Colorado's second-highest peak where supreme vistas open over a landscape of glacial till and alpine lakes.

Big summit views, cascading waterfalls, and rocky overlooks highlight this 8.4-mile loop through the lesser-traveled forests of Maine's White Mountains.

Life on the old canal was tough, but you can take it easy as you hike or bike these pleasant, flat-as-a-pancake 8.7 miles in a historical setting.

This 4.4-miler winds through mixed forest, ascends rock slabs, and climbs to an exposed summit with endless views of New England.

Explore one of the last undeveloped shorelines in Connecticut on this 6.2-mile hike through Bluff Point Coastal Preserve.

Water is abundant here, compared to the arid high desert below. This 15.2-miler links fish-filled creeks with the forested hills of San Pedro Parks Wilderness.

Miles from anywhere, this 5.3-mile dayhike slides over sandstone mounds, into a shallow canyon, and under orange spires in the Needles District.

Quiet meadows, lonesome tundra slopes, and elk highlight this crowd-free summit tucked in La Garita Wilderness.

See for yourself why early explorers and painters adored these beautiful peaks. This trip highlights two classic routes to the double crowns of the Front Range.

The payoffs at the top are huge, but tricky, technical scrambles and advanced route finding make these photogenic peaks in the Elk Range anything but easy.

These challenging routes run through a land of rugged spires, swift streams, snowy gullies, and golden aspen stands. Experts: Connect the knife-edged ridge between Mount Wilson and El Diente.

It's a scholarly debate on which summit--Mount Columbia or Mount Harvard--is the best. So reserve a long weekend to climb both in the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness, and decide for yourself.

This challenging hike ascends steep gullies and traverses serrated ridges for a chance at three peaks in the Sangre de Cristo Range.

Sample the perils of North America's tallest peak in this Q&A with mountain guide Mike Haugen. Plus, downloadable GPS coordinates and photos.

Moose, knee-high flowers, two alpine lakes, and infinite views are just a few reasons to hike this 19-mile loop in the Never Summer Wilderness.

Navigate boulder fields, rocky ridgelines, and seasonal snowfields during this long, challenging ascent of the third-highest peak in the Tetons.

This interactive map highlights each of the 54 highest peaks in Colorado with links to more detailed routes, maps, and photos. Bonus: Fly over these monster peaks in 3-D with Google Earth.

This 8.4-mile out-and-back hooks around the steep, bare prow of Squaw Peak, then ascends its north slope to a summit with skybox views.

This 5.3-miler in Greenbelt Park loops through a wooded urban jungle and along gentle streams, just 15 minutes from The National Mall.

Take a walk on the wild southern side of a classic Adirondack mountain with views of Lake Placid and Mt. Marcy on this 4.4-mile out-and-back.

The must-see list for this 5.7-mile dayhike to Glacier Gorge is long: raging waterfalls, alpine lakes, and a skyline of humbling mountain views.

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

This 8.8-miler takes you deep into Ozark backcountry, where deer and turkey outnumber hikers.

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

Climb to some of the best views in the Catskills on this 11.7-mile high-peaks trek. Overnight camping permitted.

No ropes required, but a camera is recommended, on this shady and scenic 5.6-mile out-and-back stroll into the heart of Eldorado Canyon climbing country.

This 8-mile out-and-back follows old cattle trails to mesa views and isolated campsites just outside Capitol Reef.

Climb 1,300 feet to a sparkling alpine basin dotted with summer wildflowers on this 6.25-mile out-and-back along the Pacific Crest Trail.

Climb 2,300 feet in 3 miles to a pine forest and red-rock views on this 6.8-mile out-and-back excursion.

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

Escape the city grunge on this 5.5-mile loop past river views and 500-red Douglas firs in Oxbow Regional Park.

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

Hike 5.9 miles along the most scenic section of the Illinois and Michigan Canal to the convergence of the Illinois and Kankakee Rivers. Heron, egrets and turtles are common.

This 11.4-mile out-and-back tours deep forests and a high saddle filled with wildflowers. Pack lunch and a good book to take full advantage of Spirit's scenic shoreline.

This challenging 7.2-mile scramble up rocky West Kill Mountain rewards hikers with stellar views of the Catskills and a waterfall lunch site.

This 7.3-mile ramble along a serene stream, by old settler ruins, and thorough big woods illustrates why this pocket park is considered one of the most beautiful in Illinois.

You'll climb a stiff 3,600 feet on this 7.8-mile loop, but gain extraordinary views of the high desert, Wasatch Mountains and Great Salt Lake.

Walk the edge of a country lake into oak woodlands and long stem prairie on this 5-mile out-and-back.

Hike to the western terminius of the Lewis and Clark expedition on this 5-mile loop to the Pacific coast.

Want to get higher than a Hollywood star? Shoot up 5,400 feet and scrape the sky on SoCal's tallest peak on this 13.2-miler in San Gorgonio Wilderness.

This 7.1-miler in redrock country showcases art you'll never see in a big-city gallery--some of the world's best-preserved pictographs and petroglyphs.

Wind across vibrant landscapes cut dramatically by sheer-walled canyons and rising plateaus to a sandstone monolith in Colorado National Monument.

You'll find plenty of choice skyline views on this 4.6-mile dayhike to the top of Piestewa Peak, one of Phoenix's famous Seven Summits.

This 10.4-mile out-and-back surveys a sunbleached mesa en route to a backcountry camp in the Jemez Mountains of Bandelier National Monument.

Explore a once-active seismic hotbed of sheer canyons and towering spires on this 4.5-mile loop. Bird bonus: See California condors up close.