Trips

Hike rolling prairies, expansive wetlands, and a peaceful stretch of the Fox River on this easy 5.6-mile hike in Chain O Lakes State Park.

Anasazi ruins, slickrock scrambles, and a wealth of arches spice up a rugged 4-day tour of the Needles.

Ascend to the second highest point east of the Mississippi on this 8-mile point-to-point that begins at Newfound Gap and winds through misty coniferous forest.

Take in big views of Lake Superior and Sawmill Valley on this 28.3-mile, two-day hike.

Summit three Acadia peaks on an 8.8-mile loop, passing overlooks of neighboring bays and island clusters along Maine's coastline.

This 9-mile out-and-back charges up Mount Greylock, the highest peak in Massachusetts.

This 3-mile off-trail route leads to Slims Peak, a 7,000-foot summit with 360-degree views of the Mojave Desert and Sierra Nevada.

Hike, camp, and tag a summit with shutterbug views on this 11.4-miler in the Ouachita Mountains and the Black Fork Mountain Wilderness.

This 23-mile out-and-back in the Trinity Alps features pristine mountain lakes, stunning views and an easy, off-trail scramble.

Snowshoe into a small mountain lake on this gentle, 5-mile out-and-back in Indian Peaks Wilderness--a perfect winter getaway from the city.

You'll find two wooded creeks and plenty of solitude on this 2.8-mile lollipop loop nestled in the heart of Patapsco Valley State Park.

Whet your feet--and your appetite for nature--on this moderate 3.6-mile loop in Illinois' Shawnee National Forest with two creek fords, year-round wildflowers and soaring fern-covered cliffs.

This moderate 4.3-mile lollipop-loop leads to a stunning overlook above the emerald blues of Lake Tahoe. Don't miss: The wooden lighthouse perched on a granite ledge above the lake.

This 10.6-mile out-and-back links thick lodgepole pines, stunning overlooks, and jade-colored waters reflecting the high Sierra.

Escape busy Dallas. This 3.2-mile out-and-back pierces the heart of Cedar Hills State Park and provides a quick getaway into Texas hill country.

Bring binocs on this 3.9-mile loop in the Richard Bong State Recreation Area; open grassland invites long views of Vern Wolf Lake, its shoreline, and flying falcons.

A favorite route among locals, this 20.7-mile mountain bike loop winds past Cache Creek and Game Creek, revealing views of the Gros Ventre Range and the Snake River Valley.

This 7-mile mountain bike loop climbs past spectacular views of the Tetons and the Snake River Valley, then descends on singletrack through aspens and pines.

This 7.1-mile dayhike in Lewis and Clark National Forest loops through the Highwood Mountains, skirting several creeks and the broad summit of Windy Mountain.

This 9.8-mile out-and-back connects old-growth evergreens and the Mogollon Mountains, a series of 10,000-foot peaks in Gila National Forest.

The climb on this 7.6-mile loop to Bear Peak is, well, a bear, gaining 2,800 stair-studded feet. The payoff: Long views into Boulder, Denver, and the Indian Peaks.

Follow the Pacific Crest Trail across wooded creeks and steep rock gardens to a broad summit overlooking the Columbia River Gorge on this strenuous 15-mile out-and-back.

Lost Lake. Stormy Peaks. These places represent their names well on this 19.4-mile out-and-back in the northeast corner of Rocky Mountain National Park.

Link pumice and obsidian fields with expansive alpine meadows on this challenging trek to the top of South Sister, a glacier-capped volcano in the Cascade Range.

This 6.4-mile loop follows trails and jeep roads to Waterman Mountain, where sweeping views of the San Gabriel Wilderness await.

You'll find rugged landscapes and plenty of solitude on this 33.6-mile backpacking trip that visits a secluded lake at the foot of three rugged peaks.

Climb above the Stehekin River Valley, passing rugged cliffs and bird's-eye views, to a remote mountain lake at the foot of McGregor Mountain.

This 7.9-mile out-and-back in North Cascades National Park links massive old-growth cedars, a photogenic gorge, and waterfall overlooks.

Surprise sights--such as a masonry spillway and an elusive armadillo--await on this 5.5-mile loop that encircles Cleburne State Park's Cedar Lake.

This lifelist trip packs in two adventures: an outrageously scenic ferry ride and a remote 14-mile out-and-back hike in Lake Chelan National Recreation Area.

Link a sandy shoreline, forested dunes, and a boggy wetland on this easy-going, 4.2-mile lollipop loop in Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore.

Winding past steep canyon walls and ancient fossil beds, this 6.6-mile out-and-back in the Sandia Mountains rewards with an overlook across the Rio Puerco Valley.

A short 3-mile out-and-back full of rainbows, waterfalls, and sprawling mountainside views, this Yosemite classic isn't called the Mist Trail for nothing.

Traversing 5.4 miles up and around Coltsfoot Mountain in western Connecticut, this shuttle hike ambles through shaded forest past bubbling brooks and wildflower stashes.

Multi-layered red rocks line mile-deep canyons and cactus flowers explode with pastels on this 16-mile out-and-back to a Colorado River tributary.

On this 7.9-mile loop, you'll ascend Tuckerman Ravine and scramble up broad boulder fields to a well-earned summit overlook in the White Mountains.

Hike rolling terrain on one of Arizona's highest mountains.

Traverse ribbons of riparian growth across southern Utah.

Traverse deep hollows and springs along a 24-mile shuttle hike on the Ozark Trail.

Camp in an active geyser basin teeming with wildlife.

Hike 10 miles in the settlers’ footsteps on the outskirts of Circle City.

Ford creeks and rivers and traipse past rocky overlooks on this 17.6-mile loop along Alabama's secluded Pinhoti Trail.

The BACKPACKER map team along with the help of regional experts and cartographers plotted roads, cities, and airports--and the wilderness areas farthest away from them--to find the most remote locations in the Lower 48.

This paved 11.4-mile out-and-back travels Lake Tahoe's mountainous southwest shoreline to an overlook with views across Emerald Bay.

This 16.3-mile shuttle hike splashes through the Jacks River region (read: 40-plus creek crossings) in the Cohutta Wilderness Area.

Ascend two rigorous saddles on this 6.3-mile out-and-back up to the unsung Mount Markham and panoramas of the San Gabriels and L.A. basin.

With no trails and few visitors, Wyoming's Red Desert is an explorer's paradise.

This sandy, 3.2-mile stroll in Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore climbs dunes, skirts an ancient marsh, and ends within a stone-skipping distance of Lake Michigan's coastline.

Pick a sport: fish, bird watch, or hike. Next: tour parts or all of this 5.8-mile loop for a quick getaway from the noisy Capitol City.

A 10.3-mile out-and-back (or a 5.4-mile shuttle), this peaceful walk along the Monongahela River wanders through remnants of Pittsburgh's industrial past and present.

Sampling a trail network within Atlanta's city limits, this 3.8-mile loop strolls past trout fishing spots into a hardwood forest with floral hotspots in Chattahooche National Recreational Area.

This 10.6-mile out-and-back in Apostle Island National Lakeshore boasts sandy beaches, sandstone cliffs, and bluff-top views of the Mawikwe Bay sea caves.

Test your limits on this New York backcountry challenge.

Discover the roots of the oil industry: western Pennsylvania.

Just outside Burlington, the summit of Mount Philo offers sweeping views of Lake Champlain along with Adirondack and Green Mountain peaks.

Trek Minnesota’s bottomlands to an old stone farmstead on this 4.5-miler.

Traverse steep ridges and swampland north of the Big Apple.

Backpack one of northern Maryland's most versatile trails.

5-mile out-and-back meanders shale-covered beaches to an historic World War II fort perched on a rocky headland above Resurrection Bay.

Bag one of the highest peaks in the San Gabriel Mountains.

Discover wildflower-filled meadows, swimmable subalpine lakes, and Sierra Nevada vistas on this 9-mile out-and-back through Stanislaus National Forest’s Emigrant Wilderness.

Master one of the Silver State's most challenging climbs.

Trek across a sparsely populated corner of northeast Nevada.

A popular dayhike or trail-run near Burlington, the 2.9-mile out-and-back to Stowe Pinnacle treks through hardwood forest to an overlook of neighboring Green Mountain peaks.

Go counterclockwise on this 10.2-mile loop touring the rocky cliffs and odd-shaped boulders of Lumpy Ridge to an alpine lake and several campsites in Rocky Mountain National Park.

This 5.9-mile loop is great for eager flatlanders who are acclimating to the thin Rocky Mountain air.

Traversing trickling falls, spongy boulders, and finger coves along Kinkaid Lake's western shore, this 9.2-mile out-and-back ends high above the lake—and leaves you dry.

No time for Pacific Crest thru-hiking? This 12-miler samples a section of the Pacific Crest Trail, passing mile-high peaks and desert vistas.

You'll find wildflowers, bighorn sheep, and a lookout tower on the easy-going climb up to a 10,243-foot peak formed by ancient volcanic eruptions.

Trace the banks of the Crooked River on this 6.6-mile out-and-back in Boise National Forest that links picturesque fishing holes and a sandy strip of beach.

Ride the boat from Canada's Waterton Lakes National Park to reach this remote 1.9-mile out-and-back that visits a set of cascades in the northern reaches of Glacier National Park.

Summit a lesser-traveled 13,000-foot peak, then catch some summer alpine fishing at Timber Lake on this 13.4-mile out-and-back.

Discover the beauty of a Midwest prairie--in central Maryland--on this 6.3-mile dayhike.

Follow this cascading stream to scenic Shenandoah vistas along this 12.1-mile loop.

Witness southwest Pennsylvania at is wildest on a three-day, 31-mile shuttle along and over river valleys.

Traverse old-growth forest and clamber over sandstone boulders on this 13-mile hike in Alabama's premier wilderness area.

This 16.5-miler follows the Hunchback Mountain ridgeline past numerous viewpoints to a lookout tower in Mount Hood National Forest.

In the shadow of Caribou Peak and Bald Mountain, this easy 1.6-mile out-and-back leads to a pot of gold—a cluster of Rainbow Lakes.

Cruise a forest of rock pinnacles en route to Tower Arch on this remote 3.5-mile lollipop loop in the little-visited northwest section of Arches National Park.

A moderate 1.5-mile loop outside Ithaca, this Finger Lake waterfall trek ambles past swimming holes, sedimentary rock, and sunbathers.