Trips

Empty of people, that is. Because the 3,000 miles of wilderness that stretch from Newfoundland's fjordlike coastal cliffs to British Columbia's rainforest and skyscraping peaks are brimming with every type of mountain, water, and wildlife adventure a card-carrying backpacker could want—crowds not included. Our Rocky Mountain Field Editor spent two months exploring places we've never covered to assemble our most extensive guide to Canadian backcountry yet.

Forget immunizations, visas, phrase books, and 12-hour flights. For an epic international adventure, just head north. Canada's cred? The world's longest coastline, 10 major mountain chains, more lakes than any other country, and five Alaskas worth of world-class wilderness.We've scouted eight challenging trips in four provinces, all easy to reach and close enough to major American cities that you won't blow your budget just getting there. Or going back for more.

More than 150 of you entered our contest to become a BACKPACKER field scout. Meet the winners here, starting with Colleen Contrisciane-Lewis, of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. She earned the all-expenses-paid grand prize: an assignment to hike—and report on—her dream trip. Read about her 85-mile, weeklong transect of Glacier National Park on the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail.

More than 150 of you entered our contest to become a BACKPACKER field scout. Meet the winners.

Visit a glacier with millions of extinct grasshoppers entombed in its ice.

Hike through a towering redwood forest on this easy-access overnighter.

Hike cross-country to a pocket of dreamy lakeside camps on the John Muir Trail.

Looking for a mellow weekend with swimming options? We have you covered.

Find caribou, moose, and bald eagles on a hut-to-hut trek in an undiscovered park.

Backpack to a local ranger's favorite mountain getaway.

Five more must-do hikes from this region's top map contributor—with 20 years of experience in the area—dishes tips for beating the crowds on her all-time favorite hikes.

This region's top contestant in our Be a Mapper contest reveals his wildlife sighting tips.

See Shenandoah's tallest waterfall, traverse secluded ridgelines, score cliff-top panoramas, swim beneath falls, and walk through wildflowers and oak stands on the Florida Trail.

Snag Big Apple skyline views, tackle four peaks in a day, rack up waterfalls, hike through history on the AT, and climb Vermont's highest peak.

Scramble on red rock, camp at alpine lakes, cross a high pass, explore a trailless moonscape, and bushwhack to a peak.

Five must-do hikes from our top field correspondent, who's notched more than 1,800 trail miles throughout the West and mapped 116 trips.

Climb dunes, find instant solitude, camp atop riverside bluffs, ascend to surprising above-treeline views, and hike along the St. Croix River.

This region's top mapper has notched 20 bag nights and 200 trail miles in 9 states this year alone. Here are three of his favorite routes.

Climb an 11,000-foot peak, hike to a secret summit, see the glacier-capped Cascades, soak in hot pools, and explore the ruins of a 100-year-old resort.

The region's best picks from our top field correspondent, who's notched more than 1,800 trail miles throughout the West and mapped 116 trips.

Rock-hop and wade your way down a wild sandstone corridor.

Ski (or snowshoe) hut-to-hut in the East's wildest preserve.

Score quiet views of the southern Virginia highlands on this lush loop.

Camp next to forest lakes and rock-hop across clear streams.

Hike a high escarpment above a northern forest and Lake Superior.

Climb through towering evergreens to in-your-face Cascade views.

Cross deep, vine-laced forests to bluff-top views over rivers and prairie.

Trace the watery divide between the Carolinas.

Cross the northeast's wildest moose country beneath fall's fiery canopy.

Climb to an expansive view of green rollers that inspired two long trails.

Climb to a wonderland of tundra, rugged peaks, and dreamy lakes.

Discover hidden wonders in a cave-riddled wilderness.

Discover a pocket of wildlife beyond Yellowstone's borders.

Cross ancient lava fields on a lake-filled weekend.

Think there's nothing wild left in the Lower 48? Don't tell the grizzlies on this traverse of the Bob Marshall Wilderness.

Having just broken the speed record for thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail, Jennifer Pharr Davis sits down to discuss gear, preparation, and the joy of a stellar hike.

Walk deliberately into woods filled with waterfalls and stone walls.

Navigate a vertical sandstone maze to guaranteed solitude on a high-desert summit.

Scramble a sneak route to Rainier-worthy views-of Rainier and much more.

Top a Yosemite-like dome in a sea of green.

Claim a rare feat on this classic-in-waiting loop.

Stand atop The Mountain State's most famous peak.

Feel like you've notched a first ascent.

Walk a scary-narrow rock fin to an airy summit.

Tackle tricky terrain to gain a solitary alp.

Bag a stout weekend adventure-and vistas from the big lake to the High Uintas.

Climb without crowds to the state's top mountain view.

Cross elk-filled woods and bighorn- busy flats on this park's quiet side.

Venture off SoCal's coast for long beaches, hidden canyons, and sea life.

Glide through back-to-back lakes on a classic North Country canoe trip.

Go ahead, look again. And again. These images are worth a third, fourth, and then a tenth gaze.

Tryout tips from a Rainier Mountaineering, Inc. Veteran

Head out on one of these trails in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Pennsylvania, and Maryland.

Hike these long trails in Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Kansas, and Oklahoma, and head south to Texas to see Horned Lizards.

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

Escape Skyline Drive to discover secret summits and hidden valleys.

Ramble along a wide river to quiet, old-growth hollows.

For guaranteed solitude in the park's southwest reaches, explore this quiet loop during the off-season.

Watch your step on Utah' Highline Trail. The nonstop views and rampant wildlife are distractingly spectacular. Plus: Gaze away on 9 more elevated hikes.

Climb across mesas and up canyon walls to a cave full of pictographs.

Discover real wilderness just two hours from Portland.

Hike these long trails in Washington, Oregon, and California, and climb to a 10,064-foot peak in Angeles National Forest.

Come for the sheer, glaciated peaks, but be mesmerized by rain-fed waterfalls that pour down on all sides.

Discover a private paradise by crossing the park’s convoluted Waterpocket Fold.

Think you're a tough guy (or gal)? Take our five-week challenge and enter our video contest for a chance to prove it.

If you plan to hit more than one national park in a year, consider this national parks pass.

Paddle to Maryland's Assateague Island; pack an ice axe for the Presidentials.

Hike through three ecological zones in east Texas's carnivore country.

Paddle to shoreline solitude, then perch on dunes above the Atlantic Ocean in Maryland's Assateague Island National Seashore.

Track beneath waterfalls and icicle-hung trees to a soothing soak.

Hike from forest floor to a rocky ridge linking twin summits in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Escape front-country crowds on a trek to the park's idyllic interior.

Going the distance? Use these tips to ease big-mile trips.

BACKPACKER editor Jonathan Dorn's photos and memories of a six-day desert adventure race in Abu Dhabi

If the average picture is worth 1,000 words, the best wilderness images from BACKPACKER's top photographers are worth millions. Get inspired--and find the beta you need to hike to our favorite scenes--in this collection of classics.

Relax in a hiker-friendly lodge at the Appalachian Trail's southern tip.

Soak up high-desert views amid the Lone Star State's tallest peaks.

Roll from dark hollows to dolomite ridges in the Ozark highlands of Missouri's Mark Twain National Forest.

Hike from a wildlife-choked river valley to soaring mountain views.

Hike among moose and wolves on this two-day escape to Isle Royale National Park.