Portland, OR: Elk Mountain-Kings Mountain Traverse
4 trails link together to create a brutal loop dayhike in the Oregon Coast Range.
Got the itch to go hiking? Whether it’s prepping for the trip of a lifetime or finding local hikes, these picks from the editors of Backpacker will help you get out more. Find day hikes, multi-day trips, and more.
Got the itch to go hiking? Whether it’s prepping for the trip of a lifetime or finding local hikes, these picks from the editors of Backpacker will help you get out more. Find day hikes, multi-day trips, and more.
4 trails link together to create a brutal loop dayhike in the Oregon Coast Range.
Climb to a 5,349-foot summit in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park on this 8.2-mile out-and-back.
Soak up five-star views of the snow-capped Cascades and Seattle's skyline from a 6,280-foot summit on this 8.5-miler in Olympic National Forest.
Hike to prolific wildflower displays and up-close views of Mount Rainier on this 8.4-mile out-and-back in Mount Rainier National Park.
This Foothills favorite circles a gulch with a cascading spring and bird's-eye views of downtown Boise.
Explore a slot canyon outside Las Vegas on this 3.6-mile out-and-back in the Spring Mountains.
Crest a 3,600-foot high point overlooking the Spokane Valley on this 5-mile loop in Iller Creek Conservation Area.
Climb to a rocky highpoint in the San Gabriel Mountains on this 6.7-mile dayhike in Devil's Punchbowl Natural Area.
This 10.2-miler in Chugach State Park threads through a broad river valley to two backcountry lakes teeming with trout and views of 6,000-foot peaks.
This 6.9-mile lasso loop in Rancho Seco Recreational Area traces a lake and tours golden grassland.
This 17-mile out-and-back in the Trinity Alps features pristine mountain lakes, stunning views and an easy, off-trail scramble.
This 8.7-mile round-trip has two tough, rocky ascents that lead to solitude atop the Massanutten Range.
Climb 1,500 feet on this moderate 9.4-mile circuit.
This 14-mile out-and-back ascends Sisar Canyon to a viewpoint overlooking the Sespe Wilderness.
This seven-mile circuit traverses a mini wilderness right downtown, cruising the south banks of the James River before crossing onto the maple-shaded shores of Belle Isle. From there, head to the north shore hills and views of the river’s class IV whitewater.
Get up close and personal with 220-foot Whiskeytown Falls on this 3.1-miler in Whiskeytown National Recreation Area.
You'll trace Placerita Creek, pass a natural oil seep, and visit a 15-foot waterfall on this easy-going 4.8-miler in Placerita Canyon Natural Area.
Just 30 minutes from Los Angeles, this 6.2-mile loop in Ed Davis Park winds through two canyons and tops out on a ridge overlooking the Santa Clarita Valley.
This 8.8-mile out-and-back rolls over oak-dotted hills, drops to the banks of Cache Creek, then climbs to a meadow with picture-perfect views.
This 2.2-mile out-and-back in Red Rock Canyon explores a rocky, tree-lined wash pinched by towering cliffs and dotted with pools after a rain.
Less than an hour from Boise, this 7.4-miler in the Owyhee foothills weaves through rock formations, traces Reynolds Creek, and tracks through a towering red rock canyon.
This seven-mile hike departs from the Manitou railroad station and climbs 1,000 feet to a flat ridgeline with views of Bear Mountain. Take the AT and Osborn Loop to the Manitoga Point Nature Preseve to add a mile of walking along the Hudson for a perfect blend of woods and water.
Ppass skyline views of Manhattan (35 miles south) as you roller-coaster over the Timp, West Mountain, and Popolopen Torne, a trio of thousand-foot peaks on this 11-miler in Harriman State Park.
Share Hook’s 728-foot summit, the area’s second highest, with soaring broad-winged hawks, then descend the Long Path to Rockland Lake and return to Upper Nyack, New York, for a six-mile loop.
Crank up a mountain, and scale the slabs of its summit, before winding along a big-vie ridge and past farmlands on this 8.3 miler.
Tag Mount Kit Carson, Day Mountain, and Mount Spokane on this 14-mile dayhike that tracks through 100-year-old Douglas fir and meadows covered in larkspur and phlox.
Click off two 2,500-plus foot peaks, sample from entry-level scrambling on granite slabs on this 3.8 mile loop.
Climb above the Allegheny River and see its serpentine course from a bluff-top vantage on this seven-mile point-to-point in Harrison Hills County Park.
Hike the herd path to a dual summit with a sweet view.
Beeline up a 3,500 peak, and skirt slabby granite with views of New Hampshire's White Mountains and central New Hampshire's Lake Country.
This 12-mile point-to-point traces one of the Finger Lakes Trail’s feeder paths to the top of 2,256-foot Gannett Hill, and a hawk’s-eye view of upstate’s scenic forests and pools. Miles from Rochester: 41
Follow yellow blazes for a 10-mile section across creek-laced woodlands. The route crosses a covered footbridge and is inter- spersed with pastoral vistas along a flat farm road.
Track over peaks named for American royalty on this monster 20.5-mile dayhike in the Whites.
Follow yellow blazes for a 10-mile section across creek-laced woodlands. The route crosses a covered footbridge and is inter- spersed with pastoral vistas along a flat farm road.
Take this easy 3.8-mile loop for soaring views over one of New Hampshire's most famous lakes.
From the east, Mt. Mansfield looks like a supine, elongated face. This 8.1-mile loop covers Vermont’s 4,393-foot highpoint from rocky Forehead to an exposed ridgeline leading to the low stubble of alpine grasses atop the Chin.
Hike along a gorge on this hidden, seven-mile gem in the City of Brotherly Love.
Hike quiet trails along the seam where oak forests, hardwood swamps, and pitch pine lowlands meet. Cross streams tinted brown by cedar and bog iron, and take a dip in the park’s large, centerpiece lake on this easy 4.6-miler in New Jersey’s Pine Barrens.
Ditch crowds on 12,637-foot Humphreys Peak for a quiet, five-mile point-to-point. In fall, see turning aspens and bugling elk.
Visit a dreamy, emerald-green lake just below the Continental Divide after climbing 2,099-feet in 4.2 miles. Icing: sweet alpine views and abundant trout along shore.
Stand atop 11,237-foot Grand Mesa, the world’s highest mesa.
11 waterfalls in 11 round-trip miles make this one of Bozeman's premier hikes.
Stay above treeline and cross a 12,796-foot pass on the 8.8-mile Lost Man Loop through the jagged Elk and Sawatch Ranges.
Hike six miles through canyons of mixed conifer and aspen to expansive views of the Grand Canyon 90 miles away.
Escape Sandia crowds on this often empty hike past wildflowers and berries, and keep an eye out for wildlife like bears.
Hike the tallest hills in Dallas.
Hike around White Rock Lake in Dallas's largest park.
A quiet canyon with SLC views lies just outside a busy neighborhood street.
Take this gravel and hardpack trail 2.3 miles to an observation deck 100 feet above the slow, snaking Olentangy River. "You'll climb steep grades through dense maple forest with rarely too many other hikers," says Kathy Lince, president of the YMCA Columbus hiking club.
This 18-mile paved pathway is the Windy City's ultimate quick fix.
Go on a hike, ride, or just stop to smell the flowers at this park just outside of town.
This 10-mile loop overlaps with the North Country Trail and visits a thundering falls along the St. Louis River.
This 4-mile lollipop loop explores a stretch of the Historic Columbia River Highway, a stately section of old-growth forest, and tops out 900' above the Columbia River for bird's-eye views of the eastern Gorge.
Hike a 3.9-mile loop around, and over, Oregon's most popular rock climbing destination; with closeup views of the Monkey Face pillar, panoramas of the Central Cascades, and a knee-crunching descent of Misery Ridge.
Use a lesser-traveled access route to this 4.4-mile lollipop loop in Forest Park, and sample some of the park's more popular trails.
Stroll through Central Oregon's Badlands amid 1,000-year-old juniper trees and crumbling lava outcrops to an ancient hollowed-out lava plateau.
This popular 3-mile lollipop loop visits a small, subalpine lake featuring a front-row view of Mt. Hood, and an option to continue to a higher viewpoint.
This waterfall hike up Cold Spring Creek, on the east side of Mt. Hood, offers two options: a 3.5 mile out-and-back, or a 5 mile loop.
This 2-mile hike in the Clackamas Foothills visits a forested lake cirque, then tops out on 4,850' South Fork Mountain with endless views over Oregon's and Washington's cascade peaks.
This spur off the Pacific Crest Trail, on the south side of Mt. Hood, visits two picturesque lakes and traverses a high ridge over Barlow Valley and Palmateer Meadows.
Take two weeks to hike through superlative Sierra Nevada country on a 165-mile circumnavigation of Lake Tahoe. Ranging in elevation from 6,240 feet to 10,338 feet, the TRT spans two states (California and Nevada), six counties, one state park, three National Forests, and three Wilderness areas.
A 3 day trip into the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, that encompasses Rachel Lake, Rampart Lakes, Lila Lakes, and Alta Mt.
Hike a 5.5-mile loop to a small lake on the south side of Mount St. Helens, then cross the Worm Flows lava field to a waterfall on Swift Creek.
Get 2-for-1 popular Mt. Hood hikes by starting this 12-miler at the Top Spur trailhead; first hike the PCT to lacy Ramona Falls, then return via the Timberline Trail for huge Mt. Hood views and to wander through Bald Mountain's wildflowers meadows.
Discover real wilderness just two hours from Portland.
With no shortage of waterfalls in the area, let the crowds go to Silver Falls, and hike this 4-mile lollipop loop that visits three waterfalls of its own on much quieter trail.
After a catastrophic fire in the 19th century, the forest surrounding Burnt Lake has regrown, offering a pleasant 7.5-mile stroll on Zigzag Mountain's north flank to a pretty lake for dayhiking or camping.
It'll take you longer to drive to this trail than to hike it, but the endless, bird's-eye views of Oregon and Washington forest and cascade peaks make the trip—and the climb—worth it.
This is a nice well traveled loop in the less traveled Manzano Mountains. You can do the loop in either direction and great views, diverse vegetation, and maybe a few wild animals await!
This classic dayhike along the East Branch Ausable River runs past waterfalls--and across the most famous alpine ridge in the Adirondacks.
A peaceful loop hike past a large beaver pond and Tillotson’s Camp to a 50-foot fire tower on one of the least traveled sections of the Long Trail.
This 4 day, 60 mile trip into Glacier Peak Wilderness has a bit of everything, from lakes to glaciers to fire lookouts.
Take in the iconic McWay Falls with Big Sur, a California treasure.
See the effects when two tectonic plates collide at Wallace Creek Interpretive Trail at Carizo National Plain
Hit two beautiful sandy beaches and view the rugged coastline on the is easy one mile loop hike.
Hike through one of the last natural Monterey Cypress groves that exist on the easy one mile loop hike through the Allan Memorial Cypress Grove.
Hike to great ocean views and a chance to see great coastal wildlife including Sea Lions, Harbor Seals, Sea Otters.
This family-friendy, 2.7-mile out-and-back leads to one of Point Reyes's five backcountry campgrounds with views of the Pacific Ocean.
Track beneath waterfalls and icicle-hung trees to a soothing soak.
Explore off-trail to canyons brimming with ancient ruins.