Trips by State

Looking to relax this summer? These central hikes offer beautiful lakes, great views, and a breath of fresh air.

The following is adapted from Northwest editor Michael Lanzas new book, Before Theyre Gone: A Familys Year-Long Quest to Explore Americas Most Endangered National Parks ($24.95, beacon.org, TheBigOutside.com).

Get a field-scouted tour of the High Peaks.

No early bedtimes on these overnights; you'll want to stay up and enjoy unusually dark skies with clear views of summer's showiest celestial fireworks.

Escape into tranquil, rolling woods in the foothills of the Appalachians.

Follow a river through the surprisingly wild Pine Barrens.

Explore a seldom-visited stretch of the Continental Divide with hidden lakes, world-class trout fishing, and abundant wildlife.

Check out The Backpacker Editors's author page.

Trek to a lofty, iconic basecamp on Rainier's snowy slopes.

See scores of wildflowers, waterfalls, and peaks.

Explore Mt. Rainier from nearly every angle on this hike from Fryingpan Creek to Mowich Lake. The classic route tags the subalpine meadows of Summerland, crests 5,000-foot Cowlitz Divide, and links dozens of crystalline lakes and waterfalls.

We mapped nearly 300 miles of trail to bring you the only resource you'll need to jump-start your adventures in this premier park.

Chase canyon vistas through stands of old-growth hemlock.

Climb past a glimmering highland lake to a lofty southern bald.

Paddle a novice-friendly route on the state's third largest lake.

Navigate a long-lost trail to a remote alpine lake.

Slip past tides along cliffy coasts on an easy-to-plan long weekend.

Cast for beautiful fish that live in beautiful lakes.

Scramble a class 3 route and claim your own private peak.

Inflatable kayaks make big-water action accessible to all.

Bushwhack up a glacier-carved fjord to a lake-spangled subarctic plateau.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Tryout tips from a Rainier Mountaineering, Inc. Veteran

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.

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.

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.

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.

Your favorite parks, weekend getaways, peak ascents, campsites, and more in the Appalachians.

Conquer the rocks, ridges, and ravines on the East's toughest trail.

Like peaks, lakes, and wildflowers? You'll love this Rockies classic in White River National Forest.