Deadman Canyon, Kings Canyon National Park, June 2021 Becoming increasingly well-known as a lesser-traveled alternative to the popular John Muir Trail – Pacific Crest Trail corridor, the roughly 50- to 60-mile backpacking circuit known as the Deadman Canyon Loop (a.k.a. Elizabeth Pass Loop) traverses spectacular terrain spanning both Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks in …
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Rancheria Falls, Yosemite National Park, March 2021 In early spring, even as much of the Sierra Nevada remains blanketed in snow, the Hetch Hetchy area of Yosemite National Park is often snow-free, making it an attractive spot for early-season hiking and backpacking. One of the more popular routes is the 5-mile out-and-back to Wapama Falls, …
Continue reading Hetch Hetchy to Wapama Falls and Rancheria Falls (Yosemite National Park, CA)
Pacheco Falls, Henry W. Coe State Park, March 2021 Central California’s Henry W. Coe State Park is a popular destination for Bay Area backpackers seeking to condition during the winter/spring season for trips to the Sierra Nevada later in the year. In fact, the terrain at Henry Coe is so rugged and challenging that it …
Continue reading Kelly Lake, Coit Lake, and Pacheco Falls Loop (Henry W. Coe State Park, CA)
Upper Salmon Creek Falls, Silver Peak Wilderness, February 2021 The Silver Peak Wilderness covers 31,555 acres of the Santa Lucia Range along the central coast of California between Monterey and Cambria. Hikers can explore the heart of the wilderness area by combining the Buckeye, Cruikshank, and Salmon Creek Trails for a 15-mile circuit that covers …
Continue reading Buckeye – Cruikshank – Salmon Creek Trail Loop (Silver Peak Wilderness, CA)
3-4 day backpacking trip to five spectacular lakes in the Hoover Wilderness and Kerrick Meadow in Yosemite National Park.
Short backpacking trip through Snow Mountain Wilderness in California's Mendocino National Forest, plus a loop that visits beautiful Milk Ranch Meadow.
Excellent two- or three-day backpacking option in the East Bay, connecting Del Valle Regional Park with Mission Peak Regional Preserve.
Situated on a high plateau in the heart of West Virginia’s Appalachian country, Dolly Sods Wilderness in Monongahela National Forest offers alpine-like meadows and sweeping vistas that are virtually unparalleled in the mid-Atlantic. Once one of the state’s best kept secrets, Dolly Sods is now a popular backpacking destination and boasts a maze of interlocking …
Continue reading Blackbird Knob Loop (Dolly Sods Wilderness, WV)
Straddling a windswept section of the Allegheny Front, West Virginia’s Dolly Sods Wilderness offers what is heralded by some as the best hiking on the eastern seaboard. The Dolly Sods North hike is arguably the best of the best: a stunning, 10.6-mile stem-and-loop through blissful meadows and spruce forests with terrific views of the Canaan …
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Hundreds of thousands flock to southwestern Utah’s Zion National Park each year to witness the famed Zion Narrows, where the majestic Virgin River has sculpted a 16-mile stretch of cavernous bends and twists seemingly unique in their beauty. Midway across the state, however, Capitol Reef National Park boasts a comparably spectacular alternative in the remote …
Continue reading Halls Creek Narrows via “airport route” (Capitol Reef National Park, UT)
Live and Let Hike 