Local Lists

Hiking Gear

Los Angeles’s Top 6 Dayhikes

The best local trails, as selected by BACKPACKER Local scout Brad Stapleton. The City of Angels: land of brunch, tanning, and of course, celebrity sightings at the local coffeeshop. For those of us looking to travel off the beaten path to places that don’t start with “Runyon,” there are tons of options that are all…

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Hiking Gear

Phoenix’s Top 5 Dayhikes

The best local trails, as selected by our BACKPACKER Local scout Scott Jones. No question: Phoenix is a desert kingdom, and the best trails near the city track into some of the country’s finest red-rock, cacti-studded wildernesses. From plunging canyons to desert oases to the tippy-top of Arizona, here are the premium goods within striking…

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Hiking Gear

Denver’s Top 5 Dayhikes

The best local trails, as selected by Denver Scout Heather Balogh Rochfort. The Mile-High City enjoys an embarrassment of riches when it comes to hiking: Everything from the grandeur of Rocky Mountain National Park to the Indian Peaks Wilderness to the Collegiate Peaks and beyond lies within a few hour’s drive of the capital city.…

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Hiking Gear

New York City’s Top 5 Dayhikes

The best Big Apple escapes, as selected by BACKPACKER Local scout Justin Bailey. New York City may be the ultimate in America’s concrete jungles, but that doesn’t mean you have to drive for hours to get your wilderness fix. Soaring views over rocky peaks, quiet lakes, steep scrambles, and wildflowers galore await on these five…

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Hiking Gear

Seattle’s Top 10 Dayhikes

The best local trails, as selected by BACKPACKER Local scouts Anastasia Allison and Jason Bickford. Pity the poor Seattle hikers: On any given day, they must decide whether to explore one of three national parks (Olympic, North Cascades, and Mount Rainier), venture into the Central or South Cascades, head north into the Canadian Coast Range,…

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