The best local trails, as selected by BACKPACKER Local scout Erica Zazo. Hot dogs. Lake Michigan. Da Bears. And excellent trails? Absolutely: The Windy City’s greater stomping grounds offer river-sculpted canyons, quiet hardwood forests, glacially molded ridges, and plentiful waterfalls within easy dayhiking distance. Sample the best of the Midwest on these favorites: Many are…
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The best local trails, as selected by BACKPACKER Local scouts Paulina Dao and Daniel Markey In the Bay Area, easy-access trails treat hikers to spectacular coastal walks, big-view summits, primeval redwood forests, and cascading waterfalls–all within a couple of hours of town, often less. So, with so many standout options nearby, you know these local…
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From prickly pear desert to verdant gorges, this hike shows off the range of the Lone Star State. Yesterday, I navigated cactus-dotted scrubland caked in orange dust. Today, I’m negotiating a slick gorge decorated in green hanging gardens. It feels like two different trips, and, in a sense, it is: I threaded together a dozen…
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The bill is a response to the White House’s rollback of protections for Utah public lands. The Trump administration plans a drastic reduction of Bears Ears National Monument.Sen. Tom Udall (D-NM) and Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) joined 16 other democratic senators this week to introduce a bill that would legally codify the boundaries of more than…
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Gear up for the United States’ toughest long path with these expert picks. On a path as long, high, and remote as the Continental Divide Trail, there is little room for gear errors. For four to six months of walking, CDT thru-hikers have a laundry list of concerns that outpace those of many other long…
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“It’s Jurassic Park,” says one local of the California preserve’s animal problem. Don’t worry–these kids at Sand to Snow National Monument are running out out joy, not to escape feral cattle. Hikers at Sand to Snow National Monument have to worry about more than the usual blisters: A large herd of feral cattle is roaming the area,…
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Tues, 3/13, 9:30 am-12:30 pm Group: Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District When: Tuesday, March 13, 9:30 am-12:30 pm Where: Scribe Winery, Sonoma, CA Cost: Free (registration required) Details: Join Sonoma Ecology Center staff to see the land rebound on Arrowhead Mountain, which burned in the October wildfires. We will look at the…
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Sat, 3/10, 7 am-8 pm Group: Atlanta Outdoor Club When: Saturday, March 10, 7 am-8 pm Where: Duncan Ridge Trail, near Suches, GA Cost: Free (registration required) Details: Starting at Wolf Pen Gap on the Duncan Ridge Trail, we will hike through Wildcat Gap, up to the top of Coosa Bald (4,270 ft), and continue along the Duncan…
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Sat, 3/10, 8 am-Sun, 3/11, 5 pm Group: NOLS & REI When: Saturday March 10, 8 am-Sunday, March 11, 5 pm Where: Ojai Valley Land Conservancy, Ojai, CA Cost: $235 members/$265 non-members (registration required) Details: Whether spending time in the backcountry is your passion or your profession, you should never have to ask, “What do I do now?”…
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Thurs, 3/15, 6:30-9:30 pm Group: Griffith Observatory Hiking Group When: Thursday, March 15, 6:30-9:30 pm Where: Griffith Park, Los Angeles, CA Cost: Free Details: This hike is going to differ from past events as we’re going to go to Griffith Observatory from our usual spot, parking lot #2 of the Merry-Go-Round in the Griffith Park. The…
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