Looking for other lists of stories? See the All National Park Trips, Family Adventures, and International Trips pages at The Big Outside.

Alaska

Lamplugh Glacier, Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska.
Lamplugh Glacier, Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska.

Back to the Ice Age: Sea Kayaking Alaska’s Glacier Bay

Arizona

A backpacker at a waterfall on the Deer Creek Trail in the Grand Canyon.
Jeff Wilhelm at a waterfall on the Deer Creek Trail in the Grand Canyon.

Backpacking the Grand Canyon’s Thunder River-Deer Creek Loop

Fit to be Tired: Hiking the Grand Canyon Rim to Rim in a Day

A Grand Ambition, or April Fools? Dayhiking the Grand Canyon Rim to Rim to Rim

Horseshoe Mesa, Grand Canyon.
Horseshoe Mesa, Grand Canyon.

Not Quite Impassable: Backpacking the Grand Canyon’s Royal Arch Loop

A Matter of Perspective: A Father-Daughter Hike in the Grand Canyon

One Extraordinary Day: A 25-Mile Dayhike in the Grand Canyon

Hi, I’m Michael Lanza, creator of The Big Outside, which has made several top outdoors blog lists. Click here to sign up for my FREE email newsletter. Join The Big Outside to get full access to all of my blog’s stories. Click here to learn how I can help you plan your next trip. Please follow my adventures on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Youtube.

 

In the narrows of Paria Canyon.
Backpackers in the narrows of Paria Canyon.

The 10 Best Backpacking Trips in the Southwest

Best Dayhikes in the Southwest

The Quicksand Chronicles: Backpacking Paria Canyon

Dropping Into the Grand Canyon: A Four-Day Hike From Grandview Point to the South Kaibab Trail

Ask Me: Where Should Our Family Backpack in the Grand Canyon?

Ask Me: How’s November For Hiking in the Grand Canyon?

Ask Me: What Backpacking Trips Do You Suggest in the Grand Canyon and Southern Utah?

Ask Me: Can You Recommend a Big Dayhike in the Grand Canyon?

Plan your next great backpacking adventure in Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Grand Teton and other flagship parks using my expert e-guides.

 

A Grand Ambition, or April Fools? Dayhiking the Grand Canyon Rim to Rim to Rim
A Grand Ambition, or April Fools? Dayhiking the Grand Canyon Rim to Rim to Rim

Ask Me: Which Dayhike or Two-Day Backpacking Trip Should Our Family Take in the Grand Canyon?

Ask Me: Backpacking Trips With an 11-Year-Old

California

Backpackers on the summit ridge of Clouds Rest in Yosemite.
Backpackers on the summit ridge of Clouds Rest in Yosemite.

Best of Yosemite, Part 1: Backpacking South of Tuolumne Meadows

Best of Yosemite, Part 2: Backpacking Remote Northern Yosemite

The 10 Best Dayhikes in Yosemite

Ask Me: Where to Backpack First Time in Yosemite

A hiker atop Half Dome, Yosemite National Park.
Mark Fenton atop Half Dome, Yosemite National Park.

Ask Me: Hiking Yosemite’s Half Dome

Ask Me: Where Can I Hike in Yosemite in Late Fall?

The Magic of Hiking to Yosemite’s Waterfalls

Columbine Lake campsite, Sequoia National Park.
Columbine Lake campsite, Sequoia National Park.

Heavy Lifting: Backpacking Sequoia National Park

Ask Me: Backpacking in Sequoia National Park

A Mind-Boggling Chunk of Lonely: Backpacking in Death Valley National Park

Wanda Lake, John Muir Trail
Wanda Lake, John Muir Trail.

Thru-Hiking the John Muir Trail in Seven Days: Amazing Experience, Or Certifiably Insane?

Ask Me: Questions From a 55-Year-Old Woman First Time Hiking the John Muir Trail

Ask Me: How Early in the Season Can I Hike the John Muir Trail?

Ask Me: What Are Your Top Picks For Long Backpacking Trips?

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Granite Park in the John Muir Wilderness.
Granite Park in the John Muir Wilderness.

In the Footsteps of John Muir: Finding Solitude in the High Sierra

Ask Me: Is June Too Early For Hiking Mount Whitney and in Yosemite?

Facing the Biggest Challenge Inside: Friendship and Climbing Rocks at Joshua Tree National Park

In the Land of Dr. Seuss: Exploring Joshua Tree

Like a good, hot soak? Find the best hot springs in California at calihotsprings.com!

Climbers below the East Face of California's Mount Whitney.
Climbers below the East Face of California’s Mount Whitney.

Roof of the High Sierra: A Father-Son Climb of California’s Mount Whitney

Ask Me: 7 Great, Uncrowded Places to Hike

Trail Running Across Marin: Four Days, 42 Miles, Inn-to-Inn

Ask Me: Backpacking Trips With an 11-Year-Old

Colorado

Ouzel Lake, Wild Basin, Rocky Mountain National Park.
Ouzel Lake, Wild Basin, Rocky Mountain National Park.

The 5 Rules About Kids I Broke While Backpacking in Rocky Mountain National Park

Ask Me: Should I Go Backpacking Solo (in Rocky Mountain National Park)?

Best Hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park and near Breckenridge

Ask Me: What Should We Do on a Trip to Colorado, Yellowstone, and the Southwest?

Compromise Camp, on a float trip through the Gates of Lodore in Dinosaur National Monument.
Compromise Camp, on a float trip through the Gates of Lodore in Dinosaur National Monument.

Why Conservation Matters: Rafting the Green River’s Gates of Lodore

Exploring America’s Big Sandbox: Colorado’s Great Sand Dunes

Where’s Best For Backpacking Photos, Glacier, Tetons, Rocky Mountain, or Cascades?

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Connecticut

Ask Me: What Are Your Favorite New England Hikes?

Florida

Mangrove tunnel on the East River.
Mangrove tunnel on the East River.

Like No Other Place: Paddling the Everglades

Idaho

A hiker above the Middle Fork Salmon River in Idaho's Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness.
A hiker above the Middle Fork Salmon River in Idaho’s Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness.

America’s Newest Long Trail: The Idaho Wilderness Trail

Jewels of the Sawtooths: Backpacking to Alice, Hell Roaring, and Imogene Lakes

Going After Goals: Backpacking Idaho’s Sawtooth Mountains

Ask Me: What Are the Best Hikes in Idaho’s Sawtooths?

I’ve helped many readers plan an unforgettable backpacking trip in the Sawtooths. Want my help with yours? Find out more here.

 

Baron Lake, Sawtooth Mountains, Idaho.
Baron Lake in Idaho’s Sawtooth Mountains.

Ask Me: The Best Long Backpacking Trip in Idaho’s Sawtooths

Roof of Idaho’s Sawtooths: Hiking Thompson Peak

Ask Me: Backpacking Idaho’s Sawtooth Mountains

Hidden Paradise: Backcountry Skiing Idaho’s Sawtooths

Ask Me: Dayhikes and Backpacking Trips in Idaho’s Sawtooth and White Cloud Mountains

Boulder Chain Lakes, White Cloud Mountains, Idaho.
Boulder Chain Lakes, White Cloud Mountains, Idaho.

Head in the Clouds: Thinking About Wilderness On a Big Dayhike In Idaho’s White Cloud Mountains

Exploring a Wilderness Hopeful: Idaho’s White Cloud Mountains

Ask Me: What Backpacking Trip Do You Recommend in Idaho’s White Cloud Mountains?

Chasing Summer’s Tail Climbing in Idaho’s Sawtooths and Castle Rocks

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Cliffside Rapid on Idaho's Middle Fork Salmon River.
Cliffside Rapid on Idaho’s Middle Fork Salmon River.

Big Water, Big Wilderness: Rafting Idaho’s Incomparable Middle Fork Salmon River

Hell Hath No Fury: The Stark Beauty, Solitude, and Surprises of Hells Canyon

Photo Gallery: Idaho’s Craters of the Moon

Mt. Heyburn, Sawtooth Wilderness, Idaho.
Mt. Heyburn, Sawtooth Wilderness, Idaho.

Chasing the Snow: A Meditation on How ‘Compressed Adventure’ Can Be Your Salvation

Growing Up On Skis: Two Families, Yurts, and Many Memories

Key Ingredient to Family Yurt Trip: What’s Missing

Snowstorms, Skinny Skis, Yurts, and a Family Tradition

Lambert Gorge, East Fork Owyhee River
Lambert Gorge, East Fork Owyhee River.

The Wildest River: Kayaking the Upper Owyhee

Wild Back Yard: Trails of the Boise Foothills

A 12-Year-Old’s First Time Skiing Wild Snow

An Ode to Favorite Spots Most People Don’t Know: Backcountry Skiing Mores Creek Summit

Maine

Ask Me: What Are Your Favorite New England Hikes?

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Massachusetts

Ask Me: What Are Your Favorite New England Hikes?

Montana

Above the Belly River Valley, Glacier N.P.
Above the Belly River Valley, Glacier N.P.

Descending the Food Chain: Backpacking Glacier National Park’s Northern Loop

Wildness All Around You: Backpacking the CDT Through Glacier

Jagged Peaks, Mountain Lakes, and Wild Goats: A 3-Day Hike on Glacier’s Gunsight Pass Trail

The 6 Best Long Hikes in Glacier National Park

Get my expert e-guides to the best backpacking trip in Glacier
and backpacking the Continental Divide Trail through Glacier.

 

Morning Eagle Falls and backpackers on the Piegan Pass Trail in Glacier National Park.
Backpackers on the Continental Divide Trail in Glacier National Park.

Ask Me: What Hikes Do You Suggest For Three Days in Glacier National Park?

Ask Me: If I Have One Day in Glacier National Park, What Hike Should I Take?

Ask Me: Looking For a Moderate, Three-Day Backpacking Trip in Glacier National Park

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The view from the Gunsight Pass Trail, Glacier National Park.
The view from the Gunsight Pass Trail, Glacier National Park.

Ask Me: How to Grab a Hard-to-Get Permit For Backpacking Glacier’s Gunsight Pass Trail

Where’s Best For Backpacking Photos, Glacier, Tetons, Rocky Mountain, or Cascades?

Ask Me: How Hard Are the Trails in Glacier National Park?

Ask Me: Tips on Backpacking Glacier National Park and the John Muir Trail

New Hampshire

A hiker on the Zeacliff Trail, White Mountains, N.H.
A hiker on the Zeacliff Trail, White Mountains, N.H.

Still Crazy After All These Years: Hiking in the White Mountains

Step Onto Rock. Step Down. Repeat 50,000 Times: A 20-Mile, 9-Peak ‘Death March’ of the Presidential Range

Being Stupid With Friends: A 32-Mile Dayhike in the White Mountains

Big Hearts, Big Day: A 17-Mile Hike With Teens in the Presidential Range

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The Hardest 20 Miles: A Dayhike Across New Hampshire’s Rugged Wildcat-Carter-Moriah Range

Ask Me: What Are Your Favorite New England Hikes?

Backpacking the Appalachian Trail Across New Hampshire

North Carolina

Crabtree Falls, along the Blue Ridge Parkway, Pisgah National Forest, North Carolina.
Crabtree Falls, along the Blue Ridge Parkway, Pisgah National Forest, N.C.

In the Garden of Eden: Backpacking the Great Smoky Mountains

The 12 Best Dayhikes Along North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Parkway

Tunnel Falls, Eagle Creek Trail, Columbia Gorge, Oregon.
Tunnel Falls, Eagle Creek Trail, Columbia Gorge, Oregon.

Oregon

Learning the Hard Way: Backpacking Oregon’s Eagle Cap Wilderness

Full of Surprises: Backpacking Mount Hood’s Timberline Trail

Nature In Your Face: Hiking in the Columbia Gorge

Photo Gallery: A Big Day in the Columbia Gorge

Stacking the Deck for Adventure: Rafting Oregon’s Wallowa and Grand Ronde Rivers

Bottomless Powder, Big Ski Lines in Oregon’s Wallowa Mountains

The Wildest River: Kayaking the Upper Owyhee

Hell Hath No Fury: The Stark Beauty, Solitude, and Surprises of Hells Canyon

A great adventure deserves a good, hot soak. Find the best hot springs in Oregon at soakoregon.com!

Utah

A backpacker in the Paria Canyon narrows.
A backpacker in the Paria Canyon narrows.

The 10 Best Backpacking Trips in the Southwest

The Best Hikes in Utah’s National Parks

The Quicksand Chronicles: Backpacking Paria Canyon

The Best Hiking and Backpacking in Zion National Park

Pilgrimage Across Zion: Traversing a Land of Otherworldly Scenery

Mid-Life Crisis: Hiking 50 Miles Across Zion in a Day

No Straight Lines: Backpacking and Hiking in Canyonlands and Arches National Parks

Why Conservation Matters: Rafting the Green River’s Gates of Lodore

 

I can help you plan the best backpacking, hiking, or family adventure of your life. Click here now to learn more.

 

David Gordon in The Subway, in Zion National Park.
David Gordon in The Subway, in Zion National Park.

Luck of the Draw, Part 1: Hiking Zion’s Subway

Luck of the Draw, Part 2: Backpacking Zion’s Narrows

Click here now to get my expert e-guide to Backpacking Zion’s Narrows.

 

Alone the Navajo-Queens Garden loop, Bryce Canyon National Park.
Alone the Navajo-Queens Garden loop, Bryce Canyon National Park.

Photo Gallery: The Best Hike in Bryce Canyon

The Most Beautiful Hike You’ve Never Heard Of: Crossing Utah’s Capitol Reef

Playing the Memory Game in Southern Utah’s Escalante, Capitol Reef, and Bryce Canyon

West Rim Trail, Zion National Park.
West Rim Trail, Zion National Park.

Still Waters Run Deep: Tackling America’s Best Multi-Day Float Trip on the Green River

Ask Me: What’s Your Favorite Backpacking Trip in Zion National Park?

Peek-a-Boo Gulch, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Utah.
Peek-a-Boo Gulch, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Utah.

Plunging Into Solitude: Dayhiking, Slot Canyoneering, and Backpacking in Capitol Reef

Ask Me: What Should We Do on a Trip to Colorado, Yellowstone, and the Southwest?

Ask Me: 7 Great, Uncrowded Places to Hike

Ask Me: Looking For a 3- or 4-Day Backpacking Trip in Zion or the Southwest

Ask Me: A Recommendation For a Family Backpacking Trip in Southern Utah

Ask Me: Where Should We Take a Family Hiking Trip in Early Spring?

Ask Me: Where Should We Backpack in Capitol Reef?

Ask Me: What Backpacking Trips Do You Suggest in the Grand Canyon and Southern Utah?

Vermont

Ask Me: What Are Your Favorite New England Hikes?

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Washington

Larch trees at Rainbow Lake, on an 80-mile hike in the North Cascades National Park Complex.
Rainbow Lake, on an 80-mile hike in the North Cascades National Park Complex.

Primal Wild: Backpacking 80 Miles Through the North Cascades

Wild Heart of the Glacier Peak Wilderness: Backpacking the Spider Gap-Buck Creek Pass Loop

The Wildest Shore: Backpacking the Southern Olympic Coast

Three Generations, One Big Volcano: Pushing Limits on Mount St. Helens

Nature In Your Face: Hiking in the Columbia Gorge

Wild Heart of the Glacier Peak Wilderness: Backpacking the Spider Gap-Buck Creek Pass Loop
Jeff and Jasmine Wilhelm in the Glacier Peak Wilderness.

Favorite Dayhikes at Mount Rainier National Park

Exploring the “American Alps:” The North Cascades

Ask Me: Where Should We Backpack Around Sahale Glacier Camp in the North Cascades?

Ask Me: Where Should We Backpack With Kids in North Cascades National Park?

Near Strawberry Point, Olympic National Park, Washington.
Near Strawberry Point, Olympic National Park, Washington.

Completely Alone on Mount Rainier’s Northern Loop

Wildflowers, Waterfalls, and Giant Slugs at Mount Rainier

Ask Me: 7 Great, Uncrowded Places to Hike

Ask Me: Backpacking Trips With an 11-Year-Old

Hiking above Paradise at Mount Rainier National Park.
Hiking above Paradise at Mount Rainier National Park.

Ask Me: Advice About North Cascades, Olympic, and Mount Rainier National Parks and Mount St. Helens

Ask Me: What Are Your Favorite Hikes at Mount Rainier and North Cascades National Parks?

Ask Me: What Are Your Top Picks For Long Backpacking Trips?

Where’s Best For Backpacking Photos, Glacier, Tetons, Rocky Mountain, or Cascades?

Ask Me: What Are Your Favorite Places in the Northwest and Northern Rockies?

Wyoming

Midway Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park.
Midway Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park.

The Ultimate Family Tour of Yellowstone

Ask Me: The 10 Best Short Hikes in Yellowstone

Ask Me: The Best Multi-Day Wilderness Trips in Yellowstone

Cross-Country Skiing Yellowstone

The Best-Laid Plans: A Weeklong Ski Traverse in Yellowstone… and a Monster Snowstorm

8 Great Big Dayhikes in the Tetons.
8 Great Big Dayhikes in the Tetons.

American Classic: The Teton Crest Trail

Walking Familiar Ground: Reliving Old Memories and Making New Ones on the Teton Crest Trail

8 Great Big Dayhikes in the Tetons

Ask Me: Backpacking the Teton Crest Trail

Ask Me: Hiking Across Grand Teton National Park in a Day

Plan your next great backpacking trip in Yosemite, Grand Teton, and other parks using my expert e-guides.

 

Death Canyon Shelf, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming.
Teton Crest Trail, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming.

Rediscovering a Sense of Wonder: Backcountry Skiing the Tetons

Ask Me: Can You Suggest a Backpacking Trip in the Tetons That Won’t Be Hard to Get a Permit For?

Ask Me: Advice on Backpacking in Grand Teton National Park

Ask Me: How Do We Make a Big Backpacking Trip (on the Teton Crest Trail) As Enjoyable As Possible?

A backpacker hiking into Titcomb Basin in the Wind River Range, Wyoming.
A backpacker hiking into Titcomb Basin in the Wind River Range, Wyoming.

Best of the Wind River Range: Backpacking to Titcomb Basin

A Walk in the Winds: Hiking a One-Day, 27-Mile Traverse of Wyoming’s Wind River Range

Ask Me: What Backpacking Trip Do You Suggest in the Wind River Range?

Cirque of the Towers, Wind River Range, Wyoming.
Cirque of the Towers, Wind River Range, Wyoming.