While so far, 2020 feels like the year of inside, people are doing what they can to get outside, taking advantage of balconies, backyards, regional parks, and local trails for mental and physical health. Bike sales, gardening, and birding have surged, and popular neighborhood trails and pathways are busy.
In light of that palpable desire to hit the trail, we are delighted to share our answer to today’s burning question, “where are the best places to hike out west?” While finding a great place to hike in the West has never been a problem, some destinations are standouts, with attributes that put them on a pedestal in a field that is tremendously competitive.
Every one of these destinations offers enticing accommodations of varying styles – charming inns, boutique hotels, small resorts, and private cabins or homes. They also offer myriad additional activities and attractions – biking, horseback riding, river rafting, rock climbing, canyoneering, museums, and more.
Why it’s a Stand-out: These two destinations sit one hour and one Galena Summit apart, but offer wildly different climates and terrain for hiking. There are loads of trails to choose from, at the pass and on either side.
The Lowdown: One made its name as America’s first destination ski resort (that’s Sun Valley) and the other is still a microscopic, sleepy mountain and river town (Stanley who?). Sun Valley is softer all around, with rounded mountaintops, an arid climate, and resort-town amenities, while Stanley features jagged peaks, cooler climes, and a bar and grill… or two. Set yourself free on a plethora of trails!
Iconic Trail: Sawtooth Lake is a ten-mile roundtrip hike that takes you to a one-mile-long, half-mile-wide alpine lake, situated at 8,435 feet. With a short hike to the ridge above the lake you’ll have 360-degree views of gorgeousness!
Other Favorites: In Sun Valley: Baker Lake, Kane Lake, Proctor Mountain, Pioneer Cabin, Lookout Trail, Mount Baldy. In Stanley: Fishhook Meadow, Benchmark Lakes, Hell Roaring Lake, Cramer Lakes, Alpine Lake, Alice Lake and Petit Lake.
West Fork Trail, Sedona, Arizona
Why it’s a Stand-out: Sedona is warm and inviting in spring and fall, offering access to a unique combination of trails featuring sandy, warm, red rock trails and cool, shady Oak Creek Canyon. Grand Canyon National Park is a day trip away!
The Lowdown: Embraced by stunning red sandstone buttes, steep canyon walls, and pine forests, Sedona’s elevation (4,500 feet) and location on shady Oak Creek make it a refreshing oasis. It is one of the country’s “new age” capitals and draws those who seek renewal and rejuvenation, some by meditation beside a vortex and others on one of the many trails. Southwest cuisine and art galleries round out the experience.
Iconic Trail: The West Fork Trail is a 6.4-mile out-and-back that features a perennial creek, 13 water crossings, and towering red canyon walls. The end of the trail is a pool of water surrounded by cliffs.
Other Favorites: Courthouse Butte-Bell Rock, Cathedral Rock, Devil’s Bridge, Boynton Canyon, Fay Canyon, and Soldiers Pass.
Mammoth Lakes, California
Why it’s a Stand-out: This small Sierra Nevada mountain town is an under-the-radar hiking hot spot. You head for the array of trails studded with alpine lakes and 11,000-foot peaks while everyone else flocks to Yosemite and Lake Tahoe.
The Lowdown: Mammoth Lakes offers excellent access to the Inyo and Sierra National Forests, Ansel Adams Wilderness, and Devil’s Postpile National Monument. There is no shortage of hiking options (including stretches of the famed Pacific Crest Trail) and the small, active town of 8,000+ offers just about anything you might crave before and after you hit the trail.
Iconic Trail: Minaret Lake for a 13.5-mile out-and-back with spectacular views, forest, cascades, waterfalls, and beauty all the way to the lake, which sits below the dramatic Minaret Peaks.
Other Favorites: Thousand Island Lake, Convict Lake Loop, Duck Lake, Rainbow Falls, Heart Lake, Little Lakes Valley to Gem Lakes, Devil’s Postpile to Rainbow Falls.
Beartooth Pass, Red Lodge, Montana
Why it’s a Stand-out: This sweet mountain enclave sits nestled at the bottom of the famed Beartooth Pass, offering incredible access to world-class trails in several directions. What’s on the other side of the pass? Yellowstone National Park!
The Lowdown: When returning from a fabulous day on some of Montana’s most gorgeous trails, Red Lodge offers an array of local shops, galleries, and restaurants. Daily hiking options include lush river drainages where trails run along rushing creeks past turquoise lakes up to the Beartooth Plateau, or take the easy way to the plateau with a drive up the All-American Beartooth Scenic Byway to hike along the high-elevation wildflower and lake-studded tundra.
Iconic Trail: Glacier Lake is a local favorite, accessed off the Rock Creek Road with a four-mile out-and-back trail that takes you up through forest to the mountain-clad lake.
Other Favorites: East Rosebud Trail to Elk, Rimrock, and Rainbow Lakes; Becker Lake, Lost Lake, and Quinnebaugh Meadows; and Stillwater trail to Sioux Charley Lake, the High Lakes Trail from Beartooth Lake, Island Lake to Night Lake, Flake Lake, and Mutt and Jeff Lakes.
Grand Staircase-Escalante, Lower Calf Creek Falls
Why it’s a Stand-out: These small towns offer access to a wide array of desert splendor and a central base for exploring Capitol Reef and Bryce Canyon National Parks and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.
The Lowdown: There’s not a whole lot going on in these two sleepy towns, but each one serves as an excellent basecamp for hikers who want to explore some of the wildest and most beautiful desert landscapes in three protected areas. Red cliffs, sandy washes, fantastic formations, and geologic wonders highlight the terrain. Wake each day, decide what you’re craving, then make your way to the slickrock, sand, spires, or slot canyons!
Iconic Trail: Grand Staircase-Escalante’s Lower Calf Creek Falls are 130-feet high with a deep pool at the base. Hike along a 5.5-mile out-and-back trail featuring mineral-stained sandstone cliffs and rock art.
Other Favorites: In Escalante: Devil’s Garden, Spooky Gulch, Hole-in-the-Rock, Coyote Gulch. In Bryce: Peekaboo Loop Trail, Fairyland Trail, Wall Street. In Capitol Reef: Cassidy Arch, Sulphur Creek Wash, Grand Wash Trail.
Mount Baker, Bellingham, Washington
Why it’s a Stand-out: This picturesque college town in the northwest corner of the United States offers variety! Choose coastal hikes on Bellingham Bay, ferry to the nearby San Juan Islands, or head inland to Mount Baker or North Cascades National Park.
The Lowdown: Located on Bellingham Bay between Seattle and Vancouver, Bellingham is a spirited college town with a recently restored historic waterfront and plenty of brewpubs. The town offers access to a huge variety of landscapes and terrain. Take a ferry to enjoy hiking on the San Juan Islands, go inland to the rugged peaks of North Cascades National Park, hike on a massive dormant volcano – Mount Baker – or head for the waterfront and cedar forest trails off beautiful Chuckanut Drive.
Iconic Trail: Oyster Dome takes you up along switchbacks through an alder, cedar, and fir forest to a rocky promontory with views of the Olympic Mountains, Samish Bay, and Lummi, Orcas, and Vancouver Islands.
Other Favorites: San Juan Islands: Turtle Back Mountain, Mount Constitution, Iceberg Point, Cattle Point Lighthouse. North Cascades National Park: Blue Lake, Cascade Pass Trail, Mount Baker: Hidden Lake Lookout, Chain Lakes Loop.
When you travel with Off the Beaten Path, you’ll be matched to accommodations that are a wonderful fit and presented with an array of daytime activities that can be reserved in advance.
Prior to traveling, you’ll receive a package with state road maps, topographical maps, and a personalized Journey Guidebook filled with information on the area you’ll visit – area history and our recommendations for restaurants and things to see and do.
We love to talk hiking. Contact us today to get started planning your great outdoor escape!
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