On September 27, 2024, Hurricane Helene brought 100-mile per hour winds to the mountains of Western North Carolina and dropped up to 30 inches of rain. The devastation was swift and heartbreaking and resulted in one of the worst natural disasters in the area鈥檚 history.

The mountain communities situated along the French Broad River, such as Asheville, Hot Springs, and Marshall, saw devastating floods, while Pisgah National Forest lost an estimated 100,000 acres of trees from a combination of high winds and an overly saturated forest floor. More than 100 people lost their lives in North Carolina and countless others lost their homes and businesses. For the last twenty years, Asheville has been home, and I covered Helene from my perspective during the immediate aftermath of the storm,

News of Helene鈥檚 destruction dominated the news cycle at the time, but the story of the region鈥檚 recovery, which began immediately after the rain and wind stopped, has gone largely unnoticed.

A year has passed and the communities that survived the destruction have been working tirelessly to rebuild. It started with carving paths through the downfall on city streets and has been ongoing with debris removal, building restoration, and trail reconstruction. I鈥檓 amazed by the progress that鈥檚 been made the past year. More than 85 percent of Asheville鈥檚 hospitality businesses have reopened. In Pisgah National Forest, hundreds of miles of trails are ready for bikers and hikers, and sections of the Blue Ridge Parkway have been restored.

The recovery isn鈥檛 complete though. You can still see scars from Helene. A number of businesses are still shattered. In Asheville, parts of the popular River Arts District are still vacant. In the smaller towns of Marshall and Hot Springs, some buildings remain empty as reconstruction moves forward. Sections of the Blue Ridge Parkway are still closed, and some recreation areas in Pisgah National Forest still need significant restoration work before they can be safely explored.

But we鈥檝e come so far in a year, and the towns (and the mountains surrounding them) are safe and open for visitors again. As fall approaches, along with the year anniversary of the worst natural disaster to hit the area, it’s time to come back and see the recovery story for yourself.

Consider this a local鈥檚 guide to adventuring in and around Asheville and the surrounding mountains one year after Hurricane Helene.

Asheville

If you walk through downtown Asheville today, you鈥檇 never know a powerful storm ripped through the community a year prior. Downtown was mostly unscathed, but the River Arts District, just west of downtown on the banks of the French Broad River, was hit hard. Flood waters rose to 20 feet above the French Broad鈥檚 typical level, pushing the river into聽breweries, restaurants, and studios that made up the popular entertainment district. Many of the buildings are still vacant or have been demolished entirely. But there is a resurgence of businesses in that district, from artists occupying studios again to breweries re-opening in their former locations.

Here are a handful of spots you should check out:

Hi-Wire Brewing

has reopened its River Arts District beer garden after being closed for eight months after the storm. The location was more than just a beer garden, it was the brewery鈥檚 headquarters and distribution center. Hi-Wire lost 100 percent of its packaging inventory and 80 percent of its finished beer in the flood. The newly restored space is loaded with murals and games and has 24 different beers on tap. Their Lo-Pitch Hazy IPA is my top choice.

Wrong Way River Lodge

has A-frame cabins on stilts on the bank of the French Broad. They saw water levels rise to their front row of cabins, and submerge the bottom floor of their lodge, but the entire property has been fully restored (from $223 a night).

The Bull and Beggar

has been a staple of Asheville鈥檚 culinary scene for more than a decade, but the building took in almost two feet of water during the storm and had to be completely renovated. It reopened in January 2025 and is back to serving the best steak frites in town. Too fancy? Their sister location, , makes what I believe to be the best burger in town.

The Next Phase

The next phase of recovery in the River Arts District is just as exciting. , a 50,000-square foot bazaar that housed the studios and galleries for more than 300 artists, is set to re-open this fall with the majority of its artists returning. was just a few weeks away from opening a 13,000-square foot bouldering gym and cafe on Foundy Street before the flood hit. The company is on schedule to open that new climbing gym in the Foundy this fall. And should open their popular Wedge Foundation, which was one of my favorite places to drink a beer outside, this fall as well.

Pisgah National Forest

Asheville is flanked by the 500,000-acre Pisgah National Forest, which was hit hard by Helene. There was damage to roughly 850 miles of trail and聽30 percent of the forest鈥檚 road beds.

Bent Creek Experimental Forest

Bent Creek Experimental Forest, which sits in the Pisgah Ranger District, is the closest section of Pisgah National Forest to downtown Asheville, and has more than 20 miles of trail that locals and visitors flock to for mountain bike rides and trail runs. Bent Creek experienced flooding and heavy winds, and lost a number of trees, but local volunteers were able to clear the damage quickly after the storm. The聽forest started reopening to visitors at the end of October 2024. , which has a two-mile, technical downhill, is the signature trail, but I like , which doesn鈥檛 get as much attention but has plenty of flow and cruisy benchcut singletrack.

Grandfather Ranger District

While the Pisgah Ranger District endured its share of destruction, Helene did the most damage in the Grandfather Ranger District of Pisgah east of Asheville. The tall, steep mountains that rise to 6,000 feet in elevation in the Grandfather District saw triple digit winds and some of the heaviest rainfall of the storm with hundreds of miles of trail and road destroyed. Forest Service staff and volunteers have been working tirelessly, restoring access to more than 250 miles of trail within the Grandfather District.

Mountain bikers in particular should be excited by this, as the , just outside of downtown Old Fort, is now open with a new parking area. Bikers now聽have full access to this 14-mile trail system that emphasizes flow and fun. is designed for hammering fast laps, with a gravel road climbing to the top of a ridge that provides access to the downhill singletrack. If you want a taste of old school Pisgah singletrack within the Grandfather District, you need to ride , which is at the heart of a 10-mile loop between the towns of Old Fort and Black Mountain, and features a monstrous switchback climb preceding a fast, technical downhill through a thick forest canopy. It鈥檚 a classic for a reason.

Old Fort

Regardless of which trail you ride, be sure to drop into downtown Old Fort after your adventure. Old Fort is a town of 800 that was leaning heavily into outdoor recreation as an economic anchor before Hurricane Helene hit. The storm damaged more than just the trails within the national forest; it sent a flood surge through downtown that destroyed聽more than 40 buildings and homes. The town is scrappy though, and working hard to rebuild. Grab food and beer from the town鈥檚 social anchor, , which had flood waters four-feet deep inside its building.

The Blue Ridge Parkway

The Blue Ridge Parkway is a 469-mile long two-lane highway that runs through the mountains of North Carolina and Virginia, connecting Great Smoky Mountains National Park with Shenandoah National Park. It is the most visited unit of the National Park System with more than 17 million visitors each year. The Parkway wraps around Asheville connecting the town with the tallest peaks in the Eastern U.S., but聽the road is more than a scenic drive. Hundreds of trailheads are scattered along the corridor, and cyclists flock to the blacktop in droves for the scenic pedaling and tough climbs.

Helene brought heavy winds and rain that caused landslides and eroded sections of pavement both south and north of Asheville. The Parkway north of Asheville, from mile marker 377 to 333 is still closed, which means there鈥檚 no access to . But the National Park Service has been working hard to reopen the impacted sections of the Parkway, the most exciting of which (to those of us who are Asheville locals) is the 38-mile section of road from Asheville south to milepost 420, which gives hikers and cyclists access to two popular destinations: Graveyard Fields and Black Balsam.

Graveyard Fields, at milepost 418, is a mile-high valley with a popular trail system that accesses waterfalls and swimming holes along the Yellowstone Prong. The mile-long offers a quick tour of the goods, but climb the 1.5-mile for the best chance of solitude and an up-close look at the 40-foot falls.

At milepost 420, you鈥檒l find access to Black Balsam Knob, a 6,214-foot tall grassy bald with 360-degree views of the surrounding forest. You can also trek聽up the popular which runs for 29 miles through Pisgah National Forest, and has聽short loops or epic multi-day hikes.

The French Broad River

The French Broad River runs for 146 miles from the small town of Rosman to Newport Tennessee. In recent years, the French Broad has evolved from a source of industry, with paper mills and coal plants along its corridor, to more of a source of recreation. The non-profit, Mountain True, developed a with established campsites from its headwaters to its tailwaters.

Thousands of people tubed and paddled several miles of the river through the River Arts District every day this summer. Helene caused significant damage and essentially shut the river down for months as thousands of pounds of debris, from PVC pipe to tractor trailers, were deposited into the river from the storm. But Mountain True and the Army Corps of Engineers have been working tirelessly and the majority of the river is open again for recreation, with a number of put-ins and takeouts fully restored.

Boaters looking for some excitement should head to of the French Broad, which runs for eight miles from the town of Marshall to Hot Springs, offering the best whitewater on the entire river. While Helene caused its fair share of damage to the river corridor, the rapids on this stretch are largely the same as before the storm. I had the chance to run a rafting trip on Section 9 earlier in the summer, and was so happy to see the character of the whitewater had not been changed. The run is highlighted by class III waves and a couple of big class IV rapids, the most famous of which is Frank Bells, a river-wide ledge with several different routes depending on how crazy you want to get. runs half day and full day trips on Section 9 (from $59 per person).

The towns of Marshall and Hot Springs both sit directly on the French Broad River and both were devastated by the storm. After the flood waters receded, Marshall was left with several feet of mud to contend with, while the storm surge ripped through the sides of certain buildings in Hot Springs. But both communities are coming back strong, each with businesses that are open and eager for visitors.

In Marshall, grab a beer and pizza at 聽on Main Street. In Hot Springs, serves tacos and great beer in its beer garden. If you鈥檙e looking to camp, grab a site at , which has tent sites overlooking the French Broad within walking distance of downtown Hot Springs (from $45 per site).

Graham Averill is 国产吃瓜黑料 magazine鈥檚 national parks columnist. He鈥檚 lived in Asheville for more than 20 years, and has personally seen the town flood twice in that time. He recently wrote about the in the country.聽

The post A Year After Hurricane Helene, Western North Carolina Is Ready For You聽 appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

The first was patented in 1953. It was a big, insulated box that looked a lot like a Yeti, but without the handles. Early versions of the cooler were called a 鈥淟eisure Chest鈥� (great name) and promised cold groceries out in the wild, as long as you loaded them down with ice.

In the 75 years since, cooler design hasn鈥檛 changed all that much. Ice retention has certainly improved, but even with the best, most insulated coolers, you鈥檒l still need to restock it with ice over the course of a weekend camping trip. Then you have to try to keep your food out of the melting ice so it doesn鈥檛 get soggy. And when you get home, you have to dump the water, wipe down the cooler, and leave it open to dry out so it doesn鈥檛 get moldy. It鈥檚 all a hassle, and yet I鈥檝e been loyal to the old technology for decades, even when others insisted that an electric cooler was the superior option.

The post This Is the Electric Cooler That Finally Won Me Over appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Summer is fleeting. You鈥檇 think I鈥檇 have learned this by now, considering I鈥檓 49 years old, but the end of the season sneaks up on me every year, and I find myself trying to cram as many warm-weather adventures as I can into August. My favorite summer pastime? Floating. Grab an inner tube or a standup paddle board (or an inflatable camping mattress in a pinch) and point it downstream on a lazy river and just … float.

Tubing has always been an integral part of my summer adventures. As a kid, I grew up tubing the Chattahoochee River through metro Atlanta. We hunted for rope swings and jumping rocks. Since those early days, I鈥檝e hunted for ideal tubing scenarios, getting stuck on rivers with no currents and freezing my unmentionables off while careening down snowmelt creeks. I love tubing because it forces you to slow down and move at the speed of the river. It鈥檚 less about exploration and more about relaxation.

So I鈥檝e done the research and found some of the best floating rivers in the country. Sure, some of these rivers have the occasional rapid, but these aren鈥檛 whitewater paddling trips. These are languid, let the sun beat down on you while draping your toes in the cool water below, trips.

Before summer is over, make the most of it with these epic float trips across the country.

Upper Iowa River, Iowa聽

The Upper Iowa is a gem of a river that runs 136 miles through the northeast corner of Iowa before meeting the Mississippi. It was one of the first bodies of water to be nominated for a National Wild and Scenic River designation in the state, and because of that protection, it remains a pristine paddle to this day.

Kayakers and canoeists explore multiple sections of this river, but the perfect stretch runs for almost 20 miles between Kendalville Park access and Bluffton Fir Stand Access, where multiple public access points allow you to tailor the length of the trip. This section also cruises through the most interesting terrain, from natural springs pouring into the river to limestone outcroppings to expansive forests of balsam firs. The highlight has to be the Bluffton Palisades, a half-mile–long stretch of cliffs that rise 300 feet from the edge of the water.

Logistics: Start your trip in the morning to avoid afternoon crowds. rents tubes and runs shuttles of varying lengths (from $25, including the shuttle).

Where to Stay: has campsites and cabins on the river (from $100 a night for the cabins, from $38 a night for campsites). They also rent tubes (from $10) and run shuttles.

Niobrara National Scenic River, Nebraska聽

Think Nebraska is just corn fields as far as the eye can see? Think again. The Niobrara River is a 535-mile–long waterway that begins in Wyoming, but the prettiest parts are in Nebraska where a 76-mile-long stretch was designated a National Scenic River in 1991. Here, the mild-mannered river runs through sandstone canyons, rolling sandhills, and forests of aspen and birch. The best section runs for 12 miles from Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge to Smith Falls State Park. It鈥檚 a full day of cruising with the occasional swift water ripple and the opportunity to see wildlife like eagles, herons, and otters. You can also spot deer and the occasional elk grazing in the meadows. The section is known for its waterfalls, with the opportunity to park your tubes and take short hikes to Fort Falls, a 30-footer over an exposed canyon, and the 63-foot-tall Smith Falls, Nebraska鈥檚 tallest. There鈥檚 also Berry Falls, which drops directly into the side of the Niobrara River, giving you a chance to feel the spray from the eight-foot drop as you cruise by in your tube.

Logistics: The park service estimates 60,000 people paddle or tube the Niobrara River every year, most of them on Saturdays during the summer, so if that鈥檚 your plan, aim for an early morning launch to avoid the majority of the crowds. Or show up during the week if that鈥檚 a possibility. Nearly a dozen outfitters rent tubes and run shuttles. such as

If you put in at the Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge, you鈥檒l need to pay the daily access fee and wear a wristband.

Where to Stay: has a campground on the river, as well as Nebraska鈥檚 tallest waterfall. It鈥檚 a popular takeout spot for outfitters running trips, so pitching your tent here makes for a seamless adventure (from $15 a night for a site).

The Russian River, Sonoma County, California聽

Northern California鈥檚 Russian River cruises for a hundred miles through Sonoma and Mendocino Counties. This is wine country, and most visitors are here for the grapes and the food, but a two-mile stretch of the Russian River from Steelhead Beach to Sunset Beach has become a hotbed of floating during the summer months. It鈥檚 a slow-moving affair with no rapids to speak of, so the trip typically takes four hours, but there are pebble beaches for lounging and plenty of opportunities to cool off by dipping in the water. If you鈥檙e an angler, consider turning this into a float/fishing trip, as the Russian River is known for its striped bass, steelhead, and salmon fishing.

Logistics: Parking at Steelhead Beach ($7 per car) fills up fast, so get there early on weekends. It鈥檚 a five-minute drive between the parks, so it makes for an easy self-shuttle. The county also runs a between the beaches on weekends ($5 per person). , located at Steelhead Beach, has tube rentals (from $25 a day).

Where to Stay: This is wine country, so boutique hotels abound, as do private campgrounds. has RV and tent sites (from $60 a night) tucked into the redwoods with river frontage and quick access to the restaurants in Guerneville and Forestville. They also offer tube rentals ($25 a day).

The Lower Salt River, Arizona聽

The Salt River stretches for 200 miles through the Sonoran Desert of central Arizona. While the Upper Salt is a hot spot of whitewater paddling and rafting, with class III-IV rapids, the Lower Salt, below Sauguro Lake, is a more mellow affair with mild water moving through classic desert terrain with 1,000-foot cliffs and more saguaro cacti than any mortal can count.

The most popular stretch for tubing is just 45 minutes outside of Phoenix, where the river cruises through Tonto National Forest. Multiple public put-ins allow you to tailor the trip to your needs, with options from just a few miles to up to 13 miles. Plenty of people opt for paddle boards and kayaks for this run, but it鈥檚 quintessential tubing territory with just a few ripples to contend with early on in the trip. You also have the chance to spot wild horses, which graze along the river banks and wade into the water. An estimated 300 feral horses live in a 20,000-acre section of the national forest along the Lower Salt. Coon Bluff Recreation Area, roughly halfway through the tubing run, offers the best chance to see the mustangs. Your odds improve if you鈥檙e on the river at sunrise or sunset.

Logistics: rents tubes and runs shuttles for trips of varying lengths on the Lower Salt ($28 for tube and shuttle). You鈥檒l also need a Tonto National Forest recreation pass ($8).

Where to Stay: The sits near the top of the Lower Salt River. If you stay at the ranch, you can launch directly from the property and start paddling beneath tall cliffs right away. The ranch has kayaks for rent and guided trip options, too.

Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey聽

Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area is a special place. From a topography standpoint, the 鈥淲ater Gap鈥� is a notch carved into the Kittatinny Mountains by the Delaware River that鈥檚 a quarter mile wide at the bottom and a mile wide at the highest peaks. That鈥檚 cool, but the recreation area is even more impressive from a public land standpoint, as it protects 40 miles of free-flowing river in the heart of the most densely populated region of the United States. This National Recreation Area is an oasis of pristine water and lush, forested slopes in an otherwise urban landscape, and it鈥檚 best experienced from the hull of a boat or the聽seat of a tube while meandering on the Delaware River. The current is mostly mild throughout the recreation area, which has a dozen access points, enabling you to create a trip to suit your needs. The six-mile stretch from Smithfield Beach to Kittatinny Point is popular with paddlers, ending at the actual gap in the mountains. Tubers flock to the next section of the river, which runs for four miles from the gap to the small town of Portland, floating beneath the Slateford Bridge and through the occasional class I/II wave train. The river is protected from its source in the Catskills, so the water is pristine and often clear enough to see straight through to the bottom.

Logistics: There are no entrance fees to the national recreation area, but there are some day–use fees at certain put-ins. The Delaware Gap National Recreation Area runs a to the four Pennsylvania access points of the river on weekends until August 31. has kayak and tube rentals and shuttles (starting at $40 per person).

Where to Stay: has 78 campsites along the river on the New Jersey side of the recreation area (from $20 a night). Sites here not only get you close to the water, but you鈥檒l have fast access to great hiking on the Appalachian Trail, too.

Yampa River, Steamboat Springs, Colorado聽

The Yampa River is a free-flowing tributary of the Green River, and it has some classic whitewater sections, particularly through Dinosaur National Monument. But the river is relatively mellow as it cruises through downtown Steamboat Springs, offering locals and visitors an enticing way to cool off without leaving the city limits. A variety of parks and access points allow you to tailor the trip to your timeframe, and several outfitters rent tubes and run shuttles in town. It鈥檚 more than a scenic float, though, as there are plenty of standing waves and small rapids to keep things interesting, but nothing you can鈥檛 handle in a tube or standup paddleboard. The river has a very relaxed, social vibe.

In addition to plenty of other tubers and paddlers, you鈥檒l pass kids swimming in eddies and people lounging on rocks and beach areas. In other words, it鈥檚 a popular respite from the heat, so much so that the city limits the number of commercial trips on the river each day, and divides the river into sections, each with a dedicated user group. The upper stretch is reserved for anglers, while private boaters can launch from Fetcher Park and cruise downstream. If you鈥檙e renting a tube, you鈥檒l put in at 8th Street and float two miles to the James Brown Bridge.

Logistics: Local outfitter has rental equipment and shuttles right at the 8th street put[[-]]in ($25 includes a shuttle). Typically, tubing season runs through August, but check in with the outfitter before your trip to check water levels. Commercial outfitters like a sweet spot of 500 to 600 cubic feet per second for trips. You want to hit the river before noon to miss the crowds.

Where to Stay: Downtown Steamboat Springs has limited camping, but has plenty of hotel options. Check out the , a renovated motel with retro vibes, in the heart of town within walking distance of the river (from $159 a night).

Ichetucknee River, Ichetucknee Springs State Park, Florida聽

Florida can get a bad rap, but the center of the state is a veritable jungle packed with natural springs and lazy rivers that meander beneath a lush, hardwood canopy. I love Florida鈥檚 cold springs, and I鈥檇 argue that there are so many beautiful rivers in Florida that the state is ground zero for tubing in the U.S. It鈥檚 tough to pick one river to focus on here, but the Ichetucknee takes the prize.

The six-mile-long river is fed by eight natural cold springs, and the Upper Ichetucknee, within the 2,500-acre state park, is one of the most pristine bodies of water in the state. Put in at Dampier鈥檚 Landing and float for about a mile (the trip takes about an hour) beneath a canopy of cypress and pine. Bring your goggles and head to the head of the river, where you鈥檒l find deep pools with underwater cavern systems formed by the springs; my family got a kick out of snorkeling in these pools. Just keep in mind that the water is a crisp 72-degrees year–round because of the springs bubbling up from below.

Logistics: Entrance fee to the park is $6 per vehicle. Try to get there early,聽as the park closes when it reaches max capacity. You can get tubes or boats at the park鈥檚 (from $8). You can take the tram or hike the trail back to the put-in next to the General Store.

Where to Stay: There鈥檚 no camping inside Ichetucknee Springs State Park, but there are several privately owned campgrounds near the park. has campsites and cabins on the Santa Fe River, less than five miles from Ichetucknee, and gets rave reviews by Hipcampers (from $45 a night).

The Lower Green River, Saluda, North Carolina聽

The Green River has one of the most lauded class V whitewater runs in the country, with a three-mile section that鈥檚 packed with class IV and V rapids and home to the annual Green River Race. But below the Narrows is the more mellow, six-mile Lower Green, where the whitewater settles down to some easy class II waves and drops leading into gentle eddies. If you鈥檙e paddling, consider doing the whole Lower Green, which is a four-hour adventure that鈥檚 perfect for experienced standup paddleboarders. Most tubers opt for the lower three miles of the run, which is two hours of floating with half a dozen rapids that pass through the protected forest of the Green River Gamelands. The water is clear, and the banks are lined with granite outcroppings and the occasional rocky beach.

Logistics: If you鈥檙e doing the full six-mile run, you can set your own shuttle, stashing cars at the Fishtop Access and Bigrock Access points. If you鈥檙e tubing, your best bet is to rent tubes and get a shuttle from , which has an outpost directly on the river (rates start at $20 per person).

Where to Stay: Hotels in the area are scarce, but there are a handful of private campgrounds. has three-sided camping shelters as well as A-frames and a deluxe treehouse roughly 20 minutes from the river (shelters start at $55 a night).

Truckee River, Reno, Nevada聽

Tubing the Truckee River into downtown Reno is all about timing. Hit the river during the spring snow melt, and it鈥檚 a torrent of whitewater popular with kayakers. But wait until late summer and the flows have mellowed, creating ideal tubing territory. It鈥檚 an urban experience that has you floating past neighborhoods, wooded slopes,. and several parks before getting out in downtown Reno. And the water is crisp and swift, so you can expect some small rapids even at low volume.

The best part is the finish: tubers take out at Reno鈥檚 Truckee River Whitewater Park, a manmade playground with half a mile of waves and drops. If the water level is low enough, you can run tubes through some of the rapids at the Whitewater Park, running laps on the more fun features until you鈥檙e exhausted.

Logistics: Multiple parks allow you to vary your trip length, but most people run from Mayberry Park, where there鈥檚 plenty of parking, to the Truckee River Whitewater Park. , which is located next to the whitewater park, has tube rentals and runs shuttles. ($69 per person including shuttle).

Where to Stay: It鈥檚 Reno, so there are hotels (and casinos) everywhere. has the world鈥檚 tallest outdoor climbing wall and is only a couple of blocks from the Reno Riverwalk and Whitewater Park (from $195).

______________________________________________________________________________

Graham Averill is 国产吃瓜黑料 magazine鈥檚 national parks columnist, and spends as many days as he can tubing the rivers near his home in Asheville, North Carolina. He recently wrote about the best swimming holes in our national parks.聽

The post The Best Float Trips in the U.S. to Go with the Flow appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Yosemite National Park is gorgeous. That was my first impression when I watched the pilot of , the Netflix drama that follows a ranger investigating a murder inside one of the most iconic parks in the country. A lot of viewers鈥攁nd 鈥� expressed frustration with the show, mostly because the producers got a lot of the details wrong, from the human history of the park to the depiction of search and rescue procedures. Oh, and the fact that the majority of the show wasn鈥檛 even filmed inside Yosemite is a major point of contention. Most of the show was filmed in British Columbia, Canada, and according to Netflix, stand-ins included Mount Seymour and Callaghan Valley in Whistler. But the opening scenes of the first episode prominently features Yosemite Valley with a couple of dramatic bird鈥檚 eye view angles of the park鈥檚 granite that are absolutely mesmerizing.

I saw the opening sequence and I didn鈥檛 care what the rest of the show was about. I just wanted to see more of that landscape. John DeGrazio, founder of a guide service in Yosemite National Park that specializes in photography hikes, understands the allure of that landscape.

鈥淚 was drawn in by the Valley during my first visit in 2003, so much so that my wife and I decided to move here without knowing a soul,鈥� DeGrazio says. 鈥淚 had visited a lot of other national parks, but Yosemite has this intrinsic magic to it. John Muir nailed it when he said the Valley was unparalleled.鈥�

Beyond Yosemite Valley, Landscapes That Deserve the Spotlight

It’s dramatic landscapes make a intriguing setting for聽 TV show, even a melodrama that gets a lot of the details wrong. But here鈥檚 the thing about Yosemite National Park: the landscape is just as stunning when you leave the Valley.

鈥淭he Valley is only percent聽of the park,鈥� DeGrazio says. 鈥淪tart walking away from the crowds and not only will you find solitude, you鈥檒l find more granite domes and meadows and lakes鈥he diversity of landscape inside the park gives you a variety of scenes with a lot of awe factor. Anywhere you turn, you can find a sense of magic.鈥�

Half Dome, El Capitan, Yosemite Falls … you could spend a lifetime staring at these landmarks from the Valley floor, but you鈥檇 miss out on some of the most amazing views in the park. Here are seven of the most photogenic scenes, from the edge of Yosemite Valley to the park鈥檚 less-crowded backcountry that deserve the spotlight, too.

Cathedral Lakes聽

There are more than 3,200 natural lakes inside Yosemite National Park, but a solid argument could be made that Cathedral Lakes, a watery duo in the High Sierra near Toulomne Meadows, are the fairest of the bunch. The 10,916-foot tall Cathedral Peak rises directly from the edge of Upper Cathedral Lake, while Lower Cathedral has broad expanses of sloping granite dropping down to its shore. Lower Cathedral also offers an expansive view of the Sierra High Country, including Tenaya Lake, from its shore.

How to Get There
Reaching the Cathedral Lakes requires a on a piece of the John Muir Trail from the Cathedral Lakes Trailhead, in the Tuolumne Meadows area. It鈥檚 a popular trailhead, but the crowds will be nothing like what you experience inside the Valley. The hike itself would be a worthy adventure even if it didn鈥檛 end at a couple of gorgeous lakes, as it passes through meadows and requires the occasional creek crossing. A half-mile spur trail leads to Lower Cathedral, which is the more popular destination, but I say visit both.

North Dome聽

North Dome itself is an impressive piece of granite, rising to 7,546 feet along the northern rim of Yosemite Valley, but you want to summit this mountain because of its view of a more famous piece of granite, Half Dome, which is directly across the Valley floor. Some have made the argument that the view of Half Dome from North Dome is the best in the park. Maybe. You鈥檒l also get to see El Capitan and Clouds Rest from this perch, not to mention a huge chunk of the Valley itself. This is a great alternative to hiking Half Dome or Clouds Rest.

How to Get There
The easiest way to reach North Dome is a from Tioga Pass from the Porcupine Creek Trailhead. You鈥檒l bounce from forest to meadow until reaching the base of North Dome, then it鈥檚 a ramble along rounded granite to the summit. You鈥檒l start seeing Half Dome as soon as you hit the granite, but keep going to the sloping edge for the best view. You鈥檒l also have the option to take a 0.3-mile side hike to Indian Rock, Yosemite鈥檚 only natural arch.

Merced Grove of Giant Sequoias聽

Giant sequoias are the largest known trees in the world, with canopies that can stretch 300 feet towards the sky and trunks that can be 30 feet around. These are the massive redwoods that can be found on the slopes of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and Yosemite National Park has three giant sequoia groves. The is the smallest of the lot, with about 20 behemoth trees. But its trees are just as big, if not bigger, than the other two groves and it鈥檚 the least crowded of the three forests, which means the photo you take of your hiking partner hugging a tree will be unique. The redwoods are scattered throughout a small area of forest, but there鈥檚 a cluster of five of them flanking the trail that makes for an awesome photo.

How to Get There
Hike the on an old road bed from the Merced Grove Trailhead off of Big Oak Flat Road. It鈥檚 an easy hike during the warm months, or a challenging snowshoe or cross country ski during the winter. You鈥檒l pass an old ranger cabin, which used to be the superintendent鈥檚 vacation cabin, along the way.

Sentinel Dome聽

You like mountains with 360-degree views? Sentinel Dome might have the best 360 view in the entire park, with something dramatic in almost every direction you look. Stand on top of Sentinel and you鈥檒l see Yosemite Falls and El Capitan to the north, Nevada Falls and Half Dome to the east, and the Merced Canyon to the west. The view of Yosemite Falls is particularly good. That 2,425-foot waterfall has sections that are obscured from most vantage points, but you can see almost the entire ribbon of water from Sentinel.

How to Get There
It鈥檚 a 2.2-mile out and back hike on the , off of Glacier Point Road. You鈥檙e not going to have the view to yourself, but it鈥檚 nice to share pretty things. You can tack on an extra couple of miles and create a that takes in Taft Point for another great view of El Capitan. If you can time your hike for sunset, and bring a headlamp for the hike back to your car, you won鈥檛 be sorry.

Gaylor Lakes聽

Remember when I said Cathedral Lakes were arguably the prettiest of Yosemite鈥檚 ponds? Gaylor Lakes are the other side of that argument. There are five different lakes inside this high elevation valley, all of which are surrounded by some combination of lush meadows, tan boulders, and granite ridges. So take your pick of photo opportunities here. Middle Gaylor Lake is flanked by sloping granite on one side and lush meadow on the other. Small, gray boulders dot the grassland and taller mountains, including Cathedral Peak, rise on the horizon. It鈥檚 a stunner. But you鈥檒l also get to see Upper Granite Lake, which is nestled in the bottom of a dramatic bowl, and Lower Granite Lake, a narrow affair offering views of distant peaks.

How to Get There
It鈥檚 a three-mile round trip on the off of Tioga Road. It鈥檚 relatively easy going two-mile out and back with all kinds of eye candy along the way. Loop trails encircle both Middle and Upper Gaylor Lakes and people have been known to hike off-trail throughout this pristine basin, so give yourself time to explore.

Lembert Dome

Tired of looking at Half Dome and El Cap? No, but there are other views,聽like from the top of Lembert Dome, a 9,449-foot tall hunk of granite that overlooks Tuolomne Meadows and its surrounding peaks. From the top of Lembert, you get a bird鈥檚 eye view of the massive meadow below. You鈥檒l see smaller domes popping out of the forest, and the Tuolomne River carving a sinuous route through the grass. The horizon is dominated by peaks, like Cathedral and Mount Dana. But you could argue that the view from the meadow looking towards Lembert Dome is equally impressive, as the distinctive granite dome rises dramatically from the dark green forest.

How to Get There
Start from the on the edge of Tuolomne Meadows off of Tioga Road. It鈥檚 a straightforward hike through the forest at first, then you hit the exposed rock of Lembert and it鈥檚 a choose your own adventure to the top. You can also create a that summits the dome and wraps around Dog Lake, a small pond surrounded by forest.

Chilnualna Falls

Much like Yosemite Falls, Chilnualna Falls is a beast with so many different tiers, it can鈥檛 be seen from a single perspective. Unlike Yosemite Falls, you won鈥檛 stand in line for a great photo, as its remote location and tough hike keep the crowds at bay. Chilnualna is a collection of five different cascades that drop a total of 700 feet through a granite gorge. The tallest tier is over 300 feet, but it鈥檚 the 50-foot Lower Chilnualna Falls that鈥檚 arguably the most dramatic and offers the best photo, as it鈥檚 flanked by granite walls dropping into a pretty pool at the bottom. There are plenty of chances to get up close and personal to this falls. You can even scramble up to the next tier to find another drop and pool. Peak runoff in early summer is when it鈥檚 most dramatic, but it鈥檚 beautiful year round.

How to Get There
Start at the off of Chilnualna Falls Road in southern Yosemite. It鈥檚 a tough hike that begins along the creek, but quickly starts climbing through the forest via a series of switchbacks. The climbing doesn鈥檛 really stop until you reach the falls. All in, you鈥檒l climb 2,500 feet during this 8.5-mile roundtrip hike that doesn鈥檛 get a lot of attention, so you won鈥檛 need to fight crowds to get your shot.

Watch Our Tips for Visiting Crowded (and Underfunded) National Parks This Summer

Graham Averill is 国产吃瓜黑料 magazine鈥檚 national parks columnist. One of his most memorable backpacking trips was inside Yosemite National Park. He recently wrote about the perfect summer road trip through West Virginia.聽

The post The Real 鈥楿ntamed鈥� Yosemite Is Better Than Fiction appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Snap buttons have been a staple of Western Wear for decades, but the style has finally infiltrated mainstream fashion to the point where some of my favorite lifestyle and adventure brands are incorporating the snap in their kits. Why are pearl snap shirts so popular again right now? Because most of us are doing our best to look like we鈥檙e extras on Yellowstone. But also, there鈥檚 a lot of functionality to those pretty snap buttons. Cowboys relied on them because they were easy to fasten and unfasten on the fly, and that鈥檚 still true today, even if you鈥檙e riding a bike instead of a horse. Not only do the best pearl snap shirts聽add a bit of spice to a vanilla button down, they鈥檙e practical too, allowing you to put on the layer quickly, and rip the shirt off like Clark Kent walking into a phone booth.

I鈥檝e spent the last six weeks testing out several pearl snap shirts in a variety of situations, from paddling excursions to camping trips to apr猫s surf taco sessions. I鈥檝e worn them in the stifling humidity of the Southern Appalachians and the dry, crisp climate of Southern California. I was on the hunt specifically for button down shirts that look good in social situations but also perform well on outdoor adventures. What I learned is that not all snap button shirts are equal. Some are more pretty than practical, while others simply can鈥檛 handle the demands of activity during a hot, summer day. But I found half a dozen pearl snap shirts that I absolutely love, each for different reasons鈥攕ome are stylish layers meant for running long miles, while others are classic upgrades to your date-night wardrobe. These are my six favorites.

Best Pearl Snap Shirt Overall

Poncho: The 1969

Poncho shirts have become my go-to this year partly because of their fit (Poncho gives you options for regular or slim fit in every size), and partly because they鈥檙e loaded with thoughtful design details for outdoor use. The 1969 has a sunglasses loop on the chest, a hidden zipper pocket that鈥檚 big enough for your phone or a small case of flies, and a lens cloth on the hem to help you keep glasses and camera lenses clean. The fabric is a light and stretchy mix of nylon and spandex that has UPF 50+ protection, and dries fast and breathes well, even in the humid summers of the Southern Appalachians. But my favorite features of this shirt, are the interior mesh panels on the chest and shoulders, as well as two large vent panels on the back, all of which help circulate air in the spots where you need it most. The result is a super versatile shirt that excels in a variety of situations, from casual to light cardio. I wore the Poncho on long travel days, date nights, pub crawls, and days at the beach.

Best for Summer BBQs

Criquet Performance Seer Sucker

Performance seer sucker? Yeah, it鈥檚 a thing. Criquet鈥檚 version is a really lightweight, wrinkle-free blend of cotton, nylon, and polyester that鈥檚 super stretchy and does a good job wicking moisture. The pearl snaps are a nice touch, and Criquet adds collar stays in the lapels to help keep the look crisp. The shirt is too pretty for hardcore adventures, but it鈥檚 proven to be the perfect layer for summer barbecues and afternoon happy hours in the full sun. And the wrinkle-free claim is legit; this shirt looked great after being stuffed in a carry-on for days. Seer sucker isn鈥檛 just for the Kentucky Derby anymore.

Best for Date Night

Howler Brothers H Bar Snapshirt

Maybe the most 鈥淲estern鈥� snap shirt in this roundup, the H Bar goes a step further than just pearl snaps by adding some traditional Western detailing on the chest. It鈥檚 a pretty shirt, and it鈥檚 less performance-minded than others I tested, mostly because it鈥檚 made from a 50/50 cotton/polyester blend that honestly isn鈥檛 built for adventure. It鈥檚 not as stretchy and doesn鈥檛 wick moisture quite as well, but that鈥檚 ok, because I鈥檓 not always doing something hardcore. Sometimes, I鈥檓 trying to look nice for my lady, and that鈥檚 where the H Bar comes in; this is a date night/out on the town/try your luck at line-dancing kind of shirt. And I love the relaxed style.

Best for River 国产吃瓜黑料s

NRS Drifter

If the Howler Bros H Bar was meant for apr猫s, the Drifter was built for adventure. This long sleeve snap shirt is made from a light, breezy material that鈥檚 designed to get wet and dry fast. A really comfortable mesh lining on the chest adds breathability and next-to-skin softness, while double-zipper front pockets add storage for fly boxes, notebooks, phones, and other small items. I was originally put off by the long sleeve nature of the shirt, but you can roll the sleeves up high on your biceps and lock them down with buttons, giving this layer added versatility. The snaps are the same color as the shirt material, so they鈥檙e subtle. I prefer my buttons to make a statement, but I understand not everybody is into that sort of flare. I really like the hidden buttons beneath the collar, which keeps it in place, and the microfiber wipe on the hem is a nice touch on this pearl snap shirt.

Best for Fishing

Kuiu Vented SS Snap Shirt

Much like the Drifter, Kuiu鈥檚 Vented SS is designed for doing cool stuff in the wild, with a stretchy and lightweight material that鈥檚 given an extra layer of breathability thanks to added ventilation in key areas. Kuiu doubled down on breathability with a mesh lining that covers the shoulders and a wide strip of larger air holes down the center, all of which are hidden by a large vent on the exterior of the shirt. Perforated fabric beneath the arms also promote airflow where you need it the most. The four-way stretch material has a buttery next to skin feel, and one of the chest pockets has a zipper to keep small items safe when you鈥檙e on the move. Kuiu offers a variety of styles in the SS snap shirt, from camouflage to solid prints, but I like the topographic-inspired design, which is borderline floral without screaming 鈥渓ook at me!鈥�

Best for Running

Rabbit High Country SS

The High Country doesn鈥檛 have a lot of frills鈥攖here is no microfiber lens wipe or sunglass loop鈥攂ut it鈥檚聽the best snap button shirt I tested in terms of performance. Rabbit is a running-specific brand and while the High Country looks like a date night shirt, it鈥檚 actually designed for moving fast in hot weather. Made from mostly recycled polyester with a hefty amount of spandex, the High Country is a super stretchy, lightweight layer that breathes well and dries fast. The entire back panel is perforated for extra ventilation, which I appreciated on muggy days in the Southern Appalachians. The metal snaps are minimalist, so they don鈥檛 weigh down the front of the shirt or chafe when you鈥檙e moving fast. You also get two chest pockets that snap shut, so you can securely carry a gel or card on a run. I wore this shirt on hikes, trail runs, and rounds of golf and was constantly impressed with how it handled moisture in the southern heat.

Graham Averill is a travel and gear columnist for 国产吃瓜黑料. Read his review of his favorite summer hiking shoes here.

The post Pearl Snap Shirts Are Back; These 6 国产吃瓜黑料-Ready Picks Go Anywhere appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

The Mountain State, Almost Heaven, Wild and Wonderful, West Virginia has a few different reputations, all of which hint at the goods sandwiched inside this small state鈥檚 borders. And the state of adventure in West Virginia just seems to keep getting better with the addition of new public lands and fresh trail systems.

I recently spent three days driving through the mountains of West Virginia, combining the state鈥檚 newest adventures with some of its classics for the perfect summer road trip full of cold lakes, fast bike descents, waterfalls, and towering peaks that rise above the heat. The best part? This itinerary is short on miles, so you can spend less time in your car and more time on the trail and in the water. That鈥檚 the beauty of West Virginia; it packs a big punch in a limited footprint, with a lifetime of rugged terrain to explore in one of the smallest states in the country.

Follow my route for a weekend trip designed for summer fun鈥攅specially for those who want to be on their bike more than in the car.

Road Trip Odometer聽

Total Miles: 100
Duration: Three days
Highlights: Brand new singletrack, multiple lakes, lift-served bike park

Day One: Lake Day in Summerville State Park

New River Gorge National Park is the obvious draw to West Virginia these days (and I love it) but the first leg of this trip is focused just north of that impressive chasm on Summerville Lake, a 2,700-acre reservoir that has Caribbean-blue water and gray sandstone cliffs rising from its shores. It also sports a brand new state park, , that makes for the perfect basecamp for exploring the water and the surrounding trail systems.

The park opened this May and was created in part to protect a massive climbing crag with more than 200 established routes, most of which are bolted for sport climbing. There are also plenty of single pitch top rope options and boulders as well. The short Climbers Trail is worth exploring, even if you don鈥檛 wanna send any rock. It聽passes through a thick rhododendron forest before dropping into a boulder field with a small waterfall and delivers you to the base of a tall sandstone cliff on the edge of the lake. It鈥檚 a quiet cove, surrounded by cliffs that makes for a good place to swim.

Climbers should definitely bring their gear, though. Fall is prime climbing season in this area, but I found some cool shaded routes at this crag that you could climb during the summer, and spent some time working my way through a few easy boulder problems near the edge of the water. If聽you get too hot, you can always jump in the lake.

But the water is the real pull here, so grab your paddle board or kayak and head to Summersville Lake Wildlife Management Area鈥檚 Salmon Run Put In ($5 day use fee), just a mile up the road from the state park. has rentals if you don鈥檛 have your own boat (from $50). From Salmon Run, you can launch your boat and paddle a half-mile long protected cove with a no wake zone that has several small inlets with rock outcroppings that offer great places to swim. I found a bunch of different places to park and lounge without losing sight of the boat launch. If聽you鈥檙e looking for a bigger adventure, paddle a mile up the lake, hugging the line of cliffs on your left, until you reach Pirate鈥檚 Cove, a large sandstone alcove where a waterfall drops directly into the edge of the lake.

If you’d like to burn more calories, the makes for a fun, rolling run through a hardwood forest that delivers you to a quiet portion of the lake after two miles. On my run I saw wild blackberries and a handful of deer.

Where to Stay: Eventually, Summersville Lake State Park will have cabins and tree houses, but right now the park offers a mix of open RV sites and more secluded tent sites. The Overlook RV campground has plenty of amenities, even a coin-operated laundry room, and full hookups (from $82 a night), but I recommend grabbing a , which are tucked into a shaded grove and will give you immediate access to the Climber鈥檚 Trail (from $42 a night).

Where to Eat: The town of Summersville is sleepy, but I like downtown, which is a local hotspot with good wings and burgers. has really creative lattes and solid organic coffee. If you鈥檙e looking for more options, the lake is just 20 minutes north of Fayetteville, a bustling adventure town on the edge of New River Gorge.

Day Two: Backcountry Biking on Monday Lick Trails

Leave the lake and drive across the Gauley River through a quiet section of Monongahela National Forest. You鈥檙e heading to Marlinton and the brand new , but you should make time for a couple of detours. The 42-acre Summit Lake is tucked into the mountains and makes for a secluded paddle or spot to fish for bass. Or if you鈥檙e looking to stretch your legs, hike this聽short trail through the where a boardwalk traverses a high elevation wetland that supports wild cranberries. The surrounding forest has a Jurassic vibe to it with lush ferns, mosses and huge elephant ears sprouting from the wet earth below.

Just make sure you have enough energy for the 30 miles of purpose-built trails at Monday Lick, a trail system designed for mountain bikers on the edge of downtown Marlinton. It鈥檚 backcountry flow at its finest, with half a dozen trails beginning on a ridge and dropping in sinuous fashion down to the edge of 聽Greenbrier River. A gated gravel road climbs to the top of the system, making it relatively painless to knock out laps here. As for what to ride, I really like Lens Ridge, which is a big descent with big, sweeping berms that lead into beautiful sections of rock armoring, dropping more than 1,200 feet in five miles of pure joy. Messier is more of a cross country effort, playing out like a 2-mile long pump track full of rollers and optional jumps. is the signature trail, and it鈥檚 more technical than the others, dropping 1,000 feet of elevation in just three miles of tight bench cut singletrack with plenty of root gardens and off-camber rocks.

You could spend an entire day wearing yourself out on this system like I did. If you鈥檙e more interested in a pleasure cruise, you can pick up the paved at the same trailhead, which runs for 77 miles along the river between the small towns of Cass and North Caldwell.

Where to Stay: Head 28 miles up the mountain to the , on the edge of Snowshoe Resort鈥檚 mountain-top village, which has well-appointed one-bedroom suites with plenty of room to stretch out and easy access to the bike lift (from $168 a night).

Where to Eat: Don鈥檛 leave Marlinton without getting a meal at , an old-school drive-thru that has awesome smash burgers and milkshakes. When you make it up to Snowshoe鈥檚 village, head to the for a good selection of local beers and hearty entrees.

Day Three: Downhill Day at Snowshoe Mountain

is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. It鈥檚聽crazy to think I鈥檝e been skiing this mountain for almost half of that existence. In the last several years, Snowshoe has become as much of a destination during the summer as it is in winter thanks to its ever-expanding downhill bike park (day from $45). This mountain now boasts one of the best in the east, hosting two UCI World Cup events in recent years. There are 40 trails to choose from, traversing a mountain that drops 1,500 feet in vertical from top to bottom. I鈥檓 not a huge downhill biker, but there鈥檚 something for every level of rider. On my most recent day on the hill, I saw groups of armor-clad dudes sending big jumps, and families cruising down mellow green trails. I found a happy medium in the middle, focusing on the bevy of intermediate trails that drop from the mountaintop village down to the edge of Shaver鈥檚 Lake.

If you want the most open terrain, show up on a weekend when lifts on both sides of the mountain (the Basin and Western Territory) are running. Western Territory has the hardest trails, but the Basin has more variety. I really like Dream Weaver, a double track blue trail with pumpy rollers and optional B lines if you want to get rad. On the Western Territory side, which has its own lift, check out Skyline that聽takes you deep into the evergreen forest away from the ski slopes.

The thing about lift-served mountain biking is it鈥檚 easy to convince yourself to do one more lap, but this is just a weekend trip. If uou鈥檙e like me, you have work tomorrow, so you save some energy for the drive home. Make聽sure you have enough time to take a swim in and maybe grab聽a cold beverage and burger at the Boat House, at the bottom of the lift, before heading back into the real world.

Graham Averill is 国产吃瓜黑料 magazine鈥檚 national parks columnist, but he loves a good road trip most of all. He recently wrote about the art of survival and the best swimming holes in our national parks.

The post West Virginia Is Home to the Perfect Summer Road Trip appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Bikepacking might be the perfect adventure. Ride bikes, sleep outside. It鈥檚 like bike touring, only dirtier since you鈥檙e camping and carrying all your gear on your bike, as opposed to staying in lodges and relying on your credit card for sustenance. I鈥檝e been bikepacking for almost 20 years now, and continue to be entranced by its charm. Pedaling into the wilderness gives you a chance to experience more of the landscape than when you鈥檙e powered by foot. In some cases, you can get further away from civilization.

A few years ago, a bikepacking trip through Idaho became one of my favorite adventures. I linked together a handful of different backcountry hot springs while traversing some of the state鈥檚 most rugged singletrack, pedaling more than 70 miles. I wouldn鈥檛 have been able to cover half of that distance in that amount of time on foot.

Here are seven of the best bikepacking routes in America, some of which I鈥檝e pedaled myself, while a few others remain firmly affixed to the top of my to-do list.

1. Singletrack and Waterfalls, Pisgah National Forest, North Carolina聽

Distance: 64 miles
Duration: Two to three days
Highlights: Singletrack descents, backcountry streams

With roughly 300 miles of singletrack and twice that distance in gravel roads, in North Carolina allows you to create all kinds of loop options.聽I recommend starting your journey at The Hub, a bike shop and beer garden at the entrance of Pisgah National Forest on 276, so you can get any last minute provisions you might need before you leave and finish the adventure with a beer when you鈥檙e done. Also, you can incorporate some of the forest鈥檚 signature singletrack, waterfalls, and swimming holes.

Follow the route of the mountain-bike race and you鈥檒l hit a highlight reel of the area鈥檚 singletrack over 64 miles of trail and gravel. There are plenty of options to extend or shorten the route, too, but this is a solid introduction to what the mountains have to offer and 64 miles is the perfect two- to three-day adventure. Pisgah鈥檚 singletrack is technical and the climbs are steep, so don鈥檛 overestimate your ability in this forest. For instance, this route gains more than 10,000 feet of climbing. As a rule, I tell people to double the amount of time they think it will take them to pedal a mile in these mountains.

is about as flowy as Pisgah gets, with fast berms and plenty of rollers, while Black Mountain is a long, technical descent that draws cyclists聽from all over the country. Bring a fly rod and you can fish tight mountain streams, like North Mills River. There are good swimming holes on Bradley Creek, adjacent to Yellow Gap Road, too.

Where to camp: (from $35 a night) is a developed campground site along the river of the same name and is located near the start and finish of this route, but there are plenty of primitive, free campsites throughout the forest, especially on the gravel Yellow Gap Road, which helps form the backbone of this route.

2. Flint Hills Trail State Park, Kansas

Distance: 96 miles point to point
Duration: Overnight or more
Highlights: Tallgrass prairie and farmland

When it鈥檚 finished, the will run 118 miles off-road from Osawatomie to Herington, making it one of the longest rail trails in the country. The last 20 miles or so are still a work in progress, but bikepackers can zero in on the 96 miles that are open from Osawatomie to Council Grove, offering a crushed limestone path that gets you away from traffic while passing through the largest expanse of tall grass prairie still standing in the U.S. The trail is open to bikes, foot traffic,聽and equestrians, so you might share space with the occasional horse.

The route only gains 1,880 feet along its entire length, so you can cover a lot of miles quickly, but you could also take your time and explore the small towns and rivers along the way. In fact, you can treat this as a civilized version of bikepacking, pedaling from coffee shop to ice cream shop.

The terrain is mostly farmland and rolling hills, but you can expect to pedal across several bridges, cruise along the Marais Des Cygnes River, which has the occasional bluff to shake up the view, and even pass a cave that outlaw Jesse James supposedly used as a hideout. There are inns, bike shops, restaurants, and campgrounds as it cruises through ten聽small towns, making this one of the most beginner friendly bikepacking routes in the country.

Where to camp: is roughly in the middle of the trail, offering great camping and access to the 4,000-acre reservoir. There are more than 240 sites to choose from in half a dozen different loops. Try to score a primitive site in the Waucondah Primitive Campground near the marina ($21 per night).

3. Olympic 国产吃瓜黑料 Trail, Olympic National Park, Washington聽

Distance: 65-mile out and back
Duration: Overnight
Highlights: Old growth forests and Lake Crescent

Another ongoing recreation path, Washington state’s聽Olympic Discovery Trail will be a cyclist鈥檚 dream one day. When it鈥檚 finished, the rail-grade trail will run for 130 miles from Port Townsend to the coast along the northern flank of the Olympic Peninsula. It鈥檚 currently about half done but bikepackers can enjoy the fully completed , a 25-mile singletrack alternative to the main path between the Elwha River and Lake Crescent. Combine it with the 11-mile , and you have a scenic 66-mile out and back in and around Olympic National Park. The terrain could double as the Forest Moon of Endor, the home planet of the Ewoks in Star Wars, with giant old growth evergreens, moss-covered everything and fields of tall ferns covering the forest floor. The route also skims the northern shore of Lake Crescent, an 11-mile long lake surrounded by green peaks within Olympic National Park.

The route is a mix of paved rail trail (Spruce Railroad Trail) and buff single and double track (Olympic 国产吃瓜黑料 Trail), ideal for either a hard tail mountain bike or gravel bike with fat tires. I rode the Olympic 国产吃瓜黑料 Trail and some adjacent gravel and paved roads on a gravel bike while camping聽nearby, but it鈥檚 an ideal route for bikepacking with two developed campgrounds on the edge of Lake Crescent. If you hit it during the summer, you can even take a cool lake plunge; there鈥檚 a bridge over an inlet on Lake Crescent that makes for a cold, refreshing plunge that locals call the Devil鈥檚 Punchbowl.

Where to stay: is a National Park Service campground with 84 tent sites on the western edge of Lake Crescent ($24 a night). You鈥檒l need reservations between May 15 and September 15 (which can be tough to get) but it鈥檚 first come/first serve outside of that window.

4. Idaho Hot Springs Route, Boise National Forest, Idaho

Distance: 70-mile loop
Duration: 3-4 days
Highlights: Hot springs!

The 国产吃瓜黑料 Cycling Association is a nonprofit that develops safe, long-distance bicycling journeys all across the country. The majority of these routes are paved, but they have made a few exceptions such as . This 518.5-mile loop through central Idaho has access to over 50 hot springs, and has two path options鈥攐ne that traverses dirt roads and another that travels via lonely singletrack.

Several years ago, I rode a 70-mile loop that combined a piece of the main route and a singletrack option around the tiny towns of Featherville and Atlanta. It was a hard three to four days of riding, but each night ended with a soak in a backcountry pool of 100-plus degree water. You can recreate my adventure by combining the main route through Featherville with the , which passes through the historic and tiny mining outpost of Atlanta.

Much of the route follows the Middle Fork of the Boise River and Willow Creek, both of which are gorgeous backcountry streams. The terrain is tough, with long gravel road climbs and sinuous singletrack. Climbing to the top of Decker Creek Summit (8,800-foot tall) is a beast of an endeavor that involved a lot of hike-a-bike for me and my partners. But the 10-mile long downhill that followed is one of the longest and most enjoyable descents of my entire life. You鈥檒l also have the chance to soak in several hot springs along the way. My favorite? Chattanooga Hot Springs, near the mining outpost of Atlanta, features a piping hot waterfall tumbling over a tan cliff into a shallow pool at its base.

Don鈥檛 attempt pedaling this route without buying both the Main Route and Singletrack Option maps from 鈥攏ot only will you be supporting a worthy nonprofit, but the maps will give you the best beta available with information about the various hot springs, general stores and terrain challenges throughout the adventure.

Where to stay: You鈥檒l be choosing your own primitive campsites along this route, which travels within Boise National Forest. Choose a site with an established fire ring, and plan to pitch your tent along the rivers, which will give you the best chance of flat terrain.

5. Coconino Loop, Coconino National Forest, Arizona聽

Distance: 240 miles
Duration: Seven days
Highlights: Slick rock, canyons galore

The is 240 miles of singletrack and dirt roads through the canyons and peaks of Northern Arizona, combining some of the best trails and most spectacular terrain around Flagstaff and Sedona. It鈥檚 a difficult loop that hosts a bikepacking stage race that鈥檚 part of the burly , but serious mountain bikers should definitely put this route on their to-do list. Yes, you鈥檒l climb 28,000 feet during your journey, but half of the route is made up of some of Arizona鈥檚 best singletrack, from the fast, flowy descent on the Arizona Trail into Flagstaff to the grippy slick rock that surrounds Sedona.

Go-getters will knock out this massive loop in four days during the stage race, but it鈥檚 best suited for a week-long epic, which will also give you time to hang out in Flagstaff and Sedona. The terrain is tough and you鈥檙e tackling serious elevation in the desert, so slower is probably better. The hike-a-bike up Mingus Mountain, which climbs 4,000 feet in 10 miles, is legendary. Don鈥檛 do this ride in the summer, as it鈥檚 too damn hot. But fall is perfect, and be sure to have the capacity to carry enough water for each day on the trail, especially if you鈥檙e taking your time between the towns, as finding fresh water in the desert can be tough.

Where to stay: There鈥檚 primitive camping throughout the Coconino and Kaibab National Forests throughout much of this route, but you鈥檒l also have the chance to snag a hotel room or two, like the (from $100 a night), in the small town of Williams, which sits on Route 66.

6. The Maah Daah Hey Trail, North Dakota聽

Distance: 100 miles
Duration: Four days
Highlights: Badlands scenery, remote terrain

The badlands of North Dakota earned their name ages ago, first by the Native Americans who lived in the region, and then by the European explorers that stumbled upon the landscape of canyons and buttes after traveling across the benign midwestern plains. I understand the hyperbolic nomenclature; I wouldn鈥檛 want to settle here either after passing through acres of fertile grasslands. But we have mountain bikes now, and pedaling through the gorges and cliffs created by ages of erosion sounds like a blast. And that鈥檚 exactly what you鈥檒l get to do if you bikepack the 100-mile section of the 聽between the north and south units of Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

The mostly singletrack route drops into deep creek drainages and climbs to the top of a multitude of聽buttes with moments of respite that offer long-range grassland views and the occasional stand of aspens for shade. Bighorn sheep and elk have been reintroduced to the area, so keep your eye out for wildlife.

Logistically, the Maah Daah Hey is pretty straightfoward: Multiple trailheads and access points give you the chance to create a distance and duration that suits your schedule, and there are established campgrounds with drinking water and safe places to pitch a tent throughout. While there鈥檚 water and camping to be found throughout, you鈥檙e in the middle of a complex of public lands so don鈥檛 expect any gas stations or restaurants along this route. You鈥檒l need to bring all your gear and food with you. Offshoots of the trail allow you to create loops and check out nearby points of interest, like the Ice Caves, which are large overhangs in sandstone cliffs that have been known to hold ice into summer.

Go during the fall, which will make the stream crossings easier because of lower water. Or the summer when it鈥檚 warm enough that you鈥檒l look forward to the deeper stream crossings.

Where to stay: There are nine along the Maah Daah Hey Trail, spaced roughly about 25 miles apart. Magpie Campground ($10 per night, first come-first serve) has good shade and is close to the Ice Caves Trail, so you can ditch your bags and pedal without all the weight for that excursion. Regardless of which campground you choose, the night skies in this area are reported to be legendary.

7. Kokopelli Trail, BLM, Colorado and Utah聽

Distance: 145 miles
Duration: Three days or more
Highlights: Canyons and the Colorado River

It鈥檚 hard to say what is the ultimate O.G. bikepacking route, but the , which runs from Fruita, Colorado, to Moab, Utah, is definitely in the conversation. It鈥檚 a classic, old–school route that combines mostly dirt road with some spicy singletrack through a mix of sandstone canyons and dusty plateaus along the Colorado River. There are moments of brilliant singletrack, particularly at the beginning near Fruita where the trails are buff, and the end near Moab where big slickrock and singletrack descents are earned, but mostly you鈥檙e pedaling lonely dirt roads with grand views of the La Sal Mountains on the horizon and the Colorado River below. While I鈥檝e never ridden the Kokopelli from end to end, I鈥檝e ridden bikes in this area multiple times and I鈥檓 always blown away by the scenery.

This is remote backcountry, so you need to be totally self-sufficient. Bring plenty of water (a lot of cyclists聽will cache water along the route) and a filter in case you need to pull from the Colorado River. There鈥檚 no food either, so pack what you want to eat. Plan this ride for spring or fall to make the most of mild weather. It would be near suicidal to attempt this big of a ride in the summer.

Finishing an epic adventure in the town of Moab is always fun, especially when the crescendo of the adventure includes ripping down the , an 11-mile technical descent with聽drops and epic views into the Castle Valley. There鈥檚 no shame in walking pieces of this trail, especially with a loaded down bike.

Where to stay: The majority of the route passes through Bureau of Land Management terrain, so you鈥檒l have a mix of primitive, backcountry sites and established campgrounds throughout. , after you enter Utah, has half a dozen first-come-first-served sites on the Colorado River ($20 a night).

Graham Averill is 国产吃瓜黑料 magazine鈥檚 national parks columnist. Bikepacking is hands down his favorite adventure and is constantly planning his next route. He recently wrote about the best swimming holes in our national parks.

The post 7 of the Best Bikepacking Trips Across the U.S. appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Summer is here. In the southern Appalachian Mountains, that means triple-digit temperatures, humidity that does crazy things to my hair, and the constant search for cool swimming holes to battle the heat. It鈥檚 a season that demands a certain kind of footwear. Instead of a clunky, full-leather boot, I need summer hiking shoes that breathe like Wim Hof and can handle constant stream crossings and maybe even the occasional cold plunge into a deep, backcountry pool.

I鈥檝e been on a perpetual hunt for the perfect summer hiking shoe for the last decade, and this spring I committed to finding my match, testing several pairs of highly rated hikers designed for hot temperatures and intentionally leaving sandals out of my search. I spent the last month wearing these hiking shoes on backpacking trips, day hikes, waterfall hunts, and a few speed treks. Throughout the process, I found four contenders that rose above the rest, each designed for a specific situation and now on my regular rotation throughout the summer.

My 4 Favorite Summer Hiking Shoes

Best Overall Summer Hiker: Astral Nosobo聽

This is it. The Astral Nosobo. Hands down, it鈥檚 my favorite summer hiking shoe, and the shoe that I reach for on most occasions, whether I鈥檓 traipsing around town for coffee or heading into the mountains for an eight-mile suffer fest. Astral is known for making water-centric footwear, and is often the shoe of choice for kayakers and paddle boarders that are constantly in and out of the water. I鈥檝e worn several models over the last decade and love them for river-based adventures. I usually wouldn鈥檛 choose them as my hiking shoes though, as they lack the support and cushion I desperately need. But the Nosobo is a true hiking shoe (with a skate-shoe aesthetic) that just happens to be comfortable around the water.

Watch: Astral Nosobo Review

The Nosobo is built on a zero-drop platform, which I鈥檓 typically hesitant to wear because I need as much cushion as possible under my feet, but Astral鈥檚 take on zero drop isn鈥檛 about minimalism. They simply created a level footbed with 20mm of cushion under the entire foot. The result is a smooth, comfortable ride that doesn鈥檛 make me feel like I鈥檓 wearing heels, which is a downside of all of the max cushion running shoes I鈥檓 addicted to.

Beneath that cushion is Astral鈥檚 proprietary G.15 rubber outsole, which was designed to handle river rocks and is the grippiest sole I鈥檝e ever tested. The upper is made from 85 percent recycled nylon and is super breathable and quick to dry, even if you decide to take these shoes for a swim like I did. Astral adopted a wider toe box for the Nosobo, which I like, but they kept their signature locking heel and secure mid foot design. Put it all together and you have a really secure shoe that doesn鈥檛 slip regardless of the situation, but also a wide, stable platform in uneven terrain.

Astral offers replaceable footbeds for the Nosobo, so if you wear them for several months and notice some of the spring and cushion has dissipated, you can slip in a brand new midsole and enjoy that new-shoe bounce again. I haven鈥檛 reached that point yet after two months, but I like the idea of replacing the midsole as opposed to buying a new pair of shoes.

I鈥檝e worn the Nosobo on hikes, rafting trips, date nights, and even to do some deep water solo adventures at the . These shoes perform really well in a variety of situations, but they鈥檝e become my go-to footwear for the summer for one simple reason: They鈥檙e comfortable. The Nosobo is the kind of shoe that I forget to take off when I get home at the end of the day and put my feet up to watch a game. They鈥檙e so comfortable, I literally forget I鈥檓 wearing them, and that鈥檚 the highest compliment I can give a pair of shoes.

Best for Backpacking: Teva Grandview Max Vent聽

At first glance, the Grandview Max Vent looks like your standard bulky hiking boot, but this shoe was built for summer. Yes, the high-top style offers plenty of support for hikers carrying a heavy pack, and Teva鈥檚 Universal Heel Lock System doubles down on that support by keeping your foot in place even on steep terrain. But instead of a burly build, the Grandview Max Vent has a super breathable mesh upper that鈥檚 built on top of a plush, max-cushion midsole to provide bounce even when you hit double digit miles on the trail.

The mesh material means these shoes aren鈥檛 waterproof, but they do dry pretty quickly if they happen to get wet. I wore the Grandview Max Vent on an overnight backpacking trip and several longer day hikes in Pisgah National Forest, and was really impressed with the wide toe box and supple cushion underfoot, both of which combined for a very comfortable long-haul boot. I don鈥檛 typically love high-top hikers, but the mesh construction kept me from feeling claustrophobic in the summer heat. These boots are breezy and comfortable enough that they鈥檝e become my top choice for backpacking trips.

Best for Swimming Hole Hikes: Hoka Hopara聽

Hikes in the southern Appalachians are a wet affair because the mountains are full of rivers and streams, and the trails often cross these bodies of water. While I like the idea of a hiking sandal, I need the full protection of a shoe because there鈥檚 nothing worse than kicking a rock or root while wearing an open-toe shoe. The Hopara gives you the freedom of a sandal but the protection of a shoe with an upper that fully covers the toes but plenty of cutouts to help drain water. It鈥檚 not a revolutionary design, but it works when you鈥檙e in and out of water while covering longer miles.

They were comfortable out of the box, much like the brand鈥檚 running shoes, and I didn鈥檛 have any issues with hot spots while hiking without socks. Hoka gave the sandal its signature plush midsole as well as a super grippy outsole with aggressive lugs so it can handle the trail regardless of how technical the terrain becomes. I wore the Hopara on several hikes while hunting waterfalls and swimming holes, and I was impressed with how secure they felt thanks to the lace system that cinches down easily. Also cool: They didn鈥檛 weigh me down while swimming in rivers. The Hopara has been my go-to shoe for waterfall and swimming hole adventures so far this summer.

Best for Fast Hikes: Merrell Speed Arc Surge BOA聽

There鈥檚 no getting around that the Speed Arc Surge BOA is expensive. But Merrell loaded this shoe with all kinds of cutting edge tech, all designed to help you move fast on the trail. The most notable features are the midsole with a nylon plate sandwiched between two layers of foam designed to maximize energy return, and the two-point BOA fit system that allows you to dial in the fit (literally, there are dials) on the fly.

You might expect all of that foam underfoot to give you a soft, max cushion ride, but that鈥檚 not the case with the Speed Arc Surge BOA. Sure, it鈥檚 a comfortable shoe, but it鈥檚 more springy than plush, which is exactly what you want if you鈥檙e trying to cover a lot of miles fast. The BOA fit system works beautifully, giving you a secure fit that you can micro adjust without creating any hot spots.

But what I love most about this shoe is the sock-like upper, which slips on easily and molds snugly around the top of your foot. The best word I can use to describe the feeling is 鈥渃ozy.鈥� Fun fact: Merrell uses threads of Kevlar in that upper to maximize durability. But be warned: The Speed Arc Surge BOA does not have an understated design, so people will notice your kicks. Several other hikers commented on the look of my shoes as we passed along the trail during my testing period. My daughter says they look like 鈥渕oon boots.鈥� Fair enough.

More Gear Reviews

We Tested More Than 800 Pieces of Summer Gear. These 22 Are the Best.
The Most Innovative Outdoor Products from the Switchback Trade Show
New to Backpacking? This Pack is Preloaded with All the Gear You Need.

The post The Best Lightweight Hiking Shoes for Summer appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Think our national park units are only good for hiking and scenic drives? Think again. The array of protected landscapes throughout the national park system house some of the most pristine, jaw-dropping gorgeous swimming holes in the entire country. Think waterfalls with deep plunge pools and ice-cold backcountry lakes.

I’d be remiss to not include a note about safety. Like all of the adventures we cover at 国产吃瓜黑料, swimming in the wild comes with some inherent risks. Currents can be swift, obstacles can be hidden under the surface of the water, and there could be parasites or in that inviting blue pool. Test the waters before you jump from any height by swimming through the landing zone first, feeling for rocks. Scout the eddies where you can safely swim to if there鈥檚 a current, and try to keep your mouth closed when plunging under water to keep any water-born creatures out. If you have an open wound, just hang out on the shore and enjoy the sun鈥攃uts are an invitation to infection.

This summer, consider packing your bathing suit on your next national park trip. Here are nine of the best swimming holes in our national park system.

1. Muir Rock, Kings Canyon National Park, California聽

The Park: Kings Canyon doesn鈥檛 have the recognition of other, more famous units in our park system, but it has the terrain to go toe-to-toe with any national park in the country. Think towering granite cliffs and peaks, massive old growth forests, and one of the deepest canyons in the U.S. Kings Canyon is more than 8,000 feet deep at one point, and rock walls typically rise 4,000 feet above the valley floor inside the park.

The Swimming Hole: is a large, granite boulder hanging over the Kings River in the belly of the park鈥檚 canyon. It鈥檚 a long-standing tradition to jump from the rock into the deep pool of emerald green water below. It鈥檚 only a 15-foot drop, so I鈥檇 put this in the family-friendly category of leaps. The water is cold, though, and the canyon walls are steep, so show up mid-day if you want the most sun. A bit of local lore: Famed conservationist John Muir would often hang out on this rock and give speeches about the importance of the landscape to passers by enjoying the scenery.

How to Get There: Muir Rock is super easy to get to, as it sits near the parking lot at the end of Highway 180 in the heart of Kings Canyon. Simply take the short side trail from your parking space and you鈥檒l be plunging in no time. But you should take the time to hike to before you go swimming. Starting from the same parking lot, hike the eight miles round trip to this tumultuous waterfall that slides over a basin of granite. Stand at the bottom and feel the mist after the water crashes into the rock at the base of the falls.

2. Bass Lake, Point Reyes National Seashore, California聽

The Park: Point Reyes is best known for its beaches, as it protects 80 miles of rugged Northern California coast, where steep bluffs drop directly to the Pacific Ocean. It鈥檚 the only National Seashore on the West Coast and protects some of the most pristine coastal ecosystems in the country, from the species-rich tide pools to the cliff-top grasslands where endemic elk roam.

The Swimming Hole: While the beach is the main draw for most visitors, Point Reyes also has a trio of backcountry lakes, including the 7-acre Bass Lake, which is tucked into an evergreen forest within the seashore鈥檚 Philip Burton Wilderness. It鈥檚 a picture-perfect scene, as the bowl of water is tucked into a depression formed 10,000 years ago by a rock slide, and it has several secluded coves where you can float. Keep an eye out for a rope swing, which can sometimes be found hanging from a thick pine on the shore.

How to Get There: Part of the appeal of Bass Lake is the hike. It鈥檚 a three-mile trek on the from the Palomarin Trailhead, starting on the cliffs overlooking the ocean, but then moving inland through grassland and forest. Bass Lake also sits at about the halfway point along the Coast Trail to Alamere Falls, a 40-foot waterfall that drops directly over a cliff onto the beach.

3. Ely Creek Falls, Dinosaur National Monument, Colorado and Utah聽

The Park: Yes, Dinosaur National Monument, which protects 200,000 acres straddling Colorado and Utah, has plenty of dinosaur fossils to check out (there are more than 1,500 bones inside the park), but it also has a surprising amount of water. The Monument encompasses several canyons, many of which have active streams, and a gorgeous slice of the Green River.

The Swimming Hole: Ely Creek Falls is a small waterfall in the Jones Hole Creek Area of the monument, where Ely Creek is funneled into a notch inside a small canyon before dropping 15 vertical feet over a sandstone cliff. It鈥檚 a pretty scene, with evergreens sprouting from the upper shelf of the falls, and an ideal place to cool off after a good hike through the desert (see below). The pool at the bottom of the falls is shallow though, so you won鈥檛 be doing the backstroke. Consider this more of a backcountry shower.

How to Get There: Hike the Jones Hole Trail as it follows the creek through a canyon for four miles on its way to join the Green River. Jones Hole Creek itself offers pristine backcountry trout fishing in crystal clear pools with a rocky bottom, known for its brown and rainbow trout (there鈥檚 a fish hatchery upstream). You鈥檒l also have the chance to see pictographs and petroglyphs created by the Fremont people more than 1,000 years ago. Two miles into your hike, you鈥檒l hit Ely Creek as it meets Jones Creek. Head upstream for .25 miles and you鈥檒l hit Ely Creek Falls. You can also follow the Jones Creek Trail for the entire four miles to its junction with the Green River, where there鈥檚 a rocky beach where you can watch rafters cruise by.

4. Firehole Canyon, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, Montana and Idaho聽

The Park: Yellowstone National Park is arguably the most iconic unit in the entire park system. It was the country鈥檚 first, established by Ulysses S. Grant in 1872, and helped serve as a model for wide-scale environmental preservation across the world. Today, Yellowstone is probably best known for its thermal pools, with bizarre geysers that erupt at regular intervals and backcountry ponds that reach triple digits and present all the colors of the rainbow.

The Swimming Hole: Swimming in Yellowstone鈥檚 thermal features is illegal (and really dumb as most of them are too hot), but swimmers are welcome to jump in the Firehole River at the Firehole Canyon Swimming Area. It鈥檚 a gorgeous setting, as the river spreads out into a broad, deep pool flanked by a grassy bank and steep, granite walls. There are a handful of low-hanging boulders to jump from, too. Look downstream and you can see the river carve through a broad valley thick with a green forest. It gets crowded on warm weekends, so show up early to get a parking spot. Keep an eye on the park鈥檚 website for access. The swimming area is usually closed until mid-summer to allow the spring runoffs to pass through.

How to Get There: Firehole Canyon is easy to access. Drive the two-mile Firehole Canyon Drive off of the Grand Loop, which cruises along the Firehole River to an overlook of Firehole Falls, before hitting the parking area for Firehole Canyon.

5. Sandbeach Lake, Rocky Mountains National Park

The Park: Rocky Mountain National Park is 287,000 acres of high alpine beauty, with a landscape that features more than a hundred 11,000 foot peaks, five glaciers, and a bevy of high alpine lakes. Even the scenic road through the park, Trail Ridge Road, crests at more than 12,000 feet above sea level. Swimming is not necessarily your first instinct when you鈥檙e exploring high alpine terrain, but Colorado summers can get warm. And cold plunges are good for you, right?

The Swimming Hole: Visitors are actually allowed to swim in most lakes inside the park (except Bear Lake) as it鈥檚 just not that popular of an activity because many lakes are glacier and snowmelt fed. But if you鈥檙e looking to take a dip, head to , a 16.5-acre lake that sits at 10,320 feet that boasts a rare feature in the Rocky Mountains: a sandy beach. From the beach, you can see the 13,000-foot Mount Copeland rising from a curtain of evergreens on the other side of the lake. One thing to consider: leeches are common in Rocky Mountain National Park鈥檚 lakes. It doesn鈥檛 stop people from taking a dip, and they actually help keep the lakes clean. If you get a leech, gently pull it off your skin and place it back in the water.

How To Get There: Part of the joy of Sandbeach is its location deep in the backcountry of the park鈥檚 Wild Basin area. Beginning at the Sandbeach Lake Trailhead, hike and gain 2,000 feet on the trail of the same name through a ponderosa pine and aspen forest to reach the edge of the pond. There are backcountry campsites along the trail and at the lake if you want to make an overnight out of it ($36 fee).

6. Doubtful Lake, North Cascades National Park, Washington聽

The Park: North Cascades National Park is only a few hours from Seattle, but somehow it manages to be one of the least visited national parks in the country year after year. But don鈥檛 mistake the lack of crowds for a lack of beauty; North Cascades is stunning, with more than 300 glaciers spread across the jagged peaks of Washington鈥檚 high alpine. The towering peaks and glaciers have made the park a destination for hardy mountaineers for decades. Lakes, evergreen forests, and meadows full of flowers and berries fill in the lower elevations throughout the park.

The Swimming Hole: You want a cold plunge? Take a dip in Doubtful Lake, a pristine basin that sits at the bottom of Sahale Glacier that鈥檚 constantly being fed by melting ice water. From the edge of the lake, you鈥檒l see the granite Sahale Mountain (and its glacier) as it rises 3,000 feet from the water. Look higher up Sahale Mountain and you could spot a waterfall of melting snow. A small island can be found on the far side of the lake closest to Sahale Mountain, which seems like a natural destination for hardy swimmers. But it鈥檚 also okay to just dip a toe in the lake and enjoy the scenery.

How to Get There: Combine the with a short side trail to reach the lake. All in, you鈥檙e looking at a 10-mile out and back day hike. The views along the trail make every step worth the effort, even if you don鈥檛 want to take the plunge, as you鈥檒l be treated with rotating views of some of the most impressive peaks in the Northwest, including long range shots of Mount Baker. You can also watch for adorable pikas while hiking through scree fields and blueberries in the high alpine meadows during summer.

7. Little Falls, Little River Canyon National Preserve, Alabama

The Park: The Little River Canyon was made for swimming in the wild. The 11,000-acre preserve is home to a series of waterfalls and pools along the Little River, all of which are tucked into a deep, forested canyon through the center of Lookout Mountain, a broad plateau that occupies a corner of Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee. There鈥檚 sandstone rock everywhere, in the form of boulders and bluffs, and there are hiking trails scattered throughout the preserve, but it鈥檚 the cold pools of water that attract most visitors, especially on hot, Southern summer afternoons.

The Swimming Hole: The 45-foot Little River Falls is the main attraction within the preserve, as the waterfall puts on quite a show as it drops over a sheer, vertical cliff into a pool below. I鈥檝e jumped from the top of this falls before, although it is highly discouraged by the national park service for obvious reasons. Instead, take a quick trail to the bottom of the falls to swim in one of the pools downstream. Little Falls (dubbed Hippie Hole by locals) is the most popular swimming hole. Here, the river drops over a much smaller sandstone shelf, the entire length of the river. The swimming hole is at the base of the shelf, encompassed by a sandstone alcove.

How to Get There: From the Canyon Mouth Day Use Parking Area lot at Little River Falls, take the Little Falls Trail for .75 miles down into the bottom of the gorge. The trail finishes with 137 stone steps (but who鈥檚 counting) to the edge of the water.

8. Steel Creek Campground, Buffalo National River, Arkansas聽

The Park: Our first National River, the Buffalo flows free for more than 130 miles through the Ozark Mountains, carving a canyon of limestone cliffs and steep, forested walls in its wake. The Buffalo is renowned for its multi-day, wilderness canoe opportunities.

The Swimming Hole: The Buffalo River offers a number of swimming opportunities during its 135-mile journey through the mountains, although as a free flowing river, the water levels are dependent on rain. The most scenic pool might be at the base of Roark Bluff, a 200-foot-tall gray, limestone cliff that rises directly from the river鈥檚 edge. If the water level is right, you can wade across the river to a gravel sandbar that forms, where you can lounge and sun yourself at the base of the cliff. If you want more time on the river, consider from Steel Creek to Kyle鈥檚 Landing, an eight-mile stretch that is arguably the most scenic of the whole Buffalo thanks to the prevalence of cliffs.

How to Get There: Park at the campground or the canoe launch at Steel Creek and look for paths through the woods to the Buffalo River. Head to a bend in the river where the tall, gray Roark Bluff rises from the edge of the river. If you want to spend more than one day here, Steel Creek is a 40-site campground ( up to six months in advance; $20 per site). The sites aren鈥檛 terribly scenic鈥攖hey鈥檙e in a grassy field backing up to a hardwood forest鈥攂ut you can鈥檛 beat the location.

9. Midnight Hole, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina and Tennessee聽

The Park: Great Smoky Mountains National Park is moist. The 500,000-acre swath of the Southern Appalachians is borderline sub-tropical in its climate, with a high annual rainfall and hundreds of miles of streams and rivers. The mountainous park is hot and humid during the summer, and it鈥檚 packed with potential swimming holes, from rope swings on the edges of lakes to deep pools at the bottom of waterfalls.

The Swimming Hole: Midnight Hole is a favorite for my family because it鈥檚 relatively easy to get to (see the hike below) and delivers an ideal balance of scenery and adventure. Here, Big Creek tumbles over a ledge in the bedrock, dropping six feet into a deep hole. Local legend has it that the hole is so deep, nobody has ever touched the bottom. That鈥檚 not for a lack of trying; the waterfall is surrounded by tall, round boulders offering a variety of launching pads for leaping. The stream is crystal clear; bring goggles and you can see fish downstream of the popular pool.

How to Get There: The waterfall is located on the northern edge of the park, on the North Carolina side of the border. From the Big Creek Trailhead, follow the along the river for three miles until you see the falls on your left. It鈥檚 an easy hike on an old road grade.

Graham Averill is 国产吃瓜黑料 magazine鈥檚 national parks columnist. He loves a good swimming hole. He recently wrote a guide to visiting overcrowded and underfunded national parks this summer.聽

The post The 9 Best Swimming Holes in Our National Parks appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Here鈥檚 the hypothetical scenario: You find yourself alone in the backcountry without any supplies. No tent, no sleeping bag, no food. How long do you think you could survive? That鈥檚 the basic premise of Alone, a reality TV show that pits contestants against each other to see who can thrive the longest in the backcountry using only their wits.

It’s not that far-fetched of a scenario. Dozens of hikers get lost in the woods without the proper gear every year. That’s聽a nightmare scenario for most of us because the average weekend warrior doesn鈥檛 have a clue how to survive without DoorDash and synthetic down layers.

I speak from experience. I鈥檝e spent more than 20 years making a living as an adventure journalist, and most of that time was spent completely ignorant of the key survival skills contestants practice聽on shows like Alone. But then I enrolled in a seven-day primitive skills course with (BOSS), which has run multi-day survival courses in the desert surrounding tiny Boulder, Utah, since the 鈥�60s. The lessons changed my life.

I spent a week hiking through high alpine forests and arid canyons, foraging for food, building shelters, and finding water with the guidance of some of the most experienced survivalists in the country; BOSS has more Alone alumni on its staff than any other primitive skills center in operation. I learned some cool skills, like how to start a friction fire and how to stay warm with pine cones and pine needles. But the most important thing I took away from the course is the knowledge聽that the hypothetical survival situation that haunts many of us isn鈥檛 necessarily a nightmare if you handle the situation correctly.

鈥淏efore I started taking courses at BOSS, I was terrified of getting lost in the woods,鈥� says Jay Carson, BOSS鈥檚 executive director, who self-identified as a hapless weekend warrior before finding BOSS. 鈥淏ut I鈥檓 not worried about that situation anymore, because I know I鈥檒l be fine if I spend a night or more out there without any gear. That knowledge has opened up a whole new world of adventure for me and my family.鈥�

Carson is a staunch advocate for average adventurers learning the survival skills shown on Alone. These skills can give a person the confidence necessary to navigate a survival situation with a calm head.

鈥淭he worst thing you can do when you suddenly realize you鈥檙e lost, or hurt, is panic,鈥� Carson says. 鈥淯nfortunately, that鈥檚 exactly what most people do in those situations.鈥�

Getting lost is the most likely mishap you’ll encounter as an outdoor recreationist. During the last 20 years, I鈥檝e been lost more times than I鈥檇 like to admit. Twice, I was so lost that spending the night in the backcountry without any gear or food was a real possibility.

While staying calm when you realize you鈥檙e lost in such situations will help you survive, it’s better to have solid navigational skills so 聽you never get lost in the first place.

鈥淭he ability to read a map, I mean really read a map, is the key skill that everyone who enjoys the outdoors should learn,鈥� Carson says. Day-length navigation courses courses, which are offered聽 by outdoor centers all over the country, teach you how to orient the map using a compass, how to read contour lines, and how to translate the landscape around you to the paper map.

鈥�Feeling competent with a map allows you to go to places other people aren鈥檛 going,鈥� Carson says. 鈥淏eing able to read your map means you can cut off the trail into a backcountry zone and make your way back to the parking lot safely. That鈥檚 what a solid map class will get you. You can go places where everyone else is not.鈥� Of course, before you do so, make sure off-trail travel is permitted in the land you’re on.

As we move into summer, when our national parks are at their busiest, many folks naturally want to get away from the crowds. The good news is many of our national parks have vast backcountry zones where off-trail travel is not only allowed, but encouraged鈥攁s long as you have the skills necessary to enjoy the wilderness safely.

Looking to put your survival skills to the test? Here are four national parks where you can travel off-trail鈥攁nd at least pretend like you鈥檙e a contestant on Alone.

Badlands National Park, South Dakota

The 244,000-acre Badlands National Park offers a mix of towering rock spires and buttes surrounding verdant prairie. It鈥檚 also a paradise for backcountry exploration because, instead of an extensive trail system, Badlands operates under an 鈥渙pen hike鈥� policy, which means you can hike and camp anywhere throughout the park, as long as you don鈥檛 set up a tent within a half-mile of established roads and trails.

The North Unit of the park offers the most straightforward backcountry routes. Go deep into the Sage Creek Wilderness, where tall cliffs flank one of the largest intact mixed grass prairies in聽 the U.S. You can create a 20-plus-mile loop around the wilderness area by following game trails across washes, through tall grass, and up and over mesas聽with long-range views. And you鈥檙e guaranteed to see more bison than humans in this area (just be sure to keep your distance). The daytime hiking is great, but the clear views of the Milky Way at night are transcendent.

Use Sage Creek Campground as your basecamp. It鈥檚 a free, first come/first served facility with 22 sites. There are pit toilets but no water, so be sure to fill up at Ben Reifel Visitor Center. No permits are necessary for camping in the backcountry, but you do need to register your trip at the backcountry registers located at several points throughout the park.

Denali National Park, Alaska聽

If you鈥檙e going to visit Denali National Park, there鈥檚 a good chance you鈥檒l be hiking off-trail. The park is roughly the size of Massachusetts but only has a few established paths within its borders. Instead, the park encourages experienced visitors to forge their own paths across the tundra. Fortunately, the tree line in Denali stops at 3,000 feet in elevation. That open landscape makes off-trail travel less intimidating, as you can hike for miles without losing sight of big landmarks. The park鈥檚 bus system also makes it easy to shuttle point-to-point day hikes.

Visitors can drive the first 15 miles of Denali Park Road from the entrance. Beyond that, you have to take the shuttle bus. The road is closed for the foreseeable future at mile 43 because of a landslide. That gives you roughly 30 miles of road to use as your trailhead when choosing your off-trail adventure. Check out the Jenny Creek backcountry zone (Unit 3), which is accessible via the Savage River Bus between the park headquarters and the Savage River. The unit is comprised of brush-covered flats and rolling hills at the base of extensive systems of ridges, which give you the chance for extended ridgeline walks with 360-degree views of the park. Start your hike anywhere along the Park Road between the Headquarters and mile 8. Just pick a spot that has the least amount of brush and head toward the nearest ridge. Keep an eye out for moose, too.

offers half-day guided hikes that are completely off trail and travel through the forested lower elevations of the park if you want to go with an expert (from $199).

Canyonlands National Park, Utah聽

The appropriately named Canyonlands National Park protects roughly 340,000 acres of gorges, buttes, and plateaus created by the Colorado River and its tributaries. While there are some frontcountry facilities, Canyonlands is predominantly a backcountry park divided into three zones: the Needles District, Maze District, and Island in the Sky District. Head to the Maze District for the most primitive routes and highest sense of solitude. It鈥檚 the most remote district of Canyonlands. Even the dirt roads are a challenge; they鈥檙e 4WD-only and can take hours to navigate safely. It鈥檚 not a place you visit lightly or quickly, so plan on spending more time than you think you鈥檒l need to get from point A to point B. There are established routes that are typically marked with cairns, but they鈥檙e tough to follow, so route-finding skills are key.

Before you settle on a route, double-check that it’s not an established canyoneering line, which will require specialized gear.

If you want the fastest way into the Maze District, catch a up the Colorado River and get dropped off in the thick of the backcountry at Spanish Bottom, and begin your hike from the edge of the river hiking your way up the various non-technical canyons ($295 per person round trip).

Whether you drive into the Maze or catch a boat, bring a paper map as GPS units are known to fail inside this part of the park. You鈥檒l need a , which you can get up to four months in advance ($36 reservation fee, $5 per person). Double-check timing; you don’t want to be visiting canyonlands during monsoon/flash flood season.

Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado聽

Great Sand Dunes National Park is carved out of Colorado鈥檚 San Isabel National Forest, protecting a 30-square-mile dune field with certain ridges rising more than 700 feet above the surrounding sands. It鈥檚 a slice of the Sahara Desert in the heart of Colorado, and the dunes are completely trail-free. Instead of established paths, visitors are encouraged to trek across the dunes on their own. You can even rent聽sleds or snowboard-like sand boards to slide down the faces of the steeper dunes.

Most hikers head towards the highest hump on the first ridge from the parking lot and call it a day. But if you want a real adventure, make a beeline for Hidden Dune, which at 741 feet, is the tallest dune in North America.聽It鈥檚 a seven-mile round trip hike from the Dunes Parking Lot, and you won鈥檛 be able to see the sandy peak until you鈥檝e reached its base (thus the name), so be sure to use its GPS coordinates to navigate (37.775916, -105.531912). Also, mark your starting location too; the wind and shifting sands could obscure your footprints, so you鈥檒l need to set a pin to retrace the steps to your car.

Time your trip right and you can splash through Medano Creek, a seasonal stream that forms a border to the dune field. The park service updates the current conditions of the creek on their . Be sure to wear closed-toed聽shoes and long pants when exploring the dunes, as the sand can reach triple-digit聽temps in the summer.

Graham Averill is 国产吃瓜黑料 magazine鈥檚 national parks columnist. He has no desire to compete on the show Alone, but he鈥檚 very proud of the shelter he learned how to build during the survival course at BOSS. He recently wrote a guide to visiting overcrowded and underfunded national parks this summer.聽

The post The Lessons I Learned in ‘Alone’ Survival School Could Keep You Alive appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.