celebrated on June 1, is a day to care for, and get out and explore, our nation鈥檚 trails. We鈥檙e celebrating by featuring some of the most stunning routes in the U.S. and the reasons that make them so special. Since we can鈥檛 feature every beautiful path in the country, we looked for diversity in region and terrain.

Whether you鈥檙e in the Midwest, itching for a canyon-centric adventure, or on the coast looking for a trail that leads to an isolated beach, here are 12 of the best hikes in the country.

In The West

Best Volcano Hike

Kilauea Iki Trail: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii

The U.S. has a shocking number of volcanoes scattered throughout the country, but Kilauea, in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, is the most active. In fact, it鈥檚 still erupting as I write this: a small eruption started in December 2024 and is still going strong, spewing lava up to 500 feet in the air from its main vent. Don鈥檛 worry, all of this action is happening in a closed section of the park you鈥檒l want to avoid. Instead, hike the , which travels through a rainforest before dropping into a crater and crossing a lava lake formed by an eruption in 1959. Some of the lava is still warm to touch and you can find vents emanating steam throughout the lake, which occurs when rain gathers in pools and boils.

Logistics: The entrance fee to Hawaii Volcanoes is $30 per vehicle. Expect traffic delays over the next two years as the park works to remove damaged buildings and enhance the road for better vehicle flow. Check the for updates. The USGS runs a webcam with a of the current eruption. If you鈥檙e in the park, you can see the activity from the Uekahuna overlook on Crater Rim Drive West and from the Kilauea Overlook.

Best Hike to a Beach

Shi Shi Beach and Point of Arches: Olympic National Park and Makah Tribal Land, Washington

Olympic National Park boasts some dramatic coastal landscapes, and Shi Shi Beach might be the most famous thanks to its bevy of sea stacks. This eight-mile starts in a sitka spruce forest on boardwalks before hitting switchbacks down to the beach itself. Look west and you鈥檒l see the Pacific Ocean spreading before you and the park鈥檚 iconic sea stacks rising from the tide. The beach itself ain鈥檛 bad either, with bone-white driftwood and tide pools full of sea creatures. You鈥檒l be tempted to stop here, but keep hiking south along the beach for 1.3 miles to hit Point of Arches, a mile-long cluster of sea stacks dotting the breaks just off the sand.

Logistics: If you鈥檙e knocking this hike in a day, you don鈥檛 need permits, but you do need the $20 Makah Recreation Pass, which you can purchase or in person at the New Bay Marina or Museum.

Best Hike to a Technical Summit听

Grand Teton: Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

Archeological evidence suggests that the 13,776-foot, craggy Grand Teton has been luring climbers to its summit inside what is now Grand Teton National Park long before Europeans showed up. The mountain鈥檚 striking, trapezoidal shape is still the focus of hundreds of summit bids every summer. The hike and technical climb is a 14-mile roundtrip effort, gaining 7,000 feet in total elevation. If you鈥檙e going to reach the tippy top of Grand Teton, you鈥檒l need technical climbing skills, the right gear, and preferably a guide. Some people do it in a day, but it鈥檚 better as a weekend adventure, which allows you to spend at least one night at the high elevation base camp for the final summit push. The 5.4 Owen Spalding Route is the classic, and easiest, ascent. But listen, even if you鈥檙e not interested in the technical climb, you should still do this hike, which rises from the Lupine Meadows Trailhead to the Lower Saddle for a 12-mile out and back. From the saddle, you鈥檒l have close-range views of glaciers and long-range views of Garnet Canyon and the Alaska Basin below.

Logistics: Entrance fee to the park is $35 per vehicle. If you鈥檙e doing the full summit and plan on spending the night at one of the saddles, you鈥檒l need a backcountry ($20). Book a four-day trip with (from $2,100 per person).

Best Slot Canyon Hike听

Zebra Slot Canyon: Grand-Staircase-Escalante National Monument

Choosing one slot canyon is a daunting task, but Zebra wins because of its gorgeous pink and tan striped walls and narrow passageways, which are as tight as 10-inches wide at some points. Also, it鈥檚 not a technical canyon to traverse, so you shouldn鈥檛 need climbing gear. You鈥檒l still need to scramble and squeeze your way through portions of this 5.2-mile , but make yourself skinny and you鈥檒l be standing in the heart of a narrow gorge with pink and white striped walls rising 100 feet on either side of you. The hike starts by traversing a sandy, scrubby wash before meandering through a broad canyon with pink walls. Once you reach Zebra Canyon proper, the going gets narrow and you鈥檒l likely find pools of water on the floor, so bring water-friendly shoes.

Logistics: There鈥檚 no entrance fee to Grand Staircase-Escalante, and you don鈥檛 need a permit to hike Zebra Canyon, but you should stop into the to ask about the water levels within the canyon.

In The East

Best Hike to see Fall Foliage

Burrows Trail to Camel鈥檚 Hump: Vermont

Vermont was essentially created for fall foliage, as the forest that blankets the 4,000-foot peaks throughout the state transitions into a kaleidoscope of colors starting in September. You can鈥檛 walk to get a pumpkin spice latte in the state without witnessing the show, but I say make the trek up Camel鈥檚 Hump, Vermont鈥檚 third highest peak, which offers dramatic 360-degree views that take in all of the lush canopy below as well as Lake Champlain to the west and the White Mountains of New Hampshire to the east. The 4.7-mile out and back on gets you to the summit the fastest with much of the time under the colorful canopy that you鈥檙e here to marvel.

Logistics: This hike sits inside , which was carved out of the Green Mountains National Forest, but there are no entrance fees or permits required. The trailhead parking area fills up fast on weekends, especially during peak foliage season, so show up early in the morning.

Best Ridgeline Hike听

Rocky Peak Ridge, High Peaks Wilderness: Adirondacks, New York

You want mountaintop views and rocky exposure? Head to the High Peaks Wilderness of Adirondack Park. This 13-mile out and back on the climbs a series of smaller summits on its way to 4,420-foot Rocky Peak, gaining more than 5,000 feet all together. You鈥檒l get long range views from the various rocky summits, making this feel like a true ridgeline jaunt, but you鈥檒l also descend to saddles giving you a chance to take a rest at Mary Louise Pond toward the end of the adventure. A lot of people make it an overnighter, but it鈥檚 a doable day hike for go-getters. The view from Rocky Peak Ridge is true alpine glory, with boulders strewn through a high-alpine meadow covering the treeless peak. Hit it during the summer, and you鈥檒l be able to forage your way through Blueberry Cobbles, a hillside that鈥檚 covered in wild fruit bushes near the trailhead.

Logistics: There are no permits or entry fees for day hikes in the High Peaks Wilderness, but you should definitely bring a hiking partner or, at the very least, tell someone where you鈥檙e going and when you鈥檒l be back.

Best Trail to See a Gigantic Waterfall

Rainbow Falls Trail: Pisgah National Forest, North Carolina听

I鈥檇 argue that Rainbow Falls is one of the most impressive waterfalls in the Southern Appalachians, period. The entire Horsepasture River plummets over the side of a sheer, granite cliff, dropping 150 feet straight into a deep pool. Time it right after heavy summer storms and the volume of the waterfall is thunderous. Follow the for two miles along the bustling Horsepasture River, a drop and pool creek with plenty of swimming hole potential, until you reach the base of Rainbow Falls. There鈥檚 good swimming at the base of the falls, just don鈥檛 try to climb the cliff or wade at the top of the waterfall, as visitors have died doing those very things.

Logistics: Rainbow Falls is located in Pisgah National Forest, but the trailhead is located inside . There are no fees for visiting the park or falls. Bring your swimsuit and water shoes or sandals because you鈥檙e going to want to swim.

Best Hike to See Natural Arches in the East听

Auxier Ridge Trail: Red River Gorge, Kentucky听

Kentucky鈥檚 Red River Gorge is a vast canyon system inside that鈥檚 best known for its sport climbing, but the gorge has more than 100 natural arches, the highest concentration of such rock outcroppings east of the Rockies. This isn鈥檛 the desert landscape you might expect though, as the forest is lush and green with sandstone arches stretching out from the canopy. Most of the arches are scattered throughout the area鈥檚 29,000 acres. Focus your attention on the 2.5-mile , and you鈥檒l see the towering Courthouse Rock, which rises from the forest like a courthouse looming over the town square. You can also take side hikes to half a dozen arches, including the aptly-named Double Arch, where a smaller arch is stacked inside a larger arch.

Logistics: Red River Gorge is relatively primitive. Some trails are marked, while un-signed social trails lead to hidden goodies like , a large natural bridge on the edge of a cliff. You don鈥檛 need permits and there are no entrance fees.

[[In The]] Midwest听

Best Cliff Hike in the Midwest听

Big Bluff: Buffalo National River, Arkansas

I like any trail that comes with the caveat 鈥渘ot recommended for children.鈥� Not because I don鈥檛 like hiking with kids, but because this usually means there will be cliff-top exposure, and that means beautiful views. Such is the case with the , a half-mile-long steep climb on a narrow ledge to the edge of Big Bluff, a sandstone cliff that dominates a dramatic bend in the Buffalo River. Big Bluff lives up to its name, rising 550 feet from the valley and delivering a long range view of the sinuous waterway below. In fact, it鈥檚 the tallest sheer cliff between the Rockies and the Appalachians. Big Bluff is also known for its scrappy juniper trees, which are estimated to be 800 years old. Most of the hike is actually on the Centerpoint Trail, which follows an old wagon road as it drops 1,300 feet to the river over 2.5 miles. All in, it鈥檚 a 6-mile out and back with roughly 2,000 feet of climbing.

Logistics: There鈥檚 no entrance fee to the . I鈥檓 not kidding about the exposure on this hike. It鈥檚 not for the faint of heart, so be prepared and be careful.

Best Canyon Hike

Starved Rock State Park, Illinois

At first glance, you鈥檇 think the Illinois River would be the central attraction to ; the large body of water seems to dominate the landscape after all. But it鈥檚 the small canyons that feed the large river that hikers seem to love. More than a dozen narrow and lush gorges have been carved on the southern side of the river, giving hikers an enticing labyrinth of rock to explore via 13 miles of established trail.

If you鈥檙e moving at a fast pace, you can explore every canyon in the park in a day, but focus on French Canyon, which has a narrows section reminiscent of Utah, but with more greenery, and Wildcat Canyon, which has vertical walls and an 80 foot waterfall that runs after a rain. Take a map and spend an afternoon creating your own loop through the maze of canyons.

Logistics: Most hikes begin at the Visitor鈥檚 Center. Grab a map. There are a lot of short trails throughout the park that you鈥檒l have to connect to create a larger hike. All state parks in Illinois are free to enter.

Best Prairie Hike听

Sheyenne National Grassland, North Dakota

Are prairies beautiful? Hell yes. Especially if all you鈥檝e ever known is mountains or coast. There鈥檚 something fascinating about being able to see for a hundred miles in any direction, and the Sheyenne National Grassland might be the best of our prairies, as it protects 135,000 acres of sand dunes and tall grass in southern North Dakota. The National Grassland also hosts a 30-mile section of the North Country National Scenic Trail, which runs for more than 4,000 miles from Vermont to North Dakota. The hiking is easy, but you鈥檙e not here for a challenge. You鈥檙e here for the expansive field of view that only the midwest can offer. Much of the hiking is flat with shimmering waves of grass all the way to the horizon in every direction. Head to the West Trailhead of the for a 6.5-mile section that runs between two highways, passing through tall grass, wildflowers in the summer, and the occasional grove of trees.

Logistics: Show up in the middle of summer for the best weather and best wildflowers. There鈥檚 no entrance fee to the National Grassland.

Best Backcountry Lake Hike听

Secret/Blackstone Loop, Boundary Waters Canoe Area听

I know, the Boundary Waters are for canoeing, and you鈥檙e not wrong, but there are also hiking trails that connect many of the backcountry lakes. Granted, most of those trails are multi-day endeavors for the hardy looking to navigate the wilderness. But there鈥檚 also the four-mile near Ely, which is a rarity in the Boundary Waters in that it is short, signed, and easy to follow. Bonus: It takes in four different lakes on its figure-eight journey through a pine forest. The hiking is mostly flat, and you鈥檒l walk right to the grassy edge of Blackstone Lake if you want to take a dip, as well as scamper to rocky overlooks of Ennis Lake. In addition to walking along the banks of Secret, Blackstone, and Ennis Lakes, you鈥檒l also find a small, unnamed pond along the way. Blackstone, the first lake you鈥檒l reach on the hike, is arguably the highlight of the trip as it鈥檚 water is clear and ideal for swimming, or paddling if you want to lug a craft of some sort with you.

Logistics: This is a straightforward day hike, but all visitors must get a ($16 per adult) when entering Boundary Waters Canoe Area. You can snag them in advance or at the self-serve kiosks at entry points. The forest maintains a quota system to limit the number of people inside the Boundary Waters, so it鈥檚 smart to make a reservation in advance ($6 reservation fee).

Graham Averill is 国产吃瓜黑料 magazine鈥檚 national-parks columnist. Based in Asheville, North Carolina, he is fortunate enough to live within a few hours of many world-class hikes. He recently wrote about the best hikes in Joshua Tree National Park, his favorite mountain town, and the the most adventurous national park.

The post These Are the 12 Most Stunning Trails in the U.S. appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Described as 鈥淎merica鈥檚 best idea,鈥� the National Park System was established in large part to protect the nation鈥檚 most precious landscapes, from the deepest canyons to the tallest peaks. Some of the parks are so dang beautiful, they鈥檝e been known to make people contemplate their own existence.

But not everyone traveling to a national park is moved to existential enlightenment. Some visitors come away angry, frustrated, or disappointed, and they turn to the internet to express themselves. Recently, for my annual end-of-year wrap up of the worst national-parks reviews,听I spent an unhealthy amount of time perusing visitor comments on national parks on Google Maps, Yelp, and TripAdvisor to find the best of them.

I learned a few things in the process. I learned听that a lot of people don鈥檛 like the timed entry and reservation systems that many parks have put in place to combat overcrowding. Like, a lot of people; I saw thousands of complaints on that topic. Also, the general lack of parking gets people fired up.

I discovered some really interesting and funny one-star (out of a possible five stars) reviews that spanned quite a spectrum, from someone complaining about the weather (apparently Canyonlands is too hot and sunny) or questioning humanity鈥檚 fascination with nature in general (to this person, Joshua Tree听is just a load of big stones).

Here are my favorite bad national-park reviews of 2024. As ever, we nod to , grandmaster collector of such information, which, as autumn lit up the multitude of colors in the national forest of Vermont, noted this doozy: 鈥淣ot a memorable place to go.鈥�

(Note: Some reviews below were edited for brevity, but I left spelling errors and grammar mistakes intact.)听

1. Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina and Tennessee

Great Smoky Mountains National Park protects 500,000 acres of mountains, rivers and historic farmland that is widely recognized as the most biodiverse landscape in North America. But not everyone loves it.

鈥淭his is the Walmart of national parks.鈥� 鈥�Google Maps

鈥淎 terrible experience! This national park is the largest and most popular park in the middle of the United States and famous for their beers (sic). Every staff of the park told us that beers (sic) were everywhere. However, this park was really disappointing that I did not see any beer (sic). I only saw many turkeys and one fox鈥S]ummer might not be a good time to visit here because beers (sic) or other wild animals could hide in trees and bushes.鈥濃��Google Maps

2. Death Valley National Park, California and Nevada

This 3.4 million-acre park, straddling California and Nevada, is known for its deep canyons, salt flats, and ghost towns. The first commenter reviewed it without ever having been there.

鈥淗aven’t gone yet, will go soon, sounds hot tho.鈥濃��Google Maps

鈥淒on’t go, nothing to see鈥�.The rock formation is not that great, quite dusty, hot, etc. Feels like an open pit mine. The only use case I can see is if you want to 鈥� test yourself or your car AC.鈥濃��Google Maps

3. Indiana Dunes National Park, Indiana

Designated a national park in 2019, Indiana Dunes protects dunes and forest on the edge of Lake Michigan, all less than 50 miles from downtown Chicago. But apparently the park has some policies on parties.

鈥淐an’t grille, can’t smoke, can’t drink, can’t play loud music…who wants to just sit on sand.鈥�鈥擥辞辞驳濒别 Maps

4. Redwood National and State Parks, California

This collection of state and federally protected parks houses the world鈥檚 tallest trees, with landscapes spanning from rugged coastlines to thick interior woodlands. Tree color may be a subjective thing.

鈥淐alifornia sucks so I don鈥檛 know why I was surprised when I was very disappointed. The trees aren鈥檛 as big as everyone says and they鈥檙e not red either, terrible name. The National park should just sell the land and turn the trees into paper.鈥濃��Google Maps

5. Joshua Tree National Park, California

One of my personal favorite units in the park system, Joshua Tree is home to gorgeous desert landscapes full of boulders that attract climbers and gawkers alike.

鈥淚t鈥檚 just a load of big stones. If you go make sure to take a packed lunch and drinks, you鈥檒l certainly thank me.鈥� 鈥�TripAdvisor

6. New River Gorge National Park, West Virginia

The newest unit to be granted full park status, New River Gorge is a multi-adventure playground with world-class paddling, rock climbing, hiking, and mountain biking. Other than that鈥�

鈥淚f you hike or like white water rafting, this is a great place. Otherwise, not much else to do.鈥濃��Google Maps

7. Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida

I haven鈥檛 visited Dry Tortugas yet, but it鈥檚 on my list because these islands west of the Florida Keys offer some of the most remote spits of land in America, with beautiful snorkeling and paddling. Some feel waterlogged though.

鈥淚 paid full price for only 1% of land??? Park is literally 99% water….. my shoes got wet too like what????? More like the NOT dry Tortugas鈥濃��Google Maps

8. Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado

Couple the tallest sand dunes in North America with long-range views of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and you鈥檝e got鈥�

鈥淭he only reason people go here is to buy a piece of fudge or a T-shirt. That’s about it. This is literally a dumping area for the fine sand used to make volleyball courts. The funniest thing to do here is simply people watching. They act like they never seen dirt before.鈥濃��Google Maps

9. Everglades National Park, Florida

Everglades protects the largest wilderness east of the Mississippi. This review is close to being a haiku.

鈥淣o cocodrilos.

no crocodiles seen

money is lost.鈥濃��Google Maps

10. Mount Rainier National Park, Washington

This national park encompasses the 14,000-foot peak Mount Rainier, which also happens to be an active volcano. The duality of the situation is driving one visitor crazy.

鈥淭hey market this place as a beautiful mountain paradise full of pastoral hikes and woodland creatures but at the same time remind you it is ready to kill you and your entire family and surrounding towns without a moment’s hesitation. Come here if you want to be gaslit by a mountain.鈥濃��Yelp

11. Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

Picture alpine lakes set beneath craggy, 13,000-foot peaks, and you鈥檒l have an idea of the scenery within Grand Teton National Park. Meh.

鈥淚’ve seen better in video games smh. Mother nature better step it up.鈥濃��Google Maps

12. Sequoia National Park, California

California鈥檚 jointly managed Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks are famous for their groves of giant Sequoia trees, a species that only grows on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada mountains. The drive in to reach them is irking some visitors.

鈥淎 road that is truly too long and winding鈥’m still recovering from the tiredness and motion sickness of the 5 hours driving around tight curves.鈥濃��TripAdvisor

13. Capitol Reef National Park, Utah

I recently decided that Capitol Reef is the country鈥檚 most underrated park for adventure. It has arches, canyons, domes, rock climbing, and gravel rides galore. One reviewer seems to be upset that the park didn鈥檛 take enough of his money.

鈥淭HIS PLACE SHOULD NOT BE A NP. It鈥檚 beyond mids and a waste of taxpayers money. Doesn鈥檛 even have a fee station to support itself鈥rotect the land no doubt but either charge everyone that comes through or make it a monument.鈥濃��Google Maps

14. Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the most visited parks in the country, with more than 4 million people clamoring to experience it annually. The park is so popular that management deemed a timed-entry system necessary to mitigate crowds. A visitor was not psyched.

鈥淲hat kind of communist came up with this system and why? I thought I lived in America, land of the free …. For all the Americans that didn’t even protest at all, thanks for nothing.鈥濃��Yelp

15. Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota

North Dakota鈥檚 Theodore Roosevelt National Park is one of the lesser-visited of our national parks, shown in the annual listings as attracting 750,862 visitors, when each in the top five attracts over 4 million (and Great Smoky Mountains NP receives over 13 million). So maybe it鈥檚 unsurprising that one visitor mixed it up with a different park.

鈥淢aybe I missed it but I didn鈥檛 see his face in any of the cliffs or mountains. Probably erosion. Time for a touch up.鈥�鈥擥辞辞驳濒别 Maps

16. Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho

Is there a landscape more dynamic than what you find inside Yellowstone National Park, where water boils and shoots into the sky like the fountains in Las Vegas?

鈥淲ater bubbling out of the ground. Wow.鈥濃��Google Maps

鈥淪ame thing (e.g. geysers) everywhere. I got bored the second day.鈥�鈥擥辞辞驳濒别 Maps

17. Yosemite National Park, California

驰辞蝉别尘颈迟别鈥檚 granite peaks, valleys, and mountains might have captivated Ansel Adams, but nobody ever mentions how uncomfortable nature is, do they?

鈥淎ll the hikes are uphill, and you’re practically climbing cliffs. I got soaked by several incredibly large waterfalls just by standing at the bottom.鈥濃��Google Maps

18. Badlands National Park, South Dakota

Dubbed 鈥渢he land of stone and light,鈥� Badlands holds 224,000 acres of vast prairie and striking geological formations that seemingly rise out of nowhere. That didn’t satisfy this reviewer.

鈥淣ot enough mountain.鈥� 鈥�Google

听19. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Colorado

This national park is known for its deep, steep gorge and rugged terrain, and it has a savvy reviewer who wants it all to himself.

鈥淛K. It鈥檚 the best spot in CO. I went one star so that everyone stays away and keeps it this way!鈥�鈥擥辞辞驳濒别 听

Graham Averill is 国产吃瓜黑料 magazine鈥檚 national parks columnist. He has complained about many ridiculous things during his life, but never once looked at the Teton Range and thought 鈥渧ideo games are cooler than that.鈥� See also his recent articles on ten years鈥� worth of awful reviews on the revered Grand Canyon, or what makes the perfect mountain town, loving surfing and surf towns, and why he plays golf two days a week and thinks about it even more.

The post The Worst National-Parks Reviews of the Year appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Ski trips shouldn鈥檛 be relegated to the rich and even richer. We all deserve to go powder chasing midwinter without dissolving our bank accounts. But these days, finding a budget way to ski requires serious homework. You can always venture away from the headliner areas to smaller, less crowded local ski hills that want to entice visitors through budget deals, but you may have to sacrifice quality of terrain and convenient lodging. Or you could go early or late season, but that means gambling on snow conditions.

So, what if you want to go big鈥攍ike, say, Jackson Hole, Wyoming, in mid-winter鈥攂ut not spend big? It鈥檚 tricky but not impossible. Here鈥檚 how to visit a popular, world-class destination like Jackson Hole on a ski-bum鈥檚 budget. It鈥檚 also a great destination year-round, for hiking, biking, climbing, boating, fly fishing, and camping.

Getting to Jackson Hole, Wyoming

To reach Jackson, Wyoming, located at the base of the Teton Range, you can drive, fly, or take a bus. If you鈥檙e coming by car, it鈥檚 four and a half hours from Salt Lake City, Utah, or eight hours from Denver, pending road and weather conditions. offers bus routes into Jackson from Salt Lake City, Boise, or Las Vegas starting at $75. The Jackson Hole Airport has nonstop direct flights from 12 major U.S. cities, including Denver, Seattle, San Francisco, Dallas, Chicago, and Newark, but flights aren鈥檛 exactly cheap. United Airlines does offer an and $400 flight savings if you bundle lodging and airfare (deadline is by November 30, so save the idea for another year).

From the airport, hop a public bus or taxi into town. Don鈥檛 bother renting a car. Parking at the ski resort starts at $18 a day, so your best bet is to take the local ($3) from town or the Village Road Transit Center, and you鈥檒l be dropped at the base of in Teton Village.

Lift-Ticket Deals in Jackson

If you can make it here early season, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort has a weekend听from December 6-8: show up wearing denim, and you can ski Saturday for $25 or get a three-day lift ticket for $199, plus half-priced gear rentals at and . Another great deal is that early or late season (November 29 through December 19 or March 17 through April 13), season passholders from any other ski area in the world can receive a 50-percent-off at Jackson Hole. Have an ? You can come midwinter and have up to seven days with the full Ikon Pass; five days with the Base Pass Plus (which has select blackout dates), . Otherwise your best option is to buy tickets online well in advance for the lowest rate (they start at $218 a day).

The best deal for skiing here isn鈥檛 at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort; it鈥檚 at , the town ski hill, which has big steeps and steep discounts. This is a much smaller ski area鈥�500 acres compared to Jackson鈥檚 2,500 inbounds acres鈥攂ut its convenient location in town and minimal crowds make it a worthy destination, especially on a powder day. Single-day lift tickets start at $95, or with a $30 uphill ticket you can skin up under your own power and ski back down. The other hidden gem? , a 2,602-acre powder mecca just over Teton Pass, 45 miles or about an hour and 10 minutes from Jackson, where you can score a half-day ticket for $132. run from Jackson to Targhee and start at $199, which includes your lift ticket.

Hire a Backcountry Guide or Take a Lesson: Info But Sorry, No Discounts

There鈥檚 no discount way to book a ski lesson or hire a backcountry guide. You鈥檒l pay a premium for these services. At Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, full day for experienced skiers start at around $379 (excluding lift ticket) per person. Resort for those just getting started skiing or wanting to progress to the next level start at $250 a day. If you鈥檇 rather not originate at the ski area, you can hire an AMGA-certified guide from for a tour of the terrain off Teton Pass or in Grand Teton National Park starting at $265 a person.

Find Cheap Lodging in Jackson

If you want to stay at the base of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort for the closest access to the lifts, your best budget option is (from $49), located right in Teton Village, which has both shared bunks and private rooms, plus a ski-tuning space, game room, and basic kitchen supplies.

Otherwise, stay in town鈥�12 miles away鈥攁nd you鈥檒l have your choice of a few wallet-friendly accommodations. has newly renovated rooms starting from around $177, and . The (from $55) has pod-style bunks, free coffee, and storage lockers for stashing your gear. And the recently redone (from $160) has hot tubs and firepits, an on-site burger joint, and a walk-through or drive-through liquor store that also sells breakfast burritos in the morning.

Affordable Food and Drink Here

If you鈥檙e on the mountain or staying in Teton Village, prices for food and drink aren鈥檛 cheap, so you鈥檒l want to know where to look, and you can always pack a PBJ in your pocket. Start with a cup of high-quality espresso from the take-out window at , next to the Mango Moose. The , at the gas station across the parking lot from the team in Teton Village, has a food truck out front and grab-and-go breakfast sandwiches and burritos. Mid-day or after skiing, hit up inside the Snake River Lodge for a $9 hot dog or tacos, or the , one of the most classic apr猫s ski bars ever, which has $6 pizza by the slice. For fuel on the mountain, ride the tram to the top of Rendezvous Peak, take in the view of the Tetons from the observation deck, then pop into for an $8.25 house-made waffle with brown-sugar butter or Nutella. (Trust us, it鈥檚 worth every penny.)

In town there are lots of options for dining out, but many of them are pricy. Buying groceries at Albertson鈥檚 will save you. For other options, has tasty burritos from $11 or $6 tacos. Up a flight of stairs from Town Square, you鈥檒l find , which slings thin-crust large pies starting at around $17, or pick up a $5 slice from .

With locations in downtown Jackson and, seven miles away, the town of Wilson, is a locals鈥� favorite for no-fuss coffee and bagel sandwiches (a naked bagel costs $1.50). And the best breakfast burrito in town is served until 2 p.m. out of a take-out window on Glenwood Street called , where for $12 you can get a massive burrito that鈥檒l feed you for two meals.

Other Cool Outdoor 国产吃瓜黑料s Here

It鈥檚 $5 to skate in the or on the (through the famous elk-antler arches) if you have your own skates (or $18, including the entry fee, to rent skates).

You鈥檒l need to cross-country ski, snowmobile, or dog sled to reach , located south of town on Granite Creek Road, which is closed in the winter. It鈥檚 a 19-mile round trip ski to get there, but that鈥檚 the least expensive option ( rents Nordic skis from $40 a day; entry into the hot springs is $12) for this memorable day. Otherwise, you鈥檒l need to throw down for a guided snowmobile trip ( leads them starting at $231) or a dogsled outing ( has full-day trips to the hot springs from $460).

It costs nothing to cross-country ski or fat bike along , a locals鈥� favorite trail that鈥檚 groomed in the winter and is a great biking and hiking trailhead in the summertime.

Another excellent year-round option is the short multi-use in the nearby town of Wilson.

Pro Tip

Here鈥檚 a fun way to be a conscientious visitor to the area, while scoring a discount: Support Jackson Hole鈥檚 community radio station, KHOL 89.1, with a of $60 or more, and you鈥檒l get a member-benefit card for discounts to heaps of local businesses, including $2 off a burrito, 10 percent off Philly cheesesteaks at , 15 percent off at , 10 percent off at classes at , and free cross-country ski rental for two people at (that alone is worth $80).

Megan Michelson is an 国产吃瓜黑料 contributing editor who loves skiing but not how expensive it is. She prefers the strawberry waffle from Corbet鈥檚 Cabin, and her favorite line at Jackson Hole is the very steep and very fun Tower Three Chute off Thunder Chair. Other recent articles by Michelson include 鈥�Why My Family Replaced Thanksgiving with Campsgiving,鈥� about a great decision; a description of a tiny, remote backcountry hut, 鈥�This Is Hands-Down the Coolest Airbnb in Colorado鈥�; and, more help with costs, 鈥�Shred This Colorado Mountain for $11 a Day鈥擯lus Other Incredible Ski-Resort Deals.鈥�

The post How to Visit Jackson Hole on a Budget鈥擪now These Tips appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

The only thing better than waking up in a mountain town is overnighting within minutes of the destination鈥檚 best trails, waterways, and ski runs鈥攁nd I learned this firsthand on a June 2024 Alaskan getaway. I鈥檇 spent several weeks hopping between national parks, including bear watching in Lake Clark and . I wasn鈥檛 ready for the adventure to end, and a stay at the new Chugach State Park-adjacent instead of downtown Anchorage, meant it didn鈥檛 have to.

I spent the 48 hours before my homebound flight strolling the property鈥檚 trails, hiking the Chugach-view loop around nearby Eklutna Lake, and crossing off an exciting wildlife spotting: the trip鈥檚 first black bear.

That鈥檚 just the start of this list鈥檚 adventure-centered digs. I scoured Airbnb for other incredible stays in the nation’s beloved mountain towns, from a waterfront abode in my lucky lower 48 aurora-hunting perch鈥擬ichigan鈥檚 Upper Peninsula鈥攖o a postcard-worthy A-frame in my favorite fall hiking spot, the Adirondacks. Here are 12 can鈥檛-miss mountain-town Airbnb homes to add to your bucket list.

If you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. This supports our mission to get more people active and outside. Learn more.

Watch Stars Shimmer Above the Chisos in Terlingua, Texas

From this dramatic Stardust Big Bend Luxury A-frame, you鈥檒l be within minutes of Terlingua鈥檚 old-western ghost town, not to mention the Maverick entrance to Big Bend National Park. But the cabin鈥檚 dramatic Chihuahuan desert surroundings, and the floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook it, make it hard to leave the property. Watch from bed as the rising sun paints the Chisos peaks hues of pink and peach, or relax on the spacious deck or hammock as the desert transitions from golden hour to star-speckled night鈥攁 signature of the region鈥檚 enormous Greater Big Bend International Dark Sky Reserve. Your hangout is one of 11 cabins on the property, and it feels like a home away from home with a full kitchen, one bedroom, two beds, and one bathroom, for up to four guests. Meet your neighbors in the community game room, but note, pets are not allowed.

Squeeze in Ample 国产吃瓜黑料 Within One Hour of Anchorage Airport, Alaska

This handicap-accessible cabin is part of BlueWater Basecamp, a new collection of eight Scandinavian-style abodes set near Alaska鈥檚 Chugach State Park and roughly one hour from the Anchorage International Airport. With this proximity, you can spend your final days in Alaska hiking, biking, and wildlife watching instead of bopping between Anchorage gift shops. Teal-tinged Eklutna Lake, for example, is mere minutes from the property, with guided paddle trips and a 12-mile dirt loop around the water for biking and hiking. Wildlife such as moose and black bears are known to inhabit the area, and they may even stop by BlueWater BaseCamp for a porch safari. The pet-friendly property has three styles of abodes, including the handicap-accessible deluxe mountain cabin with room for up to six guests with two bedrooms, three beds, and one bathroom, as well as a full kitchen鈥攁 necessity given that the nearest main towns, Palmer and Eagle River, are 30 minutes away.听

Stay in a Taos Earthship Within Minutes of Stunning, Uncrowded Trails in New Mexico

This eye-popping Taos Mesa Studio Earthship is more than a place to rest your head. It鈥檚 a lesson in sustainable housing, with an off-grid design built to catch rainwater and generate its own electricity鈥攁ll while staying 72 degrees throughout the year, even on chilly desert nights. The Earthship lies 10 minutes from the , an eight-mile out-and-back route that overlooks the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument鈥檚 plains and peaks, with parallel views of the 800-feet-deep Taos gorge. Your one-bedroom, one-bathroom Earthship can welcome up to four guests thanks to a cozy, convertible daybed. Pets are welcome with a $50 fee, and the home comes with a full kitchen.

Snooze in a Snow Globe After Hitting the Breckenridge, Colorado Slopes

Enjoy endless fresh air among the Pike National Forest pines at The Deck at Quandary Peak, which allows for up to three guests. This backcountry Breckenridge home, which becomes its own glorified snow globe each winter, overlooks the Tenmile range鈥檚 highest peak, Mount Quandary. You鈥檒l have quick access to the Breck ski lift and town center within 15 minutes. The cabin, with its hygge-inspired aesthetic, includes one bedroom with two beds, one bathroom, and a full kitchen. Relax among the conifers on the fairy-light-adorned deck, or nap by the cozy indoor fireplace after a long day on the slopes. You鈥檒l need a 4WD vehicle to reach the home, and tire chains are required for winter visit. Pets are not allowed.

Overnight Beside a New York Adirondacks Lake鈥擪ayaks Included

New York鈥檚 Adirondack Park is a four-season getaway, and few overnights immerse you in the changing landscape like this picturesque Lakefront A-frame Cabin on Stoner Lakes. Enjoy the mirror-still water from the fire ring, or hop aboard the kayaks that come with the property for a scenic paddle. The mountain town of Caroga Lake, set in the Adirondack foothills, is a 15-minute drive south. Head there for , fishing, or snowmobiling. Or, travel 10 minutes north of your cabin to tackle the steep 3.5-mile out-and-back up Good Luck Mountain. Royal Mountain Ski Area鈥檚 13 trails are a short 20 minutes south of you, too. Up to six guests (and pets) can enjoy this two-bedroom, three-bed, and one-bath getaway. (Note: this is a three-night minimum stay.)

Catch Shut-Eye in a Treehouse Near Park City, Utah鈥檚 Best Runs

Park City鈥檚 Dreamy Living Cabin puts the 鈥渢ree鈥� in treehouse, with a 200-year-old fir jutting up through its airy wood-paneled interior. The getaway, which glows with natural light from the 270-degree glass windows, sits at 8,000 feet elevation. It鈥檚 just north of the protected woodlands, where hiking trails give travelers the chance to spot moose, porcupines, and eagles. Park City downtown and its many ski hangouts, such as , lie roughly 30 minutes south of your stay. The property is also less than one hour from the Salt Lake City Airport. It鈥檚 a great getaway for two, with one bedroom, one bathroom, a full kitchen, and a large deck that overlooks the soaring Uintas. Pets are not allowed. (Note: this is a two-night minimum stay.)

Doze Beneath the Tetons in Jackson, Wyoming鈥檚 Dreamy Geodesic Domes

A sprinkling of 11 heated geodesic dwellings, known as Tammah Jackson Hole Domes, plunge guests into Wyoming鈥檚 jaw-dropping wilderness, with views of the jagged Tetons best enjoyed from your cozy king-sized bed. Overnights at this Airbnb include free breakfast, in-dome telescopes, and ensuite bathrooms. The property also has a shared sauna and firepit鈥攖he perfect way to share stories after a in Grand Teton National Park; its Granite Canyon entrance is five minutes north by car. For skiing and snowboarding, is also a five-minute drive away. Each 540-square-foot dome fits two guests maximum; pets are welcome.

Overnight in a Grain Silo in Kalispell, Montana

Add some farm feels to your mountain-town escape by sleeping in a converted grain silo with views of Montana鈥檚 peak-laden Flathead Valley. These metal accommodations have it all: a kitchenette, loft bedroom, two beds, and one bathroom, not to mention an outdoor fire pit for watching the Rocky Mountain landscape change from blue-sky day to gold-tinged dusk. Don鈥檛 head to sleep early on the star-splashed night skies, either. Start the day with a stroll along the 80-acre farm鈥檚 walking trails, or, when the powder hits, try snowshoeing or cross-country skiing the farm routes. Glacier National Park is a 30-minute drive north, while 3,000 skiable acres are around 50 minutes northwest. Downtown Kalispell鈥檚 delicious breweries are a 10-minute drive from your silo. Pets are not allowed.

Crash Beside the Tennessee River in This Cozy Chattanooga Cabin with a Watchtower

Soak up the Tennessee River Gorge鈥檚 grandeur from a pet-friendly waterfront cabin in the heart of this dramatic river canyon. The two-bedroom, five-bed, and one-bathroom Chattanooga-adjacent house can welcome up to eight guests with plenty of water adventures onsite, from angling on the Tennessee riverbank to paddling with the property鈥檚 rentable kayaks. Climb the cabin鈥檚 scenic watchtower to scout for wildlife like ospreys, bald eagles, and deer, or catch more flora and fauna from the nearby hiking jaunts, including six-mile out-and-back Snoopers Rock Trail, roughly a 30-minute drive away. Snag a view of the 100-foot-tall Julia Falls roughly 20 minutes to the east; it鈥檚 among the most scenic stops on the over 300-mile .

Bunk-Up Near Trailheads and Slopes in Picturesque Stowe, Vermont

Sleep within steps of your hiking path at the Cady Hill Trail House, a one-bedroom, one-bathroom guesthouse in the quintessential New England town of Stowe, Vermont. The two-guest home, complete with a full kitchen, is surrounded by the charming , home to over 11 miles of trails鈥攁nd a profusion of color when the leaves change each fall. Stowe鈥檚 many breweries, cafes, and restaurants are just five minutes away; the 116 ski trails at are within 10 minutes driving, too. Guest have ample outdoor space to store gear like bikes, skis, and snowshoes. In addition to ambles, the Cady Hill trail network welcomes skiers, snowshoers, and mountain bikers depending on the season. Pets are not allowed. (Note: this is a two-night minimum stay.)

Sleep in a South Dakota Firetower Near Mount Rushmore

Play fire lookout for a night鈥攐r week鈥攆rom this firetower-inspired getaway within minutes of South Dakota鈥檚 Custer State Park, where bison now abound. An array of park trails are within a 25-minute drive of your tower, including , which weaves by dramatic van-sized boulders for three miles, or the take the route up , South Dakota鈥檚 highest point. Cross Mount Rushmore off your bucket list while you鈥檙e here; it鈥檚 30 minutes northeast by car. This one-bedroom, 1.5-bath tower, built for two guests, comes with a full kitchen, wrap-around deck, and a common area with a firepit and yard games. Pets are not allowed.

Catch Zzzs After Watching for Northern Lights Near Michigan鈥檚 Porcupine Mountains

One of Michigan鈥檚 best-kept secrets, the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park (better known as the Porkies), lies within 15 minutes of this Lake Superior Beach House鈥攁 two-bedroom and two-bath abode with a full kitchen and sweeping turquoise water views. The Porkies offer all sorts of Great Lakes adventures: ascending the world鈥檚 tallest artificial ski jump, ; fishing or taking a dip in the photogenic Lake of the Clouds; or schlepping up the steep half-mile route to the , which offers views as far as Isle Royale National Park on a clear day. Back at the cabin, relax by the indoor fireplace or hang outside after dusk to watch for one of the Upper Peninsula鈥檚 greatest treats: the aurora borealis. Select pets are allowed upon request. (Note: this is a four-night minimum stay.)

Want more of 翱耻迟蝉颈诲别鈥檚 travel stories? .

When she鈥檚 not staying in cool places around the world, adventure and astrotourism writer Stephanie Vermillion chases comets and northern lights, and hunts the best stargazing in dark sky zones. Her upcoming book will be out December 3.

The post The 12 Coziest Mountain-Town Airbnbs in the U.S. appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

There鈥檚 something about late summer. The last of the snow melts, the summer rains stop, and the air finally begins to cool. In short: it鈥檚 the perfect weather for a long hike. Or鈥攊f you happen to be a top-tier endurance athlete鈥攆or smashing your heroes鈥� records to smithereens.

Over the last few weeks, trails across the United States have seen some stunning new (FKTs). What鈥檚 more, they鈥檝e been rolling out at a pace that鈥檚 left our news team scrambling to cover them all. From an astonishing controversial three-hours sprint up the Grand Teton, to a grueling 40-day, 18-hour Appalachian Trail sufferfest, it鈥檚 been a fast, fast summer.

The season鈥檚 perfect weather鈥攃ool, dry, mercilessly free of wildfire smoke in many regions鈥攈as helped bolster the rate of new records. But a big part of the uptick may actually be post-pandemic timing.

鈥淭here was a during Covid,鈥� said Will Peterson, who set a new FKT on Vermont鈥檚 272-mile Long Trail FKT on September 1. 鈥淪ome people went back to doing races, but many athletes have stuck around because they got into FKTs during the pandemic and really liked it.鈥�

According to Peterson, FKTs have become more respected over the past few years鈥攚hich has made them a target for big-name celebrity runners as well as speedy underdogs who would normally eschew traditional competitions.

鈥淚n some ways, it’s more accessible and more relatable than running races,鈥� Peterson said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 why I got into it鈥攊t鈥檚 something anyone can do. You don鈥檛 have to have a ton of money or sponsorships to go out and set an FKT.鈥�

Today, more people seem to be chasing long-trail records than ever before, Peterson said. Between the increased awareness and expanded pool of contenders鈥攎any of whom have now been training for exactly this sort of objective for several years鈥攊t鈥檚 perhaps no wonder that record-setting is entering a golden age. Here鈥檚 a look at five perfect case studies from this summer.

Brent Herring Fought Hallucinations to Score a Colorado Trail FKT

On August 22, Durango, Colorado-based endurance athlete and skimo racer kicked off FKT season when he stumbled across the finish line of the 500-mile Colorado Trail with a new self-supported record. His time鈥�10 days, 17 hours, and 38 minutes鈥攚as about four days faster than the women鈥檚 record, which set in 2020.

While popular, the Colorado Trail is no walk in the park. Many hikers need four to six weeks. After all, the distance is only part of the challenge. Much of the route lies above 10,000 feet, and numerous grueling climbs and mountain passes rack up around 90,000 feet in total vertical gain. On his very first day on the trail, Herring suffered from heat exhaustion and nearly quit. A week later, he started , another symptom of extreme fatigue. But he pushed through to the finish, cruising into his hometown just after midnight where his wife鈥攁nd a large pizza鈥攚ere waiting.

Anton Krupicka Ran the LA Freeway in Just Over 13 Hours

On August 31, ultrarunner Anton Krupicka practically sprinted the , a 34-mile traverse of the Continental Divide, which he took down in just over 13 hours. The route is as technical as it is long: It includes considerable stretches of fourth- and fifth-class terrain and connects the highest points of Colorado鈥檚 Indian Peaks Wilderness and Rocky Mountain National Park. The entirety of the traverse lies above 12,000 feet in elevation.

To prep, Krupicka spent as much time at altitude as possible. 鈥淚 climbed Longs Peak 30 times over the course of the summer,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut to be honest, I didn鈥檛 think I was going to set the record this year.鈥� He鈥檇 initially planned for a July attempt, but by then, the ephemeral streams lacing Colorado鈥檚 highcountry he would rely on for hydration had all but dried up. Krupicka knew the unsupported record would be impossible without on-route water.

鈥淚鈥檇 pretty much given up,鈥� he said. But a last-ditch reconnaissance mission in August revealed reemerging springs after a few weeks of heavy rain. Krupicka immediately started prepping for a record attempt. On August 31, he went for it鈥攁nd finished the route in a cool 13 hours, 20 minutes, and 48 seconds, shaving more than three hours off runner Kyle Richardson鈥檚 2018 time.

Will Peterson Broke the Long Trail鈥檚 Four-Day Barrier

Over Labor Day weekend, thru-hiker Will Peterson scored the overall FKT on America鈥檚 oldest thru-hike: the 272-mile Long Trail in Vermont. He completed the route in just three days, 21 hours, and ten minutes. In doing so, he became the first person to finish the trail in under four days, and beat the previous record by more than six hours. The feat comes about a year after Peterson set the trail鈥檚 unsupported record in August of 2023.

For Peterson, the early-September timing was purely related to the Labor-day school break he had: as a third-year medical school student, weekends and holidays are pretty much the only time he has to bust out big multi-day adventures. During the week, he works or studies for eight to ten hours per day, and spends the rest of the time training.

To notch the record, Peterson averaged around 70 miles and up to 22,700 feet of elevation gain per day (which is a lot, even by ultrarunning standards) and relied on a team of 30 pacers and crew members鈥攐nly about half of whom he knew.

鈥淚 put out an appeal to the local running community, saying that I needed help with a supported attempt,鈥� he explained. 鈥淎bout half the people who responded were friends and family members. The rest were total strangers.鈥� But together, they helped him battle debilitating quad pain, long stretches of night running, and total exhaustion to crush his previous record by about 15 hours.

鈥淚t was truly a team effort,鈥� he said.

Michelino Senseri Attempted a Controversial FKT on the Grand Teton听

On September 2, Idaho-based endurance athlete Michelino Senseri announced that he鈥檇 bagged a sub-three-hour speed record on Wyoming鈥檚 Grand Teton. In the following days, Fastest Known Time reviewed his claim鈥攁nd then rejected it.

In their review of his claim, Fastest Known Time noted that Sunseri cut at least one switchback. That means that, while he did climb the Grand in a very fast time, he did not follow the sanctioned route. Because he was essentially competing on a different field of play, his claim was ruled invalid.

His feat is still impressive. It takes most experienced climbers a full day to summit and descend the 13,770-foot peak. The fact that Sunseri was able to do it in just 2 hours, 50 minutes, and 50 seconds speaks to his athleticism and dedicated preparation: he completed more than 40 climbs of the Grand over the course of several years before making his effort. But a few decision-making errors cost him the ultimate triumph.

Tara Dower became the Appalachian Trail鈥檚 New Speed Queen听

On September 21, just a few minutes to midnight, Virginia-based thru-hiker and endurance athlete Tara 鈥淐andy Mama鈥� Dower jogged the final hill to the top of Springer Mountain, the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail. When the clock stopped at 40 days, 18 hours, and 5 minutes, she became the fastest human鈥攚oman or man鈥攖o complete the Appalachian Trail supported.

Dower ran an average of 54 miles per day to snatch the record from previous FKT-holder Karl Sabbe. She also ate upwards of 10,000 calories each day and woke up at 3:00 AM every morning to stay on pace. It paid off. In a , Dower called the feat 鈥渁 dream come true.鈥�

鈥淚f I鈥檓 to be honest I didn鈥檛 think it was possible,鈥� she wrote. 鈥淗owever, I had people on my crew who believed in my abilities and pushed me to my limits. That鈥檚 all it was.鈥�

The post Forget Pumpkin Spice Lattes, It鈥檚 FKT Season appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

On September 2, mountain runner Michelino Sunseri of Idaho appeared to break the speed record for ascending and descending the 13,775-foot Grand Teton in Wyoming鈥檚 Grand Teton National Park. Sunseri, 32, did so on his 44th climb of the iconic peak鈥攈e wrote online that he鈥檇 done 43 practice ascents over four years听before his successful attempt.

鈥淚 finally felt confident enough to lay it all on the line and go for this record that I once deemed impossible,鈥� he .

His time of 2 hours, 50 minutes, and 50 seconds shaved more than two minutes from the prior record, set by Coloradan Andy Anderson in 2012, on the 13.1-mile out-and-back route. At the trail鈥檚 finish, an elated Sunseri fell to his knees, and the moment was captured by photographers. Two days later, his sponsor The North Face catapulted the feat into the mainstream with an Instagram post of the moment, alongside the words 鈥�2:50:50. An impossible dream鈥攃ome true.鈥�

But the new speed record never went up on , the official registrar of speed records worldwide. As by Jackson Hole News & Guide, the organization, which is owned by 翱耻迟蝉颈诲别鈥檚 parent company 国产吃瓜黑料 Interactive, rejected Sunseri鈥檚 time. The reason? Sunseri had cut across at least one trail switchback on his trip.

Local news outlets published images of Sunseri’s Strava map, which showed the deviation: he cut across the highest switchback near Delta Lake on the route鈥檚 lower portion. The shortcut shaved approximately half a mile in distance from the route.

The decision led to a , and spirited online chatter in the world of mountain running. Allison Mercer, the director of Fastest Known Time, said it鈥檚 the first time the organization has flat-out denied a speed record on any route due to a deviation from the standard course. Trails up mountains are notoriously hard to follow, especially above tree line, where there鈥檚 scree and talus. And other professional runners have gone off route while setting FKTs. Some on purpose, as Sunseri did鈥攈e wrote on Strava that he cut the switchback to avoid hikers鈥攁nd others unintentionally.

Famed Catalan runner Killian Jornet cut switchbacks on Grand Teton when he set a prior FKT in 2012. FastestKnownTime , albeit with the word 鈥渇lagged鈥� alongside it鈥攁 scarlet letter in running听parlance. In 2017, Darcy Piceu, while setting an FKT on the 223-mile John Muir Trail, accidentally veered off route onto an entirely different trail for 1.3 miles. Her wasn鈥檛 rejected, and still stands today at 3 days 7 hours and 57 minutes.

So, why did FastestKnownTime reject Sunseri? Mercer said the company sought to uphold NPS rules, which specifically forbid visitors from going off trail or using unsanctioned routes. 鈥淲e can鈥檛 accept it because then we are condoning going against laws and regulations,鈥� she told me. On other trails, deviating from听the agreed-upon route isn鈥檛 expressly forbidden.

In recent years, FKT has attempted to reinforce the rules established by land managers like the NPS. 鈥淲e鈥檙e record keepers, not referees,鈥� Mercer says. 鈥淵ou have to go with what the trail says.鈥�

Why did听the organization allow Jornet鈥檚 record to stand in 2012, but reject Sunseri鈥檚 in 2024? Fastest Known Time is attempting to foster good stewardship of these backcountry routes, as crowds swell and speed record attempts become more frequent.

For context, Grand Teton National Park saw 2.7 million visitors when Jornet set his FKT 2012. It will see about a million more this year. Between 2022 and 2023 alone, visitation to Grand Teton National Park surged by 22 percent.

There鈥檚 also more people than ever pursuing FKTs, with more than 6,300 routes and 10,300 athletes currently listed on FastestKnownTime.com. 鈥淭here鈥檚 been a massive boom in people chasing FKTs and trying to go after Strava records and segments and all of that,鈥� says Jackson-based runner Kelly Halpin, who, since 2014, has set 27 FKTs herself.

In other words, the stakes are higher today than in 2012. With so many people getting out there, off-trail human foot traffic is destroying sensitive flora and fauna that live in mountain environments. And Fastest Known Time, like other organizations, is trying to alleviate the damage caused by foot traffic.

In March, Halpin worked with Mercer to address the damages caused by route cutting on FastestKnownTime.com鈥檚 page: 鈥淧lease keep to existing trails where applicable; submissions that cut switchbacks鈥攚hether route or FKT submissions鈥攁re likely to be declined,鈥� the warning reads.

After Sunseri鈥檚 FKT was rejected, Mercer added stronger language on the site. The new language warns that the FKT will be rejected and that the NPS will pursue criminal charges against athletes who cut switchbacks on Grand Teton.

Halpin says that Jornet鈥檚 FKT on the route did spark anger within the running community back in 2012. 鈥淧eople were very, very unhappy about that,鈥� she says. But the 2012 ascent occurred during the early years of FKT, before the website established rules of decorum, and a more formal processes for verifying records. Buzz Burrell, co-founder of Fastest Known Time, said that prior to 2018, aspiring FKT record holders weren鈥檛 even required to send in a GPX file for verification.

鈥淚t was looser back then,鈥� Burrell said.

Rather, the website operated on an honor system. Standards, rules, and ethics varied by region. In the Swiss and French Alps, where Jornet established multiple records early in his career, there was no such thing as cutting a switchback: 鈥淵ou start at the bottom, you go to the top,鈥� Burrell said.

Burrell and team decided to add the words 鈥渇lagged鈥� to Jornet鈥檚 Grand Teton record alongside a written note explaining that Jornet had cut switchbacks, which is forbidden by the Park Service. 鈥淭he idea with the flag was that people would see it, and the next time someone attempted the record on that route, they鈥檇 do better,鈥� Burell said.

The plan worked鈥攖en days later, Anderson beat Jornet鈥檚 record on the route by 59 seconds. He stuck to the trail.

Burrell applauded the decision to deny Sunseri鈥檚 record. While disappointing to the athlete, he believes it sends a powerful message to the FKT community that environmental regulations will be upheld. Burrell said he had to make a similar decision in 2021, when he removed the 2,592-mile Pacific Crest Trail from Fastest Known Time鈥檚 鈥淧remier List,鈥� a move that reduced the trail’s stature. Wildfires in the Pacific Northwest had closed parts of the trail that summer, but record seekers were still attempting to chase the FKT by hiking on closed trails and traveling through fire zones, Burrell said. 鈥淚t was the right thing to do,鈥� Burrell said. The designation remains in effect today.

Sunseri declined to speak to 国产吃瓜黑料 for this story, but he did send a statement, saying he intentionally followed the same route used by Jornet. He also pointed out that the women鈥檚 record holder, Jen Day Denton, also cut a switchback鈥攈er record is also 鈥渇lagged鈥� in the official FKT standings.

鈥淚 accept and understand that Fastest Known Time has chosen not to accept my record,鈥� he said. 鈥淕iven the circumstances regarding route selection, I look forward to next summer, when I hope to again attempt The Grand Teton FKT, on the officially accepted section of this trail.鈥�

Jornet hasn鈥檛 made any public comments about the situation, but in November 2023 he about the importance of following established routes. 鈥淲e should all ensure the environmental rules already in place in those national parks and conservation areas are fully respected,鈥� he wrote.

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We get it鈥攏ot everyone wants to pitch a tent and forego showers when visiting our public lands. And honestly, because of a recent boom in new national-park lodging, you don鈥檛 have to. In 2020, I moved into my minivan and traveled to nearly every park in the U.S., penning dispatches about them for 国产吃瓜黑料. When I wasn鈥檛 catnapping in the back of my vehicle, I occasionally splurged on fun motels and lodges in gateway towns.

Whether you鈥檙e headed to the rust red maw of the Grand Canyon or the wooded summits of Great Smoky Mountains, loads of new hotels and glamping retreats are popping up to meet the demands of park visitors, whose numbers have exploded since the pandemic. From retro-futuristic roadside motels to Dolly Parton-themed resorts and remodeled national-park lodges, there鈥檚 a little something for everyone on this list.

1. Ofland Escalante

Closest national park: Bryce Canyon, Utah

Best for: Chic glamping, tiny homes, post-hike hot tubs

With its modernist cabins, spa-inspired bathhouses, and food truck that serves up Americana fare (like meatloaf patty melts and cornbread French toast), this newer outpost on Southern Utah鈥檚 stunning Highway 12 just rebranded and added deluxe cabins in 2024 and is a true outdoor-lover鈥檚 paradise. Situated a mere ten minutes from Hole in the Rock Road, the washboard byway leading to many of Grand Staircase Escalante鈥檚 top slot canyons, is the ultimate, pet-friendly base camp for exploring the Beehive State鈥檚 red-rock country.

An hour鈥檚 drive delivers you to the colorful hoodoos of Bryce Canyon, while a 90-minute car ride gets you up to my personal Utah fave, Capitol Reef. In the evening, enjoy a steamy outdoor shower, followed by a drive-in movie with free popcorn at Ofland鈥檚 own big-screen theater, or plop into the property鈥檚 pool and hot tub before enjoying the snap, crackle, and pop of your personal fire pit. If it鈥檚 not too hot, spend an afternoon clambering around in Peek-a-Boo and Spooky Slot Canyons.

2. Populus Hotel

Closest national park: Rocky Mountain, Colorado

Best for: Eco-friendly amenities, luxe dining, nearby art museums

Set in downtown Denver, a stone鈥檚 throw from the State Capitol, the Denver Art Museum, and Civic Center Park, is making history in 2024 as the nation鈥檚 first carbon-positive hotel. It has been designed from the ground up to utilize solar and wind power, highlight locally sourced ingredients from Colorado in each of its dining concepts, and closely monitor all emissions so that remaining carbon is balanced out by supporting projects that capture carbon elsewhere. The hotel has already planted over 70,000 trees (and counting).

A stay at Populus is ideal for the Denver-bound traveler who wants to experience the best of two worlds: city-focused creature comforts with the option to hike amidst the Rocky Mountain National Park tundra or scramble up . With the Wild Basin entrance roughly 66 miles away, it鈥檚 an easy day trip to the park. Rooms here are jaw-droppingly gorgeous and themed after the state鈥檚 famous aspen trees, with ultra-soft earth-toned bedding, natural forest sounds in the elevators, and eyelet-shaped windows overlooking the Denver skyline.

Chow down on post-hike grub with dreamy sunset views at the on-site rooftop restaurant Stellar Jay or enjoy fresh, seasonal Colorado fare at the downstairs restaurant Pasque, both helmed by executive chef Ian Wortham.

3. The Pathmaker Hotel

Closest national park: Acadia, Maine

Best for: Exploring downtown Bar Harbor, ocean strolls, simple elegance

With a primo location in downtown Bar Harbor, two blocks from the Bar Island Trail, whale-watching tours and the delicious, creamy rolls at Stewman’s Lobster Pound, opens in late 2024. Featuring suites, double queen, and classic king-sized rooms decorated in elegant neutral tones, this hotel also offers kitchenettes with mini-fridges and microwaves. What鈥檚 even better is that breakfast is included, making it easy to start your morning hike up neighboring or a stroll around Sieur de Monts鈥� historic gardens with a full belly.

It鈥檚 also worth noting that Acadia is home to 45 miles of crushed-stone carriage roads, which are all bike- and dog-friendly. Rent a bicycle at Bar Harbor Bicycle Shop, a five-minute walk from the hotel鈥檚 front door, and spend a day zipping around the park without your car before relaxing with a pot of tea and freshly made popovers at Jordan Pond House鈥搃t was one of my favorite things I did on my giant parks road trip.

4. The Rusty Parrot Lodge and Spa

Closest national park: Grand Teton, Wyoming

Best for: Spa getaways, Jackson ski and hiking trips, luxury mountain vibes

Just remodeled and reopened in early July, following a devastating 2019 fire, this Jackson Hole favorite is back and better than ever. rooms and suites boast a bit of a chic hunting-lodge feel, complete with stone fireplaces, tufted headboards, and the occasional pop of cowboy-themed art.

Fly fish in the Snake River, feel the leg burn on a hike up , or pop on over to the nearby National Elk Refuge for a . When you鈥檙e done exploring the toothy Teton Range, fill up on Idaho Trout Saltimbocca at the lodge鈥檚 Wild Sage Restaurant, or indulge in a CBD-infused herbal sugar scrub at its Body Sage Spa. Either way, you鈥檒l leave feeling full and rejuvenated.

5. Wildhaven Yosemite

Closest national park: Yosemite, California

Best for: Affordable glamping, Yosemite Valley exploration, communal hangs

is making waves this year as the newest glamping resort outside the Free Solo-famous Yosemite National Park. Situated 34 miles from the Arch Rock Entrance Station on 36 rugged acres of rolling Sierra Nevada foothills, the property offers 30 safari tents and 12 tiny cabins, well-appointed with amenities like fire pits and private decks.

A communal BBQ area boasts grills and shaded picnic tables, while glamping sites share communal bathrooms and showers. After a day of hiking and snapping photos of from Cook鈥檚 Meadow, recharge your electronics with electricity access in every tent.

Complimentary coffee and tea help start your day off, and every stay at Wildhaven includes access to on-site classes and events, like Yogasemite yoga classes and Sierra Cider tastings, for when you鈥檙e not huffing and puffing up Upper Yosemite Falls for those epic views. Looking for even more regional glamping news? A top national-park lodging purveyor, , has announced that it鈥檚 also opening a brand-new Yosemite location near Big Oak Flat in 2025.

6. Field Station Joshua Tree

Closest national park: Joshua Tree, California

Best for: Mountain bikers, large groups, pool hangouts

are designed with the intrepid outdoorsperson in mind. Bike racks for your hardtail are in every room, hooks for hanging packs are in ample supply, and an on-site gear shop makes it easy to grab any of the Ten Essentials you might have forgotten before speeding off and into the park, which is just 13 miles (a 20- to 25-minute drive) away by car. If you鈥檙e a diehard coffee drinker, you鈥檒l be thrilled that the lodge has a small espresso bar, Little Station Coffee & Kitchen, which serves everything from cold brew to toasted bagels to start your morning out right.

Choose between standard king-bed rooms and double-queen bunk rooms (which sleep up to 10) and have plenty of space for your whole crew to spread out and save cash, then head on over to the North Entrance (it鈥檚 the closest one) of Joshua Tree and enjoy epic trails like the or bouldering along the formation-filled .

When you鈥檙e not adventuring in the park, don鈥檛 miss the Noah Purifoy Outdoor Museum in town, which exhibits loads of large-scale found-object art, like TVs and rubber tires.

7. Dollywood鈥檚 HeartSong Lodge & Resort

Closest national park: Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee and North Carolina

Best for: Families, pool time, East Coast hikers

Opened in November 2023, seems tailor-made for families traveling with young kids. Even the hotel鈥檚 standard-issue rooms offer fun extras, like murphy beds, sleeper sofas, clothing-storage space, and mini fridges. Lovely mid-century modern furnishings combine with a massive stone fireplace in the four-story, atrium-style lobby, where guests can chill out when they鈥檙e not splashing about in the large pool complex or dining at one of the lodge鈥檚 four restaurant options.

Though the resort is clearly geared towards travelers heading into the Dollywood theme park (there鈥檚 complimentary trolley service from the hotel), it鈥檚 also a brief 15-mile (20-minute) drive to Great Smoky Mountains鈥� Sugarlands Visitor Center. From there, visitors can easily drive to the exceedingly popular , or gaze out at verdant, forested hills at Newfound Gap, which marks the border between Tennessee and North Carolina. Best of all, adjoining rooms and roomy family suites with cozy bunk beds make it easy for you and your loved ones to spend loads of time together, whether that鈥檚 in the lodge or trekking to the park鈥檚 many rushing waterfalls.

8. Flamingo Lodge

Closest national park: Everglades, Florida

Best for: Birders, paddlers, Tropical Florida ambiance

Initially opened in the 1960s as part of the National Park Service鈥檚 retro-futuristic Mission 66 Project, Flamingo Lodge was forced to shut its doors in 2005, after suffering extensive damage from Hurricane Wilma, when storm surges swelled up to nine feet. Thankfully, , which is named after the distinctive pink birds that once migrated to the area in droves, before plume-hunters nearly poached them out of existence, has been fully rebuilt and reopened in October 2023.

It鈥檚 the only non-camping, non-houseboat option for accommodations inside the parklodging available inside Everglades National Park, and given the park鈥檚 enormous acreage (at 1.5 million acres, it is roughly twice the size of Yosemite), creates a welcome bastion for beachgoers exploring the state鈥檚 coastal prairie and boaters enjoying the sunshine and warm, tropical air of the Florida Bay.

Inside the lodge鈥檚 four eco-friendly container buildings are 24 spacious guest rooms, ranging from studios to two-bedroom suites, in clean neutral hues with the occasional pop of tropical jewel tones. Also onsite are a restaurant serving organic, locally sourced cuisine (think breakfast burritos and pineapple pulled-pork sandwiches) and a marina, where visitors can rent anything from bicycles to double kayaks and pontoon boats. Spend a day cycling the and keep your eyes peeled for huge herons.

9. Americana Motor Hotel

Closest national park: Grand Canyon, Arizona

Best for: Travelers with dogs, EV road trips, hipster pool scene

There鈥檚 so much to love about the Jetsons鈥�-style that it鈥檚 hard to fit it all into a single paragraph, but we鈥檒l do our darndest. Set in the northern Arizona city of Flagstaff, one hour from the Grand Canyon and 90 minutes from Petrified Forest, this vintage-style motor lodge should check every box on your Route 66 daydream list. First of all, there are EV chargers aplenty, free morning coffee, and communal fire pits with outdoor hang space.

But this site truly goes above and beyond the standard-issue motel amenities by offering loaner telescopes for optimized night-sky viewing, year-round heated pool, and a fenced-in 鈥渂arkyard鈥� with a dedicated dog-wash station to rinse off your muddy trail pooch. They鈥檝e even got free hotel bicycles for those wishing to take a spin around Flagstaff.

The interiors of the rooms are just as fabulous as the resort鈥檚 exterior, with space-age d茅cor (think astronaut sculptures and galaxy wall art), walk-in showers, and disco balls. Hungry? After a trek down to or a stroll along the Grand Canyon鈥檚 South Rim, fill up at the Americana鈥檚 Pacific Mexican seafood truck, Baja Mar, which dishes out badass shrimp ceviche and battered fish tacos to hungry hikers.

Emily Pennington is a freelance journalist specializing in outdoor adventure and national parks. She鈥檚 traveled to public lands on all seven continents and visited all 63 U.S. national parks. Her book, , was released in 2023. This year, she鈥檚 getting more acquainted with her new backyard, Rocky Mountain National Park.

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Hiking in our national parks is high on the list of many visitors, and long trails don鈥檛 always equate to the best views. In fact, many short, scenic options are just as worthy.

I love a good short hike, and on my adventures to all 63 U.S. national parks, I discovered that you don鈥檛 always have to go big to get big views. Maybe you have young kids in tow or are simply seeking a mellow day in nature. So I鈥檝e compiled a list of my favorite short hikes in national parks, each of which is postcard-worthy. All distances mentioned are round-trip.

Acadia National Park, Maine

Trail name:

Distance: 2.1 miles

I鈥檝e raved about the Bar Island Trail for 国产吃瓜黑料 before, naming it one of the best wheelchair-accessible hikes in the country. I still maintain that this gravel strip north of downtown Bar Harbor is one Acadia鈥檚 most unique hikes, because it鈥檚 an utterly accessible stroll that鈥檚 technically off-trail. Grab a , because the pathway trail is only water-free for 90 minutes before and after low tide, and say goodbye to those storybook cottages in favor of Bar Island鈥檚 rocky beaches.

Big Bend National Park, Texas

Trail name:

Distance: 听1.6 miles

When I visited Big Bend鈥檚 Santa Elena Canyon in 2020, I rushed to get there just as the sun was setting, so I could watch that big fireball in the sky paint the limestone walls of the canyon in hushed, warm hues. But take your time driving the 30-mile to the trailhead, too. It鈥檚 home to the aptly named Mule Ears rock formations, as well as impressive Chihuahuan Desert vistas.

Canyonlands National Park, Utah

Trail name:

Distance: 1.8 miles

Of all the trails I鈥檝e hiked on my three trips to Moab, Utah, this trek over to Grand View Point in Canyonlands has got to be the best low-effort, high-reward journey. Start from Grand View Point Overlook and, if you鈥檙e not afraid of heights and cliff edges, meander along tangerine-tinted cliffs on a relatively flat, 0.9-mile trail, with views stretching into a maw of the earth, where the Colorado and Green Rivers converge.

Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico

Trail name:

Distance: 1.25 miles

I couldn鈥檛 create a list of the best easy national-park hikes without including something from Carlsbad Caverns, one of the most family-friendly and wheelchair-accessible parks of the lot. This trail can be accessed via the visitor center鈥檚 elevator, which travels 750 feet into the belly of the earth, or the 1.25-mile Natural Entrance Trail (yes, you can take the elevator back up to ground level). Then get ready to marvel at thousands of stalactites and stalagmites, many of which resemble hanging jellyfish and posh chandeliers.

Crater Lake National Park, Oregon

Trail name:

Distance: 1.8 miles

July is my favorite month to summit 7,881-foot Watchman Peak, when the high-elevation wildflowers鈥攑urple lupine and bright fuchsia beardtongues鈥攁re in full bloom. Not only will you glean better views of Wizard Island as you climb, but from the top, you can check out a .

Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska

Trail name:

Distance: 2 miles

There aren鈥檛 many maintained trails in Denali (or Alaska, for that matter), but the Savage River Loop is an excellent choice if you鈥檙e on one of the park鈥檚 famous hop-on, hop-off green transit buses that run between the entrance and the deep interior. In summer, enjoy the verdant tundra and views of the Alaska Range鈥檚 foothills as you follow the rushing Savage upstream for a mile before turning around. Bring your bear spray if you鈥檙e hiking in Denali鈥搕his trail was closed to hikers when I visited in 2020, due to a surly mama bear.

Glacier National Park, Montana

Trail name:

Distance: 5 miles

Avalanche Lake Trail is one of the most popular in Glacier鈥搃t鈥檚 shaded, has moderate elevation gain, and ends at a mirror-clear alpine lake, studded with waterfalls鈥攖he scene is like one from middle-earth. You can extend your trip into a six-mile journey if you stroll along the shoreline to escape the throngs at the turnaround point. Pro tip: if you plan to picnic at the lake, be sure to hide your food from crafty marmots out for a free lunch.

Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

Trail name: South Kaibab Trail to

Distance: 1.8 miles

When I first laid eyes on Ooh Aah Point, I chuckled鈥攈ere was one of the most appropriate signposts for a view that I鈥檇 ever seen inside a national park. From this drop-dead gorgeous spot, located just 0.9 miles and 600 feet below the South Kaibab Trailhead, you鈥檒l be able to take in a mind-blowing assemblage of rust-red sandstone plateaus and mesas, stretching out as far as the eye can see. Feeling frisky? Extend your hike to (3.1 miles round-trip) for even more canyon magic.

Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

Trail name: (also known as String Lake Loop)

Distance: 3.6 miles

For easy hikes in Grand Teton, I鈥檇 stay near the park鈥檚 shimmering , which boast impressive views of the immense, pointed mountains and but are home to trails that are relatively flat. This particular loop circumnavigates String Lake, with scene-stealing vistas of Rockchuck Peak and Mount Saint John along the way. Bring your SUP along and ply the lake鈥檚 cool waters after your jaunt.

Great Basin National Park, Nevada

Trail name:

Distance: 2.8 miles

When I hiked this path with my partner in late May 2020, we ended up breaking trail in thigh-deep snow, but from June through September, this is an easy trek to many of the oldest trees on earth. Meditate among these gnarled beauties in the shadow of Wheeler Peak鈥攖he state鈥檚 second highest, at 13,065 feet鈥攁nd its myriad boulders. Want a longer variation? Continue along the same path to the Wheeler Peak Glacier for a 4.4-mile trip.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina and Tennessee

Trail name:

Distance: 2.6 miles

Beat the heat in America鈥檚 most-visited national park on this shaded stroll to a cascading waterfall, bookended by mossy boulders. You鈥檒l likely spot salamanders near the cool creek as you stroll through an old-growth hemlock forest and end up at the 25-foot-high Grotto Falls. Dip your feet into the refreshing water before turning back the way you came.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii Island

Trail name:

Distance: 2.9 miles

It鈥檚 rare to walk through a tropical rainforest, check out hissing steam vents, and witness an active volcano all in a single trail, but Hawaii Volcanoes is not your average national park. For the best experience, park near the visitor center, hike this well-maintained path at sunset, and try to spot the otherworldly pink glow of lava from the as it gets dark.

Isle Royale National Park, Michigan

Trail name:

Distance: 4.3 miles

If you鈥檝e only got one day in Isle Royale, this is the trail to take. Beginning in the popular Rock Harbor area, on the main island鈥檚 eastern edge, the trail travels in and out of boreal forest and across dark gray volcanic rocks until it reaches Scoville Point, with its sweeping views of Lake Superior. When you鈥檝e had enough of feeling like you鈥檙e standing at the edge of the known world, return via the north side of the peninsula for even better forest bathing.

Katmai National Park, Alaska

Trail name: Brooks Falls Trail

Distance: 2.4 miles

Yes, getting to Katmai is a long adventure that involves a floatplane from Anchorage. I鈥檝e had the distinct pleasure of visiting the park twice, and it blew my mind both times. For starters, it鈥檚 a fantastic place to watch salmon swimming upstream from July through September. This also means it鈥檚 one of the best places in the state to watch hungry grizzly bears fattening themselves up on the spawning fish. Stow your food at , then cross the Brooks River on an elevated boardwalk trail. Once you reach the falls, have that camera ready to snap photo after photo of the ornery beasts feeding.

Lassen Volcanic National Park, California

Trail name:

Distance: 3 miles

Want to be wowed by sizzling hydrothermal features, but don鈥檛 want to travel all the way to Yellowstone? Lesser-known Bumpass Hell, apart from having an amazing name, is home to some seriously cool steam vents, scalding hot springs, and bubbling mud pots. After stretching your legs on the trail, take a dip in Lake Helen, just across Lassen National Park Highway, and crane your neck up at 10,457-foot-high Lassen Peak.

Mount Rainier National Park, Washington

Trail name:

Distance: 4.7 miles

The Paradise area is my favorite section of this gorgeous park, and while I trekked along this moderate hike, I saw a huge, fluffy mountain goat and had terrific views of Rainier鈥檚 serrated glaciers. 72-foot-tall Myrtle Falls is the real showstopper, though, because it鈥檚 perfectly framed by trees beneath Rainier. If you鈥檇 prefer an ever mellower day out, you can turn this trek into a simple stroll via the Golden Gate Trail.

New River Gorge National Park, West Virginia

Trail name:

Distance: 3.2 miles

Though New River Gorge is perhaps best known for its rock climbing and whitewater rafting, I thoroughly enjoyed hiking its many forested trails when I visited in 2021. This out-and-back to Long Point meanders through a forest of spruce and hemlock before popping you out onto a rocky ledge with one of the best New River Bridge photo ops in the park.

Redwood National Park, California

Trail name:

Distance: 3.5 miles

You鈥檒l need to to hike this lollipop loop, which meanders through some of the tallest trees on the planet, but any hassle is well worth it. Drive down a washboard road just east of Orick for roughly 6 miles and park in the designated dirt lot before descending 700 feet to the Tall Trees Grove, keeping your eyes peeled for epic oyster mushrooms and sword ferns along the way. I鈥檇 plan on spending at least an hour quietly perusing these ancient redwoods. This is forest bathing at its finest.

Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Trail name:

Distance: 5 miles

Technically, the Ute Trail is an eight-mile round-trip hike, but the best thing about one-way hikes is that you can make them as short as your heart desires. Beginning at the Alpine Visitor Center, which sits at a lofty 11,796 feet, this trail winds along moderately graded tundra slopes and offers awesome views of the Never Summer Mountain Range. Hike it in the morning to avoid the dangerous afternoon lightning storms鈥攎y partner and I once had to jam to find shelter on a too thrilling post-lunch trek.

Sequoia National Park, California

Trail name:

Distance: 2.8 miles

If you鈥檙e in Sequoia and planning on visiting the , which is the largest by volume on earth), I heartily recommend extending your forest-bathing stroll to include the Congress Trail. A mostly flat lollipop loop, it passes the enormous trees within the Giant Forest. Best of all? A few hundred feet past General Sherman, you鈥檒l escape the lion鈥檚 share of the crowds.

Virgin Islands National Park, St. John

Trail name:

Distance: 2.7 miles

Though this trail starts from an unassuming trailhead, right behind the park鈥檚 Cruz Bay Visitor Center, it quickly redeems itself with incredible views of aquamarine water, following a brief climb to 160-foot-high Lind Point. From there, you鈥檒l curve through the lush, humid forest and switchback down, down, down to Salomon Beach, which has all the tropical beauty of nearby Honeymoon Beach鈥攂ut none of the crowds.

Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Trail name:

Distance: 3.5 miles

After taking obligatory pictures of the and its roaring waterfall, I made a random left turn onto an uncrowded trail and quickly uncovered one of my favorite hikes in the National Park System. This trip out to Point Sublime showcases the churning Yellowstone River, hundreds of feet below, while following a forested edge of the canyon whose crimson-and-marigold-colored slopes plunge toward the current for the entirety of the hike.

Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Trail name:

Distance: 1.5 miles

This is the trail that most people think of when they picture Yellowstone鈥檚 most famous attraction, Old Faithful, with that meandering boardwalk stretching far beyond it. And, to be honest, it鈥檚 pretty darn incredible in person. Cross the Firehole River, and check out one of the world鈥檚 largest assortments of hydrothermal features on this flat, wheelchair-accessible loop. Be sure to download the app, which offers info on the predicted eruption times. My personal favorite geyser is Castle, which gushes up to 75 feet high and for as long as 20 minutes.

Yosemite National Park, California

Trail name:

Distance: 4.4 miles

Sure, this trek might not routinely crack the top ten听Yosemite trail listicles, but it鈥檚 the first place I take my friends who have never been to the park before. You鈥檒l set off from the iconic Glacier Point viewing area and then enjoy second-to-none panoramas of Half Dome, Liberty Cap, and 594-foot-high Nevada Fall for nearly the entirety of the hike. It鈥檚 also an ideal way to remove yourself from the Glacier Point parking-lot crowds and fully immerse yourself in the surrounds.

Zion National Park, Utah

Trail name:

Distance:听1 mile

Move over, Angel鈥檚 Landing. In terms of low-effort, high-reward hikes, this is easily the best one in Zion. Park near the Zion鈥揗ount Carmel Tunnel, on the less traveled eastern side of the park; from there this path climbs 163 feet, past vermillion layer-cake-like hoodoos and scrubby pin帽on pines. My favorite part is the turnaround point: you鈥檙e greeted with jaw-dropping views of the craggy Temples and Towers of the Virgin, sandstone monoliths that appear on park postcards. Keep your eyes peeled for bighorn sheep.

Emily Pennington is a freelance writer based in Boulder, Colorado. Her book came out in 2023. This year she鈥檚 tackling loads of short hikes in the Rocky Mountains to get ready for a trip to remote East Greenland.

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What started with a small crack in the road last Thursday developed into a full-blown disaster. A large section of Wyoming Highway 22鈥攂etter known as the Teton Pass鈥攃ollapsed on Friday, June 7, following a series of mudslides that culminated in what officials are calling a 鈥渃atastrophic failure.鈥� In the wake of the collapse, Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon issued a . The pass connected Jackson, Wyoming to its bedroom community Victor, Idaho, leaving workers and tourists facing a sizable detour.

Winding for approximately 17 miles through the rugged peaks that divide Idaho鈥檚 Teton Valley from the Wyoming tourist hotspot of Jackson, Teton Pass is the only cross-state route for miles in either direction. Driving between the two bordering towns听normally takes 30 minutes or so. Without the pass, the journey is nearly two hours and requires a circuitous 85-mile detour south to Alpine and the Snake River, along U.S. Highways 26 and 89.

In the summer high season, the Teton Pass can see as many as 15,000 cars per day, primarily tourists heading to outdoor hotspots like Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park. But the closure presents more than an annoyance for summer roadtrippers. Per the , over 3,000 locals use this highway to commute from Idaho to Wyoming for work each day. The closure will have a dramatic impact on Wyoming鈥檚 tourism industry, a key income generator in summer months. From 2022 to 2023, was generated by tourism in Teton County.

Images of the destroyed roadway flooded social media this week. Officials have not provided a timeline for opening the thoroughfare.

TETON PASS COLLAPSE: Drone video from Wyoming Department of Transportation shows extent of damage in Teton Pass road collapse.

DETAILS:

鈥� KUTV2news (@KUTV2News)

Over the weekend, dramatic photos and videos of the collapsed highway flooded social media. Aerial drone footage captures the full scope of the disaster鈥攖he roadway听collapsed more than 20 feet to the ground below.

This is wild! 鈥淐atastrophic failure of Teton Pass between Jackson Hole and Victor Idaho. It is a key artery for commuters and commerce. Going to be a rough summer for employees and businesses鈥�

鈥� Heidi Hatch KUTV (@tvheidihatch)

The initial crack in the highway led to a motorcycle crash along on Thursday morning. A motorcyclist was reportedly traveling west on the pass, at around 25 to 30 mph, when the road abruptly split and and dropped half-a-foot beneath him. The rider, in his early 60s, dumped his touring motorcycle but wasn鈥檛 seriously injured.

The resulting crack was up to eight inches deep in places, and spanned both lanes of travel at a hairpin turn. The road closed for several hours as crews worked to inspect and patch the rift. The road reopened Thursday night, but relief was only temporary, as shortly after 4:00 A.M. Friday, mudslides a few miles east sent crews scrambling to repair the road, closing the pass yet again. Later that evening, the rift back at mile marker 12.8 expanded dramatically鈥攅levating into a full-blown landslide鈥攚ith a large portion of the alpine highway plummeting into the ravine below.

An important update: road closure continues, interim detour planned
Video shows a before and after view of the landslide area. (before view is from 2023)

Reporters: you can access our media kit here:

鈥� Wyoming Department of Transportation (@WYDOTNews)

by the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) said geologists and engineers were evaluating the situation and developing a plan to rebuild the road, but that, 鈥渢here is no current estimated timeline for that construction.鈥� In the meantime, engineers are working on a temporary detour route through the Caribou-Targhee National Forest, which will likely entail restrictions on vehicle weight and width. Even this, however, will take a few weeks to open.

 

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鈥淲e understand this highway is a lifeline for commuters, deliveries, medical care access and tourism, especially with limited alternatives and the summer season upon us,鈥� WYDOT wrote on Facebook. 鈥淲YDOT engineers, surveyors and geologists mobilized quickly to try to maintain highway viability as long as possible, but catastrophic failure could not be avoided.

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Terlingua, Texas, doesn鈥檛 have a lot of people. The tiny settlement (population 100ish) is literally a ghost town, where a handful of homes and businesses mingle with a cemetery and the stone ruins of a late 1800s mining camp. It鈥檚 dusty, hot as hell, and about 240 miles to the nearest Whole Foods. And yet, I fell in love with Terlingua on my听 first visit. The locals were friendly, the beer was cold, the food was good, and the place is just eight miles from Big Bend National Park, which protects a million acres of desert, mountains, and the Rio Grande. Add in the mountain biking at Big Bend Ranch State Park and the incredibly dark, starry sky that blankets the whole area every night, and you have a fantastic gateway town.

Terlingua isn鈥檛 the only burg with an ideal mix of charm, culture, and adventure. Below I鈥檝e picked my favorite gateway towns in the U.S. Some are well-known destinations, while others still qualify as sleepy, but they all sit next to world-class national parks.

Bryson City, North Carolina

More than 12 million people visit Great Smoky Mountains National Park every year, and most of them access it on the west side through Gatlinburg, Tennessee. But Bryson City (pop.: 1,500), on the eastern North Carolina side of the park, offers a mellow experience void of water parks and mega resorts, in a less-busy corner of GSMNP. The serene Lake Fontana and the trails that extend from its shoreline sit right out the small city鈥檚 back door.

国产吃瓜黑料 Inside the Park: The majority of the north shore of Fontana Lake is inaccessible by car, making for a peaceful experience. The 33-mile point-to-point traces the edge of the lake, delivering hikers to isolated backcountry campsites, waterfalls, and fly fishing on streams that rush to join the reservoir.

国产吃瓜黑料 国产吃瓜黑料 the Park: The Nantahala River is 20 minutes south of town, offering a popular class III run loaded with wave trains and views of the narrow Nantahala Gorge. Rent duckies and rafts from (from $39). Mountain bikers, head to in Nantahala National Forest, with 40 miles of flowy singletrack and the occasional view of Lake Fontana.

Where to Eat: Bryson City鈥檚 food scene has blossomed in recent years. I like The Rice Wagon, which serves Hawaiian-inspired dishes outside the Mountain Layers brewery every day. Get the Kalua pork with rice and macaroni salad.

Where to Stay: There are a few inexpensive motels on the outskirts of town, but your best bet is to find a tucked into the woods surrounding Bryson City.

Where to Get Gear: has hiking gear as well as a taproom with local beer. They also run shuttles for hikers exploring the North Carolina side of the park and Nantahala National Forest.

Jackson, Wyoming

It would be an egregious oversight to leave out Jackson, so I鈥檓 not going to fight it. The outpost receives plenty of attention, but consider the bonafides: This cute-rustic Wild West town sits at the base of the Tetons, with Grand Teton National Park so close that you can ride your bike to it via a multi-use path. Yellowstone National Park is just 2.5 hours away, and Jackson Hole Mountain Resort is 20 minutes north, while the local fave, Snow King Resort, drops right into downtown.

国产吃瓜黑料 Inside Grand Teton National Park: Wake up early and get after the 20-mile long , which traverses two canyons, passes two backcountry lakes (Lake Solitude and Holly Lake) and delivers views of Mount Moran, Mount Woodring, and Rockchuck Peak from the top of 10,700-foot Paintbrush Divide.

国产吃瓜黑料 国产吃瓜黑料 Grand Teton National Park: Raft the Snake River Canyon, stacked with eight miles of Class I to III rapids and scenery that oscillates between sheer gray rock walls and gentler slopes peppered with stands of evergreens. runs half-day trips from $105 a person. Or ride the six-mile section of the Jackson Hole Multi-Use Pathway that runs through the , where elk, bison, and wolves roam through expansive grasslands.

Where to Eat: Creekside Market and Deli has fresh grab-and-go sandwiches and boozy slushies that hit the spot on a hot afternoon. If you鈥檙e looking for an upscale dinner, has French-inspired dishes like cassoulet and mussels and fries.

Where to Stay: Rooms in Jackson can get pricey, but the is a refurbished motor lodge with tons of outdoor space, including a swimming pool, with large rooms from $271 a night.

Where to Get Gear: has bike rentals (from $55), and has hiking and climbing gear, if you’ve forgotten anything.

Grand Lake, Colorado

Estes Park soaks up most of the attention (and visitors), but the town of Grand Lake (pop.: 410) sits on the quieter western side of Rocky Mountain National Park, boasting Gold Rush charm with a fraction of the crowds. The Grand Lake Boardwalk, built in the early 1880s, connects shops and restaurants, while the 400-foot-deep Grand Lake borders town, with a public beach just a block from downtown.

国产吃瓜黑料 Inside the Park: The backcountry lakes on the east side of the park are packed, but Lake Verna, a 34-acre pool at 10,200 feet in elevation, flies under the radar. Hike 6.6 miles on the , passing through aspens and pines while looking for moose and elk in East Meadow, a grassy field bisected by East Inlet Creek. The lake itself is known to be home to a healthy, and hungry, population of brook trout, if you want to bring a fly rod.

国产吃瓜黑料 国产吃瓜黑料 the Park: Grab a paddleboard from ($30 an hour) and paddle the canal that connects the windier Grand Lake to Shadow Mountain Reservoir, a 1,346-acre lake that鈥檚 more protected and user friendly for paddleboarders. The 10,000-foot Shadow Mountain dominates the east side of the lake.

Where to Eat: Casual steak houses and BBQ joints have long been the mainstay in Grand Lake, but One Love Rum Kitchen is spicing things up with Caribbean fare and classic, rum-based 鈥渂oat drinks.鈥� Get the coconut rum chicken and wash it down with the Painkiller cocktail.

Where to Stay: sits on the border of Rocky Mountain National Park, with a large deck overlooking Grand Lake and Shadow Mountain and Mount Craig. Snag one of their recently renovated cabins, the originals of which were ordered from the Sears and Roebuck catalog more than 100 years ago, back when you could buy DIY home kits from the department-store catalog (from $164 a night).

Where to Get Gear: has everything from paddleboards to puffies (and SUP pumps if you forget yours), as well as rentals like bear canisters and kid carriers.

Bar Harbor, Maine

Can someone even separate Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park? The town of 5,000, which sits on the eastern edge of Mount Desert Island, is flanked by Frenchman Bay on one side and Acadia (New England鈥檚 only national park) on the other, with trails leaving directly from downtown. Yachts and lobster boats speckle the harbor on one side of town, while rolling mountains dominated by hardwoods rise on the other. In between is a vibrant downtown full of lobster shacks and boutique shops.

国产吃瓜黑料 Inside the Park: You can鈥檛 visit Acadia without climbing the , which rises more than 1,000 feet in just under a mile up the side of Champlain Mountain. It鈥檚 a full-contact adventure as you scramble over boulders and ascend a series of iron rungs and ladders up the granite face of Champlain. From the top, you can see all of Frenchman Bay below.

国产吃瓜黑料 国产吃瓜黑料 the Park: Kayak the Porcupines, a chain of four islands in Frenchman Bay, for the beauty and a chance to see seals in the water and bald eagles nesting in the trees. runs half-day trips with beach-combing breaks on the islands (from $67 per person).

Where to Eat: Seafood is it. Lobster rolls are ubiquitous, but start with the one at , which is served with mayo on a grilled brioche bun.

Where to Stay: blends high-end safari tents with an airy lodge complete with local taps and an onsite outfitter service. There鈥檚 plenty of lawn space for games and a pool, too (from $339 a night).

Where to Gear Up: , in the heart of Bar Harbor, has kayaking, hiking, and limbing gear if you need to pick up last-minute equipment.

Terlingua, Texas

There鈥檚 Texas, there鈥檚 West Texas, and then there鈥檚 Far West Texas, a region tucked between the Chisos Mountains and the Rio Grande that is so remote, it makes Montana feel like the suburbs. Terlingua (Pop.: 110ish), is the unofficial capital of Far West Texas, but don鈥檛 expect a lot of hustle and bustle. The roads are mostly dirt, and the town is as much historic mining ruins as active businesses. But you鈥檒l find a bike shop, nice people, and a vibrant food scene, all sandwiched between Big Bend National Park and Big Bend Ranch State Park.

国产吃瓜黑料 Inside the Park: Hike the , which is short (just 1.6 miles round trip) but delivers you to the edge of the Rio Grande, where the canyon鈥檚 walls rise 1,500 feet above the water. After the hike, drive to the , where you can soak in a 105-degree pool, still right next to the Rio Grande.

国产吃瓜黑料 国产吃瓜黑料 the Park: Big Bend Ranch State Park has more than 200 miles of singletrack and dirt road open for mountain biking. Pack plenty of water (remember: at least two liters per person), start out at dawn to avoid the heat of the day, and pedal the 57-mile , which will take you through slopes of sparkling crystals to the edge of a real-life oasis, with a small waterfall dropping into a tight gorge with a pool big enough for plunging.

Where to Eat: A food-truck scene has popped up in recent years, so there are more options in Terlingua than ever before. Or head to Long Draw Pizza for the Terlingua Spur pie, which is part fajitas/part pizza. Get a six-pack of beer from the Terlingua Trading Company, and sit on its front porch mingling with locals and tourists alike. The Starlight has excellent food, live music, and history: for years this restaurant had no roof, hence the name.

Where to Stay: The last time I was in Terlingua, I pitched a tent near the historic cemetery among the mining ruins in the middle of town. These days you can rent a 鈥淏ubble鈥� from , with see-through walls and its own hot tub (from $299 a night). They have nice campsites (from $45 a night) and tear-drop-shaped Lotus tents, too (from $129 a night).

Where to Get Gear: offers bikes, gear, and guided adventures all over the Big Bend region.

Port Angeles, Washington

Sandwiched between the Salish Sea and the million-acre Olympic National Park, Port Angeles (pop.: 20,000) is part harbor town and part mountain town, offering the best of both worlds. The Olympic Mountains rise to 5,000 feet from the edge of one side of town, while you can see Canada, less than 20 miles across the Strait of Juan de Fuca, on the other. The place has attracted boat builders, commercial fishermen, and mountain bikers and surfers alike. From downtown, you can catch a ferry to Canada, or hop on the 60-mile and pedal or run a piece of it (or all of it) through听 Olympic National Park.

国产吃瓜黑料 Inside the Park: Go deep into Olympic by backpacking a 37-mile out and back on the to Blue Glacier, through a rainforest thick with old growth that rises from a floor of moss and ferns. The hike culminates in a view of the 1.7-square-mile Blue Glacier, its crevasse-cut expanse dominating a valley between gray-rock peaks on the edge of the white-capped Mount Olympus.

国产吃瓜黑料 国产吃瓜黑料 the Park: Kayaking the Strait of Juan de Fuca is a veritable safari, as you鈥檙e looking for bald eagles flying above and harbor seals in the calm water surrounding you. Kayakers often see river otters, as well as colorful starfish that cling to the rocky coast. runs regular half-day trips (starting at $89 per person)

Where to Eat: Next Door Gastropub is a staple of the community. Get the fish and chips with Alaskan cod, or the poutine with a fried egg. Or both.

Where to Stay: The is a replica of the first president鈥檚 home, Mount Vernon, built on a lavender farm overlooking the strait. Classic bed-and-breakfast hospitality meets one of the best views on the Olympic Peninsula (from $360 a night, breakfast included).

Where to Get Gear: has everything from climbing gear to local guidebooks. And yes, bikes and kayaks, plus tubes, pumps, paddles, PFDs鈥nd all the little things you might鈥檝e forgotten from home.

Copper Harbor, Michigan

Isle Royale National Park is not easy to get to. The park is made up of more than 450 islands in the middle of Lake Superior, hours from the mainland. You can catch a three-hour ferry ride from Copper Harbor, located on the edge of Michigan鈥檚 Keweenaw Peninsula, but you might not want to leave Copper Harbor, as it has one of the most vibrant mountain-bike scenes in the Midwest, not to mention welcoming Upper Peninsula hospitality.

国产吃瓜黑料 Inside the Park: Because of the three-hour ($160 per adult, round trip), Isle Royale isn鈥檛 a 鈥渄ay trip鈥� kind of place. Try to book a room at (from $245 a night) and spend a couple of days exploring the island. You can rent canoes from Rock Harbor Marina (from $23 for a half day) and paddle some of the fjord-like inlets along the coast of the island. On land, hike the four-mile , which forms a lollipop loop near Rock Harbor and is packed with epic views of Lake Superior and the rocky shoreline of the island.

国产吃瓜黑料 国产吃瓜黑料 the Park: Don鈥檛 come to Copper Harbor without a mountain bike. More than of purpose-built trail covers this nook of the Keweenaw Peninsula, offering a smorgasbord of backcountry bliss, tech features, and rhythmic undulations. The three-mile delivers on the name鈥檚 promise.

Where to Eat: Harbor Haus offers German-inspired upscale fare with killer views of the lake. The whitefish is pulled fresh from the water you鈥檙e staring at from your table.

Where to Stay: has motel rooms and cabins two blocks from Lake Superior (from $105 a night).

Where to Get Gear: has bikes (rentals from $40) and kayaks, tours, shuttles, and more.

Whitefish, Montana

Is Whitefish a ski town or a gateway town? Both. Sure, Whitefish Mountain Resort rises from the edge of downtown, but Glacier National Park is just 27 miles away. Hell, nestled up against the 3,300-acre body of water of the same name, Whitefish is also a lake town with its own community beach. Oh, and it鈥檚 a progressive trail town as the community works to complete the 55-mile Whitefish Trail, a multi-use singletrack path connecting Whitefish proper with area lakes, rivers, and recreation areas.

Best 国产吃瓜黑料 Inside the Park: Hike the , which might be the quintessential Glacier Experience. The 12-mile point-to-point trek traverses the western flank of Continental Divide, following cliffs with the aid of cables, passing through meadows where mountain goats and bighorn sheep may appear, and offering views deep into the park.

Best 国产吃瓜黑料 国产吃瓜黑料 the Park: Pedal the . When finished, the WT will form a 55-plus-mile loop around the community, but you don鈥檛 have to wait; there are 47 miles of singletrack on the ground now. Or head straight to , where 15 miles of singletrack are loaded with the wooden features made popular by bike parks on the North Shore of Vancouver.

Where to Eat: Bonsai Brewing Company has a knack for IPAs as well as hearty rice bowls. Get the Bowlin鈥� Out, with pickled veggies and hummus. On Thursdays, local DJs show up to spin their own collections of vinyl.

Where to Stay: The has lodge rooms, cabins, and campsites directly on the Whitefish Trail, also a wood-fired sauna, not to mention shuttles and rentals (from $50 a night).

Where to Get Gear: has gear for every adventure sport under the sun, as well as rentals and tours.

Fayetteville, West Virginia

This former mining town has been reborn as an adventure hub with quick access to world-class rock climbing and whitewater rafting inside the New River Gorge. The New River Gorge was named America鈥檚 63^rd national park in only 2020, proof that this area and its deep, rugged canyon are truly amazing. The town of 2,800 isn鈥檛 much bigger than the historic square where you鈥檒l find the majority of shops and restaurants. But just past the edge of town, the earth drops 1,000 feet to the bottom of the river thanks to millions of years of erosion, turning Fayetteville鈥檚 backyard into a playground for hikers, climbers, and boaters.

Best 国产吃瓜黑料 Inside the Park:听 At just 70,000 acres, the New River Gorge National Park isn鈥檛 big, relatively speaking. But the adventure is stout. Raft the 12 miles of the Lower New to see the gorge in all its glory as you try to stay in the boat while navigating big water, class IV and V waves.

Best 国产吃瓜黑料 国产吃瓜黑料 of the Park: Just north of Fayetteville, Summersville Lake has 2,700 acres of aqua-blue water surrounded by sandstone cliffs, making it a hubbub of people paddling, swimming, and jumping from rocks into the water. offers full-day paddleboard adventures on the lake that take in the most scenic cliffs and waterfalls (from $120 per person).

Where to Eat: Pies and Pints is a cornerstone of Fayetteville. The pizzas range from traditional to weird (the Brunch Pie has scrambled eggs), but they鈥檙e always good. The selection of beer is unrivaled in the area, too.

Where to Stay: has campsites, primitive cabins, and deluxe homes situated on the edge of the canyon on an expansive property with its own restaurants, pool, and trail system (campsites from $39 a night).

Where to Get Gear: has hiking and climbing gear, as well as the local beta you need to make the most of your time in the gorge.

Graham Averill is 国产吃瓜黑料 magazine鈥檚 national parks columnist. He appreciates a good gateway town, but has never actually lived within shouting distance of a national park. If he had to choose one of the towns listed above to call home, it might be Port Angeles, Washington. Still his favorite is Terlingua.

For more by this author:

The 8 Most Adventurous States in America. Number 1 Is 鈥�

And the 11 Least Visited National Parks Are鈥�

11 Remote Destinations That Are Definitely Worth the Effort to Visit

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