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.

I wasn鈥檛 introduced to the pleasures of lake life until my early 30s. Born and raised on the Jersey Shore, I was ocean obsessed. If the water didn鈥檛 have waves and leave me salt-kissed, I wasn鈥檛 interested. When I moved to Colorado 15 years ago, I was gripped by land-locked panic and started road-tripping to any body of water I could find. I soon discovered many of my favorite ocean sports (kitesurfing, paddleboarding, foiling) could be performed on lakes. And many of the lakes I visited were surrounded by wilderness trails that I could hike, bike, and run. Some shocked me with their Caribbean-esque beauty. Others awed me with their alpine backdrops.

While the jet-set flocks to Europe to see-and-be-seen on the glamorous shores of Lake Como, Italy, and Lake Lucerne, Switzerland, the adventure set heads to the U.S., where lake life is blissfully more rugged than refined. America is blessed with nearly 3 million lakes. Everyone knows Powell, Placid, and Tahoe (for good reason), so I won鈥檛 be redundant. And I鈥檒l urge you to read 国产吃瓜黑料 contributor Stephanie Pearson鈥檚 wonderful story on the overlooked playground of Lake Superior, which I have yet to visit. Based on my travels, these are nine lesser-known American lakes I highly recommend exploring this summer.

1. Bear Lake, Utah-Idaho Border

Why we love it: sparkling jewel is nicknamed the 鈥淐aribbean of the Rockies鈥� for its crystal-clear, turquoise waters, which owe their hue to an abundance of calcium carbonate deposits. At 20 miles long and 8 miles wide, the lake is almost perfectly split between Idaho and Utah. No longer a secret, its sandy shores can feel crowded in the peak of summer. But the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation purchased an additional 28 acres of land last March, adding 1,200 feet of shoreline to the west of the lake to ease congestion.

国产吃瓜黑料 intel: On my first visit to Bear Lake, I spent my days paddleboarding, kayaking, and wake surfing off popular Rendezvous Beach at the south end of the lake. Rental companies and stock every imaginable toy from Sea-Doos to water trampolines. Over the border, ($20) two geothermal-heated pools are located right on North Beach and will warm you up after a windy day on the lake. Make time to explore beyond the shores. The surrounding area is home to fascinating caves, like Idaho鈥檚 Paris Ice Cave, which never completely melts, and fantastic hiking spots, like , near Logan, UT.

Base: lets you channel your Oregon Trail fantasies and overnight in retrofitted covered wagons that sleep up to six people (from $236). Located on the edges of the west side of the lake in Garden City, UT, one of the area鈥檚 main hubs, this Old West-inspired glamping resort has complimentary cruiser bikes, an onsite general store, and one of the best restaurants in town (they can also make picnics).

2. Cave Run Lake, Kentucky

Why we love it: Almost completely surrounded by the northernmost section of the , this 8,270-acre lake is a mecca for anglers hunting muskellunge, known as the 鈥渇ish of 10,000 casts鈥� due to their elusive nature. It鈥檚 also a dream destination for boating, kayaking, sailing, and swimming and its shores are surrounded by hundreds of miles of hiking and biking trails.

国产吃瓜黑料 intel: The town of Morehead is known as the Muskie Capital of the South. Hire Gregg Thomas at and try to hook a fish that tops the state record, just shy of 50 pounds. Tackle a stretch of the 300-mile Sheltowee Trace National Recreation Trail or trek the approximately six-mile out-and-back , which follows the shoreline and rewards hikers with an unbeatable view of Twin Knobs across the lake.

Base: On the south side of the lake, the has some 200 sites (from $31) spread out over 10 forested loops. Campers have access to a beach, volleyball courts, horseshoe pits, plus a boat ramp and fishing dock. The site also has easy access to scenic, low-key hikes, like the 2.5-mile Twin Knobs Shoreline Trail and the 1.5-mile Knob Overlook Trail.

3. Lake Ouachita, Arkansas

Why we love it: The refreshing lack of shoreline development around Arkansas鈥檚 largest lake makes it still feel wild and untouched; it also boasts some of the cleanest waters in the country. Surrounded by 1.8 million acres of forest and sprinkled with 200-plus islands, you can find a patch of wilderness all to yourself, even in the height of summer.

国产吃瓜黑料 intel: Fishing outfitter can help you hook whopper stripers and bass. This is also one of the few lakes that allows spear fishing. Lake Ouachita State Park hugs the eastern shores and its marina rents all the equipment you might desire. Kayak the 16-mile . The first water-based interpretive trail included in the National Trails System features 12 exploration areas that shed light on the lake鈥檚 unique geological formations. You can also ogle many of these formations underwater while the lake鈥檚 30 dive spots.

Base: Lake Ouachita State Park has 93 campsites (from $16) and eight cabins (from $220), most overlooking the water. Or book a floating home from (from $3,000 for three days for up to 10 people).

4. Grand Lake, Colorado

Why we love it: Originally called Spirit Lake by the Ute Tribe, Colorado鈥檚 largest and deepest body of water is a Front Range gem in summer with its public beach, yacht club, and marinas. Hemmed in on three sides by Rocky Mountain National Park, the area offers countless land-based adventures. And the tiny town of Grand Lake oozes old-timey nostalgia.

国产吃瓜黑料 intel: Located steps from the historic downtown boardwalk, the Headwaters Marina rents pedal boats ($30 per hour), sports boats ($100 per hour), pontoons (from $140 per hour), and offers scenic, one-hour boat tours ($25). Family-operated is just in front of the marina and rents single and tandem kayaks (from $30 per hour). Rocky Mountain Park鈥檚 west entrance in Grand County is far less trafficked. The starts in town. It鈥檚 only .8 miles round-trip to reach the cascades. Continue another mile for awesome views of Mount Baldy and听 another 4.8 miles to reach Lone Pine Lake.

Base: Perched high above the water, has been welcoming guests since 1921. The cabins, originally purchased from the Sears Roebuck catalog, were recently renovated (from $185). It鈥檚 debatable which has the better sunset view: the porch swings or the hot tub and pool.

5. Green and Round Lakes, New York

Why we love it: These two mesmerizing jade-colored bodies of water form the heart of 1,955-acre Green Lakes State Park, located 10 miles east of Syracuse. Aquatic anomalies, both are meromictic鈥攁 rare condition where surface and deeper waters do not mix鈥攁nd contain calcium carbonate, which precipitates out of the water during late May to early June and settles to form white, reef-like structures on the shores. One of 28 National Natural Landmark sites in the U.S., Round Lake stands out for its border of old-growth forest (uncommon in the northeast).

国产吃瓜黑料 intel: Green Lake, the larger of the two, has a sandy public beach with swimming access and a boat house that rents rowboats and kayaks (from $12 an hour). A network of showcase the park鈥檚 old-growth forests and gorges; birdwatching fanatics can try to .

Base: Green Lakes State Park Campgrounds has 137 campsites ($20-$39) and seven cabins ($115 per night, two-night minimum). Reservations can be made up to nine months in advance; non New York residents must pay a $5 fee. 听

6. Lake Jocassee, South Carolina

Why we love it: Nestled in the northwest corner of South Carolina, this fjord-like reservoir can only be accessed through Devils Fork State Park. Four Appalachian mountain rivers feed the lake, keeping its mirror-like waters remarkably clear and refreshingly cool. When I visited, I marveled at the solitude I found while angling for trout in a deep cove and paddleboarding past waterfalls that tumble into the lake.

国产吃瓜黑料 intel: Located just outside of the park, Jocassee Outdoor Center is your one-stop-shop for groceries, boat rentals (from $400 for four hours), and wakeboards, tubes, and other water toys ($45 each). rents single and tandem kayaks (from $50 per day) and also offers to the best waterfalls ($125 for six hours). The park鈥檚 towering waterfalls鈥攕ome of the highest in the eastern U.S.鈥攕teal the spotlight, but if you arrive in early spring, you might see pinkish-white Oconee Bells, one of America鈥檚 rarest wildflowers.

Base: The park operates 20 cozy, one- and two-bedroom 鈥渧illas鈥濃�攆ully-furnished cabins with screened porches and waterfront views; all require a two-night minimum and some require a full week (from $275 per night). Campers can choose from 59 RV and tent sites, (from $32). For total seclusion, one of the 25 sites in the park鈥檚 boat-in campground (from $40).

7. Lake McConaughy, Nebraska

Why we love it: The azul waters of Lake Mac appear like a reverie amid Nebraska鈥檚 corn fields. If it weren鈥檛 for the John Deere tractors dotting the talcum shores, you鈥檇 think you were in the Turks & Caicos. The state鈥檚 largest reservoir, located within the , is a 3.5-hour drive east of Denver. It鈥檚 one of my favorite summer 鈥渂each鈥� escapes for camping on the sand, wake surfing, paddling, sailing, and kite surfing.

国产吃瓜黑料 intel: The lake鈥檚 gateway town, Ogallala, is 20 minutes from the water. Make a pit-stop for supplies and a Nebraska-raised beef burger from excellent, locally-owned restaurant . rents ski boats and pontoons ($225 for two hours) as well as jet skis ($180 for two hours). offers rentals and instruction ($25 for two hours). Birdwatchers should bring their binos. The lake is home to some . Fishing enthusiasts descend here in July to compete in the .

Base: are required during peak season, May 20 through September 10. Non site-specific beach camping in 17 designated areas can be reserved 30 days in advance (from $20). Reservations for the five non-beach campgrounds can be made 180 days in advance (from $15). Last summer, I couldn鈥檛 score a site, but I was able to get a lakefront tent pitched ($33) on two-mile stretch of private shoreline. The recently renovated resort also has RV hookups (from $40) and motel-style rooms and cabins (from $124), plus kayak rentals, a general store, and a great restaurant that regularly hosts live music.

8. Clear Lake, Oregon

Why we love it: Boasting over 100 feet of underwater visibility, Clear Lake lives up to its name. This shimmering beauty was formed more than 3,000 years ago when a volcanic lava flow dammed the McKenzie River. A ghostly sunken forest lies beneath its cold, crystalline waters. Bounded by the Willamette National Forest, it鈥檚 a paradise for hiking and mountain biking.

国产吃瓜黑料 intel: It鈥檚 of the best freshwater diving spots in the U.S. because it鈥檚 so clear and bottom-lined with ancient, petrified trees. Pack your 5 mill wetsuit (at least) as the water temperature averages 37 degrees Fahrenheit. You can rent gear and get intel at or in Bend. Get the lay of the land by hiking the 4.8-mile Clear Lake Loop Trail. The legendary is a must for mountain bikers, with 26 miles of singletrack winding through lava fields and old-growth forest along the eastern section of the lake. rents mountain bikes (from $55 per day) and offers shuttles ($35).

Base: The on the eastern shore has 34 campsites, plus a boat ramp and fish cleaning station for anglers (from $33). On the lake鈥檚 north edge, Clear Water Resort has yurts (from $90) and cabins (from $80) and rents glass-bottom tandem kayaks ($25 per hour).

9. Lake Willoughby, Vermont

Why we love it: Sandwiched between the fjord-like peaks of Mounts Pisgah and Hor in the Northeast Kingdom, this glacial-carved lake is often referred to as America鈥檚 Lucerne. Its translucent waters stretch five miles long and one-mile wide, making it ideal for paddling, boating, and wild swimming.

国产吃瓜黑料 intel: Earn your dunk after hiking the semi- strenuous, highly scenic 4.8-mile, out-and-back Mount Pisgah North Trail or biking the of Willoughby State Forest. The lake鈥檚 calm waters are a pleasure to paddle (see equipment deets below).

Base: is a little haven on the north shore (from $219). Ten log cabins each have two bedrooms, full kitchens, and porches (cabins 2-6 have the best lake views) and Clyde River Recreation delivers kayaks, paddleboards, and canoes right to the property (from $35 a day). On the south shores, Willoughby State Forest offers . If you need amenities, has RV Hook-Ups (from $52), tent sites (from $41), and cabins (from $81), equipment rentals, and a seriously good cafe that serves breakfast all day.

Jen Murphy is a regular 国产吃瓜黑料 contributor and converted lake lover. She has plans to spend a week at Caspian Lake in Vermont this summer.

The post Lesser-Known Lake Escapes in the U.S. appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Bigger is not always better. While we spend plenty of time oohing and ahhing over larger mountain towns like Boulder or Chattanooga, there are dozens of smaller hamlets with fewer than 6,000 full-time residents that offer the right combo of amenities and quick access to some of the best spots for outdoor recreation in the country. Here are my favorite small adventure towns across the United States, from minuscule hiking and climbing outposts to bustling ski towns.

Bethel, Maine

Population: 2,730

Why I Love It

Bethel is the kind of town that makes you consider relocating. Tucked into Western Maine鈥檚 Lakes and Mountains region, the village itself is super walkable with an eclectic array of restaurants, while being surrounded by public land, from the peaks that make up the expansive White Mountain National Forest to the less-intimidating Community Forest trails accessed directly from town.

The slow-moving Androscoggin River passes through the village (prime tubing in the summer) and an ever-growing is attracting more and more mountain bikers.

Oh, and Bethel is flanked by two ski resorts. is the larger of the two, with more than 2,000 feet of vertical and 750 acres of terrain (not to mention a couple of heated lifts), while is the mom-and-pop ski hill we all wish we had in our backyard, with $39 lift tickets every day, a friendly uphill policy, and a solid mix of terrain to keep it interesting.

Signature 国产吃瓜黑料s

Most people come to Bethel to ski Sunday River. If you鈥檙e looking for a challenge, head to Oz, a zone loaded with steep double black runs, or take Lollapalooza to Blind Ambition, an expansive gladed run on the edge of Jordan Bowl. Bring your mountain bike during the summer. Mt. Abram has lift-served terrain, but you can hit a number of trails directly from the edge of town. is a fun, flowy three-mile loop in the center of the Bethel Village Trails on the south side of the village.

Where to Eat

has a genius cocktail menu, as well as a seafood chowder that hits just right on a cold winter night. If you鈥檙e looking for something more casual, has burgers and a rotating New England IPA on tap.

Where to Stay

The will put you on the southern edge of the village, within walking distance of restaurants, and direct access to some of the town鈥檚 most loved mountain bike trails (from $126 per night).

Stowe, Vermont

Population: 5,230 or 745

Why I Love It

Quite simply, Stowe is the East Coast鈥檚 best ski town, especially this winter as Stowe Mountain Resort has enjoyed 329 inches of snow (and counting) at the time I鈥檓 writing this article, and then you have the New England charm of the village itself, with its steeples, covered bridges, and brick federal architectural style. And all of this sits in the shadow of the massive Mount Mansfield State Forest and Smugglers鈥� Notch State Park.

Not cool enough yet? How about an aggressive and progressive local population that鈥檚 worked to preserve more than for public use while building out a growing system of singletrack and nordic trails that can be accessed straight from town. Is Stowe still a sleepy hamlet tucked into the hills? Yes and no. The village still feels small, but it can be expensive, and it can get crowded, but that鈥檚 the proverbial price you pay for being the best ski town on the East Coast.

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In the winter, you鈥檙e obviously skiing Stowe, which is one of the East鈥檚 best resorts, with more than 2,000 vertical feet of drop, and 653 skiable acres split between two mountains: Mount Mansfield and Spruce Peak.When the snow melts, combine a slice of the and the for an eight-mile loop that climbs the 4,393-foot Mount Mansfield via a 2,000-foot climb that includes some ladders and scrambling before reaching the treeless summit, where you can see the surrounding Green Mountains and the White Mountains in New Hampshire.

Mountain bikers should pedal the Stowe Recreation Trail, a six-mile paved path along the What River, to access , Stowe鈥檚 signature trail network with 12 miles of purpose-built singletrack. Make sure you hit the mile-long Florence, considered by many the best flow trail in the northeast. And listen, everyone should make a point to visit Stowe during fall, when the weather is crisp and the hardwoods are popping off in a barrage of reds, yellows, and golds.

Where to Eat

is incredibly hip, incredibly good, and incredibly crowded, but get on the waitlist and when it鈥檚 your chance, order the Vermont cheddar fritters and their smash burger and listen to the DJ spinning from a wall of vinyl. And if you鈥檙e in Vermont, you have to stop by the and pick up a four pack of the beer that put the brewery on the map, Heady Topper.

Where to Stay

Stowe has resorts attached to the ski hill and quaint bed and breakfasts, but check out the new cabins and lodge rooms at a few miles outside of town, with direct access to Stowe鈥檚 Recreation Path. The lodge has its own bar, pool, and hot tub and a grassy lawn overlooking the West Branch of the Little River (from $151 per night).

Silverton, Colorado

Population: 713

Why I Love It

Sitting at 9,300 feet in elevation, Silverton is a former gold and silver mining town that has found new life as a basecamp for outdoor adventure, thanks to the surrounding San Juan Mountains鈥攁 hotbed of skiing in the winter and alpine adventure in the summer. If you鈥檙e standing in downtown Silverton, you鈥檙e within and 15 miles of seven of Colorado鈥檚 14,000-foot summits.

The entire town is a National Historic Landmark with buildings erected in the late 1800s that still retain their Wild West vibe. Greene Street, the main road through the heart of town, is the only paved street in the municipality. I鈥檝e visited Silverton during the winter, on my way to ski the backcountry terrain in the San Juan mountains, but I鈥檓 dying to get back in the summer and early fall to check out the growing network of mountain bike trails and see the aspens surrounding town turn gold.

Signature 国产吃瓜黑料s

Experience the best of the San Juans in summer by hiking the , located in the Weminuche Wilderness of the San Juan National Forest. The eight-mile out and back passes through meadows packed with wildflowers before delivering you to a trio of high-alpine lakes that are known to house rainbow, cutthroat, and brook trout. The hike tops out at 12,000 feet in elevation, but you can climb higher by picking up the Continental Divide Trail above the lakes.

The local bike club, the Silverton Singletrack Society, is in the process of building out 30 miles of singletrack in a system called that you can pedal to from town. The first six-mile loop has just opened, offering a steep climb before releasing you to a 1,000-foot, flowy descent.

If you have the skillset, I highly recommend skiing , which is like no other ski 鈥渞esort鈥� in the country. A single chairlift rises from a warming hut, from the top you can skin out to a cornucopia of backcountry lines, all of which demand expert-level skiing. If that鈥檚 not enough terrain, Silverton Mountain also offers heli-bumps from the top of the chairlift.

Where to Eat

has great IPAs as well as a full menu, from cauliflower tacos to pizzas loaded with sausage and bacon.

Where to Stay

The has 15 modern rooms in a multi-story building that once housed a gas station, ballroom, and lodge hall. The hotel sits in the heart of downtown and every booking comes with a $10 drink credit in the lobby bar (private rooms from $176 per night; bunks in the 10-bed bunk room from $75 per night).

Highlands, North Carolina

Population: 1,110听

Why I Love It

Highlands, which is one of the highest incorporated towns east of the Mississippi (elevation: 4,118 feet), has been a mountain escape since the late 1800s, originally attracting wealthy travelers who flocked to the village for its clean air and pristine surroundings.

People today show up for the same reasons, and Highlands has grown into a cultural hub of the mountains, with a surprisingly robust art and culinary scene given its small footprint. Main Street is bustling with shops, galleries and restaurants, while the surrounding Nantahala National Forest offers fast access to hiking trails, mountain lakes, and waterfalls.

Signature 国产吃瓜黑料s

Hiking Whiteside Mountain, a 4,903-foot peak named after the sheer, granite face that rises to its summit, is the must-do adventure close to town. The two-mile forms a loop that delivers you to the edge of this 700-foot cliff, one of the tallest in the eastern U.S.

You can actually drive your car behind Bridal Veil Falls, just outside of town, but for a more adventurous waterfall, head to Bust Your Butt Falls, a swimming hole just off Highway 64 on the Cullasaja River with a jumping rock and natural water slide at the base of the falls.

Where to Eat

You can鈥檛 turn around without stumbling into another fancy (and pricey) restaurant in Highlands, but I like for its to-go sandwiches and snacks that hit the spot on big hikes.

Where to Stay

Highlands has no shortage of high-end hotels and resorts, but I like the new , a 14-room motel that was recently renovated into a boutique stay where each room has its own typewriter and turntable with record collection (from $189 per night).

Kanab, Utah

Population: 5,200听

Why I Love It

You can鈥檛 beat Kanab鈥檚 location. Tucked into the desert of southern Utah, just north of the Arizona border, Kanab sits within striking distance of some of the Southwest鈥檚 most iconic landscapes. Bryce Canyon National Park is an hour north, Zion National Park is 45 minutes west. If you鈥檙e looking to take a dip, Lake Powell is an hour east, and drive two hours south and you鈥檒l hit the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.

The town itself is steeped in Hollywood history, as more than 200 Westerns were filmed in the canyons around town. Kanab itself has a bit of a Moab vibe (think adobe buildings and streets sprawling through the desert floor) but it鈥檚 far sleepier than its gateway cousin, and in my opinion, has a much better culinary scene.

Signature 国产吃瓜黑料s

So many parks, so little time. For something unique, head to where you can sand-board the 75-foot tall dunes, made of grains of quartz coated with iron oxide, giving them a pink hew. You can rent sand boards or sleds from the at the park ($25 per board).

Hike Wire Pass to Buckskin Gulch, considered the longest slot canyon in America. The is the fastest way into the gorge, a 3.4-mile round trip that delivers you to the canyon. From there, you can explore up or down the canyon to your heart鈥檚 content. The gulch is in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. You鈥檒l need a for the day hike.

Buckskin Gulch is more than 12 miles long, and 200 feet deep at its low point. The walls are never wider than 20 feet during its entire length.

Where to Eat

Kanab is a legitimate foodie destination with a handful of restaurants that punch above the weight of a town this size. If you鈥檙e looking for a memorable dinner, head to , where the menu revolves around a series of small plates, from foraged local mushrooms to chili-rubbed beef sourced just across the border in Arizona.

Where to Stay

There are plenty of hotels around town, but spend the night at , a glamping resort with geodesic domes that have king beds, their own kitchenette, and massive windows overlooking the red rock cliffs (from $170 per night).

Patagonia, Arizona

Population: 789

Why I Love It

Start in Tucson, then head an hour south (almost to the Mexican border) and you鈥檒l find tiny Patagonia, a former mining town that鈥檚 just starting to transition into a bonafide adventure town. This one-street village is surrounded by 10,000-foot peaks, and sits within striking distance of two state parks鈥擯atagonia Lake and Sonoita Creek. But the real draw here is the myriad of gravel roads that extend from main street into the surrounding hills, traversing an endless sea of desert grassland.

You鈥檒l hear both Spanish and English spoken throughout town, which also sports the tell-tale signs of a modern mountain outpost (like at the coffee bar with weekend food trucks), but is still hanging onto its blue-collar roots (and rooms are still relatively cheap).

Signature 国产吃瓜黑料s

The 800-mile long Arizona National Scenic Trail, which runs the length of the state, can be found just outside of town. Head south for a meandering hike through rolling grasslands, or north and you鈥檒l tackle the Santa Rita Mountains, where steep climbs and granite peaks await.

But you鈥檙e probably here for the gravel riding, too. The options are endless, and the terrain is rolling instead of grueling, so plan for big-mile days. Start with the 30-mile Alto Ghost Town ride, which climbs through a series of canyons on its way to the ruins of a former mining camp. The undulating grasslands turn gold in the fall but form mesmerizing, shimmering waves regardless of when you ride through them. has rentals (from $125 per day).

Where to Eat

The has build-your-own pizzas, margaritas, and classy oil portraits of The King, while brews coffee in the morning, beer in the afternoon, and hosts rotating food trucks on weekends.

Where to Stay

Grab a spot in the nine-room hotel, which sits on main street within walking distance of everything, and has dedicated bike storage (from $125 per night).

Mazama, Washington

Population 200听

Why I Love It

There鈥檚 small, and then there鈥檚 Mazama, a hamlet in central Washington鈥檚 Methow Valley that has less than 200 year-round residents and a 鈥渄owntown鈥� that鈥檚 nothing more than a handful of businesses situated around a junction where two roads meet. But Mazama has everything you need鈥攆ood, beer, supplies, and a place to sleep.

More importantly, the town is surrounded by the , the largest network of nordic ski trails in the country (120 miles), all of which were created and maintained by a non-profit, also called . During the summer, there鈥檚 whitewater rafting on the Methow River, and trad and sport climbing on the Goat Wall, a 1,500-foot tall cliff overlooking the valley. Need more? Mazama is a gateway to North Cascades National Park, which has more glaciers than any park in the lower 48, and also happens to be one of the least visited parks in the country, with under 17,000 visitors last year.

Signature 国产吃瓜黑料s

State Road 20, a.k.a. North Cascades Highway, closes from Mazama into the park during the winter, but come summer, the two-lane offers a beautiful 90-minute drive west over Washington Pass. The of the park offers the easiest access to Mazama. There, you鈥檒l find three reservoirs of differing shades of milky blue. Grab a canoe ($75 a day) from and explore the lake, which is surrounded by steep, green mountains. Or hike the 3.5-mile to a prominent point overlooking Diablo Lake.

If you make the trek during winter, cross country skiing is the ticket. There are 120 miles of nordic trails throughout the valley, all of which are groomed nightly. Crazy right? Mazama has its own trailhead, where you can kick and glide along the 11-mile , which has minimal gain but big-valley views.

Where to Eat

There aren鈥檛 a lot of options, but the has to-go sandwiches and snacks and is the best example of what a modern general store can be. The has a taproom and patio with views of Goat Peak, not to mention craft beer, rice bowls, and even sushi.

Where to Stay

The has lodge rooms within walking distance of the Public House (from $182 per night).

Fayetteville, West Virginia

Population 2,900听

Why I Love It

In the 1800s, the New River Gorge area attracted lumberjacks and coal miners, as the river canyon was rich in both resources. Now, it attracts hikers, boaters, and climbers, and the New River Gorge has become one of America鈥檚 newest national parks.

The small town of Fayetteville has stood witness to it all, evolving into a world-class gateway community with a historic downtown square, and just enough in the way of restaurants and shops to keep visitors and locals satiated. Fayetteville still retains that sleepy, small town vibe, but just beyond the city鈥檚 borders lies some of the best outdoor recreation in the East, starting with the whitewater rafting and world-class climbing inside the New River Gorge. There鈥檚 also mellow paddling on Summersville Lake, mountain biking on the Arrowhead Trails, a hand-carved system built by Boy Scouts, and more whitewater action on the nearby Gauley River.

Signature 国产吃瓜黑料s

Most people show up to raft the , which runs for 53 miles through the heart of the 1,000-foot deep canyon. The river is typically broken down into two day-long runs. The Upper New is more family friendly, with 13 miles of class I-III rapids, while the Lower New has big hits that reach class IV plus.

The whitewater is exciting, but the climbing is actually better, with more than 1,500 established routes along the sandstone walls that loom over the river below. And that doesn鈥檛 even include the growing number of bouldering problems found in the gorge. The climbing isn鈥檛 easy (grades top out at ) but will put you on the right route if you鈥檙e looking for a guide (starting at $130 per person).

Where to Eat

Fayetteville鈥檚 downtown square sports a handful of restaurants. Operating out of a former church just off the square, has been the town鈥檚 go-to for breakfast and lunch for decades. If you ride a couple of hot laps on the flowy , make sure to stop by the for a cold beer and a brat (or taco) served al-fresco in their beer garden.

Where to Stay

The New River Gorge supports several adventure outposts, where you can find cheap campsites or luxury cabins. I like , which has options spread across a 350-acre campus with its own restaurants, a pool, and a stunning view of the gorge itself (covered platform tent sites start at $49 per night).

McCall, Idaho

Population: 4,066听

Why I Love It

The obvious draw to McCall is the skiing. The small town sits in the Cuddy and Salmon River Mountains of Idaho, collecting 300 inches of snow a year, with quick access to three ski resorts, Tamarack Resort, Brundage Mountain, and the aptly named Little Ski Hill, which has night skiing and just a T-bar for a lift.

But then you also have Payette Lake, a 5,000-acre beauty surrounded by green peaks and full of trout that have been beckoning anglers since the 1800s. Not to mention, whitewater rafting on the Middle Fork and Main Fork of the Salmon, and a growing portfolio of mountain bike trails, as well as ample hiking trails in Payette National Forest and Ponderosa State Park. Begin stacking all of these attributes up and it becomes obvious that the draw to McCall is鈥�everything.

Signature 国产吃瓜黑料s

Many will argue that has the best powder in Idaho, so skiers should head there during a winter visit. The mountain has almost 2,000 acres of front-side terrain to explore, but it鈥檚 the 18,000 acres of backcountry that you can access via the resort鈥檚 that are the real gem here (starting at $575).

Bring your bike in the summer as McCall is rapidly becoming a , earning a Silver Ride Center designation from IMBA, with a diverse suite of trails that鈥檚 rapidly approaching 500 miles large. Head straight for , a golf course resort that鈥檚 gone all-in on mountain biking with 17 miles of fast, flowy descents, some of which are packed with wooden features, all accessed via easy-to-climb fire roads or shuttle ($30 per rider).

Where to Eat

McCall is a bustling adventure town with plenty of options for a good meal, but has award-winning lagers to go along with their fried wild salmon and chips.

Where to Stay

takes modern Scandinavian-inspired design and puts it into a 1970s-era motel built with local timber. And the rooms walk out onto an expansive lawn with games and fire pits (from $131 per night).

Bigfork, Montana

Population: 5,249听

Why I Love It

At first glance, Bigfork is a lake town, sitting on the edge of the massive Flathead Lake, which has 200 square miles of water and 185 miles of shoreline. And it has plenty of kayaking and fishing for those that are water inclined. But it鈥檚 also a hiking town, with quick access to the Bob Marshall Wilderness, the Flathead National Forest, and numerous state parks.

Want a little adrenaline? Bigfork is also the basecamp for whitewater adventures on the Middle Fork and North Fork of the Flathead River. Oh, and Bigfork is just an hour from the West Glacier entrance to Glacier National Park. So is Bigfork a lake town? Yes, but it鈥檚 also so much more.

Signature 国产吃瓜黑料s

Head to the of Flathead National Forest, a 15,000-acre tract within the Bob Marshall Wilderness featuring more than 20 alpine lakes. Hike a 6.6-mile loop combining the (#717) and the Picnic Lakes Trail to the rocky summit of the 7,000-foot Mount Aeneas, where you鈥檒l find views of the Jewel Basin lakes below, and the ridges of Glacier National Park on the horizon. You鈥檒l occasionally find mountain goats on the summit too. Bring a flyrod and try to land one of the cutthroat or rainbow trout that thrive in the Picnic Lakes on the back end of the loop.

Flathead Lake has six state parks that protect its shoreline and the islands in the middle of the water. Paddle two miles across the lake from the boat launch in Dayton, Montana, to , a 2,165-acre state park in the middle of the lake that鈥檚 only accessible by boat. Instead of cars, you鈥檒l see feral horses and bighorn sheep. has kayak and paddleboard rentals (starting at $40).

Where to Eat

has views of the lake, 16 beers on tap, and a large pub-food menu that includes a burger topped with jalape帽o poppers. So, yeah. Yum.

Where to Stay

is an all-inclusive dude ranch on 2,000 acres running along the shores of Flathead Lake. You鈥檒l get access to the property鈥檚 15-mile private mountain bike trail system, canoes, hikes, and horseback rides to backcountry breakfast (starting at $5,103 a week). If you鈥檙e looking for less of a financial commitment, has cabins and Airstreams, all of which come with private access to the lake (from $210 per night).

Graham Averill is 国产吃瓜黑料 magazine鈥檚 national parks columnist. He鈥檚 been lucky enough to live in a few of America鈥檚 most fun (and expensive) adventure towns, and recently wrote about the country鈥檚 best mountain towns. He also recently wrote about the best national parks for spring break trips.听

The post The Top 9 Small 国产吃瓜黑料 Towns in the U.S. appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

If you’re asking yourself where you should go on vacation this year, you’re not alone. And there鈥檚 no shortage of 鈥渨here to go鈥� lists this time of year鈥攃ompeting compendiums of new hotels and resorts, trendy neighborhoods, and cultural hotspots to check out in the year ahead.

This is not that list. Not exactly, anyways.

As adventure addicts, we wanted to craft a roster of amazing destinations where you can get outdoors, camp, paddle, surf, hike, and crush some dynamic singletrack. Our overriding parameters determining what made the cut was simple: what鈥檚 cool and fresh in the world outside?

The answer? Plenty.

Here鈥檚 Where to Go on Vacation in 2025, If You’re Into These Outdoor Pursuits

Every one of these destinations promises an amazing adventure, whether that鈥檚 carving down a fresh-cut ski run, tackling a section of a new thru-hiking terrain, or releasing turtles on the beaches of Mexico. These trips all come with good food, great vistas, and unforgettable cultural experiences. And yes, a few even have luxe places to crash at night, too.

Many of these destinations are in the beginning phases of executing ambitious goals, and we included them to offer a glimpse of what鈥檚 to come. Others are perennial favorites that have simply been overlooked by online-influencer culture and thus remain indelibly cool in real life. In other words, we鈥檙e offering up some new options and some classic standbys. We also included both domestic and international destinations for each type of adventure, in case you鈥檙e feeling particularly wanderlusty (or a staycation).

Together, they prove, once again, that there鈥檚 no shortage of fun to have outside. Here鈥檚 where to travel in 2025 if you鈥檙e up for it.

1. Long Walks (or Runs)

Stay Domestic: Cross Texas Trail, Texas

Beginning this year, Texas will get its own thru-hiking epic, the new Cross Texas Trail, a proposed 1,500-mile-long haul that stretches from the Louisiana border in the east, near the town of Orange, to El Paso in the west. Among the many highlights of the planned xTx, as it is known: panoramic views of Hill Country, the rugged peaks of Big Bend Ranch State Park, East Texas barbecue joints, the crystal-clear Devil鈥檚 River, and the highest point in Texas, Guadalupe Peak, at 8,751 feet.

The trail, designed for hikers, bikers, and equestrians, is a work in progress, but the route features a mix of singletrack and paved and gravel backcountry public roads. You can ride much of the route now, but the nonprofit behind the xTx鈥攍ed by bike advocate, former community design consultant, and state representative Charlie Gandy鈥攊s currently working on access to some private ranch land so that riders can more easily enter some sections of state and national parks. In the future, there could even be trailheads equipped with picnic areas, water stations, and campsites, but for now, it鈥檚 all a self-supported, DIY affair. The trail has a long way to go to match the history of the Appalachian Trail or the sheer beauty of the Pacific Crest Trail, but it could be one of the best, if longest, ways to experience the hardscrabble charm of the Lone Star State.

Go Abroad: Palmilhar Portugal, Portugal

Portugal is about to get its own version of Spain鈥檚 Camino de Santiago, a new 3,000-kilometer (1,850 miles) loop trail that is being billed as the world鈥檚 longest circular hiking route. The trail, called (or 鈥淲alking Portugal鈥�, in English), will eventually pass through over 100 off-the-beaten-path attractions around the country, from windmills and vineyards outside Lisbon to mountain peaks in the north. Most of the trail is still under construction, but initial sections opened last summer, and new routes are being added regularly throughout 2025. While mostly a hiking trail, Palmilhar Portugal will have some sections open to cyclists, too. The team behind Palmihar Portugal plans to launch an app later this year, , that will help visitors look up information about the route and the services along the way, including places to stay, restaurants, and points of interest.

2. Fat-Tire and Mountain-Biking Fun

Stay Domestic: Killington Bike Park, Vermont

In the fall of 2024, , in Vermont’s Green Mountains, was purchased by a passionate group of local investors who promised big changes to New England鈥檚 iconic ski area, including a in capital improvements over the next two seasons. Those upgrades include an expansion to its already impressive bike park, with 30 miles of lift-accessed mountain-biking trails.

Beginning in 2025, the park will get a new trail, accessed by the Ramshead Express Quad, and other improvements are in the works. The new trail (dubbed Ramshead, construction on which starts this spring) will start at the top of the lift and snake down the mountain for more than two miles. Even without the new upgrades, the bike park is one of the best in the East, with features like berms, tabletops, and bridges that cater to intermediate and advanced riders alike. Its signature trail, 鈥�,鈥� is a steep, technical descent with rock gardens and big jumps, but there are plenty of smoother trails for beginner downhillers, too. (One-day passes begin at $65.) Off the trails, Killington鈥檚 base area is buzzing with its new enhancements on the horizon, and everything points to this year being the start of upgraded riding to come for Killington.

Go Abroad: Mogo Trails Project, Australia

Like many areas rich in adventure bona fides鈥擝ritish Columbia, South Africa, New Zealand鈥擜ustralia is investing heavily in new trails for mountain bike aficionados, and one the largest ongoing projects is , in New South Wales.

The expansive trail network, roughly four hours south of Sydney, is being developed near the town of Mogo, a tiny outpost adjacent to the area鈥檚 temperate rainforests.听 Mogo Trails is being designed for various skill levels, from beginners to advanced riders, with a mix of park-style gravity trails with jumps and cross-country trails.

Currently, there are about 70km of singletrack ready for riders, with a total of 130km planned to be completed in 2025 and beyond. Finished trails are listed on, along with descriptions of each one. If you鈥檙e coming from Sydney, you鈥檒l need to book lodging nearby. Batemans Bay, a version of an Oregon beach town Down Under, has excellent options, including , an upscale motel that also offers easy access to surf breaks just down the beach. (From $140 per night.) The much larger town of Canberra, the capital of Australia, is two hours away. Other nearby mountain bike trails, like the new Narooma Trails, which opened in 2023, are making the area a legitimate international destination for MTB enthusiasts.

3. Fresh Piste

Stay Domestic: Deer Valley Resort, Utah

Over the next few years, Park City鈥檚 Deer Valley Resort is undergoing a , with a new base village, 100 new trails on 2,600 acres of fresh terrain, and more than 10 new lifts to access it all, including a 10-passenger gondola. When it鈥檚 all said and done, the resort will double in size to over 5,700 acres, making it one of the ten largest ski resorts in the United States.

The transformation is already under way. Debuting for the 2024鈥�2025 season are three new chairlifts, 300 acres of terrain, and freshly cut trails leading to the new East Village. When it鈥檚 complete, the East Village will offer the same level of premium service that Deer Valley has become known for, with restaurants, retail shops, and an ice-skating facility, among other facilities. Of course, for day skiers, perhaps the biggest draw of the new East Village is that it鈥檚 located on U.S. Route 40, which allows you to avoid driving through the heart of Park City itself, often crowded with traffic.

For now, the brand-new , with 381 guest rooms and suites, anchors the East Village, and it鈥檚 the only place to stay on that side of the resort. (From $270 per night.) But the hotel has more than enough amenities to keep you comfortable, including a restaurant and bar, a downstairs speakeasy-style lounge, a coffeeshop, a heated outdoor pool, three hot tubs, and a partnership with Ski Butlers to offer white-glove ski valet service when suiting up for the day. There鈥檚 even a , a High Tea service but instead of tea and hand sandwiches, you get hot chocolate paired with s鈥檓ores cookies, chocolate snowballs, and other baked goods.

Go Abroad: Andermatt Ski Area, Switzerland

Unknown to most Americans, the combined ski resorts of , an hour and a half south of Zurich, is poised to become one of Europe鈥檚 premier ski destinations. Over the last handful of years, more than $2 billion has been invested in upgrades, with ten new lifts that allowed you to ski all three by accessing any one of them. Combined, the resorts have more than 100 miles of trails.

The historic village of Andermatt, with cobblestone streets and a very Swiss vibe, has also been undergoing a series of renovations to accommodate the influx of skiers. This winter, for example, it unveiled a brand-new shopping and dining district featuring 35 stores and 10 restaurants. The resort is also on track to become carbon neutral by 2030, a hugely ambitious goal for such a large operation.

For American skiers, it鈥檚 also become easier to shred: In 2022, Vail acquired majority ownership in the resort, which means that it鈥檚 now . With over 12 feet of average annual snowfall, a range of terrain鈥攆rom blue and yellow runs to steep couloirs and powder-filled bowls鈥擜ndermatt is one of the best resorts in all of Europe. And with a master plan mapped out for the next 30 years, now is the time to go, before the hordes descend.

4. Beach Vibes

Stay Domestic: Cape Hatteras, North Carolina

As part of North Carolina鈥檚 Outer Banks, Cape Hatteras is known for its expansive East-Coast beaches, world-class kiteboarding, and laid-back charm. It鈥檚 also now home to one of the more exciting Atlantic Coast lodging conversions in years: , a 14-room wellness-oriented hotel that faces Pamlico Sound, a vast expanse of shallow water good for both paddling and kiting. The hotel opened last year after owners bought a failed, two-story strip mall and transformed it into a chic hotel with suites designed by world-famous interior designer Jonathan Adler.

If that turns you off, don鈥檛 let it. The result is a quirky mashup of coastal kitsch and beach sophistication with a focus on outdoor recreation. There鈥檚 even an outdoor deck featuring cold plunges, a sauna, and a hot tub for relaxing in after a long day on the saltwater. (From $179 per night.) And its location, adjacent to the entire length of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore鈥攚here windswept dunes and unspoiled stretches of sand offer endless opportunities for surfing, fishing, and paddleboarding鈥攍eads to a perfect blend adventure and tranquility in one of the most celebrated beach destinations in the U.S.

Go Abroad: Nicaragua鈥檚 Pacific Coast

听 Nicaragua鈥檚 Pacific Coastline has long been considered one of the best stretches of remote coastline in Central America, with excellent surf breaks framed by undeveloped sand beaches and tropical forest. Now, thanks to an ongoing , it鈥檚 about to get much easier to access much of the coastline.

The country鈥檚 new Carratera Costanera Highway, or Emerald Coast Highway, will stretch more than 350 kilometers (217 miles) from the Gulf of Fonseca in the north to Playa El Naranjo in the south, making it smoother and safer to travel along the coastline. Construction has already , near San Juan del Sur, which is known as the country鈥檚 surf capital, because of its proximity to some of Nicaragua鈥檚 . Up and down the coastline, you鈥檒l find a variety of waves, from mellow beach breaks to beefy points, with consistent year-round swell (although the summer months remain the best).

The promise of easy access is already drawing development interest to the coastline and new tourist offerings, like the newly refreshed and reopened , which was the country鈥檚 first true luxury eco-resort when it opened in 2013. (From $776 per night.) The resort has direct walking access to a world-class surf break just off of its private beach. While funding is secured for the road construction, the pace of progress is nearly impossible to predict, so don鈥檛 expect to be driving down a long stretch of empty, freshly paved highway this year. (Also, the U.S. State Department has a for the country, in part because of the government’s arbitrary enforcement of laws, although like Costa Rica or Panama, Nicaragua is generally safe for tourists if you exercise caution). But if you want to experience the surf breaks before the rush on the rapidly developing coastline, now is the time to go.

5. Paddling Pristine Backcountry

Stay Domestic: Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, Minnesota

In January 2023, the Biden administration helped ban mining and geothermal exploration on over 225,000 acres of land in the Superior National Forest, preserving the integrity of the Rainy River watershed and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in the process.

With President Trump in power again, however, advocates are once again worried that the BWCAW, one of the most pristine landscapes in the Lower 48, could return to becoming a political football. If so, it could be tossed back into the hands of the Chilean-owned mining conglomerate that has been seeking to open a copper-sulfide mine in the area for years. All of which is a good reason to explore the area now, to see firsthand just how special this landscape is.

Spanning over a million acres of North Woods forest dotted with thousands of lakes, this is a paddler鈥檚 paradise, with more than 1,200 miles of canoe routes and 2,000 campsites, most of which are paddle-in only. If you want a break from modern life and all its real-time annoyances and aggravations, the BWCAW has always been one of the best places to do it, and now you can show your tacit political support for the area simply by enjoying a weekend paddle through it.

Go Abroad: Pacuare River, Costa Rica

The Pacuare River, roughly 60 miles east of San Jos茅, is not only one of the best tropical rafting trips on the planet鈥攁nd by extension one of the best ways to experience Costa Rica鈥檚 wild side鈥攊t鈥檚 also 鈥渉ome鈥� to the perennial favorite . With 20 suites, a restaurant, and a spa set along the riverbank, the lodge has set an impossibly high standard for eco-luxury in the heart of the rainforest. (From $949 per night.)

The best part, however, is that arriving at Picuare requires getting on the water first. With no road into the property, guests float down the Pacuare鈥檚 class II鈥揤 rapids, through canyons and untouched jungle, and arrive via boat on the lodge’s front steps. Despite its remoteness, it鈥檚 full of amenities. Each suite has a range of luxuries like outdoor showers, spring-fed fountains, and plunge pools. The restaurant serves exceptionally high-quality, fresh ingredients and the spa has wellness programs that include open-air yoga sessions and treatments inspired by indigenous traditions. The surrounding forest is home to toucans, sloths, and howler monkeys, and non-river activities include guided rainforest hikes to see the wildlife, zip-lining, and visiting local Cab茅car communities. The lodge itself is worthy of a visit alone, but combined with its entrance theatrics鈥攁 float down the whitewater of Pacuare River鈥攖he experience may just offer the perfect balance of adventure and indulgences for a weekend jungle-induced rejuvenation. Pura vida indeed.

6. Camping (with Creature Comforts)

Stay Domestic: Yosemite, California

Outdoor-oriented hospitality group is expanding once again, this time to an 80-acre camp near Yosemite National Park. Ever since it started with a single glamping resort in West Yellowstone in 2012, the company has grown year over year to offer overnight access to some of America鈥檚 most iconic destinations, including Great Smoky Mountains, the Grand Canyon, and Moab (thanks to its luxury offshoot ULUM Moab).

is the company鈥檚 first foray into California, and it will feature the same safari-inspired tents鈥攚ith king-size beds, a private deck, and ensuite bathrooms鈥攖hat have made its 13 other locations so popular. There will also be regular activities in the camp, such as live music, morning yoga, and nightly fires with s鈥檓ores. (The seasonal camp runs from May 15 to October 27 in 2025, and rates start at $349 per night, meals not included.)

But perhaps the best reason to book a stay here while visiting Yosemite National Park is the easy access it affords. The camp is located just ten minutes from the west entrance to the park and, more importantly, across from a bus stop for the Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System (YARTS). Without a reservation in summer, you are no longer allowed to enter the park by car. So staying at Under Canvas Yosemite means you not only get all the amenities, but you also get easy, car-free access to the park.

Go Abroad: Playa Viva, Mexico

On a remote beach 35 miles south of Zihuatanejo lies one of the most ecologically sensitive, off-grid, wellness-focused resorts on the planet: . This is far from camping, but the 19 open-air treehouses and casitas, designed with bamboo and other sustainable woods, will make it feel as if you鈥檙e poaching a nap on the last stretch of perfect sand in all of Mexico.

Each room has unobstructed views of the beach, with nothing to be seen either direction besides palm trees, Pacific waves, and the occasional breaching whale. Set on 200 coastal acres, Playa Viva is home to a vibrant turtle sanctuary, a regenerative farm, and mangrove forest. The resort supports local communities through various initiatives and actively works to help restore surrounding ecosystems. Guests can even participate in activities like helping release baby sea turtles (during the fall hatching season).

The on-site restaurant even serves farm-to-table dishes that celebrate the region鈥檚 culinary heritage. Think fresh-caught seafood, handmade tortillas, and tropical fruits picked just steps from your casita. Daily beachside yoga classes and a variety of massage services round out the offerings. Again, you鈥檙e not exactly roughing it, but the resort is a world away in a wild, pristine corner of Mexico. (Summer low-season rates begin at $240 per night.)

7. Wildlife Encounters

Stay Domestic: American Prairie Reserve, Montana

When it was established in 2004, 鈥攁 private, nonprofit effort to create the largest wildlife reserve in the continental U.S. at three million acres鈥攕eemed like nothing more than a pipe dream. But the group has steadily managed to acquire an impressive amount of land on Montana鈥檚 Northern Great Plains in their effort to reestablish a functioning ecosystem that supports free-roaming wildlife.

In December, APR , which brings their total to over half a million acres of deeded land and leased public property. Thanks to all the efforts over the years, the reserve is now home to a wealth of iconic wildlife, including herds of bison, elk, and pronghorn. It also contains some of the most remote areas of the lower-48 states, with a diverse landscape鈥攆rom sagebrush plains to riparian areas to the steep hills of the Missouri Breaks鈥攖hat offers visitors the chance to see wildlife in their natural habitat.

The APR鈥檚 National Discovery Center has excellent exhibits about the prairie ecosystem, and is the best place to learn about the reserve鈥檚 hiking, biking, and camping opportunities, especially considering that it continues to expand its offerings, which includes interpretive programs. But as a quick-start option, one of the best ways to experience the wildlife is by camping at , located four miles north of the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge on the rolling shortgrass prairie. (RV sites are $19 per night and tent sites are $13.) Here, you鈥檙e almost certain to see plains bison and pronghorn roaming past prairie dog towns and get a much deeper connection to one of the most overlooked landscapes in the U.S. The American Prairie Reserve isn鈥檛 just a trip, it鈥檚 a chance to witness (and participate in) conservation history in the making.

Go Abroad: Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge, British Columbia

Tucked into a Pacific Ocean inlet on Vancouver Island鈥檚 wild west coast, is perhaps the most luxurious gateway to British Columbia鈥檚 wildlife-rich temperate rainforest. It may also be the best way to see the area’s charismatic, iconic species, from black bears and eagles to whales and otters.

The lodge鈥檚 25 canvas tents, which are lavishly appointed with specially made furnishings, king-sized beds, and wood-burning stoves, offer guests the perfect blend of off-grid seclusion and high-end comfort. (From $3,300 per night.)

Meals focus on hyper-local, foraged ingredients crafted into exquisite dishes. Committed to sustainability, the seasonal lodge operates with an extremely light footprint, relying on renewable energy to power the camp. It also supports local First Nations communities through cultural exchange programs and eco-tourism partnerships. All of which makes staying here feeling as if you鈥檙e part of a very lucky family.

But the real reason to come are the wildlife excursions, which includes hiking or horseback rides in the forest to see and sea kayaking outings on the inlet, where it鈥檚 common to spot whales, porpoises, seals, and sea lions. And this is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg when it comes to the lodge鈥檚 eco-adventure program. For those seeking a communion with nature that has more than a dash of indulgence, Clayoquot offers an unforgettable escape into the wild heart of British Columbia.

Ryan Krogh is a writer and editor who lives in Austin, Texas. Among the dozens of destinations that he traveled to in 2024, including Iceland, England, and a road trip through Mexico鈥檚 highlands, his favorite was a weekend fly-fishing trip to the Texas Coast. In 2025, he鈥檚 hoping to see Nicaragua and Portugal for the first time, which is why they鈥檙e included here, but he also has plans to explore the new 鈥淕ulf of America鈥� coast, whatever that is. He has recently written about the world’s best airports with cool outdoor spaces, the beginner’s guide to carry-on luggage, and the most dog-friendly beaches in the U.S.

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Traveling itself is believed to help boost longevity, but what if your next getaway had even more long-term benefits?

Picture a reboot that鈥檚 good for you. We鈥檙e not talking about rigid health camps鈥攚e all deserve to enjoy our hard-earned vacations, after all鈥攂ut rather, trips to beautiful places where mindfulness, wellness, community, and longevity are top priorities.

Wellness travel is booming. Between 2020 and 2022, wellness trips grew by 30 percent annually, according to research by the Global Wellness Institute, which also reported that in 2022, 819.4 billion wellness trips were taken in the U.S. and internationally, making up about 7.8 percent of all tourism.

Clearly, these types of vacations are resonating, with good reason. These are my 10 favorite wellness trips in North America.

1. Soak in Natural Hot Springs

Ojo Caliente in New Mexico

Soaking in natural hot springs makes for easy relaxation and rejuvenation. Mineral baths have been shown to reduce stress, lessen joint pain, improve circulation, and naturally detoxify. At , a spa resort in northern New Mexico, you can soak in any of nine communal pools (with minerals like lithia and iron), which include a mud bath and a silent pool, or book a private tub. Access to the steam room and sauna come with your stay, and you can add on yoga classes or spa treatments like sound healing or anti-inflammatory massage.

Dating back to 1868 and located amid desert cliffs near the banks of the cottonwood-lined Rio Ojo Caliente, the place is one of the country鈥檚 oldest health resorts, and open for both overnight and day use. Lodging options include adobe suites with hammocks on the patios or restored vintage trailers. (Day passes for the pools start at $45; rooms from $239 a night.)

听2. Check Into a Wellness Resort

YO1 in Monticello, New York

You鈥檒l get personalized treatments and a custom therapeutic plan when you book at , an Ayurvedic longevity resort that opened in the Catskills in 2018 with a focus on Eastern medicine and holistic therapies. This place is for dedicated self-care travelers looking for a total reboot, a concentrated wellness plan, or programs designed to treat specific issues like stress, depression, diabetes, infertility, or insomnia. Visit for the day or stay for a week.

Not sure where to start? Try the three-night wellness program, which includes individual consultations, mud baths, and acupuncture. You鈥檒l stay at a 131-room lodge overlooking Baileys Lake on a 1,300-acre property in pine forests and surrounded by hiking and biking trails鈥攁ll just two hours from New York City. Access to an infrared sauna, hot tub, group meditation, a reflexology walkway, fitness room, and Olympic-sized swimming pool are included. (Day pass, which includes meals and all-day programming, for $500; overnight accommodations start at $185.)

3. Stay In a Communal 国产吃瓜黑料 Lodge

Campfire Ranch Little Sugar in Bella Vista, Arkansas

If community is what you鈥檙e after, consider , a new adventure lodge opening in or around May 2025 with out-the-door access to 40 miles of world-class mountain-bike trails surrounding Bentonville, Arkansas, with singletrack loops over rolling hills and through stands of redbud, dogwood, and mulberry trees. The eight-room lodge comes with access to a communal fire pit, outdoor cooking space, gear storage, bike-wash stations, and breakfast service. Campfire Ranch鈥檚 adventure concierge can help plan your outings and connect you with local bike rentals and guides. Rent a single room or, if you鈥檙e with a group, book out the whole place. (Rates from $250.)

4. Run In Another Country

Aire Libre in Mexico City

, cofounded by Mauricio D铆az, a world-class ultrarunner from Mexico, specializes in transformational running and hiking retreats all over the world, from Costa Rica to Japan. These retreats focus on the intersection of movement, mindfulness, culture, and sustainability, enabling participants to connect with themselves and the landscapes and cultures they鈥檙e exploring.

The company鈥檚 ($1,800, including meals, lodging, and guiding) is a four-day running adventure where you鈥檒l jog through Mexico City along the gravel trails of Viveros de Coyoac谩n park and the plazas of the National Autonomous University of Mexico campus. You鈥檒l also leave the city to run trails across the volcanic landscape of the Continental Divide, then experience a guided indigenous temazcal ceremony in a sweat lodge. By night, enjoy communal meals and lodging in boutique hotels.

听5. Spend Four Days Doing Yoga

Esalen in Big Sur, California

Even if you鈥檙e not a dedicated yogi or a holistic-retreat kind of person, you鈥檒l love being on the jagged cliffs of Big Sur at , a nonprofit retreat center and educational institute with a heavy yoga focus. You can do a self-guided exploration (read: stay on your own with limited formal instruction) or sign up for the center鈥檚 two- or four-night workshops on topics like hypnotherapy, storytelling, or astrology. This is the kind of place where your cell phone doesn鈥檛 work, so you might as well stash it away and focus on movement, nature, and real-life connection.

When you鈥檙e not learning about your conscious intentions, you can hike the trails within Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park amid 300-foot redwood trees, oak, and chaparral, and see an 80-foot waterfall plummet into the sea. You can also wander the beaches of Big Sur, or bathe in Esalen鈥檚 famously clothing-optional hot springs above the roiling Pacific Ocean. Accommodations range from bunks in communal rooms to private yurts overlooking the Pacific. (Rates from around $950 for multi-day workshops, including lodging, meals, and programming. Scholarships available.)

6. Sit in a Sweat Lodge Under a Full Moon

The Horse Shoe Farm in Hendersonville, North Carolina

You could come to the to stay in a well-appointed cottage and eat farm-to-table meals with ingredients sourced on site. Or you could make a trip here into a more broad-based wellness excursion. Just under 40 minutes from Asheville and situated between the verdant Blue Ridge Mountains and the Great Smoky Mountains with a view of Mount Pisgah, this health sanctuary has five energy vortexes (places believed to be centers of energy currents with spiritual effects), holistic spa treatments, an outdoor labyrinth for walking meditation, and a meditation tower.

The resort recently partnered with, a Cherokee wisdom keeper and ceremonialist from the Qualla Indian Boundary in the Great Smoky Mountains, to build a sweat lodge on the 85-acre property, where he hosts ceremonies on each full and new moon. Overnight accommodations include one-room lofts or three-bedroom homes, depending on your group size. (Rates from $399.)

听7. Go Forest Bathing

Southall Farm and Inn in Franklin, Tennessee

Not all spas are created equal. 鈥檚 spa goes above and beyond, incorporating botanical ingredients and mindfulness in sessions like energy healing and detoxifying treatments to develop a deeper connection to self and nature. This working farm on a 425-acre plot in Tennessee has a 62-room lodge plus 16 private cottages that opened for guests in 2022. You can add treatments like sound-bath meditation, forest bathing, or a wellness consultation, depending on what you鈥檙e looking for. More than seven miles of hiking and biking trails surround the farm, and there鈥檚 canoeing and fishing on the private Lake at Southall. Or take guided tours of the orchard and apiaries that are home to some 8 million bees. (Rates from $695.)

8. Build Something With Your Hands

Yestermorrow in Waitsfield, Vermont

This place isn鈥檛 a spa resort in the standard sense, but for people who find learning new skills and using their hands to build things are perfect ways to unlock a deep sense of fulfillment. is a green design-and-build school in Vermont鈥檚 Mad River Valley, with a small campus offering day classes and overnight lodging in the Green Mountain National Forest with its lakes and mountain hikes. You can take courses on building a coffee table, sustainable treehouse design, harvesting your own lumber, or basic carpentry. Classes last from two days to two weeks (with certification programs that go longer). Healthy-meal plans plus lodging鈥攄orms, cabins, or camping鈥攃an be added to your tuition. (Lodging from $10 to $55 a night; courses from $260, scholarships and sliding-scale tuition available.)

9. Surround Yourself with the Ocean

Pebble Cove Farm in Orcas Island, Washington

Getting to is the first step: You鈥檒l need to take a ferry to reach Orcas Island, part of the dreamy San Juan Islands in upper Puget Sound, 100 miles north of Seattle. Once you鈥檙e here, you鈥檒l settle into a cozy cottage overlooking a quiet bay at this farm and animal sanctuary that hosts guests and offers wellness retreats. The inn rents out kayaks and paddleboards and has a garden and apple orchard you鈥檙e welcome to wander through. Rescued farm animals like horses, chickens, pigs, and goats, adopted from elsewhere, reside here. The garden and farm animals are closed off from November through April, but the cottages are open year-round. (Rates from $300.)

10. Ski With New Friends

The Ski Retreat in Palisades Tahoe, California; Sun Valley, Idaho; Breckenridge, Colorado

You want to spend a weekend playing outside in snow-covered mountains, but not to deal with figuring out logistics or finding a group of friends to go with. We get that. Enter , a women鈥檚 getaway in places like Lake Tahoe, Sun Valley, or Breckenridge for groups of six to 12. These trips, numbering five this winter, are about connection, friendship, relaxation, and play鈥攚ithout having to plan a thing. Your three-night retreat includes lodging at a slopeside cabin, morning yoga, gear demos, chef-prepared group dinners, fireside chats, art classes, and ski and snowboard adventures for a wide range of abilities. (Rates from $550 for local residents not including lodging; from $1,190, including lodging.)

Megan Michelson, an 国产吃瓜黑料 contributing editor, lives in northern California. She鈥檚 hoping her occasional habits of drinking tea, practicing yoga, and sleeping 10 hours a night will lead to a long and healthy life. She recently wrote for us about buying a 1 Euro (yes, as in one dollar) home in Italy; how to travel to ski, hike, and bike in Jackson, Wyoming, on the cheap (hard to believe, but she knows of great deals); and why she and her family traded traditional Thanksgiving options for Campsgiving. Her list of great outdoor festivals extends into May 2025.

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Search and rescue crews in rural Vermont are praising a small electronic tracking device for helping them save two people in the backcountry.

On Saturday, December 7, Drew Clymer, the deputy chief of听 received a call from a local woman who said her husband and eight-year-old son hadn’t returned from a backcountry ski outing. The sun had gone down and temperatures were plummeting, so Clymer radioed other members of the team to launch a rescue operation.

The region where the two had gone missing is called the听Bruce Trail, which is located adjacent to Stowe Mountain Resort. A recent storm had dumped nearly a foot of fresh powder on the area.

“Everybody knows the听Bruce,” Clymer said. “Back there you’re a long way from home if something goes wrong.”

The woman then told Clymer that her son was carrying a device called a , a GPS tracking tag made for children. The device, which is about the size of a thumb drive, connects to a smartphone app that shows the location of the device on a map.

Clymer asked the woman to meet him at the Bruce Trail parking lot with her phone. When Clymer opened the Jiobit app, he could see the boy’s exact location on a detailed map, several miles from the trailhead. Clymer and other rescuers zipped into the backcountry on an ATV and听found the missing duo within 15 minutes of departing. Stowe Mountain Rescue has not released the names of the rescued individuals.

“This was the easiest rescue I’ve ever been a part of,” he said.

Neither the father nor the boy had headlamps or extra clothing. They had planned to ski down the trail, but a broken binding forced them to walk. When SAR crews reached them, the father was bootpacking听through deep snow while towing his son behind.

Clymer said the small device was “pivotal” for helping the two avert disaster.

“We were back at the trailhead with them in under 25 minutes,” said Clymer. “Coming from someone who spends most of his professional life searching for missing people, this thing was revelatory.”

Had crews been forced to search for the duo in the dark, Clymber believes they would have eventually located the two. But it would have taken several hours to find them in the dark, since neither the father or boy were carrying headlamps.

Similar to the Apple AirTag and other electronic tracking devices, the Jiobit shares location via cellular data, WiFi signals, and bluetooth. But the Jiobit also has GPS capabilities, which allow it to function in the backcountry where there’s no cellular signal.

The Jiobit is hardly the only device to boast these capabilities鈥擳ack GPS, Gabb Watch, and SecuLife S4 all use GPS signals as well.

On its website, the product is described as “waterproof, durable, discreet, and provides accurate real-time tracking at any distance.”听 It’s听designed specifically to track kids, and comes with a locking device that cannot be disabled.

Clymber, who is also the search and rescue coordinator for the Vermont Department of Public Safety, said he plans to recommend GPS trackers to parents and also caregivers of the elderly. A sizable percentage of the SAR rescues in Stowe, he said, are for elderly people who suffer from dementia or Alzheimers. GPS tags, he said, could dramatically reduce the time it takes to locate them.

“It’s not a silver bullet,” he said. “But at least it gives you some peace of mind.”

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Golf gets a bad rap. The sport has a reputation for being too expensive and too resource-intensive, which are true in some cases. There are private clubs so expensive you need to be a billionaire to join, and courses where the landscape was bulldozed to make way for overwatered and overfertilized fairways.

But not every golf course is that way.

A movement is afoot to make golf more accessible and sustainable. How do I know? I鈥檓 an avid golfer. I play twice a week, mostly on public courses that are cheap and built over repurposed farmland. Affordable golf is actually easy to find, but better yet is the sustainability movement that鈥檚 creeping into destination courses.

鈥淭he golf industry has made tremendous strides in the area of sustainability over the past 20 to 30 years,鈥� says Frank LaVardera, director of environmental programs in golf for , which operates America鈥檚 first and most comprehensive green-golf-course certification program. 鈥淭raditional courses use a significant amount of water and chemicals, but many courses are reducing their amount of managed turf鈥濃�攖he manicured lawns that require so much water and fertilizer鈥斺�渁nd creating native areas that require less water, while enhancing wildlife habitat.鈥�

What an Eco-Conscious Golf Course Means

Audubon International鈥檚 certification process can take years, and requires evaluation of a course鈥檚 impact on wildlife habitat, water quality and conservation, pest management, and energy efficiency. In turn, eco-minded course managers reduce the amount of turf, use recycled gray water to irrigate, emphasize walking over use of gas-powered carts, and create wildlife habitats with natural grasses and trees that attract birds, bees, and even the occasional bear. Since 2001, when the program was introduced, Audubon鈥檚 Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf has grown to include more than 2,000 certified courses in the U.S. and beyond.

The timing of this sustainability movement couldn鈥檛 be better, as America has rediscovered its love of golf. According to the (NGF), 3.4 million new people played golf in America last year. Each of the past 10 years saw more than 2 million beginners, with the past four topping 3 million.

Golf’s Changing Demographics

The that since the pandemic era, women and people of color have been flocking to the game; the biggest demographic jump has come from traditionally under-represented populations, with the number of Asian, Black and Hispanic golfers rising by 43 percent in the last five years. Of the 26 million people who play golf recreationally, 23 percent are people of color and 26 percent are women.

The demographic makeup of the Professional Golf Association (PGA) is still skewed (80 percent of pro golfers are white), but the game is changing from the ground up as recreational players trend toward being younger and more diverse. The most sought-after clothing brands in the sport, like Malbon and Eastside Golf, bring streetwear aesthetics to the golf industry, while many prolific and successful golfers on social media are women and people of color. If you鈥檙e not following on Instagram, you should be.

Part of the issue with diversifying the outdoors is access. There were 480 ski resorts in operation last year, with most of them located in remote, mountainous regions. Compare that to the 16,000+ golf courses scattered all over the country. I live in a southeastern mountain town that is not known for its golf, but I can play on any of 10 courses situated within half an hour of my home. There are three courses within three miles of downtown, and I play on two of them for under $20 a round. A program called enables members aged 18 and under to play any of its 2,133 enrolled courses across the U.S. for just $5 a round.

My 15-year-old son is a YOC member, and able to play half a dozen courses within 10 miles of our home. He and I can walk nine holes of golf for $20 combined, $35 if we want to play 18.

Why I Love Golf

As for the argument that golf shouldn鈥檛 be considered an outdoor sport because of its environmental impact, most things we do leave footprints. I鈥檝e been a dedicated skier since age 12, and I don鈥檛 love the fact that the ski industry has gotten cartoonishly expensive and is resource-intensive, especially in water use. But I do love skiing. I have the same relationship with golf. It鈥檚 not perfect, but I love it.

This surprises people because I make a living writing about adventure sports, and I have the scars and expensive-gear habit to prove it. People assume golf and surfing or mountain biking are a world apart, but look closely in my garage and you鈥檒l see a set of golf clubs tucked between my mountain bike and longboard.

When I play, I always walk, carry my bag, and try not to focus too much on my score. It鈥檚 a slow, meditative walk in the woods. I like the challenge of golf as well. I recently picked the sport up again after a 20-year-hiatus, and I鈥檓 consumed with the pursuit of getting better, but I also know that I鈥檒l never master golf. No matter how good I get at hitting a little white ball in the air, there will always be room for improvement.

Golf is cerebral and thought-provoking in a way that the other fast-paced sports I love are not. The game is 99.99 percent mental, allowing me to see how my thoughts impact my actions. Golf is a chance to clear your head and be outside.

Fortunately, there are certain destinations where golf and adventure go hand in hand. Some of the most sustainable golf courses in America are located in places that could be on any adventure-traveler鈥檚 radar, so you can play 18 holes one afternoon and go mountain biking or surfing the next morning.

Here are nine of the wildest, most sustainable golf courses in the world, each paired with a local adventure to round out the perfect weekend.

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.

1. Bear Trace, Harrison, Tennessee

Fee: Starting at $41 for 18 holes

Even if you鈥檙e not a golfer, you know the name of Jack Nicklaus, one of the game鈥檚 most famous professionals. Not only was Nicklaus a legendary golfer, he was also a designer, creating courses all over the country, including this 18-hole masterpiece sits in the 1200-acre , 20 miles outside of Chattanooga. In the last two decades, managers have addressed every aspect of the course to minimize its impact, converting the greens from bentgrass to a less-thirsty Bermudagrass, removing 50 acres of turf to cede that area to natural grasses, and eliminating irrigation beyond the greens. The place has also purchased all-electric maintenance equipment, and installed mallard nesting tubes, wood duck boxes, and feeders for bluebirds and wild turkey.

As a result, as of 2008, Bear Trace is a certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary, and restored the wildlife habitat to the point where the course was home to a pair of nesting bald eagles for a decade.

Nearby 国产吃瓜黑料: Paddling on in Harrison Bay State Park makes for a fun afternoon (paddle boards are $8 an hour through the park). If you鈥檙e looking for something more adventurous, , 45 miles west of the state park, offers trips (from $50 per person) on class III-IV whitewater full of play spots and wave trains that formed the 1996 Olympic whitewater course.

听

2. Big Cedar Lodge, Ridgedale, Missouri

Fees: 听Starting from $80 for the 13-hole short course

OK, is a behemoth. The brainchild of Johnny Morris, the founder of Bass Pro Shops, the 4,600-acre retreat features five distinct public golf courses, all set amid a dramatic Ozark Mountains backdrop, with routing that regularly nears ancient limestone cliffs. In recent years, Big Cedar Lodge has become one of the country鈥檚 top golf destinations, regarded as the best public golf in the Midwest.

Big Cedar Lodge was the first golf resort in the world to receive Audubon International鈥檚 highest certification, the Signature Sanctuary status, given for all five of its courses. Water conservation and improving wildlife habitat are priorities, with more than 75 percent organic fertilizer used, while chemical runoff and water use are addressed through a water-recycling program with reclamation ponds, as well as moisture meters embedded in the ground to help minimize watering in general.

One of Johnny Morris鈥� founding principles is the notion of connecting people and the outdoors. On several holes his courses put the golfer between towering limestone cliffs, and, extra cool, those who play Big Cedar Lodge鈥檚 Buffalo Ridge course can spy herds of bison that roam and feed on the natural-grass prairies surrounding the fairways.

Nearby 国产吃瓜黑料: You could spend your entire weekend playing different courses at Big Cedar Lodge, but bring your mountain bike, too. The resort is on the edge of , which has 11 miles of cross-country trails in a stacked-loop system that hugs the shoreline of Table Rock Lake. Or you could hit the gravity-minded , which has 10 trails and a pump track and skills area. The place has something for everyone, from the kid who鈥檚 just learning how to brake, to the adult who thinks he鈥檚 a kid sending gaps (day passes start at $45).

3. Streamsong Golf Resort, Bowling Green, Florida

Fees: Starting at $249 for 18 holes

This massive golf retreat 60 miles east of Tampa wins my vote for best use of scarred land. built its courses on 16,000 acres of land that was previously used for a phosphate strip mine. After the mining ended, sand dunes took over, and course designers used all of that bumpy elevation to create a whimsical playground where fairways wind through grassy mounds and small ponds.

Course designers used compost in the soil before grassing to reduce the need for fertilization, and limited the acreage of maintained turf, opting instead for natural grasses and dunes beyond the fairways. The resort has a water-treatment facility that captures rainwater, and reuses it for irrigation. Streamsong features three 18-hole courses, and a short course, called The Chain, that has no set tee boxes or suggested pars. This short course is a 鈥渃hoose your own adventure鈥� sort of experience.

Nearby 国产吃瓜黑料: You can keep the reclaimed land theme rolling by driving 25 miles west to , 7,714 acres of surprisingly hilly terrain on a former phosphate mine, with more than 20 miles of mountain biking and hiking trails through a forest and alongside lakes and the banks of the Alafia River. Streamsong wasn鈥檛 impacted much by Hurricane Milton when it hit October 9, both because the courses were designed to manage water and the place had few trees for high winds to damage. But much of this area of Florida was devastated by the storm, so check with surrounding businesses and parks before exploring the area.

4. Chambers Bay, University Place, Washington

Fees: Starting at $85 for 18 holes

This 18-hole course is links-style, meaning that like Scotland’s St. Andrews, believed to be the oldest course in the world, it has little to no manipulation of the land, resulting in rugged terrain, with many dunes covered in tall grasses. Similarly set on a craggy shoreline of Washington, it might also be the pinnacle of sustainable design. was built on reclaimed mine land, turning a former gravel pit into a championship course that now enhances the landscape. Designers shaped the course with native plants and wildflowers like douglas iris, and sodded with drought-resistant fescue grass species.

The fairways are irrigated with recycled gray water and fertilized with treated bio-waste from the county鈥檚 wastewater plant. Chambers Bay doesn鈥檛 have golf carts; it鈥檚 a walking-only facility. (Some courses in the U.S. require golfers to use carts on weekends to maintain a quick pace of play.) Maybe the best part is that Chambers Bay is a municipal course, with affordable fees. It鈥檚 also located within a county park with trails adjacent to the links and coast, so you don鈥檛 have to play golf to enjoy the scenery.

Nearby 国产吃瓜黑料: Chambers Creek Regional Park, which is home to the golf course, is a 930-acre preserve with two miles of shoreline and more than five miles of paved trails with views of Puget Sound. You should also drive 50 miles east to Mount Rainier National Park, where you can hike the 5.5-mile loop on , bagging copious views of the eponymous 14,411-foot active volcano in all its glaciated glory.

5. Black Desert Resort, Ivins, Utah

Fees: Starting at $300 for 18 holes

A 19-hole course that opened in May 2023, was built from the ground up with the surrounding environment in mind. The entire property is only 600 acres, with just 75 acres of turf, all irrigated with non-potable gray water, and the fairways are made from a drought-tolerant bentgrass species that needs less maintenance and fertilizer than many other common turf grasses. Almost 70 percent of the grounds are dedicated as protected open space, and sustainability was a factor throughout the property鈥檚 design, from having a low-voltage power infrastructure for the resort to using an irrigation system in a grid, where each section can be adjusted individually.

The coolest aspect of the course is that it鈥檚 become a haven for endangered fish species. The property managers partnered with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources to relocate 400 Virgin River Chub, a kind of rare minnow, to the lakes on the golf course, so they can live and breed in a stable environment. The course itself is gorgeous, running through fields of black lava rocks with views of the surrounding red cliffs.

Nearby 国产吃瓜黑料: Long-term plans for Black Desert include building several miles of hiking trails. Moreover, the resort sits nine miles north of St. George, just an hour (48 miles) west of Zion National Park. If it鈥檚 your first time to Zion, snag a ($3 plus a $6 registration fee) and hike , a 5.5-mile out-and-back that involves a bit of scrambling and ridgeline traversing and might just lead to one of the most iconic photo sites in our national-park system.

To dig deeper into the park, consider trekking through , a slot canyon where the walls of Zion Canyon rise 1,000 feet up while pinching to 30 feet wide at certain points. You鈥檒l be hiking through the river, so be prepared to get wet. The shortest route is a 9.5-mile out and back from the Temple of Sinawava, a red-walled natural amphitheater, to Big Spring, which is as far as you can go without a permit, but hits some of the skinniest portions of the gorge. Just don鈥檛 attempt it when there鈥檚 rain in the as flash floods are common and fatalities have occurred. Save it for a stellar day.

6. The Mountain Course at Spruce Peak, Stowe, Vermont

Fees: Starting at $165 for 18, and you need to stay at The Lodge at Spruce Peak to play (rooms start at $249).

Surrounded by 2,000 acres of preserved land, the rambles along the flank of the mountain it is named for, with views of the adjacent Mount Mansfield, Vermont鈥檚 tallest peak, to boot. Spruce Peak, which sits at the base of Stowe Mountain Resort, was designed with the environment in mind, input from Audubon International, and a focus on preserving local black-bear populations by routing around their preferred habitat of beech trees. Designers also created buffers around streams and ponds to protect water quality, and planted a mix of native flowers and grasses, like milkweed and false sunflower, around tee boxes.

Peregrine Lake serves as a water feature for golfers to admire and avoid, but also a reservoir capturing rainwater that is used to feed snowmaking operations at Stowe Mountain Resort. Course management hosts an annual field trip to teach a local fifth-grade class about the elements of water quality.

The course fits into the greater ecosystem of the Spruce Peak community, a resort and residential property at the base of Stowe Mountain Resort that was built around eco-sensitive principles like a property-wide composting program and a renewable energy program that provides more than 50 percent of its power.

Nearby 国产吃瓜黑料: You鈥檙e close to Stowe, a town renowned for its ski culture (and beer). Sadly, ski season and golf season don鈥檛 overlap. But don鈥檛 fret; during the warmer months, there is plenty of hiking, fly fishing, and climbing nearby. Do it on your own or if you want a guide, Spruce Peak Resort offers hiking and fly fishing adventures. If you鈥檙e into climbing, runs trips on the granite walls around the Stowe area, from top-roping routes suitable for beginners to multi-pitch cliffs that will please experienced trad climbers (from $250 per person).

7. Bandon Dunes, Bandon, Oregon

Fees: From $50 for the par 3 courses

has become one of the most coveted golf destinations in America, with seven public courses spread throughout the 2,525-acre coastal resort. All seven courses have earned Audubon International Sanctuary status, too, as the designers have kept Oregon鈥檚 coastal beauty and environmental harmony in mind throughout the process, from construction to management.

The course looks wild, thanks largely to the use of native plants and grasses, including the threatened silver phacelia, outside of the fairways, while for the turf on those mowed areas Bandon Dunes uses fescue, a type of grass that requires less fertilizer than others. And when fertilizer is applied, it鈥檚 organic and used sparingly. Roughly 85 percent of the resort鈥檚 energy is supplied by renewable resources, with more solar panels still to be installed throughout the property. The maintenance department has moved to electric-powered equipment.

Most of the resort鈥檚 landscape holds native plants that require no irrigation, but with six courses, roughly 600 acres that need to be watered. The resort鈥檚 own wastewater-management system supplies non-potable gray water for the job, recycling roughly 50,000 gallons of water daily.

One of the courses, Bandon Preserve, puts net proceeds directly to local conservation projects in Oregon鈥檚 southern coast through a , which has helped restore salmon fisheries and funded mountain bike trails. Bandon Dunes is working towards the lofty goal of becoming a completely carbon neutral resort.

Nearby 国产吃瓜黑料: Bandon Dunes sits on Oregon鈥檚 southern coast, which is a multi-sport adventurer鈥檚 dream, with miles of singletrack and wild beaches punctuated by dramatic sea stacks. Go for a trail run at , where several miles of trail wind through a pine forest and access five miles of hard-packed beach.

The surfing is good too, with beach breaks found throughout this part of the coast. Head north for 25 miles to Coos Bay, where the bluffs of Yoakam Head hang over the breaks, which have something for all levels of surfers. Beginners should head to Bastendorff Beach for a wide, sandy-bottom break with a cool backdrop of rocky headlands. The water temperature is cold year round, but winter brings the most consistent waves, so in that case pack a thick wetsuit.

8. The Broadmoor, Colorado Springs, Colorado

Fees: Starting at $110 for 18 holes

The a resort five miles south of Colorado Springs, is home to two of the most respected golf courses in the U.S., designed by legends Donald Ross and Robert Trent Jones and hosting marquee tournaments like multiple U.S. Amateurs, U.S. Women鈥檚 Opens, and U.S. Senior Opens. At 6,250 feet in elevation, the course was the highest in America when it first opened in 1918, and several holes feature views of Pikes Peak.

The place has become significantly more eco-friendly with age. Managers have replaced more than 50 acres of turf with native grasses and wildflowers, and use gray water to irrigate the fairways and greens. Mulching mowers return grass clippings back to the soil, and the property uses no pesticides Over the years the resort has added bird-nesting boxes and habitats for bees and butterflies. All of the carts are electric, and otherwise the place promotes walking and its caddy program. Resort chefs harvest honey from the property鈥檚 own hives, and source meat from the Wagyu beef raised on the ranch. Even the resort鈥檚 cooking grease is recycled into biodiesel.

The Broadmoor participates in one of the most heartwarming recycling programs I鈥檝e ever heard of: all of their spent tennis balls are donated to local senior-citizen facilities to be used on the ends of walkers and canes.

Nearby 国产吃瓜黑料: Colorado Springs offers so much to do. The 14,115-foot Pikes Peak, with trailheads six miles from town, has to be the most accessible fourteener in the U.S.; you can drive your car or take a train to the summit, but I say earn it by hiking the ($20-$37 parking fee, depending on day of week), a 13-mile one way trek that gains more than 7,000 feet on its way to the top. Don鈥檛 worry, you can take the down from the summit ($30). Or go explore the iconic red sandstone fins that rise from the center of Garden of the Gods Park. operates half and full day trips for all abilities (starting at $221).

9. Rising Sun Golf Course, Emigrant, Montana

Fee: Greens fees are included in the cost of your stay (one week minimum, and you must contact the for pricing).

It鈥檚 hard to beat Rising Sun鈥檚 location. The 18-hole course sits on the 17,000-acre Mountain Sky Ranch, within the aptly named Paradise Valley and with near-constant views of the surrounding Absaroka and Gallatin Mountains. This is the biggest splurge on this list, and for most, a once-in-a-lifetime situation at best, but the rest of us can dream, right?

Rising Sun is not an easy course to play, thanks to its remote location and the fact that tee times go only to guests of the ranch, but you couldn鈥檛 ask for a more beautiful setting, and the Rising Sun was the first course in Montana to be designated an Audubon International Cooperative Sanctuary. The course was built on a hayfield with an emphasis on maintaining as much natural habitat as possible, converting dry pastures to prairie grass, and maintaining native plant buffers along bodies of water.

Course managers also installed bird-nest boxes to encourage multi-species nesting, and have put in bat houses. They regularly consult with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks on issues concerning elk and Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout. Aided by a dry, cold environment, course managers use no pesticides for the turf and greens, and they鈥檝e limited water usage by keeping the irrigated acreage to only 52 acres, almost a third of the average 18 hole course in America. Maintenance crews regularly monitor the quality of water in the course ponds as well as Big Creek.

Nearby 国产吃瓜黑料: Mountain Sky Ranch is an adventure-minded 鈥渄ude ranch鈥� with a host of activities located on property. The resort also offers guided horseback tours in Yellowstone National Park, with an entrance just 30 miles south. But I say to pair a round of golf here with some fly fishing. If you鈥檙e new to the sport, Mountain Sky has a trout pond where pros can teach you the nuances of casting, but if you can hit the ground running, head to nearby Big Creek, which is loaded with cutthroat and rainbow trout. Or sign up for a of the iconic Yellowstone River, which offers opportunities for long, wide open casts that just might net a cutthroat or brown. (From $595)

Nearby 国产吃瓜黑料: Mountain Sky Ranch is an adventure-minded 鈥渄ude ranch鈥� with a host of activities located on property. The resort also offers guided horseback tours in Yellowstone National Park, with an entrance just 30 miles south. But I say to pair a round of golf here with some fly fishing. If you鈥檙e new to the sport, Mountain Sky has a trout pond where pros can teach you the nuances of casting, but if you can hit the ground running, head to nearby Big Creek, which is loaded with cutthroat and rainbow trout. Or sign up for a of the iconic Yellowstone River, which offers opportunities for long, wide open casts that just might net a cutthroat or brown (from $595).

Graham Averill is 国产吃瓜黑料 magazine鈥檚 national parks columnist and an avid golfer who is dying to play every course on this list. Follow his golf shenanigans on Instagram at @the_amateur_golf. Graham recently wrote 鈥�This Is What It鈥檚 Like to Live in Asheville After Hurricane Helene鈥� and answered some questions about it while standing in line at FEMA offices. He has also recently written 鈥�9 Most Underrated National Parks for Incredible Fall Foliage,鈥� 鈥�8 Surf Towns Where You Can Learn the Sport and the Culture,鈥� and 鈥�The 9 Most Fun 国产吃瓜黑料 Lodges in North America.鈥�

The post The 9 Wildest Golf Courses in America appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Josh Drinkard always wanted to build his own cabin. Growing up in suburban New Jersey, he鈥檇 wander to a small strip of woods near his childhood home and spend hours constructing forts and treehouses. When he moved to New Mexico as an adult, Drinkard, the IT Operations Manager at 国产吃瓜黑料 Inc., bought 2.5 acres of land in the mountain village of Truchas, about 30 miles north of Santa Fe. There, he took on his first effort at building a very simple cabin with the help of a friend who was an unlicensed contractor and taught Drinkard framing and building basics.

In 2021, Drinkard and his wife, Saraswati Khalsa, started looking at New England as a place to move once their three children were grown. After scouting around, they settled on 25 terraced, hardwood-filled acres near Halifax, Vermont, not far from the Massachusetts border.

Over the past three years, Drinkard has spent vacations building a cabin near Halifax, with the help of his wife, teenage son, and one of his daughters. After a cumulative seven weeks of effort, they can now stay there for long periods, although it still lacks internet service, a shower, and a toilet.

Learning the ins and outs of building a small log cabin in the woods is no small feat. We asked Drinkard to talk about what the project entailed and what skills are required to turn a cabin-building dream into a reality. This is what he learned.

How Big Is the Cabin?

It鈥檚 still a work in progress, but right now it鈥檚 a one-room cabin with a loft. Two people can sleep up there comfortably. The interior is just 12 feet squared. We use the lower room as the living room and kitchen. Another two people could sleep there with a foldable futon.

Why Did You Choose Vermont?

We bought this property without any services or electricity, so the price was below the national average per acre (which was about $3,000 at the time, according to Drinkard). I love the location and especially the lush green forests. We also love skiing and whitewater rafting and can do both near here; the closest mountain is Mount Snow, 18 miles north, and the closest flowing river is the Deerfield, to the west.

We liked that it鈥檚 not far from a town with big-box stores鈥擥reenfield, Massachusetts鈥攁nd that you can catch a train from Brattleboro, Vermont, to New York City. We thought that if the kids are in college, or after, if they wanted to take a train up, that would be convenient.

And I like Vermont in general. Everything has a small-town feel. There are no billboards. And it鈥檚 similar to northern New Mexico in that it鈥檚 rural and very liberal.

How Did You Get Started With the Build?

We found a spot that was flat and open. There was a little meadow on the property just big enough for a cabin, so we didn鈥檛 have to clear it. We knew we鈥檇 use the hemlock trees from the surrounding forest. I was told hemlock resists rot pretty well.

I knew I鈥檇 have to find a cheap 4×4 vehicle to leave out there, and we only had a few thousand dollars to work with. In Vermont, good pickups in that price range were all rotted out, so I settled on an old Lincoln Navigator in New Mexico that had been stolen and recovered; its interior was beat to shit. I welded a receiver hitch in front, to use as a winch and a pushbar, and I also fabricated a roof rack big enough to haul 16-foot-long lumber and plywood sheets. Then I drove it out to Vermont.

We decided to use a to build the cabin after a lot of time looking at YouTube videos. Butt-and-pass cabins go up quickly, but the drawback is you need a ton of expensive lags to connect the walls to each other and each log to the ones below.

We used logs for the whole first level of the cabin. The first year, the family came out for four days and we felled trees and placed and leveled the bottom four logs. After they left, I stayed another six days on my own and threw up the first 12 rows of logs鈥攖hey weren鈥檛 that heavy鈥攑lus the floor and a temporary roof to keep the snow out.

The next year, we got the structure height to about eight feet. At this point, we started using two-by-fours for the loft level. I traded an old laptop of mine for a bunch of small windows and a door.

After the entire structure dried, we hung shingles on the front. I installed a water-catchment system and solar panels鈥攂oth are sustainable. We built the loft platform inside and scraped and sealed all of the logs. And I built a small shed with scrap materials and installed more windows on the first floor.

What Was the Hardest Part?

Felling trees for the logs and dragging them around 100 yards to the build site was exhausting. And I鈥檓 not in awful shape.

Using a , we took down 30 to 40 relatively straight, light trees on the first trip out, but they kept getting hung up in the tight forest canopy. Then we cut these to 12 and 16 feet and dragged them to the site. It took a few days. The next time we were there, the following July, we cut another 30 or 40 trees.

Does the Cabin Have Plumbing and Electricity?

One of the last things I did when I was there was put in a . The rainwater goes from the roof to a gutter and through a small-screen filter to a 300-gallon IBC (intermediate builk container) tank. The tank was repurposed鈥攊t used to hold soy sauce鈥攁nd someone sold it to me. I鈥檓 gonna have to plumb from that tank to a sink and an outside shower. There鈥檚 no toilet鈥攚e probably will get an outhouse but right now we鈥檙e using a bucket with a toilet seat on top.

For electricity, I have a small solar setup: two 100-watt panels and a solar battery that鈥檚 good enough to charge things and for basic lighting. The great thing about these is they鈥檙e upgradable; I just need to get more batteries and panels to turn it into something more robust that could handle, like, a fridge.

What About Heat?

I brought out a woodstove from New Mexico but decided it鈥檚 too big and that it would heat us out鈥攖hat鈥檚 a mistake I made with the cabin in Truchas, too鈥攕o I鈥檒l probably buy a small one.

Did You Have to Troubleshoot Any Unforeseen Issues?

It rained a lot one trip, in July, and the road, which is unmaintained, was turning into a rutted off-camber mess. I was having to winch up in several places, and I blew out the Navigator鈥檚 4×4 low. So we found a local heavy-equipment operator and hired him to take down some trees and smooth out the road.听But this is an investment for us. Having a small functional cabin with a roughed-in road will increase the property value by more than what we鈥檝e spent.

Also, except for the initial time I drove the navigator out, we鈥檝e flown. And every time, we fly with the power tools. I check the chainsaw, the circular saw. You can鈥檛 check the batteries, so I have to carry those on.

How Did You Cut Costs?

One of our challenges was thinking up a good chinking method that wouldn鈥檛 take an entire month. There are maybe 80 trees in the structure鈥攂ecause they were smaller in diameter, we needed more, which also meant 80 gaps to fill. Concrete mortar was out, because we didn鈥檛 want to haul water up from the stream and mix cement. was out, because it鈥檚 too expensive. So we used a product called . This is a spray foam with a component that tastes sour, so bugs and rats don鈥檛 want to chew through it.

Pestblock worked better than I imagined, but it鈥檚 gonna yellow real bad and I鈥檒l likely have to paint it. I tried putting floor polish over it, to keep the gray color, but it didn鈥檛 work.

Also, we didn鈥檛 strip the bark off the logs. It looks cool, but bark holds moisture and the logs can rot. After we completed the first floor, they sat for a year, and I thought that if we wire-brushed the logs after a year or so, we could then use floor polish to seal them. So far that鈥檚 been working great, but only time will tell if we have any rot. I might know in a few years.

We also stayed in a nearby campground much of the time when we were working on the cabin.

Did Your Family Like Being Involved?

We just gave my son, Mason, a nice RAV4, so we forced him to come out and be our indentured servant. After the second trip, he told me I鈥檇 worked him pretty hard but that he had a great time. He can do most jobs independently after a little training. One of our daughters also did a lot of work the first visit, carrying logs.

Saraswati, my wife, is really good at certain things like angles or eyeballing whether something is level. My eyes are awful. Also, I can have a short fuse. At the beginning, I鈥檓 fine, but after a week, it grows shorter. And Saraswati will really push to get things done when I鈥檓 ready to quit, so we get a lot more done when she鈥檚 around.

On the flip side, I have to bring her back down to earth on structural realities. She鈥檚 always form over function, and I鈥檓 the opposite. For example, we had a full-size door, but I realized that fitting it would cut too many logs on one side and compromise the structure. So we had a bit of a fight about that, because I wanted to cut the door and make it shorter. That鈥檚 what we ended up doing.

What Are You Proudest Of About the Cabin?

We did this on the cheap and haven鈥檛 splurged on anything so far鈥攖hough having internet out there will be a splurge. The cabin鈥檚 a pretty basic structure, but I鈥檓 OK with that. And except for needing help fixing the road, we were able to do everything on our own. There鈥檚 no cell-phone access out there, so if you run into a jam, you just have to figure it out.

Estimated Costs for the Cabin

Land and Annual Taxes: $78,000

Building Supplies: $8,000

Driveway: $7,000

Eventual Internet Setup: $700

Flights, food, fees to stay in the nearby campground before the cabin was ready: $5,000

Total: $98,700

Tasha Zemke is 翱耻迟蝉颈诲别鈥�s managing editor and a member of 国产吃瓜黑料 Online鈥�s travel team. She appreciates beautiful, and especially ancient, architecture but can鈥檛 imagine building a structure of any kind, given her loathing of giant home-improvement stores.

The post How I Built a Log Cabin in 7 Weeks for Under $100K appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Every fall, my family piled into our station wagon and set out from suburban Boston to view the foliage in northern New England. I still have a shoebox full of the home movies my father shot on those weekend outings; the grainy, jouncy footage shows a succession of white band stands, weathered barns, mom-and-pop roadside motels, and my sister doing cartwheels in swirls of falling leaves.

Even then, I got the message that while New Hampshire and Maine were indeed pretty (and, bonus points, had amusement parks with trained bears and pet-able deer), Vermont鈥攑ristine, billboard-free, and broad-vistaed鈥攚as the gold and orange and crimson standard of leaf peepery. It turns out it wasn鈥檛 just my family鈥檚 opinion. There鈥檚 solid science to back that up.

Things to Know About Vermont鈥檚 Fall Foliage

A combination of factors makes Vermont foliage hard to beat in North America, according to William Keeton, a professor of forest ecology and forestry at the University of Vermont, in Burlington. For starters, more than three-quarters of the state is forested鈥攁nd one out of four trees are showoff-y maples. A riot of species comprise the other 75 percent.

鈥淲e have such diversity here: American beech, yellow and paper birch, red oak, white ash, poplars, willows, aspen, alder, and others鈥攁nd they each yield different colors,鈥� Keeton says. 鈥淭hen there鈥檚 the diversity of the topography, with different elevations and aspects and landforms, and different climate conditions that influence foliage timing and intensity. The result is a mosaic of color that鈥檚 quite breathtaking.鈥�

This magic triggers in late summer by the onset of cooler nights and shorter days, signaling chlorophyll, the green pigment that allows trees to create energy from light, to dissipate. When it does, the leaves鈥� true colors emerge in what Keeton calls 鈥渢he great reveal.鈥�

Vividness varies from year to year, depending on rainfall, temperatures, and other factors leading up to the season. While scientists are concerned that climate change may be leading to a dulling, shortening, or shifting of the foliage period, they admit that the exact recipe for optimal color remains a mystery.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 part of what makes it so fun and exciting,鈥� Keeton says. 鈥淲e never know how it鈥檚 going to play out.鈥�

What is certain is that the technicolor wave starts in northern Vermont in the highest elevations around mid-September and and ends in the valleys in the southern part of the state sometime in mid-to-late October. You can watch it as it unfolds with a or you can just get in the car and drive. Here are nine of the most beautiful places to check out Vermont鈥檚 big show.

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.

1. Underhill

You could join the masses in Stowe and ascend Mount Mansfield, Vermont鈥檚 highest peak, by car, gondola, or foot. But for a less congested approach, consider starting in Underhill, on the mountain鈥檚 western flank. A rewarding roughly five-mile loop follows the Frost Trail to the more challenging Maple Ridge Trail and a rocky scramble up to Mansfield鈥檚 鈥淔orehead,鈥� then descends via the mellower Butler Lodge Trail through hardwood forest. Find more bliss back in Underhill鈥檚 Pleasant Valley, where a 20-mile gravel and paved bike loop winds through a wonder of silo-studded farmland backed by Mansfield鈥檚 snaking ridgeline.

Don鈥檛 Miss: , a self-service bakery near Underhill Center, selling sweet (maple cream!) and savory (pulled pork mac-n-cheese!) pies.

2. Shelburne

, a 1400-acre education nonprofit, was founded by a Vanderbilt heir in the late 19th century as an agricultural showplace. Walk the pastoral grounds along the Lake Champlain shoreline and past the grand estate house turned inn, and visit the Farm Barn, where听 cheesemakers produce award-winning cheddar (my go-to is their clothbound variety) with milk from the resident Brown Swiss herd. Then head south to hundred-year-old and its diminutive 968-foot namesake peak. The summit trail was recently improved with stone stairways; the killer view of farms, Lake Champlain, and the Adirondacks remains the same.

Don鈥檛 Miss: The ridgetop , in nearby Monkton, for you-pick apples and their signature Dreamee, that is, maple soft serve ice cream atop a warm cider donut.

3. East Burke

The renowned Kingdom Trails 100-mile mountain bike network, carved out of private land in the state鈥檚 rugged Northeast Kingdom, celebrates its 30th anniversary with three new trails in the Kitchell area, including Drop It!, a triple black diamond with jumps and drops. When and if you鈥檙e ready to get off the bike, make the 15-mile drive north to cold, deep Lake Willoughby, a fjord-like glacial gash between the sheer flanks of Mount Pisgah and Mount Hor; trails on both peaks lead to magnificent overlooks.

Know Before You Go: Most of the bike center鈥檚 trails and roads damaged by two bouts of flooding rains in July have been repaired, but check for updates.

4. Waitsfield

The funky, slow 1948 single chairlift at the co-op-owned cranks up for foliage viewing on three consecutive weekends starting September 28 and costs just $20 ($15 for kids and seniors) to partake. Once you reach the summit, head north or south for an out-and-back ramble on the ridgeline . For a different perspective on the Mad River Valley, make your way to nearby Fayston to saddle up for a guided trail ride (from $133) on country roads and through open meadows.

Don鈥檛 Miss: , just off Route 100, serving stellar IPAs, including their flagship Sip O鈥� Sunshine, in a soaring post-and-beam taproom with a mountain-view outdoor patio.

5. Windsor

Mount Ascutney, an isolated 3,144-foot monadnock, dominates the landscape in the Upper Valley of the Connecticut River, where I live. You can pedal or drive the narrow 1930s Mount Ascutney Parkway or hike the five-mile round-trip Weathersfield trail to get to the top, but since the summit is mainly forested, you鈥檒l want to climb the 25-foot observation tower for the 360-degree, Green and White Mountains panorama. Back in the valley, book a self-guided canoe or kayak trip with ; they鈥檒l shuttle you and your chosen craft to a put-in on the broad Connecticut (from $43).

Don鈥檛 Miss: The 1866 Cornish-Windsor bridge, the longest wooden covered span in the United States, connecting Vermont to New Hampshire.

6. Woodstock

With its flawless brick-front shops and whitewashed historic homes, Woodstock is la-la land Vermont. And sometimes that鈥檚 what you want鈥攅ven if it means dodging tour groups. I like to take in the tidy village from the top of Mount Tom, either by hustling up the heavily used Faulkner Trail or by taking the longer Pogue route, which begins on Victorian-age carriage roads in Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park. Mount Peg, another in-town peak, has 16 miles of woods and meadow trails co-managed by the Woodstock Area Mountain Bike Association and the , where you can spend the night. (Rooms from $669).

Know Before You Go: After being overrun by social media followers vying for shots of the ridiculously scenic Sleepy Hollow Farm, Cloudland Road is closed from September 25 through October 16 to all but residents.

7. Manchester

Stately 19th century homes, flanked in the west by soaring 3,848-foot Mount Equinox, the highest peak in the Taconic range, and yes, a strip of designer apparel outlet stores, make this southern Vermont shire town a hot spot for visitors. You can drive to the top of Equinox on the serpentine five-mile toll road or hike up on the relentlessly steep Blue Summit trail through forests of beech, yellow birch, and maple. For more level miles, walk the landscaped grounds of Hildene, the 1905 summer estate of Robert Todd Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln鈥檚 son and the president of the Pullman Palace Car Company.

Know Before You Go: Hildene鈥檚 Many Voices exhibit chronicling the lives of the Black Pullman porters is the southernmost stop on the , which takes you to historical and cultural sites that explore the stories of Black Vermonters.

8. Bennington

It鈥檚 no surprise that this is Robert Frost country; the poet is buried in the Old First Church cemetery near the curved white picket fences and stately homes of sugar maple-lined Monument Avenue. A 20-mile loop drive through North Bennington and Shaftsbury takes you past Frostian covered bridges and old stone walls. Make time to stop at the , the poet鈥檚 home for most of the 1920s, where readings, lectures and workshops are held throughout the fall. . From there, the gently sloping two-mile Robert Frost trail traverses his old apple orchard and leads to Lake Paran, with inspiring views along the way of the Berkshires, Taconics, and Greens.听

Don鈥檛 Miss: The classic 1948听 , saved from post-Covid closure by a nostalgic Bennington College alum. The menu features lots of vegetarian options, but let鈥檚 be honest, post-leaf-peeping moments usually call for a Reuben.

9. Newfane

The town green in this tiny village is at the center of an extraordinary collection of architectural gems, including a columned Greek Revival courthouse and inn, two imposing Gothic Revival churches, and a brick Romanesque bank. Grab snacks at the 1822 Newfane Country Store, then head east to the for a low-key woodland stroll or run to the wide-open summit. You鈥檒l have the company of birdwatchers participating in the annual Hawk Watch; every autumn, thousands of migrating hawks and other raptors can be seen riding the ridgeline thermals.

Know Before You Go: Newfane鈥檚 adorableness peaks on October 12 and 13 during its , when local volunteers sell (by the slice or whole) the more than 200 apple pies they baked for the occasion.

The post The 9 Best Places to View Vermont鈥檚 Fall Foliage in All Its Glory appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I鈥檒l admit, I鈥檓 biased toward lush tropical landscapes, like Tahiti, and rugged stretches of coast, such as Vancouver Island, British Columbia. But there鈥檚 something magical about the endless expanse of badlands or a snowcapped mountain reflected in an azure alpine lake. So they made my list of the most beautiful places on earth.

I鈥檝e done a lot of globe-trotting in my decade as a travel journalist. When 国产吃瓜黑料 asked me to consider writing about the most beautiful wild places on earth, I immediately thought of Lagoa das Sete Cidades in the Azores, green-blue twin lakes within a crater, and the Na Pali Coast of Kauai, with emerald cliffs that tumble steeply to the sea.

But these places are already on most people鈥檚 radar, and the last thing I want is to contribute to overtourism. Instead, I came up with a list of stunning, lesser-known destinations that are also full of adventure potential. You鈥檙e going to be amazed.

I purposely highlighted more sites close to home to make this list accessible.听My biggest tip is to live in the moment when visiting these places鈥攐r any place that bowls you over. You can鈥檛 experience it fully if you鈥檙e glued behind your camera, shooting images to share. Here are my picks for the most beautiful places on earth.

1. Cedar Breaks National Monument, Utah

Why It Wows: Utah has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to otherworldly rocky landscapes, but the geologic amphitheater that is steals the show (entrance fee from $15). Rich mineral deposits in the cliffs and hoodoos resemble a sweeping sunset of orange, yellow, red, and purple. During July and early August, some 250-plus species of wildflowers bloom, creating a Technicolor landscape.

国产吃瓜黑料 Intel: Tucked in the mountains 20 miles east of Cedar City, this three-mile-long cirque gets a sliver of the foot and vehicle traffic seen at nearby Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks but offers just as many options for outdoor lovers. Because it鈥檚 located at an elevation of 10,000 feet, summer temperatures are comfortable, with highs hovering around 70 degrees.

Hikes range from the ADA-compliant, two-mile round-trip , which skirts part of the rim overlooking the amphitheater, to the 12.8-mile Rattlesnake Creek Trail, a two- to three-day hike in the Ashdown Gorge Wilderness that drops into the amphitheater.

Five miles north, is a mountain biker鈥檚 dream, with more than 100 miles of downhill singletrack and 100 miles of cross-country trails.

Stargazers know Cedar Breaks as a designated International Dark Sky Park. Every Sunday and Saturday from late May through early October, the monument offers free four-hour astronomy tours at the North View Overlook.

2. Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, Alberta

Why It Wows: Often referred to as Banff National Park鈥檚 lesser-known sister, this 76,800-acre patch of wilderness in the Canadian Rockies is the epitome of postcard perfection, with its snow-crowned peaks, sparkling alpine lakes, glacial streams, and evergreen valleys. In autumn the park is most dazzling, when larches鈥� needles turn gold and the trees are reflected in the lakes.

国产吃瓜黑料 Intel: , 85 miles southwest of Calgary, is one of Canada鈥檚 most accessible parks, with multiple barrier-free trails wide enough to accommodate wheelchairs (entrance fee from $12).

Stay at , fresh off a $6 million renovation (from $21 for a campsite; from $31 for a cabin). It overlooks Lower Kananaskis Lake, prioritizes people with disabilities and seniors, and features 22 accessible cottages, plus 13 campsites, and 11 miles of accessible trails on-site.

The park is full of hiking and mountain-biking trails, as well as seven miles of paved biking paths. In fall, check out Elephant Rocks and Chester Lake via when it鈥檚 positively ablaze with yellow larches. In winter, bring along your cross-country-ski gear and spend a day on the park鈥檚 more than 50 miles of groomed trails.

In the area without your outdoor essentials? rents everything from canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards to e-bikes and full-suspension mountain bikes.

3. Lefkada Island, Greece

Why It Wows: Sea and sky meld together in an ombr茅 of blues on this under-the-radar Ionian isle. Chalky cliffs and white-sand and pebble beaches also woo those in the know, but the interior is just as wondrous, filled with a dense forest of ancient oak, dramatic gorges, and tumbling waterfalls.

国产吃瓜黑料 Intel: A five-hour drive west of Athens, Lefkada is one of the few Greek islands that doesn鈥檛 require a boat to reach鈥攊t鈥檚 connected to the mainland by a bridge. A playground for recreationists, you can spend days and biking its trails, or opt for guided or self-guided e-bike excursions with .

Windsurfers and kitesurfers head to Vasiliki, Ai Gianni, and Myli beaches. , in the village of Vasiliki, rents equipment and provides lessons. All of the beaches are stunners, but Egremni, on the southwest coast, is widely considered the prettiest in the country. Surrounded by limestone cliffs, you must hike a steep trail from the parking lot, then descend more than 300 stairs to reach the sand. Trust me, the effort is worth it.

4. Shariqiya Sands, Oman

Why It Wows: Stark and remote, this seemingly endless stretch of rippling, wind-sculpted dunes spans 5,000 square miles of Oman, a small sultunate on the southeastern tip of the Arabian Peninsula. The highest dunes鈥攕ome as tall as 330 feet鈥攁re found closest to the coast. But the big reason to see these ever-shifting sands is to witness the mesmerizing way they change color from pale gold in the afternoon to deep amber and copper as the blazing sun cuts across the sky.

国产吃瓜黑料 Intel: A three-hour drive south from the capital city of Muscat, this desert was recently renamed the Sharqiya Sands to reflect its geographic location more accurately (sharqiya comes from the Arabic word for 鈥渆astern鈥�), but everybody still refers to the area by its former name, Wahiba Sands, a nod to the region鈥檚 Bani Wahiba tribe.

, an Oman adventure specialist with 17 years of experience in the country, sets up mobile camps deep within the desert and can arrange activities like sandboarding, camel safaris, dune driving, and visits with local Bedouin families (from $6,234 per couple for two nights, all-inclusive). Bonus: the lack of light pollution means campers are treated to incredibly clear, diamond-studded night skies.

5. Las Coloradas Lagoon, Yucat谩n, Mexico

Why It Wows: These glimmering cotton-candy-colored lakes pop against a backdrop of powdery white-sand beaches and pastel blue skies within the protected reserve of the R铆a Lagartos Biosphere. The lagoons get their blush tint from the plankton, red algae, and brine shrimp that thrive in the super salty waters.

国产吃瓜黑料 Intel: The biosphere is off the beaten path鈥攁round three and a half hours from major tourist hubs like M茅rida, Canc煤n, and Playa del Carmen鈥攁nd area accommodations are limited. Your best bets for an overnight stay are , a four-room, family-run eco-lodge in the reserve that also offers tours (from $95), or the in the sleepy nearby fishing town of R铆o Lagartos (from $66).

The biosphere is a birding paradise, home to 380 species, including 30,000 flamingoes that match the water. It鈥檚 also possible to spot spider monkeys, coatis, and jaguars, and from April and October, hawksbill and green turtles lay their eggs on the shores. Book a tour at the reserve鈥檚 visitor center for a better understanding of this ecosystem, but don鈥檛 plan on swimming here; as tempting as it might be to dive into the pink waters, the activity is prohibited, due to the high salinity and because the salt is harvested there for consumption.

6. Rio Sucuri, Brazil

Why It Wows: Eleven miles outside Bonito, the self-declared ecotourism capital of Brazil, you’ll find Rio Sucuri, whose Avatar-blue waters are considered some of the clearest on the planet. Set against the lush jungle, its spring-fed waters glow a surreal electric blue.

国产吃瓜黑料 Intel: Bonito is located in the central-western state of Mato Grosso do Sul. It takes some effort to reach. After an approximate two-hour nonstop flight from S茫o Paulo to Campo Grande, it鈥檚 a three-and-a-half hour drive to Bonito; from there, the access point to Rio Sucuri is another 12 miles away.

and (from $160 and $160, respectively) are both great boutique stays around 50 minutes away, set on the banks of the Rio Formoso, another pristine, spring-fed waterway.

Rio Sucuri has been developed as an ecotourism project and can only be experienced with a guide. To reach the river鈥檚 headwaters, it鈥檚 a quarter-mile walk through the forest to a reception area at the S茫o Geraldo ranch, which outfits everyone with a wetsuit and snorkel gear. Then you鈥檒l board a boat for the quick ride upstream, where you鈥檒l jump in and allow the gentle current to drift you back, lazy-river style.

You鈥檒l no doubt spy pacu (a vegetarian piranha) and red-tailed pirapitanga darting between swaying emerald-green grasses. With exceptional visibility, you鈥檒l feel like you鈥檙e floating in an aquarium.

7. Pico Ruivo, Madeira, Portugal

Why It Wows: Topping out at nearly 6,110 feet, Pico Ruivo is the third-highest point in Portugal and the tallest peak in the archipelago of Madeira. From the top, you鈥檙e rewarded with panoramic vistas of the entire archipelago.

国产吃瓜黑料 Intel: Two trails lead to the summit. (PR 1.2) is the more direct route; it climbs 1.7 miles to the viewpoint. The more scenic path, however, is the 3.3-mile (one-way) (PR 1.1). Many consider this the most spectacular hike in all of Madeira. It crosses the island鈥檚 central massif, tunnels through volcanic tufts that once sheltered shepherds, and heads up steep slopes home to colossal urzes trees.

That said, it鈥檚 a test-your-mettle trek. Rise early to score parking at the trailhead at Pico Areeiro, the archipelago鈥檚 third-highest peak, and catch the sunrise before heading out.

8. Tarkine Rainforest, Tasmania, Australia

Why It Wows: The second-greatest expanse of cool temperate rainforest in the world could easily have been the inspiration for Fern Gully. Filtered light dances through the canopy of massive eucalyptus and leatherwoods, and velvety moss seems to cover everything. Hugging the island鈥檚 rugged northwest coast, the 900-plus-square-mile area boasts wild, remote beaches and sand dunes, waterfalls, and numerous sinkholes.

国产吃瓜黑料 Intel: The coastal village of Arthur River is a good jumping-off point for forest and beach adventures, or base yourself at , 67 miles south, for immediate access to river activities (from $176). The hotel has a fleet of 16 canoes and kayaks to rent, and from there it鈥檚 a three-hour paddle down Pieman River to 130-foot-tall Lover鈥檚 Falls.

Hikes through this 65-million-year-old rainforest are magical. Tackle the 5.5-mile, out-and-back Whyte River and Savage River Trail, keeping an eye out for wallabies, pademelons, and platypuses, which tend to be more active at dawn and dusk. Eco-outfitter runs four-, five-, and six-day hiking and camping expeditions to the region鈥檚 most incredible spots.

9. The Sermilik Fjord, Greenland

Why It Wows: This 50-mile-long fjord in eastern Greenland spans is a frozen wonderland of luminous blue crystal cliffs, calving glaciers, and a flotilla of colossal icebergs.

国产吃瓜黑料 Intel: Most visitors explore eastern Greenland by ship, but I like 鈥� new, climate-friendly, human-powered itinerary ($6,750 for eight days). You鈥檒l explore the region on foot or by kayak, and sleep in tents and cabins. Inuit hunter and guide Jokum Heimer Mikaelsen, along with a guide from the Greenland mountaineering company , lead hikes up small mountains, into ice caves, and across glaciers and offer insight on how Native people forage on the tundra.

Powderhounds can discover the slopes on a ski-tour trip with (from $4,910 for eight days). Dogsleds and local boats are used to access different terrain each day.

10. Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness, New Mexico

Why It Wows: These sprawling badlands look like a high-desert fantasy world dreamt up by Salvador Dal铆. Shaped by wind and erosion, the hoodoos create a natural sculpture park, with rock formations resembling alien eggs and manta ray wings.

国产吃瓜黑料 Intel: Two trailheads access the area鈥檚 43,420 acres, both located less than an hour鈥檚 drive south of Farmington, New Mexico, or 90-minute drive south of Durango, Colorado. The Bisti Trail on the west side is the main portal and most popular, thanks to its moonscape-like terrain.

The De-Na-Zin Trail on the southeast side features less of the classic badlands topography but is still wildly beautiful. It starts out in sagebrush, transitions to juniper and eventually badlands studded with huge petrified logs and eroded cliffs and mesas.

Most visitors head to Instagram-sensation attractions like the Bisti Wings. But Stan Allison, an outdoor-recreation planner at the BLM Farmington Field Office, recommends a more exploratory approach. 鈥淢any of the unnamed areas have features that are just as interesting as the named ones,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 navigate by following the normally dry arroyos and then veering off or up side drainages when I see interesting features.鈥�

Wheeled vehicles are not allowed on BLM land, and there are no designated hiking trails, so be sure to download a topographic map of your route to a well-charged phone ahead of your visit, because cell signals can be spotty. This is an area where packing a paper map and compass is also a smart idea.

Or considered a guided visit. The wilderness boundaries overlap parcels of private Navajo land, and offers five-hour trips that delve into the history of the area and its cultural significance to Indigenous people.

11. Bazaruto Archipelago, Mozambique

Why It Wows: I visited this archipelago of five dune islands almost a decade ago, and from the plane, they looked听like a white-and-aquamarine swirl-art painting. A designated national park, the marine life in its protected waters is as incredible as the powder-fine beaches. The archipelago lays claim to the second most diverse coral reefs in the world and supports over 2,000 species of fish, and on dive and snorkel excursions I听saweverything from vivid corals and manta rays to reef sharks and even the endangered dugong.

国产吃瓜黑料 Intel: The large coastal town of Vilanculos is the gateway to this cluster of islands, which can be reached by air via or by boat (most hotels provide complimentary boat transfers).

Bazaruto and Benguerra islands offer next-level offshore snorkeling and diving opportunities, as well as hiking/biking to听 crocodile-filled inland lakes surrounded by towering sand dunes. It鈥檚 worth splurging on a stay at or , both barefoot-luxe eco-hotels on Benguerra Island (from $5,744 and $1,108, respectively). The resorts can organize sailing excursions on traditional dhow boats, kitesurfing lessons, kayak trips through mangroves, whale-watching excursions between July and October, and scuba-dive outings to famed sites like Two Mile Reef, accompanied by research scientists.

12. Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan

Why It Wows: Reminiscent of the wild beauty of Hawaii Island, this district in Japan鈥檚 southernmost island, Kyushu, has 250 miles of surf-blessed coast, active volcanic craters, and wild horses. More than 75 percent of the mountainous interior is covered with forests dotted with sacred shrines and cascading waterfalls.

国产吃瓜黑料 Intel: Located on the east coast of Kyushu, Miyazaki is about a 90-minute flight from Tokyo鈥檚 Haneda Airport or a 60-minute flight from Osaka鈥檚 Itami Airport. Legendary waterman Kelly Slater has pilgrimaged here to ride waves, a testament to the area鈥檚 surf cred. The guide company offers surf trips led by local pros, and if you鈥檙e experienced, they鈥檒l lead you to a secret big-wave spot that breaks from August to October.

A visit to Cape Toi, Miyazaki鈥檚 southernmost point, is a must. The scenery is straight out of a fairytale, with a seemingly endless panorama of sapphire ocean, a forest of rare, native sago palms, and 100 wild horses called Misaki-uma, considered a national treasure. Even cooler: you can camp here, at the (from $20).

13. Lake Willoughby, Vermont

Why It Wows: Nicknamed America鈥檚 Lucerne, this five-mile-long, glacier-carved lake is sandwiched between the fjord-like peaks of Mounts Pisgah and Hor. The water is remarkably clear, and come fall, it takes on the autumnal hues of the surrounding foliage鈥攁 gorgeous sight.

国产吃瓜黑料 Intel: Situated in the heart of Vermont鈥檚 rural Northeast Kingdom, Willoughby State Forest encircles the lake’s southern end and is webbed with 12 miles of hiking trails. is a 2.5-mile out-and-back route with fantastic lake views.

Summer is the most popular season for boating, paddleboarding, and kayaking, and public beaches on its north and south ends are popular with swimmers and sun seekers (note that the latter is clothing optional). Willoughby is also a haven for anglers who come to hook jumbo trout and salmon. (Willoughby Lake Store, near Westmore, sells bait.) Visibility is so good some people even scuba dive here.

On the south side of the lake, the family-run has tent sites, RV hookups, and waterfront cabins, plus an on-site caf茅 and country store, plus kayak, canoe, and SUP rentals (from $38).

Jen Murphy is 国产吃瓜黑料 Online鈥�s travel-advice columnist and a frequent contributor to the magazine. She dreams of returning to the Bazaruto Archipelago to dive its clear waters, and a camping trip in the desert of Oman is on her wish list.听

The post The 13 Most Beautiful Places on Earth You鈥檝e Never Heard Of appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.