Pack up your butane backpacking stove and try out these off the beaten path multi-day hikes.
We understand the draw to backpacking in places like Grand Canyon National Park. It is such a well known, prominent, and beautiful natural landscape. Some of the rocks in the Grand Canyon date back to about 2 billion years ago. It is because of this rich otherworldly history and vast landscapes that crowds flock to hike, camp, and backpack destinations like this.
But there are plenty of other beautiful places in the wild pockets of the U.S. that are worth exploring. Backpacking is a great way to see many mountain vistas and desert scapes that don’t attract as big of crowds as some of our national parks. The activity also affords you the independence to truly immerse yourself in nature either solo with with fellow backpackers. So get ready to pack your backup and a plan a trip to one of these remote hikes.
Bring Your Butane Backpacking Stove on these Lesser-Known Hikes
Sometimes it’s nice to go off the beaten path and test your favorite butane backpacking stove on these lesser-known hikes.
Death Hollow Canyon, Escalante, Utah
Utah is home to the might five—the beehive state’s national park’s which include Bryce Canyon, Arches, Zion, Capitol Reef, and Canyonlands. But Utah has more to be explored than just its national parks. Death Hollow Canyon is located in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. Declared in 1996, Grand Staircase is one of the most remote spots in the country, and Death Hollow Canyon possesses a solitary beauty that can be enjoyed on a 25 mile backpacking trail. At the bottom of the canyon lies crystal clear water, which is abundant throughout the backpacking trip. This trip takes about three days and is very remote, so be sure to tell people where you are backpacking. It’s a truly unique and singular way to see the southwestern desert.
Kettle Crest Trail, Eastern Washington
Are you prepared to hike 44 miles and gain 8,000 feet in elevation? Then get ready to travel to the eastern side of Washington state. This hike is no easy feat with roughly six peaks over 7,000 feet in elevation, and it won’t be lined with the forest green of douglas-firs. Instead, you will be exploring the drier side of the Evergreen State, with plenty of sagebrush and vast meadows. Backpacking this remote trail could grant you sightings of plenty of wildlife including deer, moose, and black bears. Summer is the best time to embark on this trip as the wildflowers will be in bloom.
Iron Creek to Sawtooth Lake, Sawtooth Mountains, Idaho
This trail clocks in on the shorter side and can be backpacked over a weekend. But just because it’s short, doesn’t mean it doesn’t pack a punch of a view at the end. Five miles one way will get you to a stunningly blue alpine lake. This backpacking trail is lightly trafficked and perfect for those that just want a weekend away in the wilderness. If you want to take longer than the weekend, there are plenty of places to camp by the lake and day hike around the area. So whether you’re looking for a backpacking trip that’s just a weekend or something that can be a little longer, hiking to Sawtooth Lake is a great option.
Sierra High Route, Ansel Adams Wilderness, California
This trail is not for the faint at heart just based on the distance. The Sierra High Route clocks in at 195 miles of backpacking and roams through some of the most wild places in California including Kings Canyon National Park, Ansel Adams Wilderness, and John Muir Wilderness. Now, this backpacking trip would take weeks, which is not the most feasible for a lot of hikers. However, parts of this trail can be done over the course of a weekend or even a week. It’s on the Sierra High Route that you can catch some amazing views and relish in complete solitude in the most populated state in the country.