7 Overlooked Hiking Destinations to Escape the Crowds in 2024
7 Overlooked Hiking Destinations to Escape the Crowds in 2024 - Sawtooth National Forest - Idaho's Alpine Sanctuary
The Sawtooth National Forest in central Idaho offers a stunning alpine sanctuary for hikers and nature enthusiasts.
Visitors can explore the breathtaking Sawtooth Mountains, which feature jagged peaks, crystal-clear alpine lakes, and an abundance of wildlife.
The Sawtooth National Forest has over 300 high-alpine lakes, more than any other area in the contiguous United States.
These crystal-clear lakes were formed by glacial activity during the last ice age and provide stunning scenery for hikers.
The Sawtooth Range within the forest is home to over 40 peaks that exceed 10,000 feet in elevation, including the iconic 10,751-foot tall Thompson Peak.
This makes it one of the most rugged and dramatic mountain ranges in the state.
Bighorn sheep, a species once on the brink of extinction, have made a remarkable comeback in the Sawtooth National Forest.
The forest contains over 700 miles of hiking trails, yet only a small fraction of this vast network sees regular use.
Many lesser-known trails offer solitude and stunning vistas away from the crowds.
Unusually, the Sawtooth National Forest extends beyond the borders of Idaho, with 4% of its total area spilling over into northern Utah.
This makes it one of the few national forests shared between two states.
Geologists have discovered that the Sawtooth Mountains were formed over 50 million years ago, making them one of the oldest mountain ranges in the Rocky Mountain chain.
The dramatic peaks and jagged ridgelines bear witness to this ancient geological history.
What else is in this post?
- 7 Overlooked Hiking Destinations to Escape the Crowds in 2024 - Sawtooth National Forest - Idaho's Alpine Sanctuary
- 7 Overlooked Hiking Destinations to Escape the Crowds in 2024 - Table Mountain and Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve - South Africa's Natural Wonders
- 7 Overlooked Hiking Destinations to Escape the Crowds in 2024 - Torres del Paine National Park - Patagonian Panoramas
- 7 Overlooked Hiking Destinations to Escape the Crowds in 2024 - Glacier National Park - Montana's Majestic Peaks
- 7 Overlooked Hiking Destinations to Escape the Crowds in 2024 - Sunshine Coast Trail - British Columbia's Coastal Gem
- 7 Overlooked Hiking Destinations to Escape the Crowds in 2024 - Olympic National Park - An Untamed Pacific Northwest Jewel
- 7 Overlooked Hiking Destinations to Escape the Crowds in 2024 - Yellowstone National Park - Winter Wonderland in Wyoming
7 Overlooked Hiking Destinations to Escape the Crowds in 2024 - Table Mountain and Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve - South Africa's Natural Wonders
South Africa's Table Mountain National Park stretches 70km from Signal Hill and Table Mountain to the iconic Cape Point, offering a diverse range of hiking trails and natural landscapes.
Visitors can enjoy scenic views of the city, the Atlantic Ocean, and Robben Island from Table Mountain, while the Cape of Good Hope provides an opportunity to encounter African penguins in a pristine natural setting.
Table Mountain is home to over 2,200 plant species, making it one of the most biodiverse areas on Earth per square kilometer.
This is more than the entire United Kingdom.
The Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve is home to a unique subspecies of the bontebok antelope, which was nearly hunted to extinction in the 20th century but has since made a remarkable recovery.
Geologists believe that Table Mountain was formed over 260 million years ago, making it one of the oldest mountains in the world.
Its distinctive flat top is the result of millions of years of erosion.
The Cape of Good Hope is not actually the southernmost point of the African continent.
That distinction belongs to Cape Agulhas, located about 150 kilometers to the east.
However, the Cape of Good Hope was long thought to be the southernmost point.
The Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve is home to the largest breeding colony of African penguins in the world, with over 2,000 breeding pairs.
Visitors can often spot these endangered seabirds waddling along the shores.
Table Mountain's cable car system, which first opened in 1929, is one of the world's oldest aerial cableways still in operation.
It carries over 800,000 passengers per year to the summit.
The Cape of Good Hope Trail is one of the most popular hiking routes in the nature reserve, covering a distance of 34 kilometers (21 miles) through diverse landscapes and ecosystems.
It can be completed in a challenging day hike or split over two days.
7 Overlooked Hiking Destinations to Escape the Crowds in 2024 - Torres del Paine National Park - Patagonian Panoramas
Torres del Paine National Park in Chilean Patagonia offers some of the most breathtaking hiking opportunities in the world, including the famous W Trek and O Trek.
The park's diverse landscapes, from glaciers and lakes to towering granite peaks, make it an iconic destination for nature enthusiasts and outdoor adventurers looking to escape the crowds.
With careful planning, visitors can experience the untouched beauty of Patagonia and witness the park's stunning panoramas along its well-known and lesser-known hiking trails.
The park's iconic "Cuernos del Paine" (Horns of Paine) are composed of granite and metamorphic rock that dates back over 12 million years, formed during the Cretaceous Period when the Andes were still rising.
The park is home to the elusive puma, one of the largest cats in the Americas, with an estimated population of around 50-70 individuals within the park's boundaries.
The Salto Grande waterfall, situated at the outflow of Nordenskjöld Lake, has an average flow rate of 350 cubic meters per second, making it one of the most powerful waterfalls in Chilean Patagonia.
The park's glaciers, including the famous Glacier Grey, are shrinking at an average rate of 30 meters per year due to climate change, posing a threat to the delicate ecosystem.
Torres del Paine is home to over 26 species of mammals, including the guanaco, a close relative of the llama that can be seen grazing in the park's grasslands.
The park's Milodon Cave, discovered in 1896, contains well-preserved remains of the extinct Mylodon, a prehistoric ground sloth that roamed the region during the Pleistocene era.
The park's iconic "Cuernos del Paine" were first summited in 1937 by a team of French and Polish mountaineers, a feat that took several attempts and was considered a major accomplishment at the time.
Despite its remote location, Torres del Paine National Park receives over 250,000 visitors per year, making it one of the most popular destinations in Chilean Patagonia.
7 Overlooked Hiking Destinations to Escape the Crowds in 2024 - Glacier National Park - Montana's Majestic Peaks
Glacier National Park in Montana offers a wealth of off-the-beaten-path hiking options for all abilities.
Lesser-known trails like the Trail of the Cedars and Avalanche Lake Hike provide stunning views and a more peaceful experience, allowing visitors to escape the crowds on the park's more popular routes.
Glacier National Park is home to over 200 glaciers, the most of any national park in the contiguous United States.
However, due to climate change, the park has lost over 39% of its glacier coverage since
The Going-to-the-Sun Road, a 50-mile scenic highway that traverses the park, is an engineering marvel.
Its construction, which began in 1921, was an immense feat, with workers blasting through solid rock to create the winding road.
Glacier National Park is a critical habitat for the endangered whitebark pine tree, a species that is under threat from a devastating fungus and climate change.
The park has one of the largest remaining populations of this iconic tree.
The park's Lake McDonald is a remnant of the last ice age, formed by glacial erosion over 10,000 years ago.
It is known for its crystal-clear waters and stunning reflections of the surrounding mountains.
Glacier National Park is home to the only native population of mountain goats in the United States.
These agile and sure-footed creatures can be spotted scaling the park's steep, rocky terrain.
The park's Highline Trail is considered one of the most challenging and rewarding hikes in the country.
It traverses the Continental Divide, offering breathtaking views of glaciers, alpine meadows, and sheer cliff faces.
However, many of these species are under threat due to habitat loss and climate change.
The Park's historic chalets, built in the early 20th century, are unique examples of Swiss-influenced architecture.
These rustic lodges provide a glimpse into the park's early days as a destination for adventurous travelers.
Glacier National Park is part of the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site shared between the United States and Canada.
This transnational park exemplifies the cooperation between the two countries in preserving the region's natural wonders.
7 Overlooked Hiking Destinations to Escape the Crowds in 2024 - Sunshine Coast Trail - British Columbia's Coastal Gem
The Sunshine Coast Trail in British Columbia offers a unique hiking experience through diverse landscapes, from coastal rainforests to panoramic viewpoints.
Spanning 180 kilometers, this backcountry route features 14 huts for overnight stays, allowing hikers to embark on a hut-to-hut adventure.
The Sunshine Coast Trail is Canada's longest hut-to-hut hiking trail, spanning an impressive 180 kilometers from Sarah Point in Desolation Sound to Saltery Bay.
Despite its vast expanse, the trail is completely free for hikers to use, making it an accessible and budget-friendly outdoor adventure.
The trail features a diverse range of landscapes, from lush coastal rainforests to the drier Georgia lowlands ecoregion, offering hikers a unique glimpse into the region's varied ecosystems.
Hikers can look forward to traversing old-growth forests, cascading waterfalls, crystal-clear lakes, and panoramic viewpoints of the Desolation Sound and the Straight of Georgia.
Interestingly, the Sunshine Coast Trail was first established in 1992, making it one of the older long-distance hiking trails in British Columbia.
While the trail is generally well-maintained, hikers are advised to be cautious of bears when camping and mice when using the huts, as these critters are known to frequent the area.
Geologists have discovered that the underlying bedrock of the trail's landscape dates back millions of years, providing a glimpse into the region's ancient geological history.
7 Overlooked Hiking Destinations to Escape the Crowds in 2024 - Olympic National Park - An Untamed Pacific Northwest Jewel
Olympic National Park in Washington state is a vast wilderness covering over 900,000 acres and attracting millions of visitors annually.
The park is known for its diverse ecosystems, including old-growth rainforests, glacier-capped mountains, and a rugged Pacific coastline, offering a wide range of hiking opportunities to escape the crowds.
From the picturesque Hurricane Ridge to the serene Marymere Falls, Olympic National Park presents an untamed and awe-inspiring Pacific Northwest experience for adventurous travelers.
Olympic National Park is one of the largest national parks in the contiguous United States, covering an area of 922,650 acres (373,024 hectares).
The park is home to the world's largest intact temperate rainforest, which includes ancient trees that can reach over 1,000 years old.
Mount Olympus, the park's highest peak, stands at 7,980 feet (2,430 meters) and is part of the Olympic Mountain Range, which was formed by tectonic plate uplift and glacial erosion over millions of years.
The park's diverse ecosystems include coastal beaches, old-growth forests, alpine meadows, and glacial-carved valleys, providing habitats for over 70 mammal species, including the iconic Roosevelt elk.
The Hoh Rainforest, located within the park, receives an average of 140 inches (355 cm) of rainfall per year, making it one of the wettest temperate rainforests in the continental United States.
The park's remote and rugged coastline includes the Hole-in-the-Wall, a natural sea arch formation carved into the sandstone cliffs over centuries of wave erosion.
Olympic National Park is the only place in the contiguous United States where the distinct subspecies of the Olympic marmot can be found, a highly social and territorial ground squirrel.
The park's Quinault Rainforest is home to the world's largest Sitka spruce tree, measuring over 58 feet (7 meters) in circumference.
The park's Hurricane Ridge, accessible by a scenic 17-mile (27 km) drive from Port Angeles, offers panoramic views of the Olympic Mountains and the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
The Elwha River, which flows through the park, was the site of the largest dam removal project in US history, as two dams were removed to restore the river's salmon runs.
Olympic National Park is part of the Pacific Northwest's Cascade Mountain Range and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981 for its exceptional natural beauty and ecological diversity.
7 Overlooked Hiking Destinations to Escape the Crowds in 2024 - Yellowstone National Park - Winter Wonderland in Wyoming
Yellowstone National Park transforms into a serene winter wonderland from mid-December to early March, offering a unique escape from the crowds.
The snowy landscape provides an ideal setting for various winter activities like snowmobiling, snowshoeing, and skiing, allowing visitors to experience the park's geothermal features and wildlife in a quieter, more peaceful season.
While many areas are closed, there are still several hiking trails and guided tours available for adventurous travelers to explore the park's wintry beauty.
Yellowstone's hydrothermal features, including famous geysers like Old Faithful, are even more mesmerizing in the winter as the steam billows through the crisp, snowy landscape.
The park's bison population, which can reach over 4,500 during the winter months, has developed a unique adaptation to survive the harsh conditions - they have an extra layer of woolly fur that insulates them from the freezing temperatures.
Yellowstone's Lamar Valley, often referred to as the "Serengeti of North America," becomes a prime wildlife-viewing destination in the winter, with opportunities to spot wolves, bison, elk, and bighorn sheep.
The park's Hayden Valley, which is typically crowded with tourists in the summer, transforms into a serene, snow-covered landscape in the winter, making it an ideal spot for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.
Yellowstone's Mammoth Hot Springs, a series of terraced, steaming hot springs, take on a magical, otherworldly appearance when coated in a layer of snow and ice during the winter months.
The park's roads, which are closed to vehicular traffic in the winter, become accessible via guided snowmobile and snowcoach tours, providing a unique way for visitors to explore the park's remote areas.
Yellowstone's Blacktail Plateau offers a more intimate and less-crowded winter hiking experience, with opportunities to spot wildlife and take in the park's stunning backcountry scenery.
The park's Fairy Falls, a stunning 197-foot waterfall, continues to flow even in the dead of winter, creating a mesmerizing frozen cascade that attracts adventurous visitors.
The park's Dunraven Pass, a scenic route that is typically closed in the winter, can be accessed via snowmobile or snowcoach, offering breathtaking views of the Absaroka and Gallatin mountain ranges.
Yellowstone's winter climate can be unpredictable, with temperatures ranging from below zero Fahrenheit to the high 20s, requiring visitors to be well-prepared with appropriate winter gear and equipment.
Despite the park's harsh winter conditions, Yellowstone's wildlife, including the elusive wolverine, have adapted to thrive in the snow-covered landscape, making it a prime destination for wildlife enthusiasts.