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    Looking for the best backpacking in United States? We've got you covered with the top trails, trips, hiking, backpacking, camping and more around United States. The detailed guides, photos, and reviews are all submitted by the Outbound community.

    Top Backpacking Spots in and near United States

    • Browning, Montana

      Cracker Lake

      5.0
      12.71 mi / 2001 ft gain
      The 6.1 mile (12.2 roundtrip), hike to Cracker Lake includes wooded forests, grand views of lakes and mountains, creek crossings, distant waterfalls, mining ruins, possible wildflowers and wildlife, and a swim in turquoise water. At 1400ft elevation gain, the trail never gets too taxing. The view...
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    • Lowman, Idaho

      Saddleback Lakes

      5.0
      8.64 mi / 2129 ft gain
      The adventure starts taking a boat shuttle over between the north and south ends of Redfish Lake. The boat ride has a fee and is approximately 7 minutes each way. You can learn more on the Redfish Lake blog. Once across the lake at its southern end (Redfish Inlet Transfer Camp), hike the Redfish...
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    • North Bend, Washington

      Gem Lake, WA

      4.7
      10.4 mi / 2923 ft gain
      This hike shares the trailhead for Snow lake at the Alpental Ski area in Snoqualmie Pass. You'll start out with a great warm up, walking through dense green underbrush and a brief wooded area. Before too long the trail increases in inclination slightly and begins to offer up some small rocky sect...
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    • Kilauea, Hawaii

      Na Pali Coast via the Kalalau Trail

      4.9
      20.55 mi / 7562 ft gain
      This hike begins at the parking lot of Ke'e Beach at the Northern most point you can drive to on the island. This is where the Kalalau Trail begins. From there, you immediately start hiking upward, with great views of the beach down below. The first two miles of the trail are the busiest, as n...
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    • Breckenridge, Colorado

      Lower Crystal Lake via Crystal Creek Road

      5.0
      4.52 mi / 1624 ft gain
      To get to the Crystal Lakes start at the Spruce Creek Trailhead. You can hike or drive to the Lower Crystal Lake along Crystal Creek Road. If you choose to drive, you will need a high clearance 4x4 vehicle as you follow along Crystal Creek Road. The road is steep, but when they get to the top it ...
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    • Cascade, Idaho

      Camp at Blue Lake

      5.0
      Blue Lake is a great spot to spend a night next to the lake but is also the perfect escape if you're looking to get away for just the day. The stars at night are worth the trip alone, as it's far away from light pollution. It gets a little windy sometimes but there is plenty of cover and trees to...
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    • Aspen, Colorado

      Crater Lake via Maroon-Snowmass Trail

      4.6
      3.77 mi / 722 ft gain
      The crater lake trail begins at Maroon Lake and quickly breaks off from the scenic trail at .3 miles. Be sure to follow the signs to crater lake, which will be heading higher into the valley. The trail passes through a beautiful Aspen grove most of the way with wonderful views of 14ers, the Maroo...
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    • Canton, North Carolina

      Shining Rock via Shining Creek Trail

      4.3
      8.69 mi / 2569 ft gain
      There are several ways to access the Shining Rock Wilderness Area, but go for the main trail head off of Hwy 276. The trail is split by the Pigeon River, providing a seemingly infinite combinations of trails and routes, keeping in mind that this area intersects often with the well known Art Lobe ...
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    • Humboldt County, California

      Hike to Tall Trees Grove, Redwood NP

      5.0
      3.9 mi / 690 ft gain
      NOTE: You need a permit, albeit free, to do this hike.First, you'll need to go to the Thomas H. Kuchel Visitor Center just off Highway 101 south of Orick, CA. Once there, write down your license plate number and go up to the counter and ask one of the rangers for a permit for Tall Trees Access Ro...
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    • Free Soil, Michigan

      Camp in the Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness

      4.6
      The Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness Area is located south of Manistee along an extremely isolated shoreline. Most hikers prefer to camp two nights along the shores of Lake Michigan, but some choose to call the dunes home for weeks at a time. This is an area of backwoods camping, where sites can be est...
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    • Carbonado, Washington

      Hike Bearhead Mountain

      5.0
      6 mi / 1800 ft gain
      Formerly the site of an old fire lookout, Bearhead Mountain located in the Clearwater Wilderness, provides great unobstructed views of the north side of Mount Rainier, Little Tahoma, and many other surrounding Cascade mountain peaks. In the summer months you are likely to encounter great wildflow...
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    • Green River, Utah

      Canyoneering the San Rafael Swell

      4.0
      The San Rafael Swell, is the home of many adventures! One of those adventures being canyoneering. There are many slot canyons of various skill levels that have been explored and descended. There are many other canyons that still have yet to be explored by man kind. The Swell is large and ungo...
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    • Greenville County, South Carolina

      Hike to Rainbow Falls and Pretty Place

      5.0
      5.96 mi / 1844 ft gain
      Jones Gap State Park in the Upstate of South Carolina is one of the most beautiful parks in the state offering a good range of moderate and challenging hiking and backpacking trails through the Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area. Jones Gap also provides superb primitive camping sites along the rocky...
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    • Quincy, Washington

      Ancient Lakes Trail

      4.7
      4.34 mi / 213 ft gain
      On the hunt for a dry, scenic backpack during a weekend of dreary, wet, early September weather in the mountains, we decided to head toward the high desert outside of Quincy, WA. After a short hike in, we found a site seldom seen - waterfalls and lakes in the midst of the desert - an area known a...
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    • Bend, Oregon

      Green Lakes Trail

      4.7
      9.19 mi / 1240 ft gain
      This 8.5 mile roundtrip hike to Green Lakes basecamp gains elevation gradually as it meanders along beautiful Fall Creek with numerous small cascades. Depending on the season (expect significant snow on the trail through early-to-mid June) the stark contrast of the snow with creek is beautiful, t...
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    • Kamas, Utah

      Ibantik Lake via Crystal Lake Trailhead

      5.0
      3.96 mi / 646 ft gain
      From the Crystal Lake trailhead, follow the trail 1.1 miles north to Wall Lake. Here, you'll come to a junction with the trail from Trail Lake; take the left trail heading north to Notch Mountain, and Ibantik Lake is a mere .6 miles northeast, nestled next to Notch Peak. At Ibantik Lake, you'll ...
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