Best trails in your state?

[Nazarene]

I'd like to hike somewhere in every state in the US in my lifetime. I've got a long way to go, with only Virginia, and Indiana under me. What are some of the best trails where you're from, or just some that have really stuck out (in a good way) in your experience. Thanks for the help!

[Wrangler88]

I'd say Big Bend for Texas. I havnt hiked a ton of trails all over the state though. It's too big. But I have hiked there and it's pretty amazing for TX hiking standards.

[johnnybgood]

What is your description of "stuck out in a good way " ?

* Challenging (especially now that I'm older) , -- Old Rag Mountain

* Scenic -- Grayson Highlands (particularly in the Springtime . )

[ki0eh]

It might help if we know if you're looking for day (5 mi? 15 mi?), weekend, week-long loop, week-long section, or month-long hikes.

For PA, perhaps the best of any of the above are not along the A.T.

[Driver8]

I'd like to hike somewhere in every state in the US in my lifetime. I've got a long way to go, with only Virginia, and Indiana under me. What are some of the best trails where you're from, or just some that have really stuck out (in a good way) in your experience. Thanks for the help!

Some of the best I've hiked follow.

In Connecticut:

1. Appalachian Trail from Lion's Head Trail to AT to Bear Mountain to CT-MA border, extending into Mass over Mts. Race and Everett to Jug End. About 14 trail miles. Great views, strenuous effort in places. The beauty of the southern Taconics can hardly be overstated. The north side of Bear Mountain is a class IV climb/descent, to be treated with respect.

2. Sleeping Giant area, Hamden, CT: Blue Quinnipiac Trail west to east from main parking/picnic area to Chestnut Lane (West to East direction preferred) and White Trail either west to east or vice versa. Both very challenging, Blue has a famous ascent up a basalt scramble to the Giant's "Head." Quite difficult, with excellent views. White trail has magnificent views and many rocky scrambles. Combine the two trails for approximately 6.5 mile hike. The park has numerous other very nice trails as well.

3. Metacomet Trail from US 44 in West Hartford to Penwood State Park in Simsbury. Nice hike any time of year from a pretty reservoir area up a moderate small mountain and back down its north side - even better Memorial Day to 11/1, when the 165 foot Heublein Tower, at the hike's highest elevation, is open to be explored and climbed to its observation deck, with views, on clear days, strecthing from Long Island Sound, 40 miles south, to Bear Mountain, 40 miles west northwest, to Mount Monadnock in New Hampshire, 70 miles distant to the northeast. Especially nice in fall foliage season. Other trails in the area are also nice, including the Tower Trail north of the tower with a nice cliff walk. The Metacomet Trail in this stretch is about 6 miles.

4. East Peak and West Peak in Meriden, and Higby Mountain in Middlefield/Middletown. Very nice cliff walks with excellent views of the central Connecticut valley.

5. Macedonia Brook State Park - I've not done this yet, but have heard great things about it.

[Driver8]

PS: The best way to ascend to Bear Mountain, if you ask me (and most nutmeg hikers would agree), is not via the AT, which goes over some nice terrain and some more boring territory, but rather the Undermountain Trail from Rt. 41 (aka Undermountain Road) near the CT-MA state line in Salisbury. The hard way up is to branch northward via the Paradise Lane Trail and ascend the fierce northern face of the mountain. More forgiving but not easy, per se, is Undermountain to AT and up the southern slope.

Very popular Trails in Arkansas, where I grew up and my hiking experience is more limited, are:

1. Petit Jean State Park Cedar Falls Trail - best in spring for the 75 foot waterfall at the end of this there-and-back hike. About 55 miles northwest of Little Rock. Not sure how long - maybe 2 miles each way?

2. Pinnacle Mountain State Park - northwest of Little Rock just off Hwy 10. Excellent views of the beautiful Arkansas River Valley. About 2 miles round trip. Steep, rocky ascent and descent on this there-and-back.

3. Lake Fort Smith Area - very pretty.

4. Mount Magazine is the highest summit in the state in the central western part of the state. Have not hiked this area. Worth looking at.

5. Mount Nebo, near Russelville towering above the Arkansas River, is very beautiful and very popular - I've not yet hiked it, intend to remedy that on my next trip home.

Massachusetts (I have limited hiking experience here):

1. Mt. Greylock Area: I liked the Gould Trail a lot and have heard the Hopper Trail, the Money Brook Trail and Prospect Mountain Trail are excellent. The AT, hiked well from Jones Nose, over Saddle Ball, through its very beautiful and rare boreal spruce/fir forest, up to Greylock summit and then down northward via Fitch and Willams, with a steep descent into North Adams in the Valley is a very nice hike, mostly, with the beautiful War Memorial at the summit. The views from the summit on clear days are awesome - on two recent hikes, I was able to see Mount Washington, about 130 miles northeast, faintly, towering to the northeast, and Monadnock east northeast much more clearly, with Stratton, Snow, Equinox and other neighbors closer by and the southern Taconics and Catskills also clearly seen. North of the principal summit, look out for the large stones of milky quartz near the summit of Fitch and don't miss the nice overlook at Williams.

Southern Taconics area discussed in CT hikes. Nearby to Appalachian Trail are the Bash Bish Falls trail and the Mt. Frissell Trail. Have heard great things about them.

Vermont:

I have hiked only the southern approach to Stratton Mountain from Kelly Stand Road. There are many magnificient hikes in the Green Mountain State, and I intend to get to them in the coming years. But I enjoyed Stratton very much. The spruce/fir forest that crowns it from about 3200 to the summit at 3936 is very pretty. The boulder field on the shoulder of Little Stratton is also very nice, though hard on the feet. The fire tower up top affords very nice views, well into the Adirondacks and up to the Presidentials on a clear day, with Greylock looming magnificiently south and west and the Catskills towering further behind it.

[hikersc1]

In South Carolina the Palmetto Trail Swamp Fox Passage & the Foothills Trail are my favorites

[TrekkerJeff]

Michigan:

Isle Royale National Park: there are 165 miles of trails to hike on this island park. The island is located 50 miles or so from the north west tip of Michigan's upper peninsula out in Lake Superior and is accessible by ferry or float plane. There are campgrounds located every few miles with campsites, shelters or both. You may see moose, wolves, fox, etc while hiking. There are no deer or bears though. The island has several inland lakes and is a great place to portage with your canoe as well. http://www.shannontech.com/ParkVisio...e3.html#Trails

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore: a 40 mile trail that follows the shoreline along Lake Superior between Grand Marais and Munising in Michigan's north central upper peninsula. There are back country campsites/campgrounds along the trail every few miles. Great views from the rock cliffs over Lake Superior.

[Serial 07]

in NC: Grandfather Mountain may be the best mountain i've ever been on...very tough hiking, with lot's of ladders, bouldering and a swinging bridge that's a mile up...awesome in the winter time when traffic is low, it's not meant for dogs though...this is an epic hike that will challenge even the most experienced hiker...with plenty of camping, this is an awesome overnight trip...there's even a shelter on one trail...

Also in NC: Linville Gorge/Tablerock, Mt. Mitchell, the Art Loeb Trail (30ish miles) are all great trips that aren't too long, but are tough and very worth while...

in MI: the Upper Peninsula is amazing...check out the Superior Trail...Lake Superior is something else!

[StorminMormon]

In South Carolina the Palmetto Trail Swamp Fox Passage & the Foothills Trail are my favorites

I'll second that - with an emphasis on the Foothills Trail. Love hiking there!

[Nazarene]

@jhonnybgood: I'm interested in both. I'd probably say that given the choice between the 2, I'd rather have a scenic hike, but I'm always up for a good challenge.

@kiOHeh: I'm looking for it all. I'm planning on spending weeks on trails, and I'm assuming that I'll be doing just some day hikes as well. I do quite a bit a traveling, so there are some states where I'll probably stop for a day on my way to someplace else. I'm assuming that there are some states that don't have 50+ miles hikes (like states in the midwest), but am still interested in trying to get anywhere from 3-50 miles as well.

@TrekkerJeff: I know about Isle Royale, and that is definitely where I've decided to hike Michigan. That one is going to have to be a trip in itself because it kinda seems hard to get to. Is that the case?? It's kinda funny because I only live about an hour from the southern border of MI (the main state, not the UP). I'm thinking of trying to do trails on the main land, and the UP, but from what I've found the UP seems way better. Can I drive straight North to get to the UP, or do I have to drive all the way around to Wisconsin? I'm really excited about this one.

[Nazarene]

@Serial 07: How does the weather stay year round in that area? I've only been to North Carolina in the summer. I used to live in Southwest Virginia and was never sure how cold it gets down there. BTW, I really enjoy the Carolinas.

@Everyone else: Thanks so much. I may be trying to send you a message in the future(could be years from now) to try to get more info when I get around to that area.

[sheepdog]

Make the drive north in Michigan to Pictured Rocks lakeshore trail. It's part of the NCT. You will walk the cliffs of lake Superior for 46 miles. It is just beautiful. No hiker should miss it.

[sixhusbands]

The Northville/Placid trail in upstate New York. It starts at Northville and goes from the lowlands in the southern Adirndacks , through the very remote lakes region and into the high peaks area ending at Lake Placid. It can be done in a good week from end to end or sections can be reached all along the 133 miles. This trail has all of the wilderness adventure you can desire.

[beakerman]

yeah I would second Big bend here in TX.

The lone star trail is longish (96 miles or so for a main trail through hike but 140ish if you take in the side loops) but after one or two cycles of well drained pine forest and not so well drained river bottom lands it gets to be pretty much monotonous. Thats not to say there aren't real nice places along the trail its just getting between them is kind of more of the same. Plus during the best time of year to hike you can't camp in the forest exceot at designated hunter camps...that is the real turn off for me...i can't do some of those big 20 mile days anymore so a through hike in the fall is straight out.

it's still my local trail though so i put miles and miles on it and hours and hours of service into it each season.

[Tilly]

@TrekkerJeff: I know about Isle Royale, and that is definitely where I've decided to hike Michigan. That one is going to have to be a trip in itself because it kinda seems hard to get to. Is that the case?? It's kinda funny because I only live about an hour from the southern border of MI (the main state, not the UP). I'm thinking of trying to do trails on the main land, and the UP, but from what I've found the UP seems way better. Can I drive straight North to get to the UP, or do I have to drive all the way around to Wisconsin? I'm really excited about this one.[/QUOTE]

Ah, the problem with Indiana. Michigan seems so close, but it really isn't.

Anyway, if you decide to drive through Wisconsin, you can get to IRNP from Grand Portage, Minnesota. The ferry from there is less than 2 hours I believe (plus, you would get to go to the North Shore.)

[ki0eh]

PA: Black Forest (long weekend loop), Quehanna (week-long loop), Standing Stone (week-long linear), Mid State (month-long linear) trails.

[Odd Man Out]

@TrekkerJeff: I know about Isle Royale, and that is definitely where I've decided to hike Michigan. That one is going to have to be a trip in itself because it kinda seems hard to get to. Is that the case?? It's kinda funny because I only live about an hour from the southern border of MI (the main state, not the UP). I'm thinking of trying to do trails on the main land, and the UP, but from what I've found the UP seems way better. Can I drive straight North to get to the UP, or do I have to drive all the way around to Wisconsin? I'm really excited about this one.

I know about Isle Royale, and that is definitely where I've decided to hike Michigan. That one is going to have to be a trip in itself because it kinda seems hard to get to. Is that the case?? It's kinda funny because I only live about an hour from the southern border of MI (the main state, not the UP). I'm thinking of trying to do trails on the main land, and the UP, but from what I've found the UP seems way better. Can I drive straight North to get to the UP, or do I have to drive all the way around to Wisconsin? I'm really excited about this one.

Is it hard to get to? Living close to the IN-MI boarder doesn't put you close to Isle Royale (You're a lot closer to the AT!). From where you live the drive through Chicago and then north through WI to Houghton MI is actually the shortest (540 miles). Driving to Grand Portage MN would be much further. I would suggest you drive the 660 mile route up through Michigan to Mackinaw City. From there you cross the bridge to the UP at St. Ignace. Drive west on US2 and then cross up to M28 at Seney. Then west to Houghton. From Houghton it is a 5 hr boat ride to the island. Or you could drive another hour north to Copper Harbor and take the 3 hr boat ride from there (boats leave early AM so you need to arrive the day before). Much to see along the way if you want to take an extra day or two such as Hartwick Pines SP, Mackinac Island, Suzy's Pasties in St Ignace, Mystery Spot (or not), Lk MI Beach on US2, Cut River Bridge Beach, Seney NWR, Pictured Rocks NL in Munising, Presque Ile Park in Marquette, sweet rolls at the Hilltop in L'Anse, Keweenaw NHP, and if you get as far as Copper Harbor - Eagle Harbor and Brockway Mt Dr (the pasties and sweet rolls are both required stops!). Isle Royale NP is great! Of course you also just get the the North Country Trail and walk to the UP.

[Cookerhiker]

I'd like to hike somewhere in every state in the US in my lifetime. I've got a long way to go, with only Virginia, and Indiana under me. What are some of the best trails where you're from, or just some that have really stuck out (in a good way) in your experience. Thanks for the help!

In my "home" state (where I've only lived less than a year-and-a-half), the obvious answer is the 280 mile-long Sheltowee Trace. Inparticular, the Red River Gorge and Natural Bridges in the north and Big South Fork & Cumberland Falls in the south.

From my years living in Western MD, there were lots of good trails in Monongahela National Forest in nearby West Virginia. In addition to the Allegheny Trail which I had hope to hike but had to cancel, I've hiked smaller loops in 2 wilderness areas: Otter Creek and Dolly Sods.

There's a network of trails in George Washington National Forest in Western Virginia spilling into WVa. Some nice ones are in the Great North Mountain area, including the Tuscarora which runs through VA, WV, MD, and PA forming a large loop with the AT.

And of course the Long Trail in Vermont is fabulous.

PA: Black Forest (long weekend loop), Quehanna (week-long loop), Standing Stone (week-long linear), Mid State (month-long linear) trails.

I just finished the Susquehannock Trail last week (nice, 84 mile loop) and have also hiked the Laurel Highlands Trail.

[Mags]

I live in Colorado..... Too many choices!

Here's some though...

Day Hikes

Backpacking loops

..and with the snow falling in town..backcountry skiing is on my mind!!!

There are many more. Some of my favorite hikes have been OFF trail however.....