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  1. #1

    Default Late October/Early November hike suggestions?

    I'm in Wisconsin, and debating taking a long weekend (or maybe a week...) to get out somewhere, sometime around the end of October or maybe early November.

    Logistics are important, I'd rather not have to rent a car and park it for a week -- as that's about what I pay for rent in a given month, but I could probably fly almost anywhere that wasn't required.

    I don't want to go wandering in the snow (I don't have the gear, nor the experience yet).

    Just figured I would use this wonderful internet resource and see if anyone had any suggestions!

    Initial thoughts included: Bryce Canyon or maybe Zion, hitting the Smokies somewhere, or maybe Shenandoah (I could get shuttled by friends there, to and from the park, most likely).

    Thanks in advance,
    -Kid

  2. #2
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    I wouldn't recommend the Smokies at that time. They might be okay, or they might not. Kinda iffy, and it doesn't sound like you're looking for the possibility of snow.

    Link below gives you a long list of shuttles for the whole length of the AT. You wouldn't have to rent a car if you can get picked up from the airport. Opens up a lot of possibilities...
    http://www.appalachiantrail.org/hiki...transportation

  3. #3
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    Snow at the upper elevations of the Smokies is always a possibility that time of year... but it's been rare in recent years. The seasonal "average" that time of year calls for hi/lo of about 70º/40º in the valleys and 50º/32º on the mountains. If you should decide on the Smokies, I would suggest getting out in October to catch the fall colors. The leaves reach their peak on the mountains the start of October and in the valleys at the end of October. By November the leaves (and most the tourists) are gone.

    Let me know what kind of mileage and number of days you're interested and I can help suggest some specific hikes. If you don't mind including a little bit of road walking, there are tons of loop hikes that can be done. However, you would pretty much need to drive to GSMNP. The local airport is about an hour away in Knoxville. There isn't much public transportation infrastructure to make it easy to get to GSMNP from the airport.


    The other suggestion I have that time of year would be the Grand Canyon (at least in October... by November you might encounter ice at upper elevations). However, again, driving would be the cheapest way to get there. GCNP is also situated about an hour or so from the Phoenix airport.

  4. #4

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    Great time of yr to head to Grand Canyon NP. Hike from say Hermits Rest down to the Tonto, camp at and explore down the side canyons to the Colorado River(CR) along the way, cross the Colorado River, and up to the N. Rim via the N Kaibab Tr.

  5. #5

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    HKDK, beat me to it.

  6. #6

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    Quote Originally Posted by KidA24 View Post
    Initial thoughts included: Bryce Canyon or maybe Zion, hitting the Smokies somewhere, or maybe Shenandoah (I could get shuttled by friends there, to and from the park, most likely).

    Thanks in advance,
    -Kid
    If you have a whole week, and the opportunity to go to Zion around early November, that's the perfect time to do it. Lows may hit the teens on the West side(Kolob Canyons, etc), but the crowds magically disappear at the end of October when the shuttles in the main canyon stop running. It's always a very special place, but much more so when you're there just before or after tourist season, and have popular spots to yourself.

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    I have no idea what the weather's like this time of year but Bryce and Zion are both pretty awesome, with lots of hiking in either one. If you go to Bryce, take a side trip to Grand Staircase/Escalante National Monument, maybe even take a hike there. At the very least do a day hike to see Calf Creek Falls. Near Zion, take a drive up Kolob Terrace Road (in Virgin UT) just before sunset. It's other-worldly.

  8. #8

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    Your timeframe is one of the best times of year to hike on the Sheltowee Trace here in KY and Northern TN. Snow will not be a problem and the best features of this area - clifflines, rock houses, arches, and natural bridges - are more visible after the leaves have fallen. The Sheltowee was recently extended southward to cover nearly all of Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area, so you could hike it from the southern terminus to Cumberland Falls State Park and, time permitting, on to Laurel "Lake" in the Daniel Boone National Forest.

    For information on the Sheltowee and help with shuttles, contact the Sheltowee Trace Association.

  9. #9

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    Thanks for all the ideas everyone. I'm really up for most anything. My worries about snow are this: I don't have snow shoes nor microspikes. Small amounts of snow I could handle without much problem, I just don't see myself doing any real winter camping like the badasses that do it.

    My average daily mileage varies widely, but I did 12ish a couple days in RMNP this summer which didn't completely sap me (with 5K of gain), so depending I'd say 20 would be my absolute max, and 10-12 would be ideal.... I like my relaxing time to sit, rest and take pictures while hiking.

    I really like the idea of doing Zion, my worry is that driving there myself just isn't feasible -- That's 4 days in the car driving there and back, which leaves me almost no time to hike. I've searched, and haven't come up with much beyond shuttles, which all suggest "Park your car at one end, and we'll pick you up"

    The amazingness of this community never ceases to amaze me.

    Thanks again,
    -Kid

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    Quote Originally Posted by KidA24 View Post
    My worries about snow are this: I don't have snow shoes nor microspikes. Small amounts of snow I could handle without much problem, I just don't see myself doing any real winter camping
    I think no mater where you plan to hike, unless it is somewhere way down south (like the Everglades), you've just got to check the weather just before your trip because you just never know because things can change quickly.
    Take this weekend as an example. I'm looking at the weather for GSMNP. In the lower elevations, the hi/lo has been about 77º/56º for the last few days. But a cold front is moving thru tomorrow and Saturday's forecast is 51º/34º.


    Your worries shouldn't be a problem in GSMNP. It rarely snows that time of year, and when it does, it's only a few inches that only lingers for a few days. And even if it did snow, you wouldn't need anything more than waterproof boot to hike thru it. Microspikes would only be needed on a limited number of trails (mostly around Mt LeConte) that have semi-exposed ledges. GSMNP is a pretty wet place, so if temperatures are staying around freezing, these ledges could have ice on them. But even at the highest elevation in the GSMNP (Clingman's Dome), the climate average is that day-time highs get above freezing. So it takes a prolonged cold spell or a major winter storm for snow to be a major factor in GSMNP.

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