Suggestions for a Thanks Giving Hike anywhere in US not on the AT

[A-Train]

I posted this over on HF and didn't get any good suggestions so I thought I would give WB a try.

Not sure why, but I am having problems coming up with a place to go hiking over Thanks Giving. The only criteria is it needs to be a half days travel from New Orleans. There is no good hiking close, so I already accept it will be a plane ride and a rental car away. Plus I am looking for some fun in the snow.

Any suggestions on some spots to hit up? I'm looking for places within a 3 or 4 hour drive of a major airport. Hopefully involving snow. I'm headed with a friend from Norway and our winter gear is collecting too much dust in the deep south. I have been eyeing snow shoes for a few years now, so needing a pair for the deep snow isn't an issue. I feel comfortable sleeping below zero so temps aren't a concern. I don't have the technical experience for anything too sketchy so I would like to stay away from anything involving more than hiking.

Thanks in advance.

The Adirondacks are great and will be under snow then. You are a 2-3 hrs drive from Albany or less from Burlington VT or Montreal

[The Solemates]

come hike with us along PA's Mid State Trail: http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/show...e+trail&page=4

[beakerman]

Well you all missed teh obvious Lone Star Hiking Trail just north of Houston. That fits his bill to a "t"...

Half a days drive to get to a trail head and you can hike loops or even a section if you want. Granted it's not full of hte vast scenic vistas you get withteh mountainous trails out west but very nice none the less.

Go tothe lone star hiking trail group on Yahoo and learn more...

[beakerman]

ohh I missed the snow part...my bad but it's a nice trail anyway even without snow.

[Slack-jawed Trog]

I posted this over on HF and didn't get any good suggestions so I thought I would give WB a try.

Not sure why, but I am having problems coming up with a place to go hiking over Thanks Giving. The only criteria is it needs to be a half days travel from New Orleans. There is no good hiking close, so I already accept it will be a plane ride and a rental car away. Plus I am looking for some fun in the snow.

Any suggestions on some spots to hit up? I'm looking for places within a 3 or 4 hour drive of a major airport. Hopefully involving snow. I'm headed with a friend from Norway and our winter gear is collecting too much dust in the deep south. I have been eyeing snow shoes for a few years now, so needing a pair for the deep snow isn't an issue. I feel comfortable sleeping below zero so temps aren't a concern. I don't have the technical experience for anything too sketchy so I would like to stay away from anything involving more than hiking.

Thanks in advance.

Hey Now, HE!

Hie yourself up to the Southern Berkshires in Mass. If you are not spotting cars for a linear hike, you can make a dandy little loop on and around Alander Mountain from your car. Check out the Mass. DEC info: http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/western/mwas.htm

Alander trail map: http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/trails...washington.pdf

There is no guarantee of snow, of course but last MLK weekend I did use snowshoes to hike/camp up there!

Enjoy your hike, wherever you go.

[Medic!]

Try the Superior Hiking Trail along Minnesota's North Shore of Lake Superior. The snow will fly very soon up there, and the southern terminus is less than an hour from Duluth Intl Airport, and about 4.5 hours from Minneapolis/St. Paul Intl.

[mkmangold]

Big Bend, Guatalupe Mountains National Park, Southern portion of the CDT or the SCal part of the PCT. Ice age trail in Wisconsin, Penhoti trail in Alabama, Ouichita trail in Arkansas, Garden of the gods in Illinois, North Country trail, Arizona has TONS of hiking.

Good suggestions. As a processed cheesehead, I'd suggest the Ice Age Trail. You could fly into O'Hare (about 2 1/2 hours from New Orleans) and the drive to the Kettle Moraine Southern unit (Eagle, WI) is just over 2 hours depending on time of day and construction. Flying into Milwaukee may take longer because of layovers but the drive to Eagle from Mitchell Airport is about 45 minutes, and less dependent on traffic.
However, if you could get a flight to Duluth, MN, you could hook up right there on either the North Country trail and/or the Superior Hiking Trail. If not, the flight to Minneapolis is about 3 hours but the drive to Duluth is close to 2 1/2 hours. At that time of year, the area should be loaded with snow while the southern part of the Ice Age Trail is a crap shoot: one Thanksgiving I remember the snow being knee high, once ankle high, once the first snow of the year, and once (2005) it was close to 60 degrees. Have fun no matter what you choose.

[David@whiteblaze]

my only offering is the pinhoti. the maps are so outdated, you could feed them to a goat and he'd get more outta them than you would. What i did is bought maps of the trail, a map of the ranger district and marked the shelters on the trail map. It's pretty wild in places, so expect a few tight squeezes, and for about 1/2 mi. N of coleman lake trailhead, its almost like someone just walked thru a field at random and painted a few scarce white blazes w/o actually clearing the trail.

So theres my two cents, dont spend it all in the same place.

[MomNtheWoods]

North Pole.

If you are hell-bent for snow, it's guaranteed. Look out for reindeer working out for first string sled crew.

However, if you truely want a trail (that's not the AT) the best kept secret in the SE is Pisgah National Forest in western NC. Beautimus!

[hammock engineer]

I know a few decent 3 day loops in the Smokies, some spend a mile or so on the AT, but not much more. My favorite is: Elkmont campground: Jake's creek trail Cucumber gap trail to Little river trail to Goshen prong trail to AT to Buckeye gap to Miry Ridge trail to Jake's creek trail. About 20 miles total.
And I may be able to go with you.

Sorry buddy looking for something new. Plus this is going to be a good test on how we travel together with my buddy I'm going to Australia with next year.

[hammock engineer]

Thanks for all of the suggestions. It really did help. The plan is to get tickets into Burlington, Vt. From there it could be the 'dacks or the LT. I think that is going to be a last minute choice.

Thanks again, WB comes through again.