Nothing beats the joy of taking a rest after finishing a challenging hike for those of appreciating that sort of thing. And when it comes to hiking and backpacking routes, the USA is definitely a country that will never fail to satisfy your need to reconnect with nature.
From icy cold Alaska mountains to the dry Colorado Desert, wandering across the American wilderness is truly something worthy of a spot on anyone's bucket list. So, what are the best spots to start with in your backpacking journey to the USA?
Here are the 7 best backpacking Routes that will ignite the spark of your ancestral ties to the wilderness.
Image Credit: Elijah Hiett on Unsplash
Distance: 16 miles, Difficulty: Difficult
Backpacking the Resurrection River Trail will resurrect your adventure spirit as it takes you through streams, rivers, lakes, wooded lowlands, and everything else.
While it's not specifically a trail for the faint-hearted backpackers among us, if you're a diehard hiker, it's precisely what you need in your life: hiking Reserruction River Trail.
Distance: 5.5 miles, Difficulty: Moderate
The Boy Scout Tree trail takes to one of the most iconic spots on earth: where the tallest tree on the entire globe stands.
The Redwood trees are some of the fascinating sights you can see on a trail. Aside from the redwoods, the nature on this trail couldn't be more beautiful; it's definitely worth the time.
Image Credit: Kirk Thornton on Unsplash
Distance: 2,190 miles, Difficulty: Super, super difficult
You must dedicate at least 6 or 7 months to hiking the entire Appalachian Trail. It's the longest trail in the world. The trail rambles through 14 U.S states.
If you're the kind of backpacker with all the time in the world, then the Appalachian Trail is your next challenge.
Distance: 104 miles, Difficulty: Difficult
If you are looking for a unique trail that not everyone is aware of, the Highline Trail through Utah's Uinta Mountains is your spot. Utah is one of the most beautiful U.S states when it comes to natural beauty.
Image Credit: Intricate Explorer on Unsplash
Distance: 93 miles, Difficulty: Difficult
Encircling Mount Rainier, the Wonderland Trail is about is considered quite the challenging trail, but as the name suggests, it's a wonderland.
You'll get to see glaciers, waterfalls, meadows, lakes, canyons, and even rainforests.
Distance: 9 miles, Difficulty: Super Easy
Oh-Be-Joyful Trail certainly has a joyful name, making it a more inviting hiking journey for backpackers who aren't ready for the above hikes. The reason why it's called Oh-Be-Joyful is actually funny. If you ever visit, ask the locals to tell you why it's called that way. Aside from that, this journey across this side of Colorado will be an excellent opportunity to see one of the 150 lakes in the state.
Image Credit: Ronan Furuta on Unsplash
Distance: 272 miles, Difficulty: Difficult
Back to rugged trails. Hiking the Long Trail in Vermont is one of the best opportunities to explore the beauty of North America. There's undoubtedly a unique charm to the cold nature of North America with all the fairy-tale-style vibe forests. This hike takes 3 to 4 weeks, but it's definitely worth it.
So, there you have it. These are only some of the backpacking routes I personally thought worth mentioning. If you don't agree with this list or think I forgot to mention a good trail, hit me up in the comments.
Check out my blog about the 5 Muslim-Friendly Cities in the USA!
