A Hot Piece of Trail
Ten hikes to welcome the layer-shedding season.
by MountainZone.com Staff
April 4th, 2007

Sure, you enjoy getting outside in the winter. You’re willing to grab some skis or snowshoes and work up a cold sweat on your favorite trails. You may even tell people you like the feel of frozen toes and a runny nose.

But it’s that time of year again.

Yep, the thaw is on and springtime is stretchin’ out. It’s one of the best times to get some good hikes in – the sun is shining, the snow is melting, and the crowds haven’t hit yet. So here are 10 great U.S. hikes. Prepare to shed some layers and get a nice piece of trail.

TURQUOISE-TO-TWIN TRAVERSE, Lake Clark National Park, Alaska. No need to worry about beating the crowds here – it takes a bush plane drop-off to get started, then at least a week to hike from Turquoise Lake to Twin Lake. Bring your bear spray. Alaska Alpine Adventures also has guides available (alaskaalpineadventures.com).

FLUME SLIDE TRAIL, Franconia Notch, New Hampshire. Four summits in 13 miles, starting with Mt. Flume. Start on the Liberty Spring Trail, then get steep with the Flume Slide. It’s not named the “Slide Trail” for its sure footing, so keep things deliberate (hike-nh.com).

BRIONES RESERVOIR LOOP, East San Francisco Bay, California. No need for a bush plane here – you can hit this one up in the morning and still have a swanky dinner in the city. The 14-mille loop starts at Bear Creek Trail and features views of San Pablo Reservoir and Ridge (ebparks.org).

PEEKABOO TRAIL, Canyonlands National Park, Utah. Great slickrock wandering abounds on this 10-mile round-tripper. It also offers a descent into Salt Creek Canyon, where you can check out graffiti from the 12th century (utahtrails.com/peekaboo.html).

MATANUSKA PEAK TRAIL, Palmer, Alaska. This small town northeast of Anchorage marks the start of a 5,670-foot ascent to the summit of Matanuska. The good and bad news is that it’s only a four-mile hike to the top. After a steep climb, the payoff is sweet, with views of Chugach and Denali (matsugov.us).

GLACIER TRAIL, Wind River Range, Wyoming. The alpine lakes of this range make up the largest glacier system in the American Rockies. To get there, hit up the trailhead just outside Dubois. It’s 23 miles to the end of the trail (trails.com).

FREEZEOUT TRAIL, Baxter State Park, Maine. Okay, so spring comes a little later in Maine. But Freezeout offers lots of wildlife during the 15 miles to Webster Lake, and by the time you get there, chilly water will seem a lot more inviting (thebackpacker.com).

TRAIL 203 – NORTH WALL LOOP, Bob Marshall Wilderness, Montana. More than 1.5 million acres of federally protected backcountry make up “The Bob,” as the locals call it. Start your 70-mile loop on Trail 203, which follows the Continental Divide (bobmarshallfoundation.org).

FLORIDA NATIONAL SCENIC TRAIL, St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, Florida. If you prefer flat and leisurely to steep and sweaty, this is your kind of hike. The surroundings are subtropical, and after a few miles it’s easy to imagine you’re on another continent altogether (floridatrail.org).

BUCKSKIN GULCH, Utah. If there’s a longer slot canyon in the world, no one’s found it yet. The gulch is 12 miles long, and often narrow enough to touch both walls at once. It gets 400 feet deep in places, but sunlight still makes it down to the canyon floor. Your way out is along the Paria River – if you want to leave (utahoutdoors.com).