USA outdoor trip recommendations?
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Our planned USA trip was cancelled two times due to COVID, but we hope to manage this summer. Originally, we wanted to explore the East Coast cities, but we've now decided to defer that trip a little and go for Mid- or West USA (or maybe Jasper/Banff) for an "outdoor" trip, including backcountry camping etc. We are planning for three weeks in July/August. We'll probably rent a car for most of the time, but would also like to do some family-compatible (2-3 days) backcountry trips in between.
Any suggestions for where to go? Are the famous national parks (Yellowstone, Yosemite, Grand Canyon etc.) too crowded or too hot at that time of the year?
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“I am fond of pigs. Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals.” ~Winston S. Churchill
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Oh, this permit stuff seems to be critical sometimes.
Mark your calendar for this critical date: For 2022, the first day you can apply for a permit will be Jan. 5. Submit your application promptly at 8 a.m. Mountain Time that day, because many campsites that are available in reserve, especially along the Teton Crest trail, get booked up for the entire summer very quickly, often within hours or even the first hour. Find more information at nps.gov/grte/planyourvisit/bcres.htm.
This point cannot be overemphasized: Given the huge demand for reservations and the fact that they get booked up so quickly, there’s effectively just one day every year when you can reserve a permit for backpacking the Teton Crest Trail. Be prepared to apply on that first non-holiday Wednesday in January.
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@mik said in USA outdoor trip recommendations?:
https://thebigoutside.com/the-10-best-national-park-backpacking-trips/
I noted that the trips described on your links and also on many other websites are described in rather vague terms. In particular, I don't see maps or the like. Are these usually fixed trips with signs along the way, or does one get maps in a different way (maybe by paying something), or am I missing something?
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My two pfennings? Go to banff jasper and the Canadian Rockies.
A tad colder, less people. But spectacular.
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@bachophile said in USA outdoor trip recommendations?:
My two pfennings (sic)? Go to banff jasper and the Canadian Rockies.
Agreed.
A tad colder, less people. But spectacular.
And the people are probably a bit more polite.
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@bachophile said in USA outdoor trip recommendations?:
My two pfennings? Go to banff jasper and the Canadian Rockies.
A tad colder, less people. But spectacular.
Yup - been there and agree it is a great alternative.
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Klaus, are you looking for backpacking or camping? Two VERY different things in the US. In some of the more famous parks, the less accessible but famous camping spots will fill up very quickly, but there will still be plenty of “base camp” camping spots available if you are strictly looking for day hikes…
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@kluurs said in USA outdoor trip recommendations?:
@bachophile said in USA outdoor trip recommendations?:
My two pfennings? Go to banff jasper and the Canadian Rockies.
A tad colder, less people. But spectacular.
Yup - been there and agree it is a great alternative.
It is, but we have actually been to Jasper/Banff a couple of years ago already, so this time we want to explore something new. Also, the idea was to avoid the crowds by going backpacking. Usually, most Americans can be counted on to not go anywhere where they can't go by car ...
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@lufins-dad said in USA outdoor trip recommendations?:
Klaus, are you looking for backpacking or camping? Two VERY different things in the US. In some of the more famous parks, the less accessible but famous camping spots will fill up very quickly, but there will still be plenty of “base camp” camping spots available if you are strictly looking for day hikes…
Backpacking. We've been camping in the US before, so I know what that is about. The way I understood it, backpacking involves hiking to places not accessible by car, and you either spend the night wherever you want or on very loosely structured camping places with basically no infrastructure.
