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Post by downriver on Jun 25, 2024 11:08:49 GMT -8
Here’s another list showing the ten best states for hiking (Travis loves these kind of lists! You’re welcome, Travis!). I’ve been fortunate to hike in seven of the ten. Oregon, where I live, is in the tenth spot. California sure is nice. Love North Carolina and the Appalachians. I’ve never been to Arizona, New York or Texas. I was surprised to see Texas on the list. I’m probably going to get to Arizona in the near future. Take a look at the list: www.kurufootwear.com/a/blog/best-states-for-hiking-2024Happy Hiking, DR
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Post by marmotstew on Jun 25, 2024 11:26:56 GMT -8
I’m number one!!
Yeah, Texas is much better for hiking than Wyoming. Damn these lists!!
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swiftdream
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Post by swiftdream on Jun 25, 2024 11:29:34 GMT -8
I’ve been to all those states except North Carolina and am surprised to see Texas on that list too. It has less than 2% public lands. Big Bend is the only thing that comes to mind. Here in Arizona my town is surrounded by five mountain ranges and the county where I live with one million other people is bigger than New Jersey which has approximately nine million people so plenty of room here and tons of public lands. New Mexico didn’t make the list which surprised me. The western half is awesome for outdoor activities but the eastern half is more like Texas.
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Travis
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Post by Travis on Jun 25, 2024 15:28:25 GMT -8
(Travis loves these kind of lists! You’re welcome, Travis!) So some arbitrary combination of ratings by Kuru Footwear and Alltrails has determined that Texas offers better hiking than Wyoming. Eh. (Well, no, I really don't use either Kuru or Alltrails.) I could suppose that Kuru Footwear must not tolerate snow too well or that Alltrails fans are not too keen on wolves and grizzlies. After all, the same site rates Yellowstone NP down to 24th of most popular national parks. But why quibble? Next time I find someone kind of "misplaced" in a Wyoming wilderness area, I could simply suggest that Big Bend is around 1000 miles southward. Maybe their GPS lost satellite reception for a moment. It doesn't matter, I guess. There's room for a variety of sentiments among hikers in this world. Even those gullible enough to believe some arbitrary ratings. I've often wished Wyoming trails were not so popular. But there is still wintertime and snow that thins out the crowds.
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reuben
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Post by reuben on Jun 25, 2024 15:48:26 GMT -8
What's the best state for taking selfies with buffalo? Eating Raisin Bran with chipmunks? Swimming with otters?
And I need a professional photographer (that rules out iPhone users) to take epic pics of me 50 feet up El Capitan. Is this bag of white powder the coke that will get me to 100 feet?
And how do you pronounce Tuolumnem? You know, those meadows?
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Post by cweston on Jun 25, 2024 16:55:26 GMT -8
I know these things are dumb, but why would more trails rated as "easy" make a state better for hiking? That's a weird assumption. I bet most of the trails in Indiana are easy!
Also, more reviews just means those trails are more crowded. Sure, crowded trails are often crowded (in part) because they are great trails, but still...
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Post by starwalker on Jun 25, 2024 22:16:54 GMT -8
Texas also has Guadalupe National Park along with Caprock Canyons State Park and "trailway"?
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trinity
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Post by trinity on Jun 26, 2024 5:17:27 GMT -8
Texas. Hilarious. What is even more hilarious is that we were apparently #4 last year. Yes, I'd put Big Bend and the Guads up against just about any place I've ever been. Big Bend Ranch State Park is also supposed to be really great. But the total number of trails in Texas is simply a factor of geographical size. As swiftdream notes, there is almost no public land in Texas, relative to our size. If you like urban hike and bike trails in Austin, then you might like the "hiking" Texas has to offer. But if you prefer longer hikes in large natural areas and/or backpacking, this state absolutely sucks, IMHO.
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walkswithblackflies
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Post by walkswithblackflies on Jun 26, 2024 7:04:59 GMT -8
How do the ratings change from year to year? Seems like a pretty static data set.
What I get out of this: Kuru footwear is not good for difficult or muddy trails.
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Post by swmtnbackpacker on Jun 26, 2024 7:08:59 GMT -8
Public land is self explanatory but what type of hiking trails are we talking about? Is camping allowed? I’ve been to all those states except North Carolina and am surprised to see Texas on that list too. It has less than 2% public lands. Big Bend is the only thing that comes to mind. . The western half is awesome for outdoor activities but the eastern half is more like Texas. In Texas near Big Bend (state and national parks), there’s the Guadalupe NP east of El Paso that goes towards Carlsbad NM w/associated NFs. Bring yr own water. There’s also the Lone Star Trail to the east of the state but heard it has a slim season where it’s comfortable hiking (summer, then deer hunting season Texas style). Not much if any wilderness iirc. Texas also has Guadalupe National Park along with Caprock Canyons State Park and "trailway"? Believe there’s a “rail to trail” segment somewhere in the vacinity of their Caprock SP. The linked article is pretty amateurish with incomplete data etc.. maybe we’re the beta testers? There are also a bunch of trails around Austin’s Lk Travis, the Dallas Trinity River drainage, etc.. but they are more urban multi-use type closing officially at 10PM or so.
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Post by cweston on Jun 26, 2024 7:24:16 GMT -8
Another thing that is perhaps so obvious it need not be said: we are focused on backpacking here, but that's simply not what most people mean by "hiking."
My state (Kansas) has some pretty nice hiking trails, actually, but overnight camping is prohibited and/or not really possible on almost all of them. Few are long enough for backpacking, and those that are (like the Flint Hills Scenic Trail) are typically on small easements along otherwise private land.
Also, was climate part of the equation? There are many states (including mine) where serious hiking is absolutely off the table in summer, for me. The idea of carrying a full pack on a burning hot day, and then sleeping in a tent on a sweltering night is just repulsive.
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Post by Lamebeaver on Jun 26, 2024 9:21:11 GMT -8
My $0.02.
Arizona,
Yes, it's beautiful, but a lot of these trails are rather warm at this time of year.
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swiftdream
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Post by swiftdream on Jun 26, 2024 9:46:20 GMT -8
I’ve flown over Texas multiple times many years ago in a small turbo charged prop plane and it is predominantly flat and super expansive. Even the fuel stops were so far apart. Yes it contains Guadalupe Park and Guadalupe peak is the highest point in Texas as I recall. It is a landmark in a land with few. I’ve driven across Texas several times and while I found the people very friendly and helpful, there aren’t that many places to stop and do much of anything as everything is fenced and as I understand from resident Texans guarded. They also have a grid system I’ve not encountered anywhere else.
As for the overall backpacking equation one as a young lad I was mapping a pipeline from the gulf, up through Midland and eventually to Route 66 and ended up in Santa Barrbra, CA. So as I looked down from the plane I actually wondered how they went backpacking, perhaps follow a compass heading to exhaustion, set camp and follow a reverse course the following morning? lol I was young and didn’t quite understand that you just couldn’t backpack everywhere.
In the West many states have from 30% to 70% public lands and many of the western states have mountains. Nevada wasn’t on the list and it has more mountain ranges than any other state. I remember mapping portions of the Primitive Wilderness in Idaho, a place fairly remote but oh so intriguing. So I agree with Rueben’s point on how do you identify this. For me it’s lots of mountains, canyons and public lands with fewer people so access is not overly difficult but still providing an adventurous experience. So it not just Wyoming missing but Nevada and Idaho for starts. Of coarse this greatly depends on the terrain that sets off your imagination. My parents moved every couple years and I never forgot the Sonoran desert and the entire southwest and made it back after the twists and turns of life but there are other equally beautiful and varied terrains and landscapes that should be celebrated too.
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jazzmom
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Post by jazzmom on Jun 26, 2024 10:18:55 GMT -8
Kind of wacky criteria, especially for this crowd. We want super-hard trails with very limited access with lots of rain and mud!
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Post by downriver on Jun 26, 2024 11:45:37 GMT -8
My $0.02. Arizona, Yes, it's beautiful, but a lot of these trails are rather warm at this time of year. My hiking friends in Phoenix and Tucson hike year-round. They hike at night and early in the morning this time of year. And I’m talking about group hikes. Very active hiking communities there. Regards, DR
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