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Post by Deleted on Jan 12, 2017 2:46:33 GMT -8
Hello hikers! Five friends from Australia with good hiking experience are heading Stateside in late May/early June with hopes of doing a five-day walk. We need to end up in Nashville - for a stag weekend - so slight preference for around Tennessee/North Carolina - we have heard the Great Smoky Mountains could be good, but we're unsure of the best trails in the park. Really, we could consider anywhere west of Great Smoky Mountains too - parks in California, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming all being considered but we are keen for some local knowledge. Would it be too hot in Utah? Would there be too much snow in the Rockies in Colorado? After Nashville we're headed up to Minnesota so we can't really consider the Lakes Region either. Preference for a loop over a thru-walk. Any help much appreciated!  |
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Post by absarokanaut on Jan 12, 2017 5:04:07 GMT -8
There is a southern forum here where you should also post. Yes, IMO Utah too hot but people do it. Barring very unusual Spring Rockies will have LOTS of snow. Congratulations to the poor bastage, have a great trip. |
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Jan 12, 2017 9:02:39 GMT -8
Late May is on the cusp of too hot in Utah, and it's hard to do a 5-day loop in most places because of water. There are some nice possibilities, but they are a) hard to get permits for, and b) better more like April. I do think your best bet is in the SE, where it should still be pleasant weather-wise (not yet too hot to live), and snow levels won't be an issue. It's shaping up to be a good snow year in the West, which mean that higher mountains out here won't be at reasonable hiking conditions until sometime in July.
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Post by Lamebeaver on Jan 12, 2017 9:06:27 GMT -8
I think you should be able to find a suitable hike in the Smokys. Australia is about the same size as the US, and driving from say the west coast to Nashville takes about 29 hours.
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Post by hikerjer on Jan 12, 2017 9:07:17 GMT -8
Anywhere in the northern Rockies - Coloado and north - is still going to have a lot of snow at any elevation at all until at least mid or late June. Maybe even later since this is shaping up to be a heavy snow year. While Utah may be hot, it is spectacular. Have you considered the Pacific Northwest i.e. Washington's Olympic Peninsula and Olympic National Park? That could be very nice.
Have a great trip.
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davesenesac
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Post by davesenesac on Jan 12, 2017 9:51:14 GMT -8
Aesthetically, mid to late May is when spring wildflowers peak about many Colorado Plateau areas of Utah thus as a landscape photographer is my preferred time to visit. After winters with good rains its dry landscapes have considerable greenery. It is usually not too hot versus mid June thru August but in any case indeed sometimes is hot. By your 5 day walk you are likely meaning a backpacking trip. In late May many of the more famous high timberline and alpine mountain areas in both the Rockies and Sierra are still rather snowy with lakes still frozen. And our lower elevation desert parks in the Southwest are indeed hot by early May with vegetation and flowers drying by mid April.
The high Colorado Plateau areas are what I would target as they are neither too low nor too high in elevation and as noted that is the peak of their spring. These are arid semi desert lands famous for spectacular sandstone landscapes. For example Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Bryce national parks are all above 4000 feet with much terrain above 5000. Mountains in those regions will still be snowy. The image at this link in Arches National Park was taken on May 24, 2005:
www.davidsenesac.com/images/print_05-L-55.html
And this image east of Capitol Reef at near 5000 feet the same time showing lupines peaking:
The majority of visitors at that time of spring do not backpack but rather day hike though indeed one can backpack. However due to the necessity of carrying water it is difficult to reach more than a single day from trail heads. So wiser to day hike that will allow carrying much less weight thus one would be able to hike more easily and further each day visiting more sights. Generally most Americans don't understand the value of planning their vacations to seasons when conditions are most comfortable and aesthetic thus visit these parks mid summer when indeed conditions are hottest and many plants have withered dry. Amusingly one will see many Europeans in May. Despite general dryness, afternoon thunderstorms are common and some years there are considerable small rain water pools atop sandstone flats everywhere. Moab elev 4052 feet climate:
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
Average high in °F: 43 51 63 72 83 93
Average low in °F: 20 26 35 42 50 58
Av. precipitation in inch: 0.63 0.63 0.83 0.83 0.71 0.39
Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Average high in °F: 99 96 87 73 56 44
Average low in °F: 65 63 53 41 30 21
Av. precipitation in inch: 0.98 0.98 0.87 1.18 0.75 0.71
Five days is little time to see much anywhere thus will recommend just visiting one region instead of being jerked around to a list of famous places requiring lots of driving. The best town in that region by far to make a base at is Moab Utah. There is enough world class scenic choices there to keep visitors busy for weeks, much less just a few days. At the top of my list would be an afternoon hike to Delicate Arch in Arches National Park per my link above and an early morning start all day hike in the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park to Elephant Canyon and Chesler Park. There is much more there that one can research from guide books and online.
David
www.davidsenesac.com/2016_Trip_Chronicles/2016_Trip-Chronicles-0.html
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Post by hikerjer on Jan 12, 2017 11:23:49 GMT -8
As usual, Dave gives incredibly detailed and reliable information. You'd do well to pay attention to him.
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Hungry Jack
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Post by Hungry Jack on Jan 12, 2017 19:23:41 GMT -8
A local option VERY near Nashville is Big South Fork. It is a rugged plateau cut with a gorge by the Cumberland River. It offers backcountry hiking and camping, rock arches, vistas, and plenty of solitude. You can backpack, mountain bike, whitewater raft, horse pack, and orienteer. It's an unsung destination that is largely ignored for the Smokies.
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Post by ecocentric on Jan 15, 2017 11:57:44 GMT -8
The Great Smokey Mountains are a great place to hike, but the trails there are heavily used and advanced reservations may be necessary for a backcountry permit. Savage Gulf would be suitable for a five day hike with several waterfalls and it is very close to Nashville. The Big South Fork is very pretty, will have lots of wildflowers at that time of year, and good places to swim in the river. This is one of my favorite rivers for canoe camping. There is a good trail system, overlooks on the rim of the gorge, abandoned mines and mining towns to explore.
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Post by atvtuner on Jan 15, 2017 15:47:55 GMT -8
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