Gran Paradiso National Park (Italian: Parco nazionale del Gran Paradiso, French: Parc national du Grand-Paradis) is an Italian national park in the Graian Alps, between the Aosta Valley and Piedmont regions. The park is named after Gran Paradiso mountain, which is located in the park. …
The land the park encompasses was initially protected in order to protect the Alpine ibex, but now also protects other species. …
Many North American hikers pooh-pooh hiking in Europe as “too civilized and too expensive“. The ones who have never hiked there.
Harder Ridge, Switzerland
With advanced planning you can get to some of the best wild scenery in the world and not go bankrupt in Europe.
Iconic peaks reflected in tranquil mountain lakes, sweeping hillsides blanketed in wild flowers and dramatic, sprawling glaciers characterize the Alps. Discover why this mighty range, the birthplace of modern mountain walking, has enthralled walkers for centuries. – LP
The culture and history of Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Slovenian and Switzerland are an added bonus.
Travel is easy in Europe, of course, but the hiking window is short. You want to be there Jun-Sept, the same high season as North America.
Our favourite trip in the Alps was the Tour of Mont Blanc. But after besthike editor found the TMB crowded with hordes of tour groups the summer of 2009, we changed our “favourite hike in Europe” to the more challenging Walker’s Haute Route, Chamonix to Zermatt.
Both long hikes are in the same region, sharing sections of trail near Chamonix. Both are great, truth be told.
The Adventure Capital of the World, a gorgeous location on Lake Wakatipu opposite the saw-toothed Remarkable range.
If you’ve never been to New Zealand, start planning. Now. It’s our #1 hiking destination on Earth.
Queenstown is an international resort town in Otago in the south-west of New Zealand’s South Island. …
According to the 2006 census, the usually resident population of the Queenstown urban area … is 10,416 …
… a centre for adventure tourism. Skiing, jet boating, whitewater rafting, bungy jumping, mountain biking, tramping and fly fishing are all strong promotional themes. …
Queenstown is the departure point for a large number of day trips to the similarly famous Milford Sound …
If you find it too much of a tourist trap, move away up the lake to Te Anau (pop. about 2000). It’s got everything you need to stage for an epic Kiwi hike.
Our favourite hike hikes out of Queenstown and Te Anau are:
These are the three on the list of Great Walks. (Kiwis avoid them because they’re crowded with international tourists. Locals can take you on hikes just as good, but unknown to foreigners.)
The Northern Colorado Trail stretches 292 miles from Estes Park to Glenwood Springs.
Loveland-based thru-hiker Kevin “Sunshine” Silvernale had just completed his hike of the Pacific Crest Trail in 2016 when he started thinking about developing a backpacking route that wove its way across northern Colorado.
He started plotting route points in 2022 after tackling the Colorado Trail. Then last year, he finally decided to walk from Estes Park to Glenwood Springs to put his planned path to the test.
This video is a short montage that summarizes the highlights of the Colorado Trail, which allows you to have a good idea of what you will see, hoping that it gives you the taste to hike it in section or in full! …
Challenge yourself with exhilarating hikes, heart-pumping mountain biking sessions, or test your endurance by backpacking along the trail’s magnificent 500-mile length.
Highest Elevation: 7,350 ft. Timberline High Point
Lowest Elevation: 3,300 ft. Near Ramona Falls
Elevation Gain (approx.): 9,000 ft.
Best Time to Hike: July-September
Permits: Yes (May 15th to October 15th)
Difficulty: Challenging
Permits
Permits are required for overnight trips on the Timberline Trail from May 15th to October 15th, but they are free and can be found at trailheads around Mt. Hood. Simply fill one out before you hit the trail. Some trailheads do require a Northwest Forest Pass for parking.
Jon posted a detailed trip report on their August 2019 circuit of Oregon’s highest peak. It’s close to Portland.
This report is all you need to organize that adventure for yourself.
Plenty of climbs and descents. Quite a few creeks crossings. Not what we’d call an easy week.
They started and ended at Timberline Lodge. And hiked clockwise.
The report includes excellent photos so you really get a feel for what to expect.
Mount Hood (photo credit: Dan Nevill, CC 2.0)Ramona Falls (photo credit: Dan Nevill, CC 2.0)
This resort is off-putting to some. Ignore the posturing Eurotrash, conspicuous in brightly coloured expensive outdoor apparel, unsoiled. 😀
Instead, turn your gaze up to the Matterhorn, “iconic emblem of the Swiss Alps and the Alps”. This valley is one of the great natural wonders of the world.
Zermatt … is in the German-speaking section of the canton of Valais in Switzerland. It has a population of about 5,800 inhabitants.
The village is situated at the end of Mattertal at an altitude of 1,620 m (5,315 ft), at the feet of Switzerland’s highest peaks. …
Zermatt is famed as a mountaineering and ski resort of the Swiss Alps. …
To prevent air pollution which could obscure the town’s view of the Matterhorn, the entire town is a combustion-engine car-free zone. Almost all vehicles in Zermatt are battery driven and almost completely silent. Electric vehicles are allowed for local commerce. …
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