Best Day Hike Hubs in the US

[tantric superman 4667]

So the genesis of this is that my wife and I have always enjoyed going to West Marin, hiking during the day at the very easy Pt. Reyes Seashore trails and having a decent meal every night - either at a somewhat local restaurant or cooking at the house we rent.  We've done the same thing every other summer or so for our entire married life.

So want to try some new places that are modeled on the same routine (day hike, eat/drink/ repeat) for both my wife and I and also to try to meet up with old guy friends form high school/college.

Let me caveat this thread topic.

1) Has to have at least a handful of solid day hikes.  Time frame would be about 3 days minimum/7 days maximum. 

2) By day hikes, I mean good long walks and not climbs/crazy drop-offs.  The hikes can be in the area of challenging climbs/walks, but I'm looking for the treks where you can carry a conversation.  The folks on these walks are in decent shape but on the wrong side of 50.  For example, every hike in Pt. Reyes National Seashore would fit the bill.   No grizzlies and no rattlesnakes a plus but not a bar.  

3) No camping.  I've got no camping skills  Need to stay in at least a cabin with electricity/plumbing or airbnb or hotel.  Something like the Chisos Mountain Cabins in Big Bend would be the most rustic we are talking about.  Renting a house would be the most favored. 

4) Has to have access to decent food/drinks.  So at least a few solid restaurants/bars or easy access to buying stuff to cook/drink in cabin.

5) Has to be relatively easy to get to air/rental car.  Big Bend - seems not to fit the bill, especially if we have people coming from multiple locations.

So off the top of my head, I'm thinking no-brainers would be something like Santa Fe.  Someone just suggested Tucson, AZ.  I would think Asheville, NC, Boise, ID and most of the ski areas in the off season would fit the bill. 

All ideas/specifics would be appreciated. 

 

 

[6th Street 6246]

Aspen and the Maroon Bells during the summer

Rocky Mountain National Park - so many hikes here from Bear Lake all the way to the ridge. Stay in nearby Estes Park.

 

[NWBuck 8511]

Seattle, WA.

Here's the Washington Trails Association "Trailfinder Map"

 

[RollLeft 5038]

Monterrey, MX or Chiapas, MX

Thank me with pictures.  

 

[lemonlime 5482]

6 minutes ago, 6th Street said:

Aspen and the Maroon Bells during the summer

Rocky Mountain National Park - so many hikes here from Bear Lake all the way to the ridge. Stay in nearby Estes Park.

 

This.  Spent a week in Estes Park this summer, and had a great time.  Terrific hiking at RMNP and Estes Park is enough of a town that there are good bars/restaurants, etc.  We rented a cabin at the YMCA there.  It was nothing fancy, but had a porch with views of the Rockies and a decent kitchen..

Also had a great time a few years ago at Moab, UT, just maybe 10 miles from Arches National Park and IIRC about an hour from Canyonlands.  Stayed at an Airbnb just outside of town.

[idigTexas 2257]

My preference for that type of excursion has always been Sedona, AZ.  There are more than enough spectacular hikes in Sedona itself to go several weeks without repeating any, and there is surprising variety experience wise.  Flagstaff can be added for even more options.  There is an abundance of solid eats, many with spectacular views of the red rocks. 

It's about a 2hr drive from the PHX airport, or 30ish minutes from Flagstaff.  There are no direct flights to Flagstaff from Austin, so I usually fly to Phoenix, and roll in just in time for lunch.  Vacation rentals are abundant for most budgets, and may even out number permanent residences at the moment.  

If you choose Sedona, it can be hot in the middle of Summer.  October is ideal, weather wise.  

 

Another favorite is Telluride, CO, though it takes almost a full day of travel to get there unless you happen to already live in the Rockies.  

 

 

 

 

[Macanudo 12649]

I figured someone would suggest Seattle.    I would use the word plethora to describe the opportunities.   Pick one, North Cascades, Olympic or Mt. Rainier and you'll have more trails than you can shake a rain stick at.  Summers in the PNW are fantastic and you can pair it with a night or two in downtown for some good food and urban exploration.   The one added bonus to going out to Olympic are the beach walks.   There are three National Park Lodges (Lake Quinault, Kalaloch and Lake Crescent) that are in good proximity to hiking.   But...    There is very little in the way of good eats.   And I mean almost nothing.   The Lake Quinault Lodge has a dining room but other than some smallish towns with fast food and maybe a diner or two you'll have to drive quite a ways to go to other small towns with more fast food and maybe another 3 diners.  

RMNP is a contender but summer is pretty crowded (and expensive).  Estes Park fills up FAST for summer.   Estes has some "ok" restaurants but we've always cooked at the house way more often than eating out.    You're too far from Boulder, Longmont, Loveland or Ft. Collins for anything worth driving those 20-40 miles or more.   But the hiking....  Yeah, it's amazing.

Breckenridge/Vail/Keystone fits the bill pretty nicely.   If there is only 2 of you and a scenic view from the house/condo is less important than proximity to trails then Frisco/Silverthorne/Dillon are also right there on I-70 (although north out of Silverthorne gets nice pretty quick.)     There are several good (and I mean solid to very good) places to eat in Breckenridge.   Good grocery store, a good brewery (Broken Compass with 2 tasting rooms), a distillery and a nice arts scene.  The Breck Playhouse puts on some very good plays and musicals.   Added bonus of doing the Vail Pass Bike Ride.   Rent bikes in the valley, they take you to the top of Vail Pass and you ride down through Copper Mountain and into Frisco along a dedicated bike/hike paved path.   You can continue on to Dillon (CAUTION:   The wind along the damn can be an ass kicker) or if you're up for the challenge, back to Breckenridge or Keystone (depending on where you rented from.)   We normally dismount in Frisco but I've done the Dillon Dam run as well.   On the ride from the Pass to Copper you'll pump your breaks almost as much as you'll pedal.   From Copper to Frisco, it's pretty level or downhill with some pedaling and effort but nothing a 50 year old in decent shape can't handle.   We've also rented e-bikes in Breck and the rode to Frisco along the bike path.  

If you want more info on Breck/Vail/Keystone let me know.  

[JCHIL 413]

As mentioned, Santa Fe would be a nice choice.  Jackson Hole would be another one - direct flights, Grand Teton Park close and Yellowstone,  and the town has enough interesting restaurants and bars for 3-4 days worth - but grizzly bears...haha.  My #1 recommendation would be Bozeman, MT - again...grizzlies but easy access airport, this college town is large enough to support many good restaurants and pubs. several outstanding micro brew pubs, and hiking trails in town and within minutes of town.  Many vacation rentals due to proximity to Big Sky Ski Area and YNP.

[HeHateMe 859]

Sedona

[washparkhorn 9894]

Durango, Colorado (or Telluride).

Monterrey Peninsula

[4th and 5 4903]

For a short trip, Sonoma/Healdsburg - specifically Armstrong State Park, check out the redwoods, if open. The many trails around Bodega Bay. And of course the wine country.

an even better option is stay in Springfield UT and hike Zion NP.

[mininghorn88 2243]

19 hours ago, idigTexas said:

My preference for that type of excursion has always been Sedona, AZ.  There are more than enough spectacular hikes in Sedona itself to go several weeks without repeating any, and there is surprising variety experience wise.  Flagstaff can be added for even more options.  There is an abundance of solid eats, many with spectacular views of the red rocks. 

It's about a 2hr drive from the PHX airport, or 30ish minutes from Flagstaff.  There are no direct flights to Flagstaff from Austin, so I usually fly to Phoenix, and roll in just in time for lunch.  Vacation rentals are abundant for most budgets, and may even out number permanent residences at the moment.  

If you choose Sedona, it can be hot in the middle of Summer.  October is ideal, weather wise.  

 

Another favorite is Telluride, CO, though it takes almost a full day of travel to get there unless you happen to already live in the Rockies.  

 

 

 

 

We have done Sedona the past two Novembers.  It is cool to pleasant weather that time of year.  Can get a bit crowded.  Did Devil's Bridge last year.  Once we got to the Bridge itself there was like a 45 minute wait to get your picture taken on it.  We passed.

[idigTexas 2257]

38 minutes ago, mininghorn88 said:

We have done Sedona the past two Novembers.  It is cool to pleasant weather that time of year.  Can get a bit crowded.  Did Devil's Bridge last year.  Once we got to the Bridge itself there was like a 45 minute wait to get your picture taken on it.  We passed.

Yep.  Devil's Bridge is on my avoid list due to it's tourist popularity.  As a shorter hike, it doesn't really fit the OP requirements anyway.  

[Shaddie 1617]

I read that as Subs. 
 

I was intrigued. 
 

I read the post and my intriguedness fell of the cliff.

[High Plains Drifter 10916]

On 11/2/2021 at 1:33 PM, tantric superman said:

So the genesis of this is that my wife and I have always enjoyed going to West Marin, hiking during the day at the very easy Pt. Reyes Seashore trails and having a decent meal every night - either at a somewhat local restaurant or cooking at the house we rent.  We've done the same thing every other summer or so for our entire married life.

So want to try some new places that are modeled on the same routine (day hike, eat/drink/ repeat) for both my wife and I and also to try to meet up with old guy friends form high school/college.

Let me caveat this thread topic.

1) Has to have at least a handful of solid day hikes.  Time frame would be about 3 days minimum/7 days maximum. 

2) By day hikes, I mean good long walks and not climbs/crazy drop-offs.  The hikes can be in the area of challenging climbs/walks, but I'm looking for the treks where you can carry a conversation.  The folks on these walks are in decent shape but on the wrong side of 50.  For example, every hike in Pt. Reyes National Seashore would fit the bill.   No grizzlies and no rattlesnakes a plus but not a bar.  

3) No camping.  I've got no camping skills  Need to stay in at least a cabin with electricity/plumbing or airbnb or hotel.  Something like the Chisos Mountain Cabins in Big Bend would be the most rustic we are talking about.  Renting a house would be the most favored. 

4) Has to have access to decent food/drinks.  So at least a few solid restaurants/bars or easy access to buying stuff to cook/drink in cabin.

5) Has to be relatively easy to get to air/rental car.  Big Bend - seems not to fit the bill, especially if we have people coming from multiple locations.

So off the top of my head, I'm thinking no-brainers would be something like Santa Fe.  Someone just suggested Tucson, AZ.  I would think Asheville, NC, Boise, ID and most of the ski areas in the off season would fit the bill. 

All ideas/specifics would be appreciated. 

 

 

 

Taos NM.

 

Also, I've stayed in the Chisos Lodge, and I'd rather sleep on the ground than in one those beds.

 

 

 

[tantric superman 4667]

Shaddie took this photo at Devil's Bridge

[gmr548 16254]

Hard to beat Seattle in the summer for a combo of weather, outdoor recreation, and dining/drinking options.

[yoladu 4040]

any recs for this type of thing in Arkansas or possibly the Smoky Mountains?

[tantric superman 4667]

Agree.  I went to a camp in Ashville, NC in high school and it was just such a great place, so interested in Smokies.

[Jive Turkey 12194]

On 11/2/2021 at 2:37 PM, lemonlime said:

This.  Spent a week in Estes Park this summer, and had a great time.  Terrific hiking at RMNP and Estes Park is enough of a town that there are good bars/restaurants, etc.  We rented a cabin at the YMCA there.  It was nothing fancy, but had a porch with views of the Rockies and a decent kitchen..

Also had a great time a few years ago at Moab, UT, just maybe 10 miles from Arches National Park and IIRC about an hour from Canyonlands.  Stayed at an Airbnb just outside of town.

yep, Moab would be my suggestion.  i think Canyonlands is even closer than that.  like 40 minutes.  and there's a nice state park nearby, too.

and you can't go wrong with Bozeman, MT.  or you could go to the Black Hills in South Dakota.  we stayed in Hill City.  lots of hiking there, with Badlands a short drive away.  

Edited November 4, 2021 by Jive Turkey

[Royalfan5 2197]

On 11/2/2021 at 2:26 PM, 6th Street said:

Aspen and the Maroon Bells during the summer

Rocky Mountain National Park - so many hikes here from Bear Lake all the way to the ridge. Stay in nearby Estes Park.

 

Just did that a couple weeks ago at RMNP, would second that motion, same with staying in Estes 

[pops 6946]

Sedona

St george,  Utah

Whitefish, MT

[Bottlecap 1515]

My wife and I and our three kids do this pretty much every summer as well, but we're more interested in the hike-then-brewery route since our kids are little shits and do way better at breweries. But it still fits in your theme, so some of the ones off the top of my head:

Phoenix Metro/stay in Scottsdale: I prefer urban hiking WAY more than being all out and isolated and shit, and Phoenix has some of the best urban hiking in the country -- South Mountain, Camelback, Piestawa, A Mountain, Papago probably all fit your bill. There are some crazy good hikes where you actually have to swim to continue the trail or traverse some really good terrain, but maybe you aren't seeking that. Phoenix is definitely an underrated food town and one of the best breweries in the country in Arizona Wilderness

Sedona: I've only been twice, but the hiking ranges from footpath to crazy mountain scaling shit. The townies are weird and there are way too many tourists, but its a fun town for olds. If you drive from phoenix, be sure to stop in Jerome to poke around. Drink whiskey at the Spirit Room. Definitely make time for Flagstaff too.

Asheville We did it this summer. So many freakin waterfalls they started to lose my interest. The Pisgah's are freakin amazing. But the beer is fucking awesome everywhere you go. We rented a really cool house 15 minutes outside of town that was a steal and had like 5 acres of grass, a creek, a volleyball next, firepits, all sorts of cool shit up in the mountains. LMK if you want the link.

Traverse City, MI/Sutton's Bay (Leelanau Peninsula ) We make our way up here every summer and the hiking is FLAAAT, but many of the trails lead out to the bay or to the lake (michigan), so the sights are really amazing. The only real drawback is that we spend a lot of time in the car driving to all these cool hikes and towns to eat. I'm sure staying closer to Sutton's Bay, there would be less driving, but all the best restaurants and bars are in Traverse City. We've never stayed across the peninsula on Old Mission, but I bet that place kicks ass for a rental house and winery touring (plus Jolly Pumpkin is on that side of the area). I'm not sure of the hiking since that peninsula is pretty narrow, but all of that area is pretty great with entertainment. Traverse City is right in the middle of the two (SB and OM). Anyway, the beaches are pretty nice in that part of the country as a bonus. Summer is absolutely perfect up there.

I could go into much more detail on the bottom two if you want more info.

 

[Mach 1 1676]

I'm an avid hiker in the LA area.  This might be a little surprising but metro Los Angeles is an excellent hiking area.  There are numerous great hikes between Pasadena and Malibu (and beyond) of all categories.  I'm running or hiking around the Franklin Canyon Park at least a couple times a month.

And the side benefit of food/entertainment beyond that is a given.

[NWBuck 8511]

5 hours ago, Bottlecap said:

Traverse City, MI/Sutton's Bay (Leelanau Peninsula ) We make our way up here every summer and the hiking is FLAAAT, but many of the trails lead out to the bay or to the lake (michigan), so the sights are really amazing. The only real drawback is that we spend a lot of time in the car driving to all these cool hikes and towns to eat. I'm sure staying closer to Sutton's Bay, there would be less driving, but all the best restaurants and bars are in Traverse City. We've never stayed across the peninsula on Old Mission, but I bet that place kicks ass for a rental house and winery touring (plus Jolly Pumpkin is on that side of the area). I'm not sure of the hiking since that peninsula is pretty narrow, but all of that area is pretty great with entertainment. Traverse City is right in the middle of the two (SB and OM). Anyway, the beaches are pretty nice in that part of the country as a bonus. Summer is absolutely perfect up there.

I could go into much more detail on the bottom two if you want more info.

 

Best friend's family has a cabin on Lake Leelanau- Great wineries and golf in the area, too

[conVINCEd 21468]

1 hour ago, NWBuck said:

Best friend's family has a cabin on Lake Leelanau- Great wineries and golf in the area, too

Golf in northern Michigan is the most underrated golf in the country.

[salonghorn 204]

I would agree with what has been said about Estes Park and RMNP. There are all kinds of hikes in and around RMNP. From easy to difficult. Just be aware that in Colorado even an easy hike might be a challenge due to altitude.

Having been to Colorado numerous times, I would also mention Breckenridge. Numerous easy hikes in the area and Aspen is a day trip from Breck. 

If you are not interested in getting out into the mountains, You could HQ in Denver. Numerous easy hikes in the area RMNP and Colorado Springs could be day trips.  

Estes Park and Breck have numerous food options and hotel and condo options. 

 

[Al_4_ISU 12199]

On 11/4/2021 at 9:07 AM, yoladu said:

any recs for this type of thing in Arkansas or possibly the Smoky Mountains?

Eureka Springs.

 No one has mentioned Salida, CO yet.  Tons of 14er day hikes in the Sawatch Range.  Way less bustle than any of the ski towns.  Lake City, CO in the San Juan range is even better, IMO. It's smaller and more remote, but stunningly beautiful.

[Brew 2917]

Sedona and Moab would be my choices depending on time of year and if you want to stay in one place for the trip. You could also fly into Vegas, stay for a couple of days, and hit Zion and Bryce Canyon easily from there or head towards SLC and spend a day or two in each of the national parks.

[Underdog 27966]

Adirondacks?  Catskills?  Vermont? 

[Macanudo 12649]

On 11/5/2021 at 7:03 PM, salonghorn said:

Aspen is a day trip from Breck. 

 

Yes and no.    It's a trek either over Independence Pass or down I-70.  It is a day trip but you wont have much time to do anything.  We had an early lunch in Aspen and then went out ot Maroon Bells for about 2-3 hours.   The drive over Independence Pass is breath taking and a bit of white knuckle driving.  Two lane road with serious drop offs down the mountain.    The scenery is amazing but the driver is keeping their eye on the road or it's death.    I'm not kidding.  

Salida is another really good idea.   You're equidistant from Leadville with shit ton of hiking for all levels and Great Sand Dunes NP which is a great place to spend day.   Plus, just outside GSD is Zapata Falls.   The drive into the parking/picnic area is rough but from there it's only a 20 minute or so uphill walk to the falls.   

Food options in Salida proper will suck. Leadville, Alamosa or Buena Vista don't have much to talk about and you're 50 miles from the tourist trap that is Canon City.   Among those four towns, the best meal I've had was Mountain High Pies (Pizza and sandwiches) in Leadville.   It was above average/very good.   

[Butch Had Not 2924]

Sedona/flagstaff. The drive between the two towns is a short enough to bounce between the towns. Obviously depending on where you hike,  it could be a little longer drive each direction. Flagstaff sits around 7k in altitude and Sedona is 5k or so. Personally, I have stayed in oak creek canyon countless times which is minutes away from West Fork trail  and cuts the difference between Sedona and flagstaff. 

Depending on sun exposure, time of year,  ect, you can get some really shady hikes in and around both towns or if it is a nice cloudy day ( or you don't mind a lot of sun) you have a lot of options in both for hikes with some more sun exposure. 

Sedona and flagstaff both have good eating options depending on your pocket book threshold. Sedona traffic is stupid on weekends and you will get sick of round abouts and downtown flagstaff has parking issues that aren't terrible but you might need to drive around in circles for a few minutes with the one way roads. 

[EuroHorn 3144]

Flat irons in Boulder.  Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs along with trails in Manitou Springs.  Sit outside at the Broadmoor Hotel and have lunch. 

Edited November 13, 2021 by EuroHorn

[KYHorn 16691]

On 11/4/2021 at 5:41 PM, Bottlecap said:

Asheville We did it this summer. So many freakin waterfalls they started to lose my interest. The Pisgah's are freakin amazing. But the beer is fucking awesome everywhere you go. We rented a really cool house 15 minutes outside of town that was a steal and had like 5 acres of grass, a creek, a volleyball next, firepits, all sorts of cool shit up in the mountains. LMK if you want the link

Any chance you still have this link? 

We're looking to visit Ashville on short notice and are looking for things to do (best hikes, rafting, kayaking, etc) and places to stay. Food recs also appreciated. 

[txduck87 972]

I figured someone would suggest Seattle.    I would use the word plethora to describe the opportunities.   Pick one, North Cascades, Olympic or Mt. Rainier and you'll have more trails than you can shake a rain stick at.  Summers in the PNW are fantastic and you can pair it with a night or two in downtown for some good food and urban exploration.   The one added bonus to going out to Olympic are the beach walks.   There are three National Park Lodges (Lake Quinault, Kalaloch and Lake Crescent) that are in good proximity to hiking.   But...    There is very little in the way of good eats.   And I mean almost nothing.   The Lake Quinault Lodge has a dining room but other than some smallish towns with fast food and maybe a diner or two you'll have to drive quite a ways to go to other small towns with more fast food and maybe another 3 diners.  
RMNP is a contender but summer is pretty crowded (and expensive).  Estes Park fills up FAST for summer.   Estes has some "ok" restaurants but we've always cooked at the house way more often than eating out.    You're too far from Boulder, Longmont, Loveland or Ft. Collins for anything worth driving those 20-40 miles or more.   But the hiking....  Yeah, it's amazing.
Breckenridge/Vail/Keystone fits the bill pretty nicely.   If there is only 2 of you and a scenic view from the house/condo is less important than proximity to trails then Frisco/Silverthorne/Dillon are also right there on I-70 (although north out of Silverthorne gets nice pretty quick.)     There are several good (and I mean solid to very good) places to eat in Breckenridge.   Good grocery store, a good brewery (Broken Compass with 2 tasting rooms), a distillery and a nice arts scene.  The Breck Playhouse puts on some very good plays and musicals.   Added bonus of doing the Vail Pass Bike Ride.   Rent bikes in the valley, they take you to the top of Vail Pass and you ride down through Copper Mountain and into Frisco along a dedicated bike/hike paved path.   You can continue on to Dillon (CAUTION:   The wind along the damn can be an ass kicker) or if you're up for the challenge, back to Breckenridge or Keystone (depending on where you rented from.)   We normally dismount in Frisco but I've done the Dillon Dam run as well.   On the ride from the Pass to Copper you'll pump your breaks almost as much as you'll pedal.   From Copper to Frisco, it's pretty level or downhill with some pedaling and effort but nothing a 50 year old in decent shape can't handle.   We've also rented e-bikes in Breck and the rode to Frisco along the bike path.  
If you want more info on Breck/Vail/Keystone let me know.  

Co-sign on Breck. Here for the week and so many options right here or 1 hour car ride or less away. We have come here every summer for the past 10 years and have only done a few hikes multiple times and that’s by choice.

[Macanudo 12649]

1 hour ago, txduck87 said:

Co-sign on Breck. Here for the week and so many options right here or 1 hour car ride or less away. We have come here every summer for the past 10 years and have only done a few hikes multiple times and that’s by choice.

Completely agree.   Plus, we have ventured over toward Leadville and done some hiking over there.   I think in our 10-12 trips we have onnly done a few repeats too and that was usually due to time/weather constraints.

txduck87: If you have not already done so, head up to the Baldy Mountain trailhead off of Baldy Road.   FYI, there is pretty limited parking.  One of the trails leads to an old mining camp (sort of SW of the main trail/road.   If you head north, you can loop back around to the Sallie Barber Mine and then the Baldy trailhead.  Warning, this is uphill to get started, then mostly downhill to Sallie Barber (depending on which route you take) and then uphill back to the Baldy trailhead.   It's not a total butt kicker but it takes some time.  Another really good one is Boreas Pass.  The road there sucks because it's single track and you will meet other cars coming down/up the road.   There are pullouts but you might be backing up to get to one.  Not for the faint of heart.  If you've never done the Burro Trail from that starts back behind Maggie's Pond at the base of Peak 9, it's worth doing as well.  DO NOT do this one if it has rained recently though.   It's a horse trail too so look out for horseshit.