A virtually undiscovered backpacking paradise, Idaho has numerous wilderness areas of mind-boggling size. Backpackers can find complete solitude, wildlife, and some of North America's most outstanding scenery. Idaho's mountains also boast great weather–fewer thunderstorms than the central Rockies, less rain than Oregon and Washington, and cooler summer temperatures than California.Backpacking Idaho takes you to what author Doug Lorain calls a «Shangri-la» for backpackers. In the craggy Selkirk Mountains you'll find lush forests, small cirque lakes, and jagged granite peaks. Watch for ospreys, river otters, and belted kingfishers in the swift Selway River. Explore hundreds of miles of trails in the gently rolling forested hills in north-central Idaho, or head to Hell's Canyon, the deepest gorge in North America, where you'll find both alpine tundra and cactus-studded desert.
Get ready for a lifetime of awe-inspiring adventures In Washington, backpackers can explore wild beaches, enjoy sparkling lakes and streams, hike amid stunning granite peaks, relax in wildflower meadows, and pass through unspoiled forests. Discover 26 of Washington’s best and most diverse backpacking trips (plus 13 bonus ones) with expert backpackers Douglas Lorain and Mark Wetherington. Backpacking Washington details the premier opportunities across the entire state. This fully updated edition describes scenic escapes ranging from one night to two weeks. Choose from carefully crafted trips in Mount Rainier National Park, Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, the North Cascades, the Olympic Coast, the Olympic Mountains, Pasayten Wilderness, Salmo-Priest Wilderness, and more. Each carefully crafted itinerary offers geographic diversity, beautiful landscapes, and attainable daily mileage goals. This in-depth guide provides all the information backpackers need, including trail highlights, mileage, elevation gain, days on the trail, shuttle distances, required permits, and more—not to mention photographs and detailed trail maps. Plus, ratings for scenery, solitude, and difficulty help you to find the exact adventure you seek. Whether you’re a novice backpacker or a veteran hiker, with this many options, you may have trouble deciding where to go first!
Jagged, glacier-clad peaks, sparkling cirque lakes, crystal-clear rivers, striking canyons, vast prairies and badlands—Montana is a hiker’s dream. And Douglas Lorain has hiked it corner to corner in 100 Classic Hikes: Montana to bring you this carefully selected collection of the state’s premier hikes—many of which have never appeared in any hiking guide. With outstanding scenery as the primary criteria, each richly rewarding hike offers the opportunity to see wildlife, old-growth forests, colorful wildflowers, brilliant fall colors, spectacular vistas, or fascinating geologic features. Explore the shady forests of the Cabinet Mountains in the northwest, the world-famous wilderness of Glacier National Park, the incredible variety of trails that wind through the dramatic Bitterroots, the undiscovered gems of the Beaverhead Mountains, or the surprisingly varied landscapes of rolling grasslands, wildlife-rich marshes, and deep canyons in the eastern part of the state. Whether you’re looking for an easy Saturday afternoon jaunt with the family, a memorable day hike to a Big Sky summit, or an epic backpacking trip, you’ll find the best of the best in this guide. Features include: Full-color photos and maps Routes ranging from short day hikes to challenging multiday backcountry trips “Hikes at a Glance” chart for easy trip selection Detailed route descriptions including distance, difficulty, hiking time, elevation gain, best season, trailhead GPS coordinates, and more Recommendations for extending your hike
CLICK HERE to download two free hikes from 100 Classic Hikes in Oregon * Full-color guidebook to Oregon's best 100 hikes* Features nine new trails in this edition*Author Douglas Lorain is a beloved guidebook writer in Oregon and the NorthwestWhat makes a trail a classic hike? «Outstanding scenery,» says Doug Lorain, «especially good views.» Add in mountain lakes and waterfalls. Sprinkle with wildflowers, old-growth forests, wildlife sightings, and interesting geologic features. All of the hikes Lorain has selected boast at least two of these attributes, and often more. These are simply the best hikes the state of Oregon has to offer. Lorain should know; he's logged more than 16,000 Oregon hiking miles in his boots.In the new edition of 100 Classic Hikes in Oregon Lorain presents a mix of the most popular trails and lesser-known gems throughout the entire state. These well-established trails range from short, easy strolls suitable for children and grandparents to longer backpacking trips for experienced hikers. NOTE: Recent extensive fire damage near Hike #44 – Table Lake Loop has caused significant blow down problems that have effectively closed these trails. For access to the magnificent Table Lake area try the nearby (but longer) Cabot Lake Trail, which is still open and maintained by the Forest Service. Please see our post about the trail for more information.[b][/b]
Top Trails: Olympic National Park is renowned Pacific Northwest outdoor expert Doug Lorain's newest look into the best of the best trails Olympic National Park has to offer. This guide features only the most spectacular scenery and wildlife of a wide selection of routes from all over the peninsula. It includes full descriptions of brand new trails, Mt. Muller Loop and Murhut Falls, as well as introduces readers to some truly outstanding but too-often overlooked hikes, including a wide range of options from short and easy nature trails to extremely demanding day hikes, to a few of the absolute not-to-be-missed options for overnight travelers. In keeping with the tradition of the Top Trails series, Doug Lorain's new guide will maximize readers' time and enjoyment of Olympic National Park.
Now completely updated for a second edition, Backpacking Washington remains the only comprehensive guide to all of the Evergreen State's best extended backpacking trips. Ranging from three days to two weeks, these 28 adventures visit every corner of the state, including the wild beaches of the Olympic Peninsula, the vast interior of the Pasayten Wilderness, Mt. Rainier's famous Wonderland Trail, the volcanic wasteland around Mt. St. Helens, and the little-known Salmo-Priest Wilderness, where hikers may glimpse grizzly bears.
In Oregon, backpackers can hike wild beaches, enjoy colorful desert canyonlands, walk amid stunning granite peaks, relax in wildflower meadows, and circle glacier-clad mountains. Award-winning guidebook author and longtime Oregon resident Douglas Lorain details 30 spectacular backpacking trips in Backpacking Oregon. Lasting from three days to two weeks, these carefully crafted itineraries offer geographic diversity, beautiful scenery, and reasonable daily mileage goals. This in-depth guide provides all the information backpackers will need to access the Oregon backcountry, including the Oregon Coast, Columbia Gorge, High Cascades, Hells Canyon, and the Klamath, Siskiyou, Blue, and Wallowa mountains. A detailed trail map and photographs accompany each trip.