Hikers love trails, but not all states are created equal. See how your state compares to others and review the map to find the regions and states that have the most trails.

Ultimate Backpacker and Hiker Guides

For more information on couples backpacking check out our Ultimate Couples Guide to Backpacking.

For more information on hiking and backpacking supplements check out our Backpacker and Hikers Guide to Supplements.

Live Map with Miles of Trails by State

All 50 States, Ranked by Trail Miles

#1 California | 18,467 total trail miles

#2 Colorado | 11,516 total trail miles

#3 Washington | 10,590 total trail miles

#4 Oregon | 7,652 total trail miles

#5 Arizona | 6,540 total trail miles

#6 Massachusetts | 5,752 total trail miles

#7 Utah | 5,478 total trail miles

#8 New Mexico | 5,237 total trail miles

#9 Pennsylvania | 4,840 total trail miles

#10 Maine | 4,490 total trail miles

#11 New York | 4,447 total trail miles

#12 Wyoming | 4,102 total trail miles

#13 Michigan | 3,588 total trail miles

#14 Minnesota | 3,238 total trail miles

#15 Virginia | 3,194 total trail miles

#16 Texas | 3,170 total trail miles

#17 Wisconsin | 2,872 total trail miles

#18 Idaho | 2,854 total trail miles

#19 Florida | 2,670 total trail miles

#20 North Carolina | 2,634 total trail miles

#21 Alaska | 2,408 total trail miles

#22 Montana | 2,176 total trail miles

#23 Georgia | 2,152 total trail miles

#24 New Hampshire | 2,085 total trail miles

#25 Connecticut | 2,036 total trail miles

#26 Maryland | 1,975 total trail miles

#27 Nevada | 1,964 total trail miles

#28 Illinois | 1,749 total trail miles

#29 Missouri | 1,703 total trail miles

#30 Iowa | 1,697 total trail miles

#31 Ohio | 1,528 total trail miles

#32 Vermont | 1,525 total trail miles

#33 New Jersey | 1,494 total trail miles

#34 Tennessee | 1,262 total trail miles

#35 West Virginia | 1,163 total trail miles

#36 Alabama | 1,042 total trail miles

#37 South Carolina | 827 total trail miles

#38 Indiana | 738 total trail miles

#39 Hawaii | 725 total trail miles

#40 Arkansas | 633 total trail miles

#41 Kansas | 547 total trail miles

#42 Rhode Island | 519 total trail miles

#43 Oklahoma | 502 total trail miles

#44 South Dakota | 424 total trail miles

#45 Nebraska | 393 total trail miles

#46 Kentucky | 364 total trail miles

#47 Mississippi | 337 total trail miles

#48 Delaware | 215 total trail miles

#49 North Dakota | 200 total trail miles

#50 Louisiana | 181 total trail miles

Background

All trail data was aggregated via OpenStreetMap. While this OSM data gives a good idea of trail miles per state, the data may not capture all trails.

About this Guide

• This is a living guide and is added to and updated frequently
• We are open to feedback; if you have a suggestion or something you would like us to add please email us at info@destinationhikers.com
• This guide is based on experience–if we recommend a product it is because we use it ourselves

About Us

Katy and I love the outdoors! Our love of the outdoors brought us together and helps to keep us together. We can do things together we would not try alone, and we both have our best friend as a hiking and backpacking partner for life!

Many couples love the outdoors, but there are few resources online for backpacking couples. Katy and I put together this guide to help other couples get the information they need to explore the outdoors together.

Planning

Planning trips around family and work schedules can be difficult, so we make it a goal to go on a destination hike on average once per month. We budget for our monthly trips and we usually only get extended weekends due to work and family schedules. We know our situation, and what we can do. Each couples’ situation is going to be different, but we think it is best to push yourself to do just a little more than is entirely comfortable.

Budgeting

Budgeting for regular destination hikes is not too complex and is very helpful. As a financial priority, Katy and I set aside our monthly travel funds based on estimates of typical travel expenses. We like to keep costs low, getting the most value possible. We budget for all expenses including low-cost airfare, food, car rental, lodging, and gas. We regularly check our estimates versus our actual expenses and even look to cut costs, where possible.

The good news is that backpacking and hiking, once you have the gear, is not terribly expensive. If we have a month that we cannot travel due to budget constraints, we will typically just hike or backpack locally to avoid the higher costs of long-distance air travel.

Set a Goal!

One of the best things we ever did was set a goal to go on a destination hike once a month. This allows us to budget for the trips, pushes us to make plans, and gives us something to look forward to every month.

Others may need to plan differently based on circumstances, perhaps destination hiking once every few months or based on the seasons, or even staying closer to home. But in the end, having a goal will help you plan and budget and make your dreams a reality.

Couples Shared Gear

Being able to share gear is a great benefit to backpacking as a couple. While two-person tents, quilts, and sleeping pads are typically heavier than their one-person counterparts, the weight can be divided amongst two people, which ultimately lightens each individual load.

We share the load not just with our sleep system, but by also only taking a single bear canister, one satellite messenger, one pocket knife, one trowel, a single bathroom accessories bag, one stove, one water filtration system, one phone charging battery, and only one emergency kit. Being able to work as a team on the trail is helpful, just as in life.

Shared Weight

Typically, I carry a little more of the weight than Katy. We try to keep our total load to no more than around 20% of our own body weight when backpacking. This is harder to stay under with more petite body types. As I am close to 185 lbs and 5’11”, I typically carry between 25 and 30 lbs at the start of a trip, which is well under 20%. Katy is closer to 105 lbs and 5’4″, so 20% for her is closer to 20 lbs, though she will typically carry around 25 lbs when starting a trip or on longer or colder trips.

We distribute the weight based on our understanding of each other’s abilities and circumstances. As an example, Katy’s knees don’t handle going down steep grades as well as mine. During these situations, I offer to take a little of the burden as it often makes the difference between an enjoyable experience and a painful one.

Couples Shared Warmth

For us, when looking for gear we also wanted to ensure we could snuggle and share warmth when sleeping on the trail. We enjoy being close to each other and did not want to sleep on two different pads with our own quilts or sleeping bags.

It took many hours of researching reviews from many different locations, but we have found the best couples backpacking sleep system available. We have since trail-tested our couples’ sleep system in Arizona’s Grand Canyon, Idaho’s notoriously cold Sawtooths, and Washington’s Glacier Peak Wilderness, along with many other destinations. We do make some adjustments for below-freezing temperatures, but those additions would be wise for any sleep system and they allow us to only add weight when it’s needed.

Individual Gear

While we can share many things, we do have personal preference for our individual gear. We obviously don’t share clothing, backpacks, hydration bladders, or sunglasses. Each couple will have a pretty good idea of what they feel comfortable sharing. As an example, one couple might be okay sharing a toothbrush or bathroom accessories, but another couple might not be. The choice is yours, but do plan accordingly.

Preparing

To prepare for our trips, we have a generic, all-weather, inclusive checklist (editable version) that I make a photocopy of before every trip. This is our template and checklist to ensure that we don’t forget anything for each trip. As we pack our gear we check each item off our list indicating we know it has been packed.

We will add or remove items as needed from the checklist based on expected conditions. For example, we will leave the ice axes and microspikes at home if we don’t expect snow or ice travel.

One final note on preparing is knowing your gear. It is always best to understand a nuance, or if something is not going to work well for you in your backyard versus 15+ miles in the backcountry.

Training

Training depends on what we are planning for, but we typically go on walks every day in our neighborhood and augment that with longer local hikes or workouts at the gym to train as frequently as possible. Katy is a huge fan of using the stairmaster to prepare for intense climbs.

If training for a specific hike, like the Grand Canyon, for instance, we will typically go for longer day hikes a week or two before and try to mimic the topography of the hike. In this case, we hiked from the top of the tallest local mountain (about 3800′) to the base and back up again to simulate and train for the Canyon.

Supplements

We take supplements to reduce inflammation and soreness from overexertion, give us energy, and provide us electrolytes. Some of our favorite and most effective supplements are found in our backpacker and hiker’s guide to supplements.

Nutrition

We do generally watch our nutrition intake by eating healthy, nutrient-dense food. For breakfast and snacks on the trail, we like to balance nutrient-dense protein bars, dried fruit, and salty snacks. Katy portions out the snacks by day into separate quart-sized Ziploc bags. An example of a typical bag would be:

• 2-3 protein or snack bars
• a baggie of mixed dried fruit (we like dried baby bananas, raisins, prunes, and blueberries)
• a baggie of salty snacks (we like a mix of pretzels, crackers, seasoned almonds, and broad beans… sometimes we add extra salt!)
• We are also fans of pre-made trail mix and freeze-dried fruit.

We usually stock up at Trader Joe’s before we leave, as the prices and variety cannot be beat!

We really only crave one hot meal per day, so we bring a 2 serving size freeze-dried meal for dinner, and sometimes a freeze-dried dessert. Our favorite dinner is the Three Sisters Stew by Backpacker’s Pantry.

Remembering to take photos and videos

While this may not be true for everyone, we need reminders to take photos and videos. It may be because we are so happy outside, or because I had shunned all social media accounts prior to this website, but early on we would forget to take pictures to remind us of our journey. We would always take some photos, but memories sometimes fade and having a photo or a video during a destination hike helps us remember. Plus, our kids and extended family love seeing our adventures through our photo albums.

As an idea, we also started taking videos of us together during our hikes. We check-in and address them to our “future selves”. It is really neat to go back and look at these videos and share the memories of our adventures together in this way.

Conclusion

We understand that adventuring is not for every couple, but for those that do enjoy the outdoors, backpacking and hiking together can be the keystone to a happy and successful relationship. It brings you together, forming lifelong memories, a sense of accomplishment, and physical and mental strength.

Getting out and into the wilderness takes time, planning, lots of gear, and working together. If the idea of being outside adventuring with your partner sounds appealing, backpacking as a couple is an experience you should not miss.

Sawtooth Wilderness, Idaho, USA

September 2019

Express Tips:

• Give yourself as much time as possible to enjoy this area, you will want to explore
• This area is known to be cold, even in the summer months
• No need for high-clearance or 4WD to get to the trailhead

The Sawtooth Wilderness backcountry is one of the most beautiful places on earth. This hidden gem is not to be overlooked. With 300+ miles of trails, you are sure to find an adventure to suit your needs. The area has been recognized as a “Primitive Area” since 1937 and the Sawtooth Wilderness was officially created by Congress in 1972. The area is home to deer, elk, black bears, antelope, and wolves. The area is typically one of the coldest in Idaho, and all of the continental United States, especially in summer.

You can start this destination hike by flying into the Boise airport. We flew in on a Friday on Southwest Airlines. When we fly with Southwest we take advantage of our companion pass. https://www.southwest.com/air/booking/index.html

We didn’t need to rent a car for this trip, but you can rent them at the airport. I keep a car in Boise because I frequently travel to and from Boise as I work for a company with a large facility there. Though my car does have high clearance and is AWD, we didn’t need it for this trip.

The drive up highway 21 is very rustic with small mining towns, public backcountry ski hills, picturesque meadows, and scenic overlooks. The views as we approached Stanely and the Sawtooths were especially beautiful. The Sawtooths are in reality just as rugged and jagged as the name suggests.

After looking at one other camping location, close to Redfish Lake, we eventually settled in at Mountain View campground near Little Redfish Lake. There are only seven camping sites available at this site, and all are first-come-first-serve year-round. There were several other campgrounds around us, but this one had running water, flushable toilets, along with great views.

We woke up at around 7 am, it was cold outside, but we were nice and warm. The nighttime lows during this trip were below freezing, so we made it a point to empty our hydration bladder tubes each night. We packed up and drove the 20 minutes to the Iron Creek Trailhead, prepared, and then started hiking at around 8:30 am.

The first 1.8 miles of Trail 640 starting at Iron Creek were unassuming, but still pleasant. The trail was wide, well kept, and could easily be completed by families with small children.

Near the end of these first 1.8 miles, you will see mountains that look like saw teeth and this is where the ascent begins. At 3.5 miles from the trailhead and after some good climbing, you will see your first lake, Alpine Lake. The clear blue lake looks beautiful from the trail above.

In a little less than a mile, at about 4.3 miles from the trailhead, you’ll get your first views of Sawtooth Lake. We made a left at this point on to Trail 478 to follow Sawtooth Lake. At about 4.5 miles from the trailhead, almost all of the beautiful blue lake can be seen. We loved this lake and continued along the single track trail that flanks its eastern shore.

We continued beyond Sawtooth lake on Trail 478 about 0.8 miles to explore a small set of lakes. These lakes are unnamed, but we found a good spot to eat lunch and enjoy the views and solitude.

After lunch, we retraced our steps back to the trailhead. Along the way, we met two people that were headed up the steep, unmarked route to the top of Alpine Peak. As an option, this could be a good destination for anyone looking to extend their hike or wanting even more breathtaking views that would be willing to pay for it by going up the very steep route to Alpine Peak.

Newberry National Volcanic Monument, Central Oregon, USA

July 2019

The Newberry National Volcanic Monument was dedicated in 1990 to protect the area around the Newberry Volcano. The Newberry Volcano is an active shield-shaped stratovolcano, which is quite unlike the more familiar cone-shaped Cascade volcanoes. The Newberry Volcano is the largest in the Cascades and covers an area the size of Rhode Island.

This loop explores the highlights of the national monument starting with its highest point, Paulina Peak. The views from the peak are magnificent and extend from the Newberry Caldera, Paulina and East lakes, and to the Central Oregon Cascades; on a clear day, all the way to Mt. Shasta and Mt. Adams. It offers up-close and birds-eye views of obsidian flows and pumice from recent eruptions. It also skirts the sides of Lost Lake, an area of active gas emission from the volcano.

When we arrived for the hike, the gate of the Paulina Peak summit access road was still closed, so we parked at the bottom, just off the main road. The first mile of the hike was very green and filled with the clean, fresh scent of pine trees, and followed the road up to the parking lot at the base of the road that allows cars access to the top of Paulina Peak. A half-mile after the parking lot, looking back you can see the first views of Paulina Lake.

In another half-mile, the trail opens up to an area with high cliffs and sheer drop-offs that allow for great views of Paulina Peak. Paulina Peak from this perspective looks very rugged and embodies its volcanic heritage.

The next mile leading to the peak is forested, though is more open than the lower elevations. There are many educational signs in this area talking about the Whitebark Pine that are only found at the highest mountain peaks in Oregon. In the 1950s this area experienced an outbreak of a fungus called blister rust that killed most of the Whitebark Pines. However, some of the population of Whitebark Pines in the area were resistant to the blister rust outbreak. Today, there is an effort to collect and propagate seeds from the trees that can resist the disease.

The peak provides amazing views of the Newberry Caldera, both Paulina and East Lakes, the obsidian flow, the central Oregon Cascades including the Three Sisters, Mount Bachelor, Broken Top, and on a clear day, the distant volcanic mountains Mount Adams and Mount Shasta. Near the peak is a bathroom, and a small parking area for summit access road. This is a good spot for a snack.

Next, we backtracked a third of a mile to a trail junction with the Crater Rim Trail. The next mile and half past the junction are behind and below Paulina peak and have views south and east of the volcano. The numerous buttes and cones looking southeast were very interesting. In this area and for the rest of the trail, there are large amounts of impossibly light pumice.

For another mile and a half until the junction with the Lost Lake Trail, the trail hugs the edge of the caldera and views of Paulina Lake and East Lake appear. The trail approaches the backside of the obsidian flow, offering a different perspective of this unique volcanic landmark.

At the Lost Lake Trail junction, we started the descent back to the bottom of the caldera. The descent is 3 miles and contains great views of the obsidian flows, the interesting smells of an active volcano, and a sense of being almost on another planet.

At this point the trail will become almost entirely obsidian. With the sharp obsidian underfoot I was grateful for my hiking shoes, as I would not want to tackle this section barefoot!

Towards the bottom of the descent, the trees thin out, the trail flattens, and you will reach a junction with the Newberry Crater Trail. From here, it’s about three and a half miles back to the Paulina Peak summit access road.

The beginning of this trail was mostly flat and hugged the obsidian flow for a mile and a half. The flow was interesting, but the rest of the trail we knew ahead of time was going to be a bit dull. After the obsidian was out of sight, the trail undulated up and down several small hills, following a power line for about 2 miles until we reached our vehicle.

The Island in the Sky district is the most visited district in Canyonlands Nation Park, although you may have this trail to yourself. This area is located at the northern end of Canyonlands National Park, about a 45-minute drive from the town of Moab, Utah. Due to their accessibility, many trails in this district are crowded. If you crave solitude, then it’s best to choose a trail that descends from the rim of the Island in the Sky down towards the White Rim Road and river canyons beyond.

We began our out-and-back hike at the Lathrop Trailhead, which was located 2 miles past the Island in the Sky Visitor Center near a small sign. There were plenty of roadside parking spaces available at the trailhead, with enough space for 10 to 12 vehicles.

The trail began uneventfully. We traversed soft sand across the mesa for 1.5 miles, which is typical of hikes found above the rim in the Island in the Sky district.

At around 1.75 miles, the views open up and you can see over the rim and into canyon country.

At this point, the trail varies between soft sand and sandstone. The sand is perhaps 2″ to 3″ deep at points and was noticeably more difficult to walk in. Some of the sandstone in this section has colorful patterns similar to what you might see at “The Wave” in Arizona.

At about 2.25 miles the route along the shelf to Lathrop Canyon is more evident. The trail descends to the first shelf below the rim, and the route can be seen hugging the shelf to the south. The views of the canyons, the Colorado River, the white rim, and the trail hugging the shelf were some of my favorites of this route.

The trail hugs the first shelf below the rim for the next .75 miles before descending into Lathrop Canyon. This section boasts great views of Canyonlands. The trail winds around a point and then back towards Lathrop Canyon. If you are afraid of heights you may want to turn back at this point. We always felt safe here, as there was an adequate distance between the trail and the shelf’s drop off.

The trail descending into Lathrop Canyon was not easily distinguished from other sections of the canyon on the shelf. Pay close attention to the cairns to follow this section of the trail. The descent follows a steep rock fall and looks almost like it would be too hard to go down. You may ask yourself, “Am I crazy for going down this?” The trail down does look difficult, but it is safe and perhaps better digested piecemeal.

The descent is about 1800 feet in a third of a mile. There are many switchbacks and while the grade is steep, there was nothing that required any technical climbing skills or equipment.

About a third of the way down the rocks, we were happy to give our knees a break when the trail turned into a more moderate grade. The trail continued to level off, and the canyon views opened up. On both sides of the trail, we could see the remnants of uranium mines, a throwback to a time prior to this area being designated a National Park. In another .6 miles we eventually descended all the way to the bottom of the canyon and found mud, but no water. We continued a little further and noticed interesting rocks along the trail overlooking the bottom of the canyon.

We continued about another .6 miles and decided not to hike all the way to the White Rim due to time constraints. Instead, we continued along a mesatop ridgeline to enjoy the solitude and views, then eating lunch before we started our journey up and out of the canyon.

It goes without saying that the journey back up the 1800′ in a third of a mile was more difficult and time-consuming than coming down, but it was all worth it.

We hiked the 3 miles back to our car, retracing our steps along the shelf and onto the plateau, though with a different perspective looking out into the afternoon light of Canyonlands this time.

Olympic National Park, Washington, USA

October 2018

The Olympic Peninsula is one of the greenest and most majestic places on earth. Its treasures are well hidden by the miles of trails it takes to get to the center, and at 1,442 square miles, you could take a couple of days to drive around the circumference of the park. The area has been recognized as a National Park by Congress since 1938 making it 80+ years old. The park is home to deer, Roosevelt elk, black bears, and non-native mountain goats. The climate is considered a temperate rainforest that receives approximately 56 inches of precipitation per year.

You can start this destination hike by flying into the Seattle airport. We flew in Friday on Southwest Airlines. When we fly with Southwest we take advantage of our companion pass. https://www.southwest.com/air/booking/index.html

We picked up our rental car at SeaTac and took a ferry across Puget Sound from Seattle to the Olympic Peninsula. Taking the ferry to Bainbridge Island was a treat. The views of Seattle and the ferry experience were well worth the cost of the trip at less than $20. For more information on the current fares see http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/fares/.

Once on Bainbridge Island, we drove 1 hour and 15 minutes to Sequim, WA, the base town for our trip. We stayed at the unpretentious and clean Great House Motel. The two biggest factors in finding this hotel were its low price and the reviews stating it was clean. For more information on the Great House Hotel, see https://www.greathousemotel.com/.

We arrived late at the hotel but had time to unpack and prepare the day ahead. We woke up at 6 am to drive the last 1 hour and 30 minutes to the parking lot of the Sol Duc River trailhead. When we arrived that morning the parking lot was almost empty, with a few backpackers’ cars here and there.

The trail conditions were excellent. One issue with the trail is that it’s easy to miss the turnoff to the Deer Lake trail right after Sol Duc Falls. Make sure to follow the signs that go towards the Lover’s Lane trail and back towards the parking lot on the opposite side of the Sol Duc. From there you’ll find the trail signs indicating the turn uphill to Deer Lake.

After the falls it is 2.5 miles uphill to Deer Lake. The climb is very gradual for the most part, but quite rocky. All along this trail and at Deer Lake there were many nice-looking backcountry camping spots. For more information on backcountry camping see https://www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/wilderness-permits.htm.

Deer Lake is a great place to take a break, enjoy a snack, take a selfie, or maybe even go for a swim if the weather is warm enough. The lake also appears to have fish and many hikers take fishing poles up to the lake. Bear tracks can be seen in this area, though we haven’t seen a bear here.

This is where you can split off to either the Little Divide or the High Divide trails. We choose the High Divide trail this time, as it was later in the season with less snow probable at the higher elevations we’d encounter. The climb continues here, but this also where things start to get exciting. In just under .5 miles from Deer Lake, you will start to notice a more sub-alpine environment. The fir trees thin and open meadows award you with amazing views. After another mile or so, the Olympic mountains peek out from the various ridgelines surrounding you. After continuing eastward up the ridge, you will see the Seven Lakes Basin spur trail (to Lunch Lake). We had our sights set on summiting Bogachiel Peak for lunch, so we continued past this junction. However, many backpackers make camp in the otherworldly Seven Lakes Basin (spoiler alert: there are more than 7 lakes in the basin!)

Continue up the trail, which hugs the side of the steep slope before it breaches a saddle. As you turn the corner, there is a small pine tree signifying that you will soon see a treasure of the park, Mount Olympus. When we turned that corner we both were astonished and excited. We gazed upon its majesty and greatness.

Shortly after the first breathtaking view of Mount Olympus is 5,446′ Bogachiel Peak. The peak offers 360-degree views that include the Olympic Mountains, the Bailey Range, the Seven Lakes Basin, and the Hoh River Valley. We sat on the peak for lunch and took several photos, also spotting a single black bear down in the basin from this vantage point.

The High Divide continues for 1.8 miles looking over the Hoh River Valley and the majestic Olympic Mountains. This was my favorite part of this trail; it was the treasure that I had come for and it was better than what I expected. If you are going to come to Olympic National Park this is the best way to see it.

We made our way down to Heart Lake towards the Sol Duc River Trail. This lake lives up to its name. The campground here has a pit toilet, and the lake is a nice spot for a snack break.

From here it’s 7.5 miles downhill back to the trailhead parking lot, descending roughly 2800′ at a gradual grade that wasn’t too hard on our knees. We returned to the cool, lush forest of old-growth Douglas Fir and crossed over the Sol Duc River on a narrow wooden bridge. We were greeted by a herd of Roosevelt Elk closer to the Sol Duc Falls trail intersection.

For an excellent resource on the High Divide Trail, including a trail description, please follow this link: https://www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/high-divide-loop.htm