Hey all, had an idea to start a thread where everyone could post suggestions on places to go backpacking or hiking, and what their favorite spots are. i am new to backpacking myself, so do not have any spots to offer but anyone feel free to share
if i had to pick a great local hiking spot somewhat close to chicagoland area, i would pick starved rock state park. nice trails there
My suggestion is to go to a local sporting goods store and buy a hiking book. They usually come with a map and lots of info on the hikes. The "bible" in my old neck of the woods--The Angeles Nat'l Forest--contains geology, history, lore, lots of backpacking tips, and 100 recommended hikes, from 1/2 mile strolls to 50 mile major treks, elevation gain/loss, degree of difficulty and the best time of the year to go. For a beginner I suggest sticking to well-established trails.
I live in Kans-ass so theres little hiking here. I suggest the Appalachian Trail(surprise,surprise) and Vermont's Long Trail. check out www.whiteblaze.net there's a ton of highly experienced hikers on there.
I live in the south-central/south-east area and am within 20-minutes to an hour of tons of great hiking. And only about 2 hours from the Smoky Mountains... BUT -- I lived in Chicago for years and can recommend: The Indiana Dunes, of course. Good for hiking but no backpacking there. Kettle Morraine in Wisconsin is pretty cool, but you have to buy a parking permit if you are not a Wisconsin resident. Probably you could figure out somewhere 'off-site' to park and just hike in , especially if you know anybody up there. You are also pretty close to Mississippi Palisads park in the far NW of Illinois, but I've never been there so I have nothing to say about that. The best 'quick-fix' backpacking trip I ever took? Mt.Hood in Oregon. Just absolutely incredible. Portland is a public transit fantasty: I took that trip because I had a free ticket from Southwest that had to be used or it would evaporate. I had little to no money to spend, and I made it out to Timberline Lodge via public transit and the kindness of strangers. That's one great thing about the Pacific Northwest -- people will not hesistate to give you a ride, especially if you have a ton of camping gear on your back and it's obvious what you're up to. Amazing alpine meadows, amazing vistas. I went in the hottest part of summer, though: the mountain is covered in glaciers so expect some pretty intense stream-crossings (do 'em in the morning, they're easier) and you should have some survival skills because it *is* pretty rugged country even though it's very accessible.
