When I was a kid, like six/seven/eight, I was fascinated by three things
Dinosaurs
Volcanoes
Submarines
Crater Lake was someplace magical to me
Whenever I’d draw maps of the mystical realms that I dreamed of, there was always a caldera of some sort
I hadn’t thought about Crater Lake in decades
Kauai, end thread
We came over the edge of the caldera at sunset. Actually takes your breath away.
So many great destinations listed. Yellowstone and Grand Teton are awesome and a ton of accessible terrain in early June most yeara. Tons of crowds that disappear as soon as youre off the boardwalks. We spent 3 days backcountry there in early June one time and saw two other people.
But its hars to go wrong with so many different spots. I have a soft spot for zion and bryce. Desert, but different from Sedona.
The only caldera I’ve ever been to is Teide on Tenerife
< I’ll have to dig out the pix from our honeymoon photo album & scan them, sorry - they’re not easily available digitally>
+1 for Tenerife.
To sphere, would Inca Trail Hike fit the bill? 3 nights, guided, as permits are required.
My wife and I are avid hikers currently living near Seattle. Here’s my 2c:
Yosemite: We went once and are in no hurry to go back. Too crowded.
Yellowstone/Grand Teton: Great for the wildlife primarily, the hiking is meh in Yellowstone, better in Grand Teton. We will be back.
Banff/Jasper/Yoho: Our favorite area - get out early or more remote/longer trails to beat the crowds.
Grand Canyon: Great in the early spring, I’d avoid by May. Everyone must do Bright Angel at least once. Sedona is okay if you are in the area but I wouldn’t fly across states with it as my primary reason.
Zion/Bryce/Utah in general: Worth a trip but crowded. A lot of nice hikes in Escalante/Grand Staircase but again heat is an issue by late spring. Slot canyons are unique…even Antelope Canyon is fun to do once. Arches/Canyonlands/Moab - can be awesome if you have the right know how and equipment (primarily mountain biking and off-road driving) - meh if you stick to the same roadside views everyone goes to.
Mount Rainier/Olympic: Our home parks - both have excellent hiking/backpacking options. Part of Mount Rainier is inaccessible for now due to a permanent bridge closure, which makes the accessible sections more crowded. Olympic has great variety…tunneling through old growth trees, mountains, coastal hikes, but bring a rain coat. Probably the easiest to avoid crowds unless you start talking Alaska or northern BC parks.
Mount Adams: Our target to summit this June with the boys (14 and 16). Columbia gorge hikes are nearby to make a destination trip of it. Crater Lake is a good bit further south…nice if you are in the area but to me not something to fly for…but the whole Oregon coast is a “must drive” sometime.
Rocky Mountain/Colorado in general: Nothing wrong with this…to us it has less “wow” factor.
Whistler/Squamish: Great but better to be there for mountain biking.
If you do Glacier, I’m pretty sure there’s a ferry that runs to Waterton Lakes NP (Canada). You have to carry your passport to get on.
Some good 2-3 day backpacking trips:
Na pali coast (Kaui ) or Waimanu coast (Big Island)
Big Sur
Canyon Lands
Gila Wilderness
This doesn’t count as a recommendation since I haven’t been myself yet, but Banff is on the bucket list to take my daughter.
How locked in are you on hiking? What about a canoe/camping trip to something like the Boundary Waters?
This is nearing the top of my wish list.
Yep. My wife and I watch a number of Youtubers (Xander Budnick, Lost Lakes, Northern Scavenger) who canoe/camp in Canada in areas similar to the Boundary Waters. It looks it would be an awesome adventure.
I was thinking the same with the same recommendation but to also include Algonquin park in Ontario. It’s been far too long since my last visit there. Pretty sure some of Bleps’ pictures from canoe and fishing included that park. A little further down that list is the Adirondack park in NY. Would highly recommend late summer and multi-day canoe trips and mountain hikes are exceptionally beautiful that time of year.
The downside to water trips in early summer are giant biting bugs that can almost carry you away.
South Louisiana is fun before it gets too hot. Fishing, camping, swamp tours, Mardi Gras (it’s better in the small towns than in NO), and ridiculously good food.
About 10 years ago I took my family to NOLA for a few days. We’ve always been a bit frugal when eating out, but I told them that we weren’t looking at any prices when choosing what to order. I came here for suggestions and got some great ones. We still talk about that trip.
Yesterday my son brought the trip up again as we were passing a local seafood place, and we agreed that we didn’t have a single meal in NOLA that wasn’t fantastic.
3rd highest state ranking in obesity! Well earned I suppose.
I’ll add another option for the Pacific Northwest. I grew up sailboat racing on the Columbia River. If sphere’s interested, I can recommend some places that will set up a private lesson for a half day in “performance” conditions. It’s a lot of fun.
And there’s plenty of other activity options nearby if the wind isn’t good.
This looks intriguing. Anyone here walked the Coswold Way 100 mile inn to inn?
Might be a better trip for me and the Mrs though.
I’d probably somehow end up gaining weight on an inn to inn hike like that.
Looks very cool. The camino de Santiago in spain has been on my bucket list since I was in highschool. I believe you have to carry your own stuff though.