I’m looking to spend a week or more, but less than 2 weeks. I’d like to explore canoeing, hiking, backpacking ideas and it should be within 14 hour drive of Chicago. I prefer to go west, but there isn’t anything that will prevent me from going somewhere else. I suspect North and the mountains will still be a bit chilly.
Any ideas? Will the mountains of Wyoming/Colorado/Montana be too cold and snow bound at that time? I’d like the hiking paths to be open and the low temps to be no lower than 35.
Are you looking for backpacking ideas (camping and sleeping outside)? Or are you wanting more luxury during the evenings (hotel and restaurant) with day hiking trips?
If you want the latter, I’d suggest Mather Lodge on Petit Jean Mountain in Arkansas. It’s about 9 hours from you according to Google, and in my not-even-remotely-humble opinion, it’s one of the most beautiful places on earth. There are lots of hiking trails and gorgeous vistas, and you can eat in the lodge’s dining room in the evening. They have private cabins with decks overlooking the valley, if you wish for solitude.
Ha, I just spent some time camping at Petit Jean – it is a very nice park (I recommend 7 hollows trail)
Heading north there is the Porcupine Mountains (they do have rustic cabins, car camping spots, and backpacking sites) or the Boundary Waters (canoe camping)
June is mosquito season though
Brian
June in the mountains is a crapshoot. Having lived in Colorado for 13 years and had plenty of friends show up in June to go backpacking and ending up sleeping on my couch because there was 4’ of snow where they planned on going was a pretty common occurrence.
So if you DO head to the western mountains, find the short ones. You’re taking a risk if you get too high that early in the summer.
Drive to Delaware Water Gap, PA, rent a canoe or take an organized canoe trip on the Delaware River, then hike the Appalachian Trail north into New Jersey as far as you like. This isn’t industrial NJ, this is mountains and black bear country, very scenic and past the notorious rocky trail conditions of Pennsylvania … not cold in June, for sure … and you’re likely to meet up with some thru-hikers who started in Georgia as they’re just passing the half-way point of their hike.
Head south and you can canoe the Eleven Point River, then go west a bit and hit the Buffalo River. Both are National Scenic Rivers; you can carry your gear and camp on the riverbank. There’s also some great hiking around the Buffalo.
The Buffalo was one I was thinking about. Can I canoe for a couple of days then hike back to the car for 2-3 days?
I’m sorry I don’t know the answer to that. I’ve canoed parts of the Buffalo many times, camping on the bank, and I’ve often seen people hiking there, but I’ve never hiked it.
I see that camping is mentioned in in the National Park Service website, so I imagine you can do it. I suggest call the phone number listed there to get some reliable info.
If you said bicycling, I’d highly recommend this 5-day ride on the Katy Trail in Missouri. This will be my 7th year doing it.
Katy trail is also a good call. It runs right past my old house. I don’t know why I didn’t think of that one.
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