SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019
BACKPACKER.COM 75Dallas
While not known as a hiking city, Dallas
has some surprises. Try the Piedmont
Ridge Trail in fall: Even though the hike
is short, the colors you see will make
you feel like you worked really hard to
get somewhere far away.Chicago
The Chicago Outerbelt
links 210 miles of pedes-
trian infrastructure and
hiking trails to create the
first thru-hike around the
greater Chicago area.
Join group outings with
the Outerbelt Alliance
NFP (outerbelt.org).Cleveland
Here’s a two-fer for
Cleveland-area hikers: Cuyahoga
Valley National Park is just 30
minutes from town, and not
only does it have backpacking
opportunities, it’s also on the
1,444-mile Buckeye Trail.St. Louis
Quick escape: A local hero donated
800-plus acres of forest, glades,
and caves to create a new refuge
for St. Louis hikers. Named Don
Robinson State Park in his honor, it
opened to visitors two years ago.
Big escape: The 350-mile (and
growing) Ozark Trail starts just
an hour and a half from town, in
Onondaga Cave State Park.Providence
For big adventure in the
smallest state, take the
78-mile North-South
Trail from the Atlantic to
the Mass border (where
you have the option to
extend on the Midstate
Trail). Camp in desig-
nated sites only.Charlotte
Most big hikes in the East
go up. In Linville Gorge,
expect to go down—way
down. It’s a 2,000-foot
descent from rim to river,
earning Linville the nick-
name “the Grand Canyon
of the East.”New York
The 358-mile Long Path is the only
long trail that starts at a subway stop
(175th Street station). Don’t have a
month? Spend a day at the Jamaica
Bay Wildlife Refuge, which boasts
hundreds of species of shore birds,
water fowl, marine life, and unique
wildflowers.Miami
One of the best sections of the
1,300-mile Florida Trail is just an
hour and a half from town, in Big
Cypress National Preserve. Budget
a long weekend for the 30-mile hike
through the preserve, or a lot longer
and keep going.46-50%51-55%56-60%61-65%66-70%71-75%76-80%81-85%Rate of residents’
outdoor participation**Source: Outdoor Industry Association 2017 Participation Report