Backpacker May/June 2020

CLOSE YOUR EYES AND IMAGINE YOUR FAVORITE PLACE. That one dreamy spot that stands alone, above every other you’ve been lucky enough to visit. Take a deep breath, inhaling through your nose and exhaling from your mouth. Once more. And again. Now, with your eyes still closed, explore that space. Notice the weather. Is there a breeze? Are you alone, or do you have companions? Regardless… smile. Now, slowly gaze across your view-shed, letting your eyes rise and fall over the terrain. Study the colors and light. Take note of any sounds you hear, then pause and dwell in the scene, letting your mind drift wherever it pleases. Now, open your eyes. How do you feel? Meditation and visualizing treasured scenes are known to lower heart rate and blood pressure and…

HISTORY ON THE CDT When Swedish immigrant Peter Parsons set out in 1924 to walk what would later become the Continental Divide Trail (“The Swede Who Showed America How to Hike,” January/February 2020), he couldn’t know how many people would follow in his footsteps—or how many readers would be captivated by his story. Writing on Facebook, Bill Boehm speculated on the wildlife Parsons may have shared the trail with: “I guess there were more grizzlies and cougars then.” Mike Roberts was amazed by his missed connection with the Harley Davidson-riding Margaret Lindsay, the first female ranger at Yellowstone. “She might have been his soulmate,” he said. Brian Hermann, on the other hand, took issue with calling Parsons the first Continental Divide thruhiker. “So the Native Americans don’t count?” he asked. As…

WEKIVA RIVER, FL 1Nothing says summer like a lazy day on the water. Find your streamside haven on central Florida’s Wekiva River, a 16-mile stretch of wetlands just north of Orlando. As one of only two Wild and Scenic Rivers in the state, it’s a hot spot for paddlers, hikers, and wildlife. Black bears, otters, alligators, and sandhill cranes frequent the river and its surrounding wetlands, while striped bass and loggerhead turtles glide beneath your SUP or kayak. To reach this unique campsite, launch at Wekiva Island (privately owned; $10 launch fee for private craft, and rentals available) after leaving a shuttle vehicle at the take-out, then follow the gentle current for an hour. Pitch your hammock or camp chair beneath the broad arches of an ancient cypress and soak in…

FOOTPRINTS PEELED OFF into a lonesome canyon and we followed, around bends and across sandy benches, until the canyon walls closed in and sunlight turned to shadow. We were supposed to be nearing an exit, but there didn’t seem to be any end in sight. I stopped hiking and called out to my partner for a map check. Experienced hikers never get lost. They get off-route or miss a turn, take a scenic detour once in a while, but they don’t get lost. After years of hiking together, Tom, Jason, and I had taken the scenic route a time or two, but when we set out on a backpacking trip in The Maze, we made sure to check the map often. The Maze District is a remote section of Canyonlands National Park.…

Already checked off the AT, PCT, and CDT and looking for your next challenge? Try Chile’s Route of Parks, a 1,700-mile trail connecting 17 national parks, five of which were established in the last two years. It’s been thru-hiked, but by very few. The trail starts near Cape Horn and winds through well-known regions like Torres del Paine as well as the new Cerro Castillo National Park, Kawésqar National Park, and Douglas Tompkins Pumalín National Park before ending at Puerto Montt. For those who want a taste but don’t have time for a full thru-hike, try one of the three subsections: “fjords of northern Patagonia” (3-4 days), “southern snowdrifts” (6-8 days), or “larches” (5-8 days). Route-planning information, local outfitters and trail history can be found at rutadelosparcques.org.…

THE INSIDER Steven DeBorde first discovered the Highland Lakes as a child, when his older sister took him hiking around its glimmering ponds and rivers. Today he runs Central Texas Outdoor Adventures, a SUP and kayak outfitter. When he’s not leading hiking trips and water tours, he hits the trails to explore the surrounding hills andhidden canyons. TEXAS BLOOM With its rolling hills and hidden pools, Inks Lake State Park is the best introduction to Texas Hill Country. Start with open slopes bursting with wildflowers by leaving from the Pecan Flats trailhead (the first past the park entrance). The Lake Trail meanders through fields of Texas bluebonnets, orange-and-yellow firewheels, and crimson Indian paintbrush (peak bloom in April and May). In the same months, prickly pear and pencil cactus burst with yellow blossoms. Climb…