Tahoe Rim Trail

Original Word By Doug Schnitzspahn; executive summary by darmansjah

Encircling the largest alpine lake in North America, the 165-mile (266-kilometer) Tahoe Rim Trail just may be the singletrack with the greatest view in the United States. More than 80 miles (129 kilometers) of the trail are open to mountain bikes. In fact, the riding here is so sublime that the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) named the 21.8-mile (35-kilometer) section between Tahoe Meadows and Spooner Summit as one of its Epics, an honor bestowed on trails that epitomize the best that mountain biking has to offer.

For good reason: The trail takes in gritty climbs and fast descents with spectacular views of Tahoe to the west and the Nevada desert to the east. Nine miles (14 kilometers) in, you’ll split off onto the adjacent 22-mile (35-kilometer) Flume Trail, which starts at the Spooner Lake campground. Though not officially part of the Rim Trail itself, it’s the signature ride here, and it requires a decent climb and a bit of singletrack to get down. Just remember, it’s tough to keep your eyes on the trail with all those eye-popping views of the lake. One of the best things about the rides on the Rim Trail is that it can be just as much fun for novices as it is for fat-tire vets.

Need to Know: Some sections of the trail are only open to bikes on certain days. Many local bike shops provide shuttles for the point-to-point rides in the Rim Trail. Rent bikes and check in on trail conditions at Flume Trail Mountain Bikes (www.theflumetrail.com). Bike rentals start at $45 a day; shuttles from $15. Read about the trail at www.tahoerimtrail.org.

Glacier National Park, Montana

Original Word By Doug Schnitzspahn; executive summary by darmansjah

With its sheer peaks, wildflowers, alpine lakes filled with trout, grizzly bears, and, of course, glaciers, Glacier National Park is the ideal place to lose yourself for days. The park typifies the Rocky Mountain experience and yet has cathedrals of loose-rock mountains and yearlong snowfields that make it unlike anywhere else on the planet. This means backpacking options abound. Simple trips, like an overnighter to Akokala Lake, deliver a real wilderness experience, while a ten-day traverse of the Continental Divide across the backbone of the park is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Then there are the grizzlies. Glacier is home to an estimated 300 of the big beasts, and chances are good that you will at least get a glimpse of them if you spend time in the backcountry. That’s why you’ll hear so many hikers wearing tinkling bear bells. Grizzlies are not the only wildlife you may bump into here: Wolves, moose, mountain lions, black bears, mountain goats, and over 260 species of birds call Glacier home. Go soon, however. Researchers at the U.S. Geological Survey believe the park's glaciers will be gone by 2030.

Need to Know: Hire Glacier Guides and Montana Raft Company (www.glacierguides.com) for a ten-day trip on the Continental Divide, starting at $1,350. For more information on Glacier National Park, visit www.nps.gov/glac.

PACIFIC NORTH WEST TRAIL, MONTANA

Original word by By Doug Schnitzspahn; executive summary by darmansjah

Forty years ago, conservationist Ron Strickland had a dream of connecting the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean. The Pacific Northwest Trail (PNT) would allow a hiker to make her way, like water, from the top of the Continental Divide all the way to the sea. Unlike other famed long-hiking trails, the PNT wouldn't just follow the backbone of a range of mountains—instead, it would cut a cross section through the varied topography and ecosystems of a whole region.

Running along the Canadian border, Strickland’s trail would pass through Montana’s Glacier National Park; across Idaho in the Purcell and Selkirk Mountains; into Washington and the Okanogan National Forest and the Salmon-Priest and Pasayten Wilderness areas; through North Cascades National Park; across Puget Sound; and finally end up on the wild beaches of Olympic National Park.

That dream became an official reality in 2009 with the passage of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act, which designated Strickland’s route as a National Scenic Trail to be maintained by the Department of Agriculture. For Strickland, the trail is a type of new Northwest Passage, but one concerned with celebrating the American landscape instead of exploiting it. Hiking the entire 1,200 miles (1,931 kilometers) of the PNT is not as easy as conquering more established long-distance trails—one section requires bushwhacking, encounters with grizzlies are possible, and there are few fellow thru-hikers. But those difficulties are what make the PNT so enticing.

Need to Know: Get more info from the Pacific Northwest Trail Association (www.pnt.org).