Backpacker on Tuolumne River in Yosemite High Sierra

How to Lose the Crowds in National Parks

A magical thing happens when you hike just a mile or two from trailheads in popular national parks: Crowds begin to disappear. Even better, go backpacking to really have solitude. Set the out-of-office reply and head off to one of these spectacular trips ranging from Yosemite to Zion to the Channel Islands and Point Reyes.

Week: 08.04.2021
Regions: Northern & Southern CA

Yosemite Magic Trick

Backpack Yosemite's High Sierra from Tuolumne Meadows

camping at Evelyn Lake in Yosemite National Park
backpacking in Yosemite National Park High Sierra Loop
Hiker going up to Vogelsang Peak
Hiker looking at Lyell Fork of Tuolumne River in Yosemite
Yosemite’s High Country is magical and without crowds. At a lofty 8,700 feet, Tuolumne Meadows is one of the best trailheads for hiking or backpacking a land of smooth granite domes, high alpine meadows, jagged peaks, and sapphire lakes. Here's a 3-night backpacking itinerary...
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Anchor Yourself in Anchorage

Best Summer Adventures in Anchorage Alaska

two kayakers near Anchorage Alaska
Ptarmigan Portage Glacier Boat Ride near Anchorage
Portage Pass glacier hike near Anchorage Alaska
When it comes to the ultimate adventure basecamp, set your anchor in Anchorage. Located at the base of the Chugach Mountains, Anchorage gets you easy access to 60 glaciers to see, paddle up to, hike, fly over, or climb.
Your Best Summer in Anchorage

Zion the Prize

Backpacking Zion National Park

Backpackers on a trail in Zion National Park
Backpacker on West Rim Trail in Zion National Park
Backpacker enjoying the Zion National Park scenery and sunset.
Primitive campsite with an orang tent among trees on West Rim of Zion National Park
Geological wonders, massive canyon views, and a bit of a grind to get to the good stuff … it’s all part of the blissful isolation you can find on the West Rim Trail at Zion, the fourth most visited national park in the country. Lose the crowds on a backpacking adventure starting
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Wild for Wildcat

Backpacking and Camping at Wildcat Camp in Point Reyes

Group of friends at the beach at sunset near Wildcat Camp in Point Reyes National Seashore
Backpackers overlooking the bluff and down to the Pacific ocean at Point Reyes National Seashore near Wildcat Camp
Two people sit around a campfire located at the beach near Wildcat Camp in Point Reyes National Seashore
Backpacker hiking on the Coast Trail surrounded by yellow wildflowers in Point Reyes National Seashore
With seven sites strewn along a coastal bluff adjacent to the beach, Wildcat Camp is one of Northern California’s premier camping destinations in Point Reyes National Seashore. And there's one first-come, first-served spot...
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Island Traverse

Backpacking and camping on Santa Cruz Island on Channel Islands National Park

Backpackers traversing the seaside mountain range on Santa Cruz Island in Channel Islands National Park
As the largest of the Channel Islands, Santa Cruz also has bragging rights to two mountain ranges. For a grand (and grandly scenic) tour, lace up the boots and go on a 15-mile (one-way) backpacking trek that traverses the eastern side of the island.
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Trending Stories NorCal

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  1. Aloha from California

    Say Aloha without leaving California with a 7-mile out-and-back hiking adventure to Lake Aloha in El Dorado National Forest. You can also camp here, a premier place for stargazing.

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  2. Sequoia Re-opens Crystal Cave

    Step inside Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park's hidden world by visiting the newly re-opened Crystal Cave—the only cave in the parks open to the public. Closed for four years, this rare marble karst cavern is welcoming visitors once again, but only through the summer season!

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  3. Easiest Best Hike in the World

    Choose the easiest and most view-rewarding hike in Yosemite. Okay, we’ll go first: the combination of hiking to Sentinel Dome and Taft Point. Both of these lookouts are within a couple miles of each other on Glacier Point Road

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  4. Hiker in the forest at Mount Sutro in San Francisco

    San Francisco's Middle Earth

    No need to travel to New Zealand to visit Middle Earth. San Francisco’s Mount Sutro Open Space is practically Hobbiton—a hidden “shire” in the middle of the city. Okay, maybe not quite as magical, but still an incredible place to take a hike in city limits.

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Trending Stories SoCal

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  1. Can't Top This

    San Francisco’s Presidio was already a fantastic place to hang out for the afternoon, a beautiful site within the largest urban national park in the United States (the Golden Gate National Recreation Area). And Presidio Tunnel Tops is like a cherry on top. Make that two cherries on top, with the newly opened (July 2025) Outpost Meadow, a 1.5-acre green space located at Old Mason Street across from the Crissy Field Marsh in the Presidio.

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  2. Underground Garden

    Looking to escape the summer heat? Head to Fresno and discover its cool secret: the Forestiere Underground Gardens–an enchanting garden and architecture oasis like no other.

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  3. Volcanic Activity

    Northern California is home to one of the most unique ecosystems in the country: Lassen Volcanic National Park. The region features geothermal areas, including the largest dome volcano in the world, Lassen Peak. Hike to the top of this active volcano on a 5-mile out-and-back.  

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  4. Oh Ryan

    Sure, it’s those whimsical trees that give Joshua Tree National Park its marquee billing; but this beautiful landscape also has surrounding mountains and its night sky—one of the darkest in Southern California and designated an International Dark Sky Park. Joshua Tree has four allowable stargazing parking lots, and a newly opened haven for spending the night nearby...

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