The Benton MacKaye Trail is a lightly trafficked 287-mile trail through the Southern Appalachian Mountains in Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee. This spring / fall thru-hike makes a great alternative to the first 300 miles of the Appalachian Trail
The Emigrant Wilderness Loop is a 19.5-mile loop located in Stanislaus National Forest, California that can be hiked in 1-3 days. The trail has frequent water sources and tons of campsites.
The Ouachita Trail is a 223-mile point-to-point backpacking route in Oklahoma and Arkansas. It is a blazed trail with frequent shelters, and can be hiked in 10-18 days.
The Superior Hiking Trail is a 300-mile point-to-point hike in Minnesota best hiked in spring, summer, or fall. The trail is well-marked, the camping and water is plentiful, and it can be hiked in 2-4 weeks.
The Shoal Pond route in New Hampshire is a mellow alternative to the busier White Mountains. This convenient loop hike is 21 miles and can be hiked in two days.
The Mahoosuc Traverse is a 31-mile section hike along the Appalachian Trail in Maine. It is quite rocky, steep, and challenging, and can be completed in 2-4 days
The Great Smoky Mountains 127-Mile Loop is a challenging route in the popular Smoky Mountains National Park that can be completed in 8-10 days.
The Big Branch Wilderness Loop is a mellow weekend backpacking trip along a section of the AT / LT in Vermont.
The Lye Brook Wilderness Loop is an easy weekend loop in Vermont with a few different distance options. It can be completed in 2-3 days.
The Pemi Loop is a 31-mile loop in New Hampshire’s rugged White Mountains. It can be hiked in 2-4 days.