Advice for trip

[Joshua Gray]

So, I will have about 2 weeks next year after I graduate medical school to go on a backpacking trip somewhere and was looking to go someplace I haven't been before.

Season: Late-April/Early-May
Length: 14 days – max average of 15-20 miles per day

I would prefer somewhere in the northeast or out west. I have extensively hiked the southern sections of the AT and all over the southeast with some Rockies experience.

I was thinking the JMT, but I know my timeframe is a little early, so that's why I came to the BPLers for advice. If you had 2 weeks to hike, where would you go?

[Steven Paris]

Sorry to say but a lot of the wonderful places up here in the PNW will still be snowed in even in late May. What about southern Utah and northern AZ? Unless you want to be out for two weeks, you could rent a car and string together a few 2-4 day trips in the Grand Canyon, Zion, Arches, Canyonlands, etc. Or the Arizona Trail? I've never been on it so I don't know the conditions or even how much you could do in 2 weeks.

[Mary D]

Late April/early May is still winter in the Rockies! The mountains of the Pacific NW and California will also be buried under lots and lots of snow. Either go southwest, as Steven suggested, or plan on low-elevation hikes. Two possible coastal hikes would be California's Lost Coast or Washington's Olympic National Park wilderness coast.

[Joshua Gray]

I thought that would be the case for the Rockies. It's just hard to think about it because it is 90 degrees here in SC by then.

I'll look into the SW and coastal West some more. Thanks.

[Author]

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