A week in February? Death Valley bikepacking? Western US park loop? Elsewhere? Cheap gas!

If you go to Zion, look into the Coalpits Wash area – it can be really nice in February and has some great views of the western temples of the park. I think I did two leisurely nights there, there isn't room for a super long trip. But a fun little excursion.

Maybe bomb out through Vegas and do a Zion and Bryce (and maybe north rim Grand Canyon) loop? Maybe in nine days I could cover some good territory.

Ideas about hikes? Temperatures in mid-Feb? Must see stuff?

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The North Rim will be closed, but if it continues to be a light snow year you could drive out to Toroweap/Tuweep, so consider that as an option. It might be worth it even just to camp out on the rim. You can hike down to the river and check out the impressive Lava Falls if you want – warning, it is STEEP.

The Hack Canyon trailhead will likely be accessible as well, but it's not as immediately spectacular as Toroweap.

If the weather is steady, I'd do a backpacking trip in Grand Canyon. South Rim, obviously. Buy some Kahtoola Microspikes (Yaktrax will NOT cut it), for ice on the uppermost mile or so of any given trail. Walk-in permits are easy that time of year. Once you've walked down through the upper section of trail, you'll find that down on the Tonto Plateau and along the river, the weather might be quite warm and nice (although the river won't be getting much sun).

Since you have a nice car-camping arrangement, consider just driving around the parks, car-camping and doing day hikes. February is still pretty early for destinations like Utah. (Bryce is at 9000 feet! – I once encountered zero-degree nights backpacking there in March.) I'd stay further south. Anza Borrego; stuff near Tucson (Tucson Mountains, Catalinas, Organ Pipe Cactus); Sedona. Or east to Big Bend. If the weather isn't too cold, consider some of the somewhat higher-altitude alternatives to Death Valley: Mojave National Preserve; Joshua Tree.

I recently ran into some women hiking the PCT in southern California. They were having a good time. It was green down there, from recent rains. You might have to cull out any sections that go above 7000 feet.

– Elizabeth

It might not happen due to work, or maybe I'll just go to the friendly confines of DEVA, but thanks for the ideas. Hiking down into the Canyon would be great (never been there). Anza I know a bit, I know every corner of MOJA and most of JOTR. Seakayaking and camping (or just backpacking) on Catalina is definitely on the list, especially after a few trip reports on here. We'll see!

Man, I have to second GRCA. I've done a few hikes there now, all in late spring/early summer, and ever since the first one I've been saying that I want to come back in winter. It's hard to find hiking partners with schedules that match, though.

I mean, I wouldn't do Nankoweap, but almost anything else would be absolutley lovely with some microspikes. Even just puttering down around Horseshoe Mesa would be a blast. In fact that might be what I'd recommend- you get to go "down in the canyon" but you're still high and have great views.