Warm winter trip – anywhere USA !?

[Peter Bakwin]

Wife seeks backpacking route 70-100 miles anywhere in the USA that will be WARM in January. Warmth is priority over quality of the route. Must be on-trail, not XC. Recommendations???

[Dean F.]

Long and warm are difficult.  One or the other is doable.  The only truly warm spots you’ll find are Na Pali Coast and such.  But in January even Florida or Arizona can be cold.  Usually the southwest is people’s go-to winter destination, though.  Just avoid altitude.  There is also the Florida Trail.

[Justin Baker]

Hawaii?

[Paul Magnanti]

Big Bend?

https://www.google.com/search?q=big+bend+current+weather&oq=big+bend+current&aqs=chrome.0.0j69i57j0l2j69i64.4886j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Some creativity will be needed to make a longer route, esp on trail, however. Perhaps combine it with nearby Big Bend Ranch State Park if some road walking is OK (or do two separate loops).

I have never been there so I have no route ideas, unfortunately.

EDIT: A quick google search shows some potential if some potentially brief “Thru-hiker” some style road walks want to be done to connect the two units. Apparently, two classic loops are in each park. A 20-mile loop in the state park and a 30-mile loop in the NP.  I’m sure there are ways to extend the loops. Connect the two parks and there you go. Or spend a lof time meandering in the national park.  Again, I am not sure of the trails there personally.  But with highs in the 80s next week and with lows around 55 +/- , the Big Bend area may be a good option for the CONUS.

 

[David Sugeno]

Lone Star Trail in east Texas might be an option.  I’ve dayhiked many sections , and it has some beautiful areas.  As likely to be warm in January as anywhere else in the lower 48.  But with that much time, I’d head to west Texas and bounce around Big Bend and the Guads.  The Ouachita Trail in OK and AR is nice, but can be quite chilly in January.

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