There’s snow on the ground, the sky is gray, the trees are all bare, but you can’t stop considering the outdoors. Your backpack and your hiking shoes sit, gathering dust, in the corner. Your travelling poles are disturbingly tidy. What’s a backpacker to do in winter season? Simply relax? Take particularly undesirable day hikes through the wet cold? There has to be a better method. Not only can you do the following trails in winter season, in a lot of cases winter season is far and above the very best time to do them. For some, winter is the just time you can thru-hike these routes. As long as you’re down for a trip south or a plane trip to a different hemisphere, you can get there. Here’s 6 winter thru-hikes for your consideration.
1. The Florida Trail
As one of 11 accredited National Scenic Trails, a winter thru-hike on The Florida Path is not one to miss. With its southern terminus in Big Cypress National Preserve, at their Sanctuary Visitor Center, it covers 1,500 miles up to Pensacola Beach. Common start dates for The Florida Trail are January and February, though you could potentially begin earlier. It’s suggested that you end up by April or two due to unpredictable weather condition and open season. Unlike nearly every other trail across the USA, October-March will put you more or less in Florida’s “dry season.”
The Florida Path is a regular talking point among thru-hikers across the country. To some, it’s a dream, and to others, it’s a headache. On one hand, you’ll see some unbelievable, unique wilderness areas that couple of others experience. There’s a chance you might even catch a glimpse of one of Florida’s well known black panthers. On the other hand, you may get some damp feet. Depending upon the year, you might need to invest some time walking on root systems through water. By all accounts, the fear-mongering about The Florida Trail’s conditions is worse than the actual treking experience. You have a much better opportunity of being struck by lightning than being assaulted by an alligator, but that does not mean you must get complacent.
2. The Pinhoti Trail For a shorter commitment or a fantastic very first thru-hike, The Pinhoti Path is a great alternative. Its southern terminus is down on Flagg Mountain in Alabama. If you head 335 miles along the trail up into Georgia, you’ll discover the northern terminus in Chattahoochee-Oconee National park, where it joins The Benton Mackaye Path. “Pinhoti” is Creek for “The turkey’s home,” and besides being a wonderful winter thru-hike, it’s an excellent way to see Southern Appalachia.
In thru-hiking culture, the Pinhoti is typically considered a connector path between the above Florida Path and The Appalachian Path. Combined with The Benton Mackaye Trail, this path is an essential part of a much, a lot longer trek that is growing recently in popularity. This is, naturally, The Eastern Continental Path (ECT). The ECT covers all the method from Secret West approximately Canada’s Newfoundland and Labrador coast. The Pinhoti Path fills several functions, then. It’s a wonderful first thru-hike if you’re finding your way into the sport, it’s a fantastic path to string into a bigger experience, and it’s a terrific call for a winter season thru-hike.
Photo by Josh Clemence 3. Ozark Highlands Trail While you may or might not run into Jason Bateman out here– Ozark anyone? it’s a beneficial walking regardless. It may actually be one of the most slept-on hikes in the U.S.A.. This is a 218-mile path from Lake Fort Smith State Park to the Buffalo National River. It will take you through a few of the most remote and beautiful parts of Ozark National park. While the winter months aren’t guaranteed to be drama-free here in Northwest Arkansas, prime visitation months are from fall to early spring. Otherwise, the heat can be overbearing.
When considering this thru-hike, understand that resupplies can be hard. Grocery stores are not particularly available. Your best bet will be to send packages to Ozone and Pelsor, towns that you can trek to from the trail. It can be a fairly rugged trail, too, so be ready. Fortunately is that all of these factors tend to offer you a lot of privacy out here. The Boston Mountains, the Typhoon Creek Wilderness Area, White Rock Mountain, and Hare Mountain are all highlights. For a great winter season thru-hiking experience, the Ozark Highlands Trail must be at the top of your list.
Photo by Ivan Sanford 4. Te Araroa Have you ever wished to visit New Zealand? Here’s the very best way to see the country. Spanning the totality of Aotearoa, the land of the long white cloud in Te Reo Māori, the Native language, this trail is 1,882 miles or 3,028 kilometers long. From Cape Reinga, at the top of North Island, down to Bluff, the bottom of South Island, it will be at least 3 or four months’ hiking. Te Araroa will show you some of New Zealand’s the majority of stunning and remote wilderness areas along with its biggest cities and cultural hotbeds.
It’s not that you must hike Te Araroa throughout the cold months, it’s the truth that the seasons are various here. In the Southern Hemisphere, summer months are October to March. If you plan it right, you could possibly skip winter season entirely for a year. Anytime you go, it’s impossible to go wrong with New Zealand’s amazing natural charm. The range of mountains are more than majestic, the endemic birdlife is special and unbelievable, and the forests are green and rich and alive.
5. Lone Star Hiking Trail Possibly the 4 month walking sounded like a little too much. Well, on the other end of the spectrum is a much shorter winter season thru-hike, the Lone Star Hiking Path. Consisting of the 32 miles of loop and crossover trails, this is a 129-mile path that can be ended up in around a week. It traverses the Sam Houston National Park, and is the longest continuous treking trail in Texas. The western terminus can be found near Richards, while the eastern terminus is not far from Cleveland, Texas.
If you’re not a fan of primitive camping, you can schedule this hike around established outdoor entertainment locations. They have toilets, picnic tables, and other comparable features available need to you want to rent a camping site. Water must be a factor to consider, as there is some potable water available on path, however depending on how dry the year is, you may need to cache some for yourself. This trail does go through some private land easements, so appropriate trail etiquette is essential. No matter how you hike this path, though, the moderate climates of Southeast Texas make the Lone Star Hiking Path a fantastic winter thru-hike.
6. The Trans-Catalina Trail
Not just home to renowned wine mixers, Santa Catalina Island is likewise a lovely location for a winter thru-hike. You can catch the ferry from Long Beach or Dana Point over to Avalon or Two Harbors, then take this 38.5-mile walking across the island. You’ll have to book your camping areas before you go, which suggests it’s wise to plan this hike well ahead of time. In the hotter months, the heat is tough to handle, due to the fact that much of the path is rather exposed. However, this means cold weather are the best time to hike this trail.
Among the strangest, most exciting parts of this thru-hike are the bison. Yes, you read that right. Back in the 1920s, filmmakers brought bison over to the island for a shoot, and they were permitted to remain. They have actually given that ended up being a part of the environment and a tourist destination. Beyond that, you have a stunning, Californian environment with the unique sensation of island life. Take your time with this walking. Do it on island time. Whichever instructions you hike, you’ll have some excellent dining establishments and a stunning harbor awaiting you at the end. Heaven Rose in Avalon has especially good Jalapeño-Cucumber Margaritas.
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Do not let the winter stop you from backpacking. These 6 winter thru-hikes can get you going once again without the ice and snow.