My favorite hike is generally the one I'm on at any given time. Last weekend it was wonderful to be at Caspers Wilderness and Riley Greenspace Wilderness Parks in Orange County, California. Neither are far from the madding crowds of Southern California but both offer quickly accessible outdoor adventure opportunities for hikers. Another similar location is Daley Ranch in Escondido, CA. Such nearby escapes provide an outdoor experience within a short drive and depending on the time I may have, offer short treks or those taking several hours. Sometimes, there are treasures right in your own backyard.

My favorite this year has got to be the Gallatin National Forest in MT. This was my first trip backpacking out West and was coupled with some day hiking in Yellowstone. I'm hooked! I'll have to make do with the Ouachitas and Ozarks in AR until I can get out West again. Don't get me wrong, we have some incredibly secluded real estate and wonderful terrain in almost 3 million square miles of national forest here. I love exploring these places. However, the incredible openess of the back country in Montana was a game changer for me.

My favorite hiking is right here in Pocatello Idaho.... I can never get tired of trails right out my backdoor, and with the help of many volunteers and the Forest Service there is eight miles of new trail that will be done this summer.

To paraphrase what a wise man said a long time ago " A bad day of hiking beats a good day of work" My favorite hike so far this year has to be a trip up "The Bald Place", Mt. Moosilauke (4802 ft) in the White Mountain National Forest of my beloved New Hampshire. The reason it was so nice was the fact that the company was nice and the views were fan -tastic

Did I say miles! I meant acres. That would be huge!

So far this year, I really enjoyed hiking and backpacking around the Baldy range in the San Gabriel/Cucamonga Wilderness in So Cal. Great views, though crowded, but peaceful once you head above treeline or deep in the canyons.

Favorite so far is Glacier National Park. By far the most beautiful National Park that I have visited. I can't wait to get back to explore more of it, especially since it could be melted off by 2020-2030.

Favorite hike so far this year was my 6 day trip to Isle Royale National Park. Being the 5th least visited National Park due to the difficulty of traveling there (sea plane or ferry), I was blown away. Sure, there are many other treks that are tougher, have a higher elevation change, have more landmarks to see, but this 42 mile long Island located in Lake Superior was simply beautiful. Hiking thru dense woods, bogs, and rocky shorelines was really amazing and it was one of the best treks I've ever had! I can't wait to go back and explore more of it!

So far as a favorite this year, well unfortunately I do not have much to choose from this year so far. I will take this opportunity to mention a short hiking trail well known to locals.

Just a few miles West of Lawrence, Kansas (home of the University of Kansas Jayhawks) is Clinton Lake. Clinton has over 60 miles of trails which run mainly along the shoreline, with many nice views of the lake. Of particular interest is the George O. Latham Hiking Trail in the Woodrige Primitive Area located on the Western edge of Clinton Lake.

Latham is a short but scenic trail which follows the perimeter of a 500 acre peninsula, and is dedicated solely to hiking and primitive camping. It's a nice mix of woodlands, prairie, and scenic bluffs. Wildlife is abundant,and the lake is readily available if you need to cool off. There is no fee, even for the camping; dogs are welcome as long as they are kept on a leash. It's a relatively easy hike, I used to bring my sons when they were young as its a good mixture of a remote adventure, but a doable 5 mile hike.

The trail is named in honor of a Lawrence legend,George O. Latham, a local longtime outfitter, who was an early trail advocate. I hike Latham Trail several times a year, usually in the spring and fall. This year was no exception. Each time, I am thankful for people such as George Latham who made such wonderful areas available for generations to come.

Gary M

Olathe, Kansas

By the way, I really liked the member replies;

"My favorite hike is generally the one I'm on at any given time." - TerryTyson

and

"A bad day of hiking beats a good day of work" - Foreverpats

This is what backpacking and hiking is all about to me. Happy Trails everyone!

Gary M

Olathe, Kansas

I have two favorites this year and will be posting my trip reports soon. In early July my friend and I went on an overnight backpack trip (my second ever!) to 20 Lakes Basin off Tioga Pass in Northern California. It was SPECTACULARLY beautiful. Then, to celebrate another friends 60th birthday a couple weeks ago, we climbed the cables on Half Dome in Yosemite. That was amazing, and hard...and AMAZING. Can't seem to post photos from my ipad here, so stay tuned for my reports.

Very excited to be chosen the winner of the contest! Since I am known to take copious amounts of pictures on my hikes, the little Gorilla TriPod is just the ticket. Thank you so much. TrailGroove rocks!