Remote Hiking Destinations:
Take A Hike On The Wild Side

By Diane Spicer

Remote hiking destinations worthy of your time aren't that hard to find, given the enormity of the Internet. 

In fact, you just found the ones Hiking For Her has traveled to and experienced, in whatever way you used to navigate to this page.

So you're an intrepid explorer already!

Motivation to seek remote hiking options

I'm guessing that you're reading this because you want to -literally- get off the beaten path.

• You're done with long trail hiking, following a prescribed route with hundreds of your new best friends and trail family.
• You're tired of the foibles and follies of your fellow hikers, making noise and trash on the trails you used to enjoy. 
• You're chasing solitude, silence and serenity.

Or maybe you're itching for big adventure, and want to go outside your comfort zone to experience the feeling of being one of a handful of humans to plant your boots on that particular spot in any given calendar year.

I hear you!

That's what motivates me to find the best remote hiking destinations for my annual summer excursions into the wild.

But before you start viewing possible hiking locations that are far removed from the crowded trails of North America and Europe, consider this:

• What does the word "remote" mean to you?

Remote hiking destinations:
how far away from civilization
does it have to be?

The word "remote" has been used loosely to describe a hiking location which is either hard to get to, or needs a lot of planning and some cash to access.

So let's explore the flavors remote hiking comes in.

Sometimes the word "remote" simply indicates that you're going to have to drive down some rutted, potholed dirt roads, for a long time, to a trailhead or at least a vague suggestion of one.

Or it means that you're in one of the United States that has a lot, as in nearly unimaginable, open lands. Think of these states:

• Alaska
• Arizona
• New Mexico
• Nevada
• Utah

It can also indicate that you've chosen one of the National Parks, such as Yellowstone's plethora of backcountry options.

Mount Rainier hiking can take you to some tucked away remote spots as well.

So go ahead and define remote anyway you'd like. Your own personal definition is much more satisfying that anyone else could come up with, right?

Keep reading if you need a few suggestions to begin your off the map explorations!

Hiking For Her's favorite
remote hiking destinations

It's no secret that HFH is a fan of wilderness destinations, and will get pretty excited about backcountry hikes that use designated trails as a jumping off point.

But going even farther off the map, where hardly any humans hike, is even more exciting.

Here are some trip reports of recent remote hiking destinations:

• East Greenland hiking
• Yukon hiking (Canada)
• Northwest Territories hiking (Canada)
• Wrangell St. Elias National Park & Preserve (Alaska)
• Another glimpse of Wrangell hiking
  
• ANWR hiking (Canning River, Alaska)
• Alsek River (Yukon, British Columbia and Alaska)

What do all these
remote hiking destinations have in common?

Big unnamed mountains, glaciers, huge carnivores, roaring rivers and lots of room to roam.

Lots of time and space to test outdoor skills, and to see amazing geology and explore botanical diversity.

Freedom, in other words, to explore this big beautiful planet as a hiker. It doesn't get any better than that for a hiker.

More suggestions for the best
remote hiking destinations

If you like to put a lot of fresh water between yourself and the mainland, you need to explore Isle Royale hiking.

And don't overlook the Gila Wilderness in New Mexico for some fantastic, lonesome hiking, even on day hikes.

Canada is always a safe bet when you're looking for a remote hiking destination with good accessibility options.

• Read HFH's view of Mount Robson Canadian Rockies hiking.
• Or sift through this list of 37 Canadian trails that can bring you some solitude.

If you've got some extra cash to spend, investigate your options for North American heli-hiking. Round up a few friends, split the cost of the helicopter flight, and get into some high alpine country fast!

Where will you roam?

If the idea of a remote hiking trip has you salivating, you'll need to get prepared for the rigors of backcountry hiking.

Be prepared to take care of yourself. It's wild out there!

But it's so worth the time, energy and cost of planning a fantastic remote hiking trip. You deserve a hike on the wild side!

Tip:

If the idea of planning a remote hiking trip is daunting, let REI Adventures do all the work!

• Get started with choosing the right trip here.

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