+Team Outlander Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 Geocaching has opened me up to hiking and have enjoyed my short hiking adventures. My wife and I are looking for increasing our hikes but want to know how many of you go about finding out trail information and if camping is allowed. Do any of you use websites such as trimble outdoors everytrail trails.com and so on? Are these some of the best websites available for finding trails? Just want to pick peoples brains. thank you for any info and feedback Quote Link to comment
Dinoprophet Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 (edited) For Michigan, I've had very little luck finding places to hike on the web. I do much better with books (Jim DuFresne is great, but he doesn't seem to have covered Illinois). Finding local hiking groups is probably more helpful than the bigger sites. But basically, if I'm going someplace new and want to know where to hike, I start right here. I look for caches with 3+ terrain and research the areas from there. Edited May 22, 2009 by Dinoprophet Quote Link to comment
+briansnat Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 Also try: www,localhikes.com www.backpacker.com www.gorp.com www.wildernet.com Quote Link to comment
+daddysbike Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 I was unable to find anything as useful as this site so I purchased some hiking books from amazon.com # 1 of: 50 Hikes in the North Georgia Mountains: Walks, Hikes and Backpacking Trips from Lookout Mountain to the Blue Ridge to the Chattooga River # 1 of: Hiking North Carolina, 2nd: A Guide to Nearly 500 of North Carolina's Greatest Hiking Trails (State Hiking Series) # 1 of: Hiking South Carolina Steve Quote Link to comment
+2sisters3dogs Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 You might try a google search on forest service trails or blm trails. There is camping almost everywhere but I'm starting to think, find an area you're interested in, download some waypoints and go. You'll find the good places. Quote Link to comment
MikeB3542 Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 Start with your back yard -- lots of trails in the county parks! Lake County, Illinois http://www.lcfpd.org/preserves/index.cfm?f...p;object_id=135 Cook County, Illinois http://www.fpdcc.com/tier3.php?content_id=45 In Illinois, the state parks are a bit of a drive away, but not really that far west of the Chicago metro area -- maybe an 1-1/2 hour drive. There is Shabonna Lake (west of DeKalb) and Starved Rock/Matthiessen/Buffalo Rock/Illini State Parks near Ottawa. Lots of excellent trails (just at Starved Rock two weeks ago. The canyons and waterfalls -- yes, I'm talking about Illinois -- were awesome). BTW, no geocaches in the parks. Illinois State Parks http://dnr.state.il.us/lands/Landmgt/Programs/hiking/ Of course, lots of hiking opportunities just across the border in Kettle Moraine State Forest -- South near Whitewater, Bong State Rec near Union Grove. Wisconsin State Parks http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/LAND/parks/ If you need a challenge, there is always the 20+ mile hike around Geneva Lake. Do it all in one day or do a "credit card" trip and spend a night at the Abbey or in a Lake Geneva B&B. Lake Geneva Trail Description with Photos http://www.caliberdt.com/~bill/lakegenevamay2007/index.htm Lots of Ice Age National Scenic Trail segments are within an hour drive. There are award programs for some sections (like the "Walk the Wauk" program in Waukesha County). The IANST is approx 1000 miles long, with many caches along the route, so unlikely you would run out of trail soon. Ice Age Trail Association http://www.iceagetrail.org/ Bob Crawford has written the books "Walking Trails in Southern Wisconsin" and "Walking Trails of Eastern and Central Wisconsin" published by the University of Wisconsin Press. Quote Link to comment
gpsman77 Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 Try this website, www.gpsies.com Hope you find it useful. Quote Link to comment
MikeB3542 Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 Try this website, www.gpsies.com Hope you find it useful. REALLY frustrating to use. Great concept. Wish it worked better. Quote Link to comment
ktbean Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 Not really a website but an amazing resource all the same. http://www.backroadmapbooks.com/ As far as I know it's only Canadian backwoods maps. Sorry USA! Quote Link to comment
+Damundai Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 You can also go to Meetup.Com to try and find local backpacking / hiking groups in your area. It is what I did and I couldn't be happier! Quote Link to comment
MikeB3542 Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 You can also go to Meetup.Com to try and find local backpacking / hiking groups in your area. It is what I did and I couldn't be happier! Also check the bulletin board if you have an REI near you -- local outdoor groups post stuff all the time, and the staff usualy is involved with outdoor activities and groups. Quote Link to comment
+Jeepergeo Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 A decent starting point: http://www.localhikes.com/search.asp Otherwise, Google the area of interest and "hiking" and you'll come up with all sorts of leads. Quote Link to comment
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