Ski trips shouldn鈥檛 be relegated to the rich and even richer. We all deserve to go powder chasing midwinter without dissolving our bank accounts. But these days, finding a budget way to ski requires serious homework. You can always venture away from the headliner areas to smaller, less crowded local ski hills that want to entice visitors through budget deals, but you may have to sacrifice quality of terrain and convenient lodging. Or you could go early or late season, but that means gambling on snow conditions.

So, what if you want to go big鈥攍ike, say, Jackson Hole, Wyoming, in mid-winter鈥攂ut not spend big? It鈥檚 tricky but not impossible. Here鈥檚 how to visit a popular, world-class destination like Jackson Hole on a ski-bum鈥檚 budget. It鈥檚 also a great destination year-round, for hiking, biking, climbing, boating, fly fishing, and camping.

Getting to Jackson Hole, Wyoming

To reach Jackson, Wyoming, located at the base of the Teton Range, you can drive, fly, or take a bus. If you鈥檙e coming by car, it鈥檚 four and a half hours from Salt Lake City, Utah, or eight hours from Denver, pending road and weather conditions. offers bus routes into Jackson from Salt Lake City, Boise, or Las Vegas starting at $75. The Jackson Hole Airport has nonstop direct flights from 12 major U.S. cities, including Denver, Seattle, San Francisco, Dallas, Chicago, and Newark, but flights aren鈥檛 exactly cheap. United Airlines does offer an and $400 flight savings if you bundle lodging and airfare (deadline is by November 30, so save the idea for another year).

From the airport, hop a public bus or taxi into town. Don鈥檛 bother renting a car. Parking at the ski resort starts at $18 a day, so your best bet is to take the local ($3) from town or the Village Road Transit Center, and you鈥檒l be dropped at the base of in Teton Village.

Lift-Ticket Deals in Jackson

If you can make it here early season, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort has a weekend听from December 6-8: show up wearing denim, and you can ski Saturday for $25 or get a three-day lift ticket for $199, plus half-priced gear rentals at and . Another great deal is that early or late season (November 29 through December 19 or March 17 through April 13), season passholders from any other ski area in the world can receive a 50-percent-off at Jackson Hole. Have an ? You can come midwinter and have up to seven days with the full Ikon Pass; five days with the Base Pass Plus (which has select blackout dates), . Otherwise your best option is to buy tickets online well in advance for the lowest rate (they start at $218 a day).

The best deal for skiing here isn鈥檛 at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort; it鈥檚 at , the town ski hill, which has big steeps and steep discounts. This is a much smaller ski area鈥�500 acres compared to Jackson鈥檚 2,500 inbounds acres鈥攂ut its convenient location in town and minimal crowds make it a worthy destination, especially on a powder day. Single-day lift tickets start at $95, or with a $30 uphill ticket you can skin up under your own power and ski back down. The other hidden gem? , a 2,602-acre powder mecca just over Teton Pass, 45 miles or about an hour and 10 minutes from Jackson, where you can score a half-day ticket for $132. run from Jackson to Targhee and start at $199, which includes your lift ticket.

Hire a Backcountry Guide or Take a Lesson: Info But Sorry, No Discounts

There鈥檚 no discount way to book a ski lesson or hire a backcountry guide. You鈥檒l pay a premium for these services. At Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, full day for experienced skiers start at around $379 (excluding lift ticket) per person. Resort for those just getting started skiing or wanting to progress to the next level start at $250 a day. If you鈥檇 rather not originate at the ski area, you can hire an AMGA-certified guide from for a tour of the terrain off Teton Pass or in Grand Teton National Park starting at $265 a person.

Find Cheap Lodging in Jackson

If you want to stay at the base of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort for the closest access to the lifts, your best budget option is (from $49), located right in Teton Village, which has both shared bunks and private rooms, plus a ski-tuning space, game room, and basic kitchen supplies.

Otherwise, stay in town鈥�12 miles away鈥攁nd you鈥檒l have your choice of a few wallet-friendly accommodations. has newly renovated rooms starting from around $177, and . The (from $55) has pod-style bunks, free coffee, and storage lockers for stashing your gear. And the recently redone (from $160) has hot tubs and firepits, an on-site burger joint, and a walk-through or drive-through liquor store that also sells breakfast burritos in the morning.

Affordable Food and Drink Here

If you鈥檙e on the mountain or staying in Teton Village, prices for food and drink aren鈥檛 cheap, so you鈥檒l want to know where to look, and you can always pack a PBJ in your pocket. Start with a cup of high-quality espresso from the take-out window at , next to the Mango Moose. The , at the gas station across the parking lot from the team in Teton Village, has a food truck out front and grab-and-go breakfast sandwiches and burritos. Mid-day or after skiing, hit up inside the Snake River Lodge for a $9 hot dog or tacos, or the , one of the most classic apr猫s ski bars ever, which has $6 pizza by the slice. For fuel on the mountain, ride the tram to the top of Rendezvous Peak, take in the view of the Tetons from the observation deck, then pop into for an $8.25 house-made waffle with brown-sugar butter or Nutella. (Trust us, it鈥檚 worth every penny.)

In town there are lots of options for dining out, but many of them are pricy. Buying groceries at Albertson鈥檚 will save you. For other options, has tasty burritos from $11 or $6 tacos. Up a flight of stairs from Town Square, you鈥檒l find , which slings thin-crust large pies starting at around $17, or pick up a $5 slice from .

With locations in downtown Jackson and, seven miles away, the town of Wilson, is a locals鈥� favorite for no-fuss coffee and bagel sandwiches (a naked bagel costs $1.50). And the best breakfast burrito in town is served until 2 p.m. out of a take-out window on Glenwood Street called , where for $12 you can get a massive burrito that鈥檒l feed you for two meals.

Other Cool Outdoor 国产吃瓜黑料s Here

It鈥檚 $5 to skate in the or on the (through the famous elk-antler arches) if you have your own skates (or $18, including the entry fee, to rent skates).

You鈥檒l need to cross-country ski, snowmobile, or dog sled to reach , located south of town on Granite Creek Road, which is closed in the winter. It鈥檚 a 19-mile round trip ski to get there, but that鈥檚 the least expensive option ( rents Nordic skis from $40 a day; entry into the hot springs is $12) for this memorable day. Otherwise, you鈥檒l need to throw down for a guided snowmobile trip ( leads them starting at $231) or a dogsled outing ( has full-day trips to the hot springs from $460).

It costs nothing to cross-country ski or fat bike along , a locals鈥� favorite trail that鈥檚 groomed in the winter and is a great biking and hiking trailhead in the summertime.

Another excellent year-round option is the short multi-use in the nearby town of Wilson.

Pro Tip

Here鈥檚 a fun way to be a conscientious visitor to the area, while scoring a discount: Support Jackson Hole鈥檚 community radio station, KHOL 89.1, with a of $60 or more, and you鈥檒l get a member-benefit card for discounts to heaps of local businesses, including $2 off a burrito, 10 percent off Philly cheesesteaks at , 15 percent off at , 10 percent off at classes at , and free cross-country ski rental for two people at (that alone is worth $80).

Megan Michelson is an 国产吃瓜黑料 contributing editor who loves skiing but not how expensive it is. She prefers the strawberry waffle from Corbet鈥檚 Cabin, and her favorite line at Jackson Hole is the very steep and very fun Tower Three Chute off Thunder Chair. Other recent articles by Michelson include 鈥�Why My Family Replaced Thanksgiving with Campsgiving,鈥� about a great decision; a description of a tiny, remote backcountry hut, 鈥�This Is Hands-Down the Coolest Airbnb in Colorado鈥�; and, more help with costs, 鈥�Shred This Colorado Mountain for $11 a Day鈥擯lus Other Incredible Ski-Resort Deals.鈥�

The post How to Visit Jackson Hole on a Budget鈥擪now These Tips appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

According to the National Ski Areas Association, the average price of a day lift ticket last winter was $192. This winter, many major U.S. resorts will charge well over $200 a day. Rates at places like Park City, in Utah, and both Palisades Tahoe and Northstar, in California, will have peak prices over $260 for the day.

While most ski areas try to entice repeat visitors with deals on season passes, including combined passes like the Ikon Pass, Epic Pass, and Indy Pass, which get you access to dozens of resorts, what if you only plan to ski a couple of days per season? You鈥檒l need to purchase a lift ticket.

But if you know where to look and you plan ahead, you can ski for less than the price of a burger in the base lodge this winter. Here鈥檚 how to pull that off.

Purgatory Ski Resort鈥檚 Unbelievable Lift-Ticket Deal

At , outside Durango, Colorado, you can shred for as little as $11 a day if you buy tickets online in advance for select early- and late-season deals鈥攁nd these days are going fast. Purgatory first implemented this low-end ticket rate last winter, a drop from $39 the year prior.

Purgatory opens for daily operations on this Saturday, November 16, and currently, tickets are on sale for select days throughout late November and early December for under $25; though prices are variable and go up with demand. Midwinter, you can still ski Purgatory midweek for as little as $45 if you buy now, and by late March and early April, prices will drop again to as low as $11 a day on select days. (Ticket pricing will fluctuate depending on availability, but these prices are current as of press time.) Purgatory plans to stay open through April 27.

鈥淲e are very conscious that the cost of skiing is one of the greatest barriers to the sport. We wanted to make a deal that was almost too good to believe,鈥� says Dave Rathbun, general manager of Purgatory Resort. 鈥淔or people who are willing to change their behavior and buy tickets early and come when we鈥檙e not as busy, they will be rewarded with these lower costs.鈥�

Quick Tips to Score Super Cheap Lift Tickets

In general, you can find the best lift-ticket deals听online ahead of time. The earlier you book, the more you save. Walking up to the ticket window the day you plan to ski is still possible at most ski areas, but you鈥檒l pay a premium price. For a better rate, plan weeks鈥攐r even months鈥攁head. Here are some other great deals we’ve come across for this season.

How to Ski at Jackson Hole for $25鈥攁nd Other One-Off Resort Deals

, Wyoming, is hosting its second annual Ski in Jeans Day on Saturday, December 7, and if you show up wearing jeans, lift tickets cost just $25, or a three-day ticket for that Friday through Sunday is $199 (a three-day ticket can cost upward of $768 midseason). Also at Jackson Hole, a new Kids on Snow event scheduled to run December 13 to 15 will allow kids ages 12 and under to ski free the entire weekend.

Some resorts have regularly scheduled weekly discount tickets. , just south of Reno, Nevada, which opened for the winter on November 8, sells two lift tickets for the price of one on Tuesdays and offers a discount of around 20 percent off for locals who live within an hour鈥檚 drive on Sundays.

, in Washington, has a Wicked Wednesday deal, charging听 $73 (down from $94 on a standard day) or $44 if you only plan to ski the beginner terrain. on the Idaho-Montana border sells two tickets for $75 on Thursdays, and you can also ski for free if it鈥檚 your birthday.

Last winter, , in Colorado, offered free lift tickets for those who participated in a blood drive on a set day in March at the resort. The ski area plans to hold that event again this winter but no date has been set yet.

Discounts Are Available for Select Groups at These Ski Hills

Most ski areas offer discounts for kids, seniors, and select groups like military personnel. But some resorts have expanded such offerings this winter. Most of the following discounted tickets can be purchased at the walk-up window, but again, your best bet is to secure the lowest rate ahead of time by booking online.

, east of Grand Junction, Colorado, has also reduced lift-ticket prices this winter to provide some economic relief to its guests. Adult midweek tickets were reduced from $99 to $89 a day, with weekend tickets dropping from $109 to $99. You can also buy half-day tickets for the afternoon starting at $69 (reduced from $74), or tickets that just access beginner terrain from $54. Again, all of these deals must be purchased online and in advance. Guests will also notice cheaper听food pricing, expanded free learn-to-ski programs, and added discounted tickets for students and active and retired military.

, in Washington, gives a 20 percent discount to teachers, military, first responders, and medical personnel on midweek tickets.

, in Michigan, has Thank You Thursdays, where members of the military, educators, emergency medical workers, and service-industry staff can receive $38 lift tickets (normally priced between $41 and $96) or $15 night-skiing tickets (normally $19 to $45).

, in Vermont, has reduced rates for state residents and offers $45 midweek tickets.

The Bottom Line: Ski-Resort Ticket Deals Are All About Timing

The best way to score a deal on lift tickets is to go during less busy times. Show up on a holiday weekend in January or February and you鈥檒l pay top dollar. Instead, head up to the hill midweek, early or late in the season, or during afternoon or evening hours. , in Idaho, has a $20 twilight lift ticket if you buy it online at least a day in advance or $40 if you walk up to the window; that gets you access to two lifts from 3 to 7 P.M. on Fridays and Saturdays. Normally, day lift tickets start around $120.

The , in Washington, sells night-skiing tickets (hours are 4 to 9:30 P.M.) for $40; afternoon tickets for $58, or twilight tickets (starting at 2 P.M.) for $59. , in Utah, has afternoon, night, or twilight lift tickets starting at $51.

国产吃瓜黑料 contributing editor Megan Michelson is an avid skier based in the Lake Tahoe area.

The post Shred This Colorado Mountain for $11 a Day鈥擯lus Other Incredible Ski-Resort Deals appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

The U.S. was built for cars. I鈥檓 talking about our infrastructure: the interstate system, traffic laws, speed limits, and streets. They鈥檙e all designed with vehicles in mind. And yet, some communities have embraced and are moving toward the bicycle over the car.

These towns have done so much: created bike-lane infrastructure and robust greenway systems, leveraged their natural attributes by building singletrack, and put in signage and lower speed limits to make country roads safer. Bike towns vary wildly, some filled with people who pedal to work and shuttle toddlers around via cargo bikes, others good for those who exist solely to shred dirt trails or ascend mountain roads.

To create this list of the Best Small Bike Towns in America, I studied data collected each year by , a non-profit that ranks the 鈥淏est Places to Bike鈥� based on factors like local speed limits and cycling infrastructure, giving each community a score from 0 to 100. The average city in the U.S. scores in the mid-20s, while the most bike-friendly places rate in the 70s to low 90s.

I doubled down on data by bringing in info from the , a non-profit that promotes cycling through education and advocacy, and rates communities with Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze status dependent on a town鈥檚 numbers of bike lanes and lane connectivity.

Safe streets and being able to commute to school and work are important, but other factors determine a great bike town, like the number of dirt trails and mountains nearby to ascend. So I also sought data from 听which catalogs the number of mountain-bike trails within feasible reach of each community, and looked for towns that also have access both to world-class road-cycling routes and lonely gravel roads to explore. (Trailforks is owned by 国产吃瓜黑料 Inc., the same company that owns 国产吃瓜黑料.)

I wanted to focus on small towns across the U.S., so I capped populations at 100,000, which left out some big hitters like Boulder, Colorado, and Minneapolis, Minnesota, both outstanding places to live if you want to bike. My compliments to those communities鈥攑lease keep up the good work.

While I used as many data points as I could find, this list also contains some subjectivity based on my own experience. For example, Park City, Utah, is in here even though it receives a middling score from People for Bikes. Why? The mountain biking is amazing and there鈥檚 so much of it. I also included towns that go above and beyond for commuters, others that have vibrant social cycling scenes (like group rides and events), and others with epic road routes.

Of course, some cities do it all, and I put them at the top of the list. Here are the 10 Best Small Bike Towns in America, ranked.

1. Crested Butte, Colorado

Population: 1,654

People for Bikes Score: 87

League of American Bicyclists: Gold

Why I Chose It: This small Colorado ski town could have earned a spot on this list solely based on its assessments in People for Bikes and the League of American Bicyclists for its bike infrastructure and safe streets. But Crested Butte rose to the top of the pack because it鈥檚 also a fantastic mountain-bike mecca, with a lift-served downhill park on the edge of town and access to more than 750 miles of trails within the greater Gunnison Valley.

Oh, and it鈥檚 an underrated road-cycling destination, with mixed gravel and paved rides beginning in town and climbing to scenic lookouts like Ohio Pass and Kebler Pass, where the Elk Mountains rise ahead in a mix of craggy peaks and aspen-clad slopes.

Number of Bike Trails: 247

Most Popular Bike Trail on Trailforks: tops the lists. This eight-mile, mostly downhill high-alpine trail begins at Schofield Pass and drops more than 1,000 feet, passing through wildflower meadows with views of the Gothic Valley and Mount Crested Butte.

2. Davis, California

Population: 68,000

People for Bikes Score: 77, highest ranked medium-sized city in its report

League of American Bicyclists Status: Platinum

Why I Chose It: Davis, a college town on the outskirts of Sacramento, is a bike commuter鈥檚 dream. It was the first city in the U.S. to implement dedicated bike lanes, back in 1967, and has only improved its bike infrastructure since. Currently, more than have bike lanes, giving locals 102 miles of those and 63 miles of off-street paths to pedal. Many intersections have bike-specific signals, and there are even bike boulevards, meaning streets shut down to motorized vehicles. Davis has been repeatedly touted as the most bike-friendly city in the U.S. by organizations like People for Bikes, and the League of American Bicyclists estimates that 22 percent of residents commute regularly by bike.

Number of Bike Trails: 7. Davis proper isn鈥檛 much of a mountain-bike community鈥搈ost of the in-town trails are short paths cutting through neighborhoods and parks. But there are good trail systems within the greater Sacramento Valley, known for its patchwork of vegetable and fruit farms, including the 20 miles of trail at Rockville Hills Regional Park 30 minutes south.

Most Popular Bike Trail on Trailforks: , in Rockville Hills, connects you from the trailhead parking lot to the gems within the stacked-loop system, including Lake Front, which has a fun, easy downhill before skirting Grey Goose Lake.

听3. Jackson, Wyoming

Population: 10,698

People for Bikes Score: 79

League of American Bicyclists Status: Gold

Why I Chose It: Jackson Hole made this list for its bike-lane connectivity. More than 100 miles of paved trails run through and beyond town, with 115 miles of singletrack surrounding it鈥攁nd that鈥檚 just within the valley known as Jackson Hole. Not only can you bike to the grocery store on a designated route, you can pedal into the National Wildlife Refuge and Grand Teton National Park on a paved trail (it鈥檚 20 miles from Jackson to Jenny Lake inside the park), with views of the jagged Teton Range and herds of elk.

Trailheads for popular singletrack begin right on the edge of neighborhood streets, and Jackson Hole Mountain Resort鈥檚 extensive lift-served routes are 15 minutes from the town center. Biking is woven into the fabric of the community, through the extensive infrastructure and events like bike swaps, youth programs, and In June, a landslide closed a 10-mile stretch of the Teton Pass mountain road for three weeks, impeding the commute between Jackson and less expensive communities in Idaho. The silver lining? Cyclists enjoyed a car-free pedal to the top of the pass. Teton Pass is open now, and classic rides like Parallel Trail, a 1.5-mile downhill with lots of jumps, are once again easy to access.

Number of Bike Trails: 105

Most Popular Bike Trail on Trailforks: takes top honors. This beginner-friendly three-mile cross-country trail begins at the Cache Creek Trailhead and has a number of connectors that allow you to form fast, rolling loops with other trails in the same system, like , for nearby post-work romps.

4. Aspen, Colorado

Population: 6,741

People for Bikes Score: 75

League of American Bicyclists Status: Gold

Why I Chose It: Aspen checks all the boxes, scoring high marks from People for Bikes and the League of American Bicyclists thanks to its infrastructure and low-speed streets. The city of manages more than 22 miles of paved bike trails connecting parks within the town鈥檚 limits, and the Rio Grande Trail offers 42 miles of no-traffic asphalt from Aspen to Glenwood Springs.

Aspen also has a bike-share program in the form of , which has stations throughout the Roaring Fork Valley and offers 30-minute free rides in town.

Aspen-Snowmass and the Roaring Fork Valley was the first destination in Colorado to earn Gold Level Ride Center status from the International Mountain Bike Association (IMBA). The Roaring Fork Valley has more than 300 miles of trails, from lift-served descents at Snowmass Mountain Resort to hut-to-hut bikepacking through some of the cabin system. And then you have the road routes, like the bucket-list-worthy 16-mile roundtrip from downtown to Maroon Bells, where the twin 14,000-foot Maroon Peak and North Maroon Peak rise above the placid Maroon Lake.

Number of Bike Trails: 191

Most Popular Bike Trail: The crown goes to , a 4.4-mile downhill romp in Snowmass鈥� Bike Park that is full of berms and rollers from top to bottom. Both beginners and pros love it as being fun regardless of how fast you tackle it.

5. Ashland, Oregon

Population: 21,285

People for Bikes Score: 70

League of American Bicyclists Status: Gold

Why I Chose It: Ashland is celebrated for its annual Shakespeare Festival, but this southern Oregon town deserves to be just as famous for its biking. The only question is which riders have it better here, the roadies or the mountain bikers? Road cyclists have the 55-mile Cascade Siskiyou Scenic Bikeway, which begins and ends downtown and climbs 5,000 feet out of Bear Valley, with views of iconic landmarks like the volcanic Pilot Rock and the 9,000-foot tall Mount McLoughlin.

Hundreds of miles of rural paved roads extend into the surrounding Siskiyou Range. Mountain bikers enjoy the 100-mile trail system in the 15,000-acre , where singletrack ascends to the top of 7,532-foot Mount Ashland and runs all the way back into town, more than 5,000 feet below. runs shuttles ($30 per person), so you can skip the climb up Mount Ashland and focus on the descent during your 13- to 25-mile (depending on the route) ride.

All cyclists get to pedal the 20-mile Bear Creek Greenway that runs north from the edge of town, connecting Ashland with surrounding communities. Fun fact: Ashland is home to the United Bicycle Institute, a school for bike mechanics and builders, that has offered one- and two-week programs since 1981.

Number of Bike Trails: 86 trails

Most Popular Bike Trail on Trailforks: Locals love the two-mile , which drops almost 1,000 feet of elevation in a series of machine-built berms and tabletops. (Hand-built trails are narrower and often more technical.)

6. Park City, Utah

Population: 8,374

People for Bikes Score: 48

League of American Bicyclists Status: Gold

Why I Chose It: Park City鈥檚 People for Bikes score isn鈥檛 stellar. While at 48 it鈥檚 well above the U.S. average, it still doesn鈥檛 crack their list of the top 10 small cities due to the city鈥檚 lack of bike-safety projects and like grocery stores and hospitals. But its ranking is climbing鈥攗p 15 points, from 33, in the last three years鈥攁nd the town is interlaced by an impressive of non-motorized bike paths. Park City also has a share fleet of electric bikes, and the city introduced a that actually pays people to commute during winter.

All of that is great, but I chose Park City for this list because of its mountain biking. It is an IMBA Gold-Level Ride Center, with more than of singletrack extending directly from town into the Wasatch Mountains. I live in a good city for mountain bikers (Asheville) but am jealous: the you can pedal in Park City is absolutely bonkers: this might be the best town in America to live in if you鈥檙e a mountain biker. The only downside is the trails鈥� seasonality; you鈥檙e not riding dirt in the winter, but that鈥檚 why they make skis.

Number of Bike Trails: 629

Most Popular Bike Trail on Trailforks: The Wasatch Crest Trail is a classic mountain-bike ride in Park City, running for 13 miles west of the city with plenty of high-alpine ridgeline singletrack and accompanying big-mountain views. Almost all of the trails are amazing, but locals love , a short A-line section of the Wasatch Crest Trail, with crazy exposure on a knife-edge ridge.

7. Harbor Springs, Michigan

Population: 1,271

People for Bikes Score: 92

League of American Bicyclists Status: Not Ranked (communities must apply for consideration)

Why I Chose It: Harbor Springs, a small waterfront village on Lake Michigan, earned an outstanding score in People for Bikes鈥� latest rankings for connectivity: cyclists can pedal everywhere safely, from grocery stores to schools to parks, thanks to low-traffic, low-speed streets (that are pretty flat, too), and the Little Traverse Wheelway, a 26-mile greenway that connects Harbor Springs with several communities and parks along Little Traverse Bay.

Pedaling isn鈥檛 just relegated to in-town cruising, though. The place has a vibrant mountain-biking scene thanks largely to , a lift-served bike park with 22 miles of mountain-bike trails. There鈥檚 a mix of trails for all levels, while cyclists just looking to cruise will find several miles of wide paths at the and the .

Number of Bike Trails: 54

Most Popular Bike Trail on Trailforks: The short , a double-black downhill trail at the Highlands Bike Park, gets top honors for its bevy of wooden features like jumps, drops, and berms.

8. Provincetown, Massachusetts

Population: 3,664

People for Bikes Score: 96

League of American Bicyclists Status: Silver

Why I Chose It: Provincetown had the second-highest score of any town in the U.S. thanks to its suite of low speed limits, multiple bike paths, a dedication to the commuting cause, and the lack of hills. The secluded island community of Mackinac Island, Michigan, had the only higher score, and while I love the idea of a town that bans cars, I ultimately left the place off this list because of its seclusion and the inherent difficulty of living and working there. (Mackinac only has 500 year-round residents.)

Provincetown has a Bicycle Committee that plans projects and prints an annual . A beach town on the tip of Cape Cod, it was essentially built for single-speed cruising鈥攖hink pedaling to the ocean and then to get ice cream鈥攁nd that sort of low-speed, casual cruising remains a fixture of the lifestyle. The year-round population is just over 3,000, and yet Provincetown has five bike shops. A five-mile loop trail traverses the forests and dunes outside of town, with spurs to beaches facing the Atlantic.

Number of Bike Trails: 21

Most Popular Trail on Trailforks: Province Lands Bike Trail is the main attraction with a hilly, paved 5.25 mile loop through sand dunes and beech forest. Check out the 3.5-mile , which connects two popular beaches on opposite ends of the Cape.

9. Sewanee, Tennessee

Population: 2,922

People for Bikes Score: 83

League of American Bicyclists Status: None, but the University of the South in town has a Bronze ranking

Why I Chose It: Sewanee is a small college town on the top of the Cumberland Plateau in Middle Tennessee with beautiful Collegiate Gothic architecture and stunning fall foliage. Life revolves around the University of the South, and the community in general has the languid pace of a tiny southern mountain town, which, frankly, is ideal for someone riding around. Sewanee is the number-one-ranked Bike Friendly Community in the South, according to People for Bikes, based on the low-traffic streets and bike access to essential destinations like schools, jobs, and grocery stores.

Cyclists could probably live a car-free (or car-light) life, but there鈥檚 more here than just going from A to B. The 22-mile Perimeter Loop is a mix of singletrack, double track, and pavement that encircles the university鈥檚 campus and provides access to other trails in the area, while the 12-mile Mountain Goat Trail is a paved off-street option that traces an old railway from Sewanee northeast to the town of Monteagle. Road cyclists can create 25-mile-plus loops using the country roads that descend and ascend the 1,000-foot-tall Cumberland Plateau.

Number of Trails: 34

Most Popular Trail on Trailforks: The 14-mile singletrack portion of the is the locals鈥� favorite option thanks to its cross-country flow and mild technical difficulty.

10. Fayetteville, Arkansas

Population: 99,285

People for Bikes Score: 50

League of American Bicyclists Status: Gold

Fayetteville barely made it under our population cap of 100,000, but this southern mountain town is a great sleeper destination for cyclists. It may not get quite the attention of hot towns like Bentonville, but Fayetteville is surrounded by the Ozark Mountains, with 50 miles of singletrack in town and the nearby ridges, not to mention hundreds of miles of gravel roads.

Within the city, cruisers have 50 miles of paved bike trails, and the future is only looking brighter. Fayetteville鈥檚 council a community where every resident is within a two-minute pedal of an established trail, and the town is building an average of two to three miles of paved trail every year. Fayetteville is also the beginning of the , a 40-mile regional bike path that connects communities throughout Northwestern Arkansas.

Number of Trails: 154

Most Popular Trail on Trailforks: Mountain bikers love , an intermediate flow trail that connects with two downhill trails, Red Rum and Chunky.

Graham Averill is 国产吃瓜黑料 magazine鈥檚 national-parks columnist. He rides his bike everywhere around his hometown of Asheville, North Carolina, even though it has a poor People for Bikes score because of a lack of .

For more by this author, see:

8 Surf Towns Where You Can Learn the Sport and the Culture

The Best Ways to Get 国产吃瓜黑料 in West Virginia

The 10 Best National Parks in Canada

The 5 Best National Park Road Trips in the U.S.

The post The 10 Best Bike Towns in America, Ranked appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

We get it鈥攏ot everyone wants to pitch a tent and forego showers when visiting our public lands. And honestly, because of a recent boom in new national-park lodging, you don鈥檛 have to. In 2020, I moved into my minivan and traveled to nearly every park in the U.S., penning dispatches about them for 国产吃瓜黑料. When I wasn鈥檛 catnapping in the back of my vehicle, I occasionally splurged on fun motels and lodges in gateway towns.

Whether you鈥檙e headed to the rust red maw of the Grand Canyon or the wooded summits of Great Smoky Mountains, loads of new hotels and glamping retreats are popping up to meet the demands of park visitors, whose numbers have exploded since the pandemic. From retro-futuristic roadside motels to Dolly Parton-themed resorts and remodeled national-park lodges, there鈥檚 a little something for everyone on this list.

1. Ofland Escalante

Closest national park: Bryce Canyon, Utah

Best for: Chic glamping, tiny homes, post-hike hot tubs

With its modernist cabins, spa-inspired bathhouses, and food truck that serves up Americana fare (like meatloaf patty melts and cornbread French toast), this newer outpost on Southern Utah鈥檚 stunning Highway 12 just rebranded and added deluxe cabins in 2024 and is a true outdoor-lover鈥檚 paradise. Situated a mere ten minutes from Hole in the Rock Road, the washboard byway leading to many of Grand Staircase Escalante鈥檚 top slot canyons, is the ultimate, pet-friendly base camp for exploring the Beehive State鈥檚 red-rock country.

An hour鈥檚 drive delivers you to the colorful hoodoos of Bryce Canyon, while a 90-minute car ride gets you up to my personal Utah fave, Capitol Reef. In the evening, enjoy a steamy outdoor shower, followed by a drive-in movie with free popcorn at Ofland鈥檚 own big-screen theater, or plop into the property鈥檚 pool and hot tub before enjoying the snap, crackle, and pop of your personal fire pit. If it鈥檚 not too hot, spend an afternoon clambering around in Peek-a-Boo and Spooky Slot Canyons.

2. Populus Hotel

Closest national park: Rocky Mountain, Colorado

Best for: Eco-friendly amenities, luxe dining, nearby art museums

Set in downtown Denver, a stone鈥檚 throw from the State Capitol, the Denver Art Museum, and Civic Center Park, is making history in 2024 as the nation鈥檚 first carbon-positive hotel. It has been designed from the ground up to utilize solar and wind power, highlight locally sourced ingredients from Colorado in each of its dining concepts, and closely monitor all emissions so that remaining carbon is balanced out by supporting projects that capture carbon elsewhere. The hotel has already planted over 70,000 trees (and counting).

A stay at Populus is ideal for the Denver-bound traveler who wants to experience the best of two worlds: city-focused creature comforts with the option to hike amidst the Rocky Mountain National Park tundra or scramble up . With the Wild Basin entrance roughly 66 miles away, it鈥檚 an easy day trip to the park. Rooms here are jaw-droppingly gorgeous and themed after the state鈥檚 famous aspen trees, with ultra-soft earth-toned bedding, natural forest sounds in the elevators, and eyelet-shaped windows overlooking the Denver skyline.

Chow down on post-hike grub with dreamy sunset views at the on-site rooftop restaurant Stellar Jay or enjoy fresh, seasonal Colorado fare at the downstairs restaurant Pasque, both helmed by executive chef Ian Wortham.

3. The Pathmaker Hotel

Closest national park: Acadia, Maine

Best for: Exploring downtown Bar Harbor, ocean strolls, simple elegance

With a primo location in downtown Bar Harbor, two blocks from the Bar Island Trail, whale-watching tours and the delicious, creamy rolls at Stewman’s Lobster Pound, opens in late 2024. Featuring suites, double queen, and classic king-sized rooms decorated in elegant neutral tones, this hotel also offers kitchenettes with mini-fridges and microwaves. What鈥檚 even better is that breakfast is included, making it easy to start your morning hike up neighboring or a stroll around Sieur de Monts鈥� historic gardens with a full belly.

It鈥檚 also worth noting that Acadia is home to 45 miles of crushed-stone carriage roads, which are all bike- and dog-friendly. Rent a bicycle at Bar Harbor Bicycle Shop, a five-minute walk from the hotel鈥檚 front door, and spend a day zipping around the park without your car before relaxing with a pot of tea and freshly made popovers at Jordan Pond House鈥搃t was one of my favorite things I did on my giant parks road trip.

4. The Rusty Parrot Lodge and Spa

Closest national park: Grand Teton, Wyoming

Best for: Spa getaways, Jackson ski and hiking trips, luxury mountain vibes

Just remodeled and reopened in early July, following a devastating 2019 fire, this Jackson Hole favorite is back and better than ever. rooms and suites boast a bit of a chic hunting-lodge feel, complete with stone fireplaces, tufted headboards, and the occasional pop of cowboy-themed art.

Fly fish in the Snake River, feel the leg burn on a hike up , or pop on over to the nearby National Elk Refuge for a . When you鈥檙e done exploring the toothy Teton Range, fill up on Idaho Trout Saltimbocca at the lodge鈥檚 Wild Sage Restaurant, or indulge in a CBD-infused herbal sugar scrub at its Body Sage Spa. Either way, you鈥檒l leave feeling full and rejuvenated.

5. Wildhaven Yosemite

Closest national park: Yosemite, California

Best for: Affordable glamping, Yosemite Valley exploration, communal hangs

is making waves this year as the newest glamping resort outside the Free Solo-famous Yosemite National Park. Situated 34 miles from the Arch Rock Entrance Station on 36 rugged acres of rolling Sierra Nevada foothills, the property offers 30 safari tents and 12 tiny cabins, well-appointed with amenities like fire pits and private decks.

A communal BBQ area boasts grills and shaded picnic tables, while glamping sites share communal bathrooms and showers. After a day of hiking and snapping photos of from Cook鈥檚 Meadow, recharge your electronics with electricity access in every tent.

Complimentary coffee and tea help start your day off, and every stay at Wildhaven includes access to on-site classes and events, like Yogasemite yoga classes and Sierra Cider tastings, for when you鈥檙e not huffing and puffing up Upper Yosemite Falls for those epic views. Looking for even more regional glamping news? A top national-park lodging purveyor, , has announced that it鈥檚 also opening a brand-new Yosemite location near Big Oak Flat in 2025.

6. Field Station Joshua Tree

Closest national park: Joshua Tree, California

Best for: Mountain bikers, large groups, pool hangouts

are designed with the intrepid outdoorsperson in mind. Bike racks for your hardtail are in every room, hooks for hanging packs are in ample supply, and an on-site gear shop makes it easy to grab any of the Ten Essentials you might have forgotten before speeding off and into the park, which is just 13 miles (a 20- to 25-minute drive) away by car. If you鈥檙e a diehard coffee drinker, you鈥檒l be thrilled that the lodge has a small espresso bar, Little Station Coffee & Kitchen, which serves everything from cold brew to toasted bagels to start your morning out right.

Choose between standard king-bed rooms and double-queen bunk rooms (which sleep up to 10) and have plenty of space for your whole crew to spread out and save cash, then head on over to the North Entrance (it鈥檚 the closest one) of Joshua Tree and enjoy epic trails like the or bouldering along the formation-filled .

When you鈥檙e not adventuring in the park, don鈥檛 miss the Noah Purifoy Outdoor Museum in town, which exhibits loads of large-scale found-object art, like TVs and rubber tires.

7. Dollywood鈥檚 HeartSong Lodge & Resort

Closest national park: Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee and North Carolina

Best for: Families, pool time, East Coast hikers

Opened in November 2023, seems tailor-made for families traveling with young kids. Even the hotel鈥檚 standard-issue rooms offer fun extras, like murphy beds, sleeper sofas, clothing-storage space, and mini fridges. Lovely mid-century modern furnishings combine with a massive stone fireplace in the four-story, atrium-style lobby, where guests can chill out when they鈥檙e not splashing about in the large pool complex or dining at one of the lodge鈥檚 four restaurant options.

Though the resort is clearly geared towards travelers heading into the Dollywood theme park (there鈥檚 complimentary trolley service from the hotel), it鈥檚 also a brief 15-mile (20-minute) drive to Great Smoky Mountains鈥� Sugarlands Visitor Center. From there, visitors can easily drive to the exceedingly popular , or gaze out at verdant, forested hills at Newfound Gap, which marks the border between Tennessee and North Carolina. Best of all, adjoining rooms and roomy family suites with cozy bunk beds make it easy for you and your loved ones to spend loads of time together, whether that鈥檚 in the lodge or trekking to the park鈥檚 many rushing waterfalls.

8. Flamingo Lodge

Closest national park: Everglades, Florida

Best for: Birders, paddlers, Tropical Florida ambiance

Initially opened in the 1960s as part of the National Park Service鈥檚 retro-futuristic Mission 66 Project, Flamingo Lodge was forced to shut its doors in 2005, after suffering extensive damage from Hurricane Wilma, when storm surges swelled up to nine feet. Thankfully, , which is named after the distinctive pink birds that once migrated to the area in droves, before plume-hunters nearly poached them out of existence, has been fully rebuilt and reopened in October 2023.

It鈥檚 the only non-camping, non-houseboat option for accommodations inside the parklodging available inside Everglades National Park, and given the park鈥檚 enormous acreage (at 1.5 million acres, it is roughly twice the size of Yosemite), creates a welcome bastion for beachgoers exploring the state鈥檚 coastal prairie and boaters enjoying the sunshine and warm, tropical air of the Florida Bay.

Inside the lodge鈥檚 four eco-friendly container buildings are 24 spacious guest rooms, ranging from studios to two-bedroom suites, in clean neutral hues with the occasional pop of tropical jewel tones. Also onsite are a restaurant serving organic, locally sourced cuisine (think breakfast burritos and pineapple pulled-pork sandwiches) and a marina, where visitors can rent anything from bicycles to double kayaks and pontoon boats. Spend a day cycling the and keep your eyes peeled for huge herons.

9. Americana Motor Hotel

Closest national park: Grand Canyon, Arizona

Best for: Travelers with dogs, EV road trips, hipster pool scene

There鈥檚 so much to love about the Jetsons鈥�-style that it鈥檚 hard to fit it all into a single paragraph, but we鈥檒l do our darndest. Set in the northern Arizona city of Flagstaff, one hour from the Grand Canyon and 90 minutes from Petrified Forest, this vintage-style motor lodge should check every box on your Route 66 daydream list. First of all, there are EV chargers aplenty, free morning coffee, and communal fire pits with outdoor hang space.

But this site truly goes above and beyond the standard-issue motel amenities by offering loaner telescopes for optimized night-sky viewing, year-round heated pool, and a fenced-in 鈥渂arkyard鈥� with a dedicated dog-wash station to rinse off your muddy trail pooch. They鈥檝e even got free hotel bicycles for those wishing to take a spin around Flagstaff.

The interiors of the rooms are just as fabulous as the resort鈥檚 exterior, with space-age d茅cor (think astronaut sculptures and galaxy wall art), walk-in showers, and disco balls. Hungry? After a trek down to or a stroll along the Grand Canyon鈥檚 South Rim, fill up at the Americana鈥檚 Pacific Mexican seafood truck, Baja Mar, which dishes out badass shrimp ceviche and battered fish tacos to hungry hikers.

Emily Pennington is a freelance journalist specializing in outdoor adventure and national parks. She鈥檚 traveled to public lands on all seven continents and visited all 63 U.S. national parks. Her book, , was released in 2023. This year, she鈥檚 getting more acquainted with her new backyard, Rocky Mountain National Park.

The post The Best New Hotels with Easy Access to U.S. National Parks appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

With more than 18 million acres of public lands and the lowest population density of any state in the United States, Wyoming has room to roam鈥攁nd then some. The variety of landscapes across the state can鈥檛 be beat. Picture: rugged mountains, dense forests, deep canyons, mesmerizing badlands, and blue-ribbon rivers. There鈥檚 something for every kind of adventurer, which is why Wyoming was the perfect setting for an outdoor adventure challenge.

Here鈥檚 how it went down: Last summer, three teams of Ford Bronco ambassadors set out to explore Wyoming as part of an adventure-fueled competition. Each team put their outdoor skills to the test on some of the best mountain biking, rock climbing, fly-fishing, and cultural spots across the state鈥攁ll in the name of keeping Wyoming wild. And to help protect and share these amazing places, the Bronco Wild Fund donated $70,000 to nonprofit organizations aligned with the spirit of the challenge. Of course, 国产吃瓜黑料 caught all the action on camera. Watch the full series here. Here are a few highlights from the teams鈥� big adventures鈥攁nd how to take advantage of Wyoming鈥檚 wild side yourself.

Mountain Biking

Thanks to a growing mountain biking community and a wide variety of bike-friendly terrain, you鈥檒l find plenty of options for . Check out all the places where the Wildly Wyoming teams hit the dirt.

Central Wyoming

Once almost exclusively known in the outdoor community for its climbing, Lander has become a hot spot for downhill adventures in the high desert. Just outside of town, offers 12 miles of beginner to intermediate trails. Pedal through scrubby sagebrush and a forest of pinyon pine with views of the Wind River Range to the west.

Closest town:

Where to camp: Popo Agie Campground

Rentals and repairs:

Northern Wyoming

Can鈥檛 decide if you prefer rides with forest or desert vibes? offer the best of both worlds on a variety of multiuse trails. Check out the 10.6-mile Bench Trail, which starts out with a forested downhill section and then challenges riders with an uphill pedal through a desert canyon.

Closest town: Greybull, Wyoming

Where to camp: Shell Creek Campground

Rentals and repairs:

Western Wyoming

Of course, you could hit up the lift-serviced Jackson Hole Bike Park when you鈥檙e in the Jackson area. But if you鈥檙e out there to earn your turns, head to . You鈥檒l find plenty of public access trails with varied terrain for all levels on the forest鈥檚 3.4 million acres.

Closest town:

Where to camp: Kozy Campground

Rentals and repairs:

Rock Climbing

Looking for beta on the best ? The state is home to iconic climbing locales in the Tetons and the easily recognizable Devil鈥檚 Tower. But there are plenty of lesser-known places to explore. The Wildly Wyoming crew did just that.

Central Wyoming

For an unbelievable assortment of routes, check out Sinks Canyon State Park. The climbing here caters to everyone from true beginners (with routes as approachable as 5.6) to experts looking to challenge themselves (routes up to 5.14c). As for rock variety, Sinks Canyon routes offer a mix of sandstone, limestone, and granite for climbers to explore.

Closest town:

Where to camp: Popo Agie Campground

Guided climbing:

Looking for an adventure-climbing experience? Head to Fremont Canyon. Carved by the North Platte Rivers, the gorge isn鈥檛 light on scenic views. And the granite walls left behind after centuries of erosion make for fun climbing opportunities, with a nice mix of beginner sport routes and challenging trad climbs up to 5.12.

Closest town:

Where to camp: Cottonwood Beach Campground

Guided climbing:

Northern Wyoming

For beginner- and intermediate-friendly sport climbing, head to Steamboat Point. With 16 bolted routes鈥攚ith a maximum rating of 5.10鈥攖he Steamboat Point crag is a great place to sharpen your skills and build confidence鈥攁nd the scenery isn鈥檛 too bad either. Enjoy sweeping views of Cloud Peak Wilderness and Tongue River Canyon from the wall.

Closest town:

Where to camp: Tongue River Campground

Guided climbing:

Fly-Fishing

With 27,000 miles of rivers and streams, there鈥檚 no shortage of amazing . Not sure where to start? Check out the fishing hot spots that made the Wildly Wyoming cut.

Central Wyoming

For drift-boat fishing in central Wyoming, the North Platte River is the place to be. Spend the day on the water catching rainbows, browns, and cutthroats on the only floatable waterway in this part of Wyoming. Of course, you can always opt for waders or fish from the shore too.

Closest town:

Where to camp: Pete鈥檚 Draw Campground

Guided fishing:

Western Wyoming

In the western part of the state, the New Fork River is a top choice for fly-fishing. Rent a boat for the day to float the river as it winds through sprawling meadows and past sagebrush-covered banks. Don鈥檛 let the scenic views distract you from the prize鈥攖he river is filled with trout.

Closest town:

Where to camp: Slate Creek Campground

Guided fishing:

Northern Wyoming

Looking for a hidden gem where you鈥檒l have the river to yourself鈥攐r close to it? The Wyoming section of the Bighorn River is a lesser-known fly-fishing spot that鈥檚 brimming with rainbow, brown, and cutthroat trout.

Closest town:

Where to camp: Doyle Campground

Guided fishing:

is the last bastion of the West, where bold, independent and curious spirits are encouraged to forge their own way to adventure both big and small. Discover museums, state parks, rodeos, breweries, national treasures and more as you make your way across the Cowboy State. Come to Wyoming and experience our majestic nature and abounding culture for yourself.

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What started with a small crack in the road last Thursday developed into a full-blown disaster. A large section of Wyoming Highway 22鈥攂etter known as the Teton Pass鈥攃ollapsed on Friday, June 7, following a series of mudslides that culminated in what officials are calling a 鈥渃atastrophic failure.鈥� In the wake of the collapse, Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon issued a . The pass connected Jackson, Wyoming to its bedroom community Victor, Idaho, leaving workers and tourists facing a sizable detour.

Winding for approximately 17 miles through the rugged peaks that divide Idaho鈥檚 Teton Valley from the Wyoming tourist hotspot of Jackson, Teton Pass is the only cross-state route for miles in either direction. Driving between the two bordering towns听normally takes 30 minutes or so. Without the pass, the journey is nearly two hours and requires a circuitous 85-mile detour south to Alpine and the Snake River, along U.S. Highways 26 and 89.

In the summer high season, the Teton Pass can see as many as 15,000 cars per day, primarily tourists heading to outdoor hotspots like Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park. But the closure presents more than an annoyance for summer roadtrippers. Per the , over 3,000 locals use this highway to commute from Idaho to Wyoming for work each day. The closure will have a dramatic impact on Wyoming鈥檚 tourism industry, a key income generator in summer months. From 2022 to 2023, was generated by tourism in Teton County.

Images of the destroyed roadway flooded social media this week. Officials have not provided a timeline for opening the thoroughfare.

TETON PASS COLLAPSE: Drone video from Wyoming Department of Transportation shows extent of damage in Teton Pass road collapse.

DETAILS:

鈥� KUTV2news (@KUTV2News)

Over the weekend, dramatic photos and videos of the collapsed highway flooded social media. Aerial drone footage captures the full scope of the disaster鈥攖he roadway听collapsed more than 20 feet to the ground below.

This is wild! 鈥淐atastrophic failure of Teton Pass between Jackson Hole and Victor Idaho. It is a key artery for commuters and commerce. Going to be a rough summer for employees and businesses鈥�

鈥� Heidi Hatch KUTV (@tvheidihatch)

The initial crack in the highway led to a motorcycle crash along on Thursday morning. A motorcyclist was reportedly traveling west on the pass, at around 25 to 30 mph, when the road abruptly split and and dropped half-a-foot beneath him. The rider, in his early 60s, dumped his touring motorcycle but wasn鈥檛 seriously injured.

The resulting crack was up to eight inches deep in places, and spanned both lanes of travel at a hairpin turn. The road closed for several hours as crews worked to inspect and patch the rift. The road reopened Thursday night, but relief was only temporary, as shortly after 4:00 A.M. Friday, mudslides a few miles east sent crews scrambling to repair the road, closing the pass yet again. Later that evening, the rift back at mile marker 12.8 expanded dramatically鈥攅levating into a full-blown landslide鈥攚ith a large portion of the alpine highway plummeting into the ravine below.

An important update: road closure continues, interim detour planned
Video shows a before and after view of the landslide area. (before view is from 2023)

Reporters: you can access our media kit here:

鈥� Wyoming Department of Transportation (@WYDOTNews)

by the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) said geologists and engineers were evaluating the situation and developing a plan to rebuild the road, but that, 鈥渢here is no current estimated timeline for that construction.鈥� In the meantime, engineers are working on a temporary detour route through the Caribou-Targhee National Forest, which will likely entail restrictions on vehicle weight and width. Even this, however, will take a few weeks to open.

 

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鈥淲e understand this highway is a lifeline for commuters, deliveries, medical care access and tourism, especially with limited alternatives and the summer season upon us,鈥� WYDOT wrote on Facebook. 鈥淲YDOT engineers, surveyors and geologists mobilized quickly to try to maintain highway viability as long as possible, but catastrophic failure could not be avoided.

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The 38-year-old blind climber Jesse Dufton has made an impressive ascent of Wyoming鈥檚 Devils Tower, on the 500-foot , becoming the first blind person to lead the formation. Dufton鈥攍ikely the 鈥攊s a gear purist and remarkably prolific. When I spoke with him last April, he鈥檇 climbed more than 1,500 routes on sight (or 鈥渦nsighted,鈥� as he likes to say) across the British Isles.

Born with the degenerative genetic condition rod-cone dystrophy, Dufton鈥檚 vision went from poor to horrendous in childhood, and he was legally blind by his early 20s. Though he lost his eyesight, his love of climbing鈥攚hich began after his first lead, aged 11鈥攕tayed for the ride. In addition to hundreds of traditional routes, Dufton has finished hard sport climbs, made alpine-style first ascents in Greenland, and last year became the first blind person to make the first ascent of a difficult multi-pitch route: “Eye Disappear” in Morocco.

Dufton only became aware of Devils Tower a few years ago, after attending a talk by French phenom Catherine Destivelle, who soloed El Matador in 1992. 鈥淚t caught my interest for a couple of reasons,鈥� he said. 鈥淔irstly, the rock formation is awesome. The columns are like some crags in the UK (Fairhead and Kilt Rock) where I have got on well with the climbing.鈥�

Because the route follows a system of vertical columns, requiring one to stem up the rifts between them, it also presented a manageable multi-pitch objective for Dufton from a route-finding perspective. Going off-route is a constant concern for Dufton, particularly on face climbs. 鈥淚t鈥檚 hard to go off-route when climbing columns,鈥� he explained. 鈥淪econdly, I thought it would be a good route for me to push myself. 5.10d is at the limit of my current trad onsight ability. I鈥檓 also reasonably tall, and I had hoped this would give me an advantage on El Matador, as I would be able to get into a bridge sooner than shorter climbers.鈥�

Dufton climbs using a 鈥渟ight guide,鈥� his wife, Molly. Typically, in addition to belaying, Molly calls out possible holds to her husband as he ascends. But on El Matador, Dufton was primarily on his own. 鈥淪he couldn鈥檛 really give anything other than encouragement,鈥� Dufton said. 鈥淪he couldn鈥檛 spot holds for me. There aren鈥檛 many!鈥�

Dufton, who called El Matador 鈥渢he most brutal trad route I have ever attempted,鈥� led five of the route鈥檚 six pitches, with Molly tackling one of the easier leads for logistical reasons. As a blind climber, sometimes the crux sequences for Dufton are different than for a sighted climber, but on El Matador the route鈥檚 standard crux, a box-stemming marathon of a second pitch, was also the kicker for Dufton. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think I have ever tried as hard as I did on [that] pitch,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he guidebook says it鈥檚 [125 feet], but it seems never-ending when you鈥檙e on it, like climbing an infinite elevator shaft. It鈥檚 one of the most memorable pitches I鈥檝e ever climbed. I鈥檓 not sure I had the best beta, but I found myself doing this iron-cross style double-palm-down to move my feet up. My mate reckons the columns are a bit wider apart now, given how hard I was pushing on them鈥︹��

Although the columns made the routefinding straightforward, the friction-based nature of the climb also made it difficult for Dufton to find footholds. 鈥淣one of the moves in the stem box are stoppers,鈥� he said, 鈥渂ut it is unrelenting, and the cumulative fatigue makes it desperate at the top.鈥� Dufton said he only found two tangible footholds on the entire crux pitch. 鈥淔or every other foot placement I was smearing in the stem. I鈥檓 sure there must have been small edges to make the foot placements a bit better, but because I can鈥檛 see, I didn鈥檛 find any of these. I鈥檝e never known such pain in my calves.鈥�

While the column has seams to offer jamming on either side for most of the way, in the last quarter of the pitch the cracks seal up entirely, forcing the climber to full-stem, with both hands and both feet. 鈥淲hen you can鈥檛 see what鈥檚 coming up, it鈥檚 quite hard to commit to such a strenuous approach,鈥� Dufton said. 鈥淵ou have no idea how many moves you鈥檒l have to do like this, and no idea when the next gear placement might come.鈥�

Dufton鈥檚 style typically revolves around static, ultra-controlled movements and surefire placements, but El Matador was a toss-up at times. He fell more than once, and had a share of sketchy moments.

Shortly after leaving the first belay ledge, he placed a bomber nut around six feet up. 鈥淏ut one of the many problems about not being able to see is that you can accidentally kick your gear,鈥� Dufton said. 鈥淲hich is what I did as I moved up.鈥�

Although the nut stayed put when he kicked it, he鈥檇 somehow kicked the gate open on his quickdraw, unclipping it from the nut. 鈥淚t sailed down the rope to meet Molly. I鈥檓 now [13 feet] above the belay with no runners. Not the relaxing start I was after.鈥� This is a nervy situation to be in when you can see. When you鈥檙e blind and doing everything by touch, it becomes downright heinous.

Dufton also had to give up his onsight after slipping on a small plant growing out of the right-hand seam. 鈥淥bviously, if I were able to see, I would have seen the plant and avoided it, but I can鈥檛. I [stepped] on the plant, and promptly slipped and plummeted.鈥�

Another sketchy section came at the tail end of the crux. Dufton had placed a nut, reached back on his right hip to find a quickdraw, and 鈥渇elt the Dyneema strands of what I thought was my last extendable quickdraw.鈥�

He grabbed the attached carabiner and clipped it to the nut鈥檚 wire, only then realizing that what he鈥檇 grabbed and clipped onto his nut wasn鈥檛 actually a quickdraw, but a cam. 鈥淔umbling madly for a quickdraw, my feet started to slide,鈥� Dufton said. 鈥淚 groped again, snapped in another [carabiner] to the wire before my panic-stricken mind realized that this second crab also held a cam.鈥� White-knuckling it, he ultimately managed to remove the cams, search his opposite hip, and find a draw to clip in.

Add the pressure of being unable to audit the placements itself, and a blind climber like Dufton is truly adrift on a big route like El Matador. He can feel with his hands and use his best judgment, but particularly on a stamina-based line like this, he can鈥檛 spend much time finicking about with placements. He has to trust his gut and go on. 鈥淚t can be quite harrowing,鈥� he admitted. 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 get the reassurance of looking at gear and knowing it鈥檚 solid. You just have to quest into the unknown, trusting that your gear will save you if you take the ride.鈥�

Filmmaker documented Dufton鈥檚 work on El Matador. His film about the ascent will premiere in late October as part of 2024鈥檚 .

The post This Blind Climber Just Led an Iconic Route on Devils Tower appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

What is a national monument, anyway? That鈥檚 what I kept asking myself as I rode a mountain bike down a rocky trail on sedimentary layers in the Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument. I was rapidly approaching a lower point on the northern rim of the canyon, which is more than a mile deep at some sections. I stopped 2,000 feet above the bottom of the gorge and watched the Colorado River curve through steep cliffs.

The scenery is stunning, the landscape huge鈥o how is it different than a national park? Turns out, not all that much, at least from a visitor鈥檚 standpoint. Most national monuments protect vast landscapes of environmental, cultural, or scenic importance. Ditto national parks.

The real difference is how they鈥檙e created: national parks are voted into place by Congress, national monuments are designated by presidents via the Antiquities Act. With monuments there鈥檚 less red tape, but sometimes more drama (see Bears Ears, below). Also, while many national monuments are managed by the park service, some are managed by the U.S. Forest Service and others are run by the Bureau of Land Management.

There are 133 national monuments scattered across the U.S., usually no less magnificent than their more famous national-park cousins. Sometimes they have fewer amenities (many lack visitor centers, some have no paved roads), and most of them have fewer crowds. Traveling more than 100 miles around last May, I never saw anyone outside of my own group. That would not have been the case in Grand Canyon National Park. Meanwhile the adventure was just as epic.

I鈥檝e gathered 11 of the greatest national monuments in the country, from green mountains on the East Coast to canyons full of cliff dwellings in the Southwest, to fields of wildflowers on the West Coast. Most of these monuments aren鈥檛 famous, but all deserve to be on your bucket list.

Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, Maine

Katahdin Woods and Waters encompasses 87,563 acres of remote mountains, rivers, and backcountry ponds in northern Maine, sustaining healthy populations of moose and black bears. The monument sits to the east of Baxter State Park, where the Appalachian Trail finishes on top of 5,269-foot Mount Katahdin.

While this neighbor park hosts the last, most difficult gasp of the 鈥淎.T.,鈥� Katahdin Woods and Waters has 30 miles of the (a northerly variant that begins here and extends through New Brunswick, Quebec, and a ferry route to Newfoundland), along with a tumultuous portion of the East Branch of the Penobscot River, which flows for 25 miles south through the monument, dropping more than 200 feet in its first 10 miles in a series of waterfalls. Cross-country skiing is popular during the winter; hiking rules in the summer.

国产吃瓜黑料: If you want a quick taste of the monument, the 17-mile Katahdin Loop Road offers short hikes and grand scenic overlooks. But to truly experience Katahdin Woods and Waters, tackle the 10-mile round-trip hike to the summit of via a portion of the Appalachian Trail. You鈥檒l have to ford the thigh-deep Wassataquoik Stream and climb almost 1,600 feet, but 360-degree views and a historic fire tower reward you at the 1,942-foot summit. The monument is primitive, without a lot of developed facilities (nor any flush toilets). There are , but you need reservations.

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Utah

Sandwiched between Bryce Canyon and the Grand Canyon, gets its name from the series of plateaus that descend between those two massive and scenic ditches. Not to be outdone by its more famous neighbors, which cover 36,000 and 1.2 million acres respectively, Grand Staircase is nearly 1.9 million acres of colorful sandstone canyons, cliffs, and arches.

国产吃瓜黑料: Connecting in the Dry Fork area of Grand Staircase-Escalante makes for the perfect entry into this unique terrain. It鈥檚 a three-mile loop, but plan on a whole afternoon exploring the narrow red- and purple-walled gulches. Some of the passages in Spooky get tight, and there is mandatory scrambling, but no technical climbing is required. If you want to explore more technical canyons, has been guiding canyoneering trips in the monument for more than two decades, and offers a rotating roster of full-day adventures packed with rappels (from $225 per person).

Bears Ears National Monument, Utah

Named after twin buttes rising from the desert floor of Southeastern Utah, has seen more than its share of debate since it was established by President Obama in 2016. The 1.36-million-acre monument is a place of scenic glory and cultural significance: massive red rock cliffs and canyons abound, and a bevy of Native American historical artifacts, from cliff dwellings to pictographs, have been found here.

Today, the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, Navajo Nation, Hopi Tribe, Ute Indian Tribe, and Zuni Tribe all participate in stewardship of Bears Ears as a sacred place. In 2022, the Biden administration signed an agreement that gives those five tribes input into management of the area, and the five Tribes of the Bears Ears Commission (the Commission) and federal agencies released a this year. As for recreation, the Indian Creek Unit, in the northern section of Bears Ears, is a mecca for climbers, who come for the seemingly endless number of cracks in the red rock cliffs. Hikers and bikers follow trails and view artifacts across the region.

国产吃瓜黑料: Bears Ears holds world-class climbing. Sadly, I鈥檝e never climbed in the area (it鈥檚 on my list), but I鈥檝e bike-packed through the monument and was awestruck by the sheer volume of towering rock. There are thousands of climbing routes, though not many for beginners. Supercrack Buttress has a high percentage of classic climbs, including the historic Supercrack of the Desert, a sustained and strenuous 5.10+. Consider a full-day guided climbing adventure in Indian Creek with the Moab-based (from $220 per person).

To see some of the cultural artifacts within Bears Ears, hike an easy through Mule Canyon where the payoff is access to a series of cliff dwellings tucked into a sandstone overhang. The most notable home has been dubbed 鈥渉ouse on fire,鈥� because of the fire-red-toned rock that forms its ceiling. The hike itself is relatively flat as it traverses the dry gorge, with some optional scrambling up sandstone slopes at the end.

There are three designated campgrounds in Indian Creek, all first-come, first-served ($15 a night). has 10 sites tucked into mushroom-shaped outcroppings. Always bring plenty of water; there鈥檚 no potable water at any of the established campgrounds.

Devils Tower National Monument, Wyoming

Created by Theodore Roosevelt in 1906, was the first national monument in the country, and it鈥檚 still one of the most distinctive. The center of the monument is Devils Tower, a solitary butte rising almost 900 feet from the prairie. The monument is not large, at just 1,346 acres, and there are only five hiking trails within the designated area, and all can be combined for a full day of hiking. Tackling only the will give you a good sense of the landscape, as it delivers views of the massive tower and the more serene Belle Fourche River Valley.

国产吃瓜黑料: Climbers have been drawn to Devils Tower for many decades. Parallel cracks divide the formation into large hexagonal columns, and create a variety of crack and corner climbs for experienced traditional climbers. Routes range from 5.7 to 5.13. Durrance, a 500-foot, six-pitch 5.7, is widely considered the easiest way to the summit. Register your climb at the trailhead to Tower Trail, the approach to the monolith, and heed the June voluntary climbing closure, which was implemented out of respect for Native American tribes associated with the tower, which perform ceremonies at the tower during the month. has 46 first-come, first-served sites under cottonwood trees ($20 per night).

Dinosaur National Monument, Colorado and Utah

preserves 210,000 acres of western Colorado and eastern Utah, where the mighty Green and Yampa rivers converge, creating 2,500-foot-deep canyons. Within the monument are whitewater rapids, red rock canyons, dinosaur fossils encased in rock, and 1,000-year-old petroglyphs and pictographs left by the Fremont people. You can get a sense of the monument by car; Harpers Corner Road is a 32-mile one-way scenic road with views of the Green and Yampa rivers.

If you have a 4WD, peel off the paved road and head to the Echo Park area, the monument鈥檚 signature landscape where the Yampa flows into the Green and the conjoined river wraps around the massive Steamboat Rock. There鈥檚 a picnic table if you just want to take in the view, or you can camp (see below).

国产吃瓜黑料: Raft the Green River through the heart of the monument. The classic run starts at the Gates of Lodore in Colorado and ends at the Split Mountain Campground in Utah. It鈥檚 a class III trip, appropriate for families. runs four-day trips with catered meals (from $1,499 per adult). There are six established campgrounds, all of which are located on either the Green or Yampa rivers, within the monument. has a small campground with 22 sites, first-come, first-served ($10 per site).

Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument, Arizona

While Grand Canyon National Park encompasses arguably the most dramatic swath of 鈥渢he great ditch,鈥� the lays claim to more than 1 million acres in northern Arizona, including the less crowded and still awe-inspiring northern stretch of the Grand Canyon. The terrain is a mix of Mojave desert, ponderosa pine forest, broad plateaus, and deep canyons.

Just traveling through the monument is an adventure, as there are no paved roads, only 4WD routes and hiking trails. Don鈥檛 come looking for a visitor center or developed campgrounds. You鈥檙e on your own. I spent a few days driving ATVs, biking, trail running, and camping in and around this monument and was amazed at the views and solitude.

The roads in this monument are rough. This is legitimate 4×4 terrain, so always bring spare tires, and if you鈥檙e not comfortable with that sort of travel, this may not be the monument for you. There are others!

国产吃瓜黑料: If you have a high-clearance 4WD, Grand Canyon-Parashant offers nearly limitless options. Try the 80-mile trek to , which passes through ponderosa pine forest and fields of grazing cattle on its way to a three-sided perch on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, with views of Sanup Plateau, Burnt Canyon, and Surprise Canyon. The dirt road turns to clay as it approaches the Grand Canyon, which can be impassable after a heavy rain. There are a number of primitive campsites along the rim of the canyon; only pitch a tent in sites with existing fire rings.

There aren鈥檛 a lot of designated hiking trails within the monument, but check out the six-mile out-and-back up , which leads to a doozy of a view of the Grand Canyon. The trail follows an old roadbed up the side of the 7,072-foot peak crossing over chunky, volcano rock towards the summit. On a clear day you can see Mt. Charleston, outside of Las Vegas, on the horizon, as well as the western end of the Grand Canyon.

Colorado National Monument, Colorado

High on the Colorado Plateau, near Grand Junction, the 20,533-acre could be considered a mini Grand Canyon, as the red rock canyons the monument encompasses are full of towers and rock formations, like the puffy-looking Coke Ovens pinnacles. You can glimpse much of the monument from the 23-mile Rim Rock Drive, which runs along the edge of the canyon with near-constant high views.

国产吃瓜黑料: Climbing Independence Monument, a sandstone spire that rises 450 feet from the heart of the canyon, might be the signature adventure in the monument. A number of different routes ascend the tower, most of them four to five pitches, followed by a double rappel to descend. The 5.8 Otto鈥檚 Route is the classic line. leads day trips up Independence (from $375 for the first climber). has 80 sites, with half first-come, first-served, while the other half can be reserved in advance ($22 a night).

A number of short hikes begin at Rim Rock Drive. is my favorite, as the 1.5-mile out and back leads through some impressive sandstone outcroppings, including the Devils Kitchen, a large natural opening surrounded by towering upright boulders.

Misty Fjords National Monument Wilderness, Alaska

is quintessential Alaska: 2.2 million acres of rainforest, coastal cliffs, and narrow fjords where glacier-carved rock walls rise 3,000 feet from the sea. In this monument, part of the Tongass National Forest in Southeast Alaska, waterfalls drop directly into the bay, while backcountry lakes and streams are surrounded by thick vegetation. Most people experience Misty Fjords via a scenic flight or boat cruise from nearby Ketchikan, but kayakers have free rein.

国产吃瓜黑料: Kayaking is the best way to explore this monument, with its complex shores and many secluded coves. The Behm Canal, a natural channel of calm water carved by glaciers, slices through the heart of Misty Fjords like a highway for boaters. On the east end of the canal, Walker Cove and Punchbowl Cove, where 3,000-foot granite walls rise from the edges of the water, are popular boater destinations with day hikes leading from rocky beaches.

Punchbowl Lake Trail is a two-mile out and back that climbs through the rainforest to a small lake with its own granite walls forming a ring around it. runs a six-day guided kayaking trip into Misty Fjords that will have you paddling up to 12 miles a day, hiking to interior lakes, and camping on remote beaches ($1,800 per person).

Thirteen public-use scattered across the monument can be reserved in advance (from $45 a night), as can four first-come, first-served shelters. Punchbowl Lake Shelter, in Punchbowl Cove, might be the best of the lot, as itsits on the edge of a small lake, with access to a canoe.

Carrizo Plain National Monument, California

No cliffs, no caves, no canyons鈥� is just a massive expanse of rolling grassland, 15 miles wide and 50 miles long, butting up against the 3,000- to 4,000-foot Temblor Mountains in Southern California. This stretch might sound ho-hum until you realize that the vast prairie is absolutely popping with colorful wildflowers in the spring.

The Nature Conservancy, which worked to protect the Carrizo Plain, acquiring the land and partnering with the BLM and California Department of Fish and Game to manage it, compares the landscape to that of the Serengeti because it鈥檚 home to California鈥檚 highest concentration of threatened and endangered species, including the pronghorn antelope and San Joaquin kit fox. The centerpiece of the monument is Soda Lake, a normally dry alkali lake bed that occasionally fills with water after heavy rains and听 shimmers white with deposits of sulfates and carbonates after that water has evaporated. It looks like a circle of baking soda surrounded by tall grasses and wildflowers.

(Photo: Courtesy Gaia GPS)

国产吃瓜黑料: Soda Lake sits near the north entrance of the monument, and you can see it via the 2.1-mile Overlook Hill Trail. But for a real sense of the scope of these plains, bring your gravel bike and pedal a big loop through the rolling hills past the remnants of former ranches, and look for elk and antelope on the prairie. Show up in spring and you may be greeted by colorful fields of poppies, goldfields, and white and yellow tidy tips that stretch toward the horizon. Traffic is minimal, and you can put together a variety of different rides. A great one is a 60-mile all-day adventure on mixed surfaces, combining Elkhorn Road, Panorama Road, Soda Lake Road, and Simmler Road, covering the heart of the monument and with views of Soda Lake.

Bandelier National Monument, New Mexico

Protecting the traditional lands of roughly 23 tribal nations, is worth visiting from a cultural perspective alone. But the landscape is also remarkable, as the 33,677-acre monument is packed with mesas, canyons and a federally designated wilderness with 70 miles of backcountry hiking. Ancient culture and dramatic terrain mesh in the monument鈥檚 cliff dwellings, homes that the Ancestral Pueblo people built directly into the sides of rock walls.

国产吃瓜黑料: Take your time and explore the archeological sites in Bandelier. The 1.4-mile winds through a series of small alcoves carved in the soft rock walls that you can access via ladders, and into the ruins of large stone houses. From the Pueblo Loop, tack on a one-mile out-and-back side trip to the Alcove House, a massive carved niche that was once home to 25 people. You can reach it by climbing a series of steps and ladders.

(Photo: Courtesy Gaia GPS)

has 57 campsites, 16 of which are first-come, first-served, while the rest can be reserved up to six months in advance ($20 per site).

San Juan Islands National Monument, Washington

Not to be confused with the San Juan Islands National Historic Park, the protects 1,000 acres of the Puget Sound islands, covering a contrasting mix of green-forested coves, sheer bluffs, rocky beaches, and lighthouses, all managed by the BLM and scattered throughout the larger 450-island San Juan archipelago adjacent to the Canadian border.

国产吃瓜黑料: The monument is scattered throughout the Puget Sound, so you need a boat to do it justice. It鈥檚 tough to decide where to focus your energy in the San Juans, but Patos Island should be on your itinerary. This 200-acre spit of land is managed by the BLM in conjunction with Washington State Parks, and has beaches, hiking trails, a historic lighthouse, and established (from $12 a night). It鈥檚 also the northernmost point in the Lower 48.

If you want to explore more of the monument, offers a variety of kayak tours throughout the San Juan Islands. Check out their five-day expedition that features amping on small islands and peeping at orcas from the belly of a boat (from $1,199 per person).

How to Be a Conscientious Traveler

National monuments often lack the same infrastructure as national parks, which means they may not have the staff on-site to help with questions, clean up campsites, or offer guidance. It鈥檚 super important to practice principles in these monuments, and be aware of the cultural importance of the landscape. Many of these properties encompass the historical territory of Native Peoples and contain artifacts that are important to their heritage. Be kind and respectful, leave what you find, and whenever you have the opportunity, use local guides and purchase items from local shops.

Graham Averill is 国产吃瓜黑料 magazine鈥檚 national parks columnist. In his opinion, national monuments represent the best of America鈥檚 public lands: with all the beauty of national parks, but none of the crowds.

For more by Graham Averill, see:

The 5 Best National Park Road Trips in the U.S.

The 9 Best Gateway Towns to U.S. National Parks

And the 11 Least Visited National Parks Are鈥�

The 10 Best Backpacking Trails in Our National Parks

The post Put These Beautiful National Monuments on Your Must-See List appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

On February 29, Daniel, Wyoming resident Cody Roberts, taped its mouth shut, transported it to the town鈥檚 Green River Bar, posed for photos with the animal, then either beat or shot it to death, depending on which version of the report you read. State wildlife officials received a tip about the incident, and later fined Roberts $250 for a misdemeanor violation of Wyoming鈥檚 prohibition against possession of live wildlife. No other charges or penalties have been brought against him. As of April 10, however, the Sublette County Sheriff’s Office that they鈥攁long with the Sublette County Attorney’s office鈥攁re now investigating Roberts.

鈥淭he individual was cited for a misdemeanor violation of Wyoming Game and Fish Commission regulations, Chapter 10, Importation and Possession of Live Warm-Blooded Wildlife,鈥� says the Wyoming Game and Fish Department in . 鈥淭he department鈥檚 investigation indicated there were no other statutory or regulatory violations.鈥�

The 206-word statement itself acknowledges the controversy that鈥檚 raging around the incident, saying: 鈥淭he department acknowledges the significant concern and dismay expressed by many people from around the state and nation.鈥�

Why was Roberts able to torture a wolf to death with no serious consequences? The answer lies not only in Wyoming鈥檚 incredibly lax wildlife regulations, but also in the violence that permeates the relationship between the state and its most famous wild animal.

After being extirpated in 1926, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) reintroduced wolves to Wyoming in Yellowstone National Park in 1995. Wolves, the villains in many childhood stories, are a locus of fear for humans. But the animal also serves a vital role in its native ecosystem, where it helps keep ungulate populations healthy by slowing the spread of disease. And it does that at a net financial benefit to taxpayers, since tourists now flock to the state to view wolves. A study conducted in 2021 found that wolf-related tourism brings over $35 million annually to areas surrounding the park.

Speaking of taxes, before all the culture warring and fear mongering, it was the goal of the Republican Party to reduce tax burdens faced by the wealthy and corporations. The Republican Party鈥檚 policy positions are , so the GOP instead hoodwinks voters using fear and lies. The Republican-led Wyoming Statehouse passed a bill in 2021 calling to exterminate 90 percent of the state’s wolf population鈥攁 bill based on lies and misinformation. Pushing for policies based on fear instead of science has led to regulations around wolves that are unique among wildlife laws, mostly in their encouragement of cruelty.

When management of the species transferred from federal to state control in 2012, Wyoming鈥檚 political leaders established two distinct areas with differing population management goals. Areas adjacent to Yellowstone were set aside for trophy hunting, where wolf hunting is regulated. The rest of the state was designated a 鈥減redator zone鈥� where , reason, or justification. Wyoming also classifies coyotes, red fox, stray cats, jackrabbits, porcupines, raccoons and striped skunks as predators, and permits killing them throughout the state.

鈥淵ou could pull a wolf apart with horses in 85 percent of the state,鈥� explains Amaroq Weiss, Senior Wolf Advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity. In the predator zone, there is no regulation governing how or when wolves can be killed. This stands in contrast to typical hunting regulations in any other state, where what are called 鈥渕ethods of take鈥� are carefully defined to ensure animals are killed in ethical, humane ways, along with precise dates, to-the-minute guidelines on legal shooting hours, and generally universal bans on artificial light sources. The age and sex of animals it鈥檚 permissible to shoot are also written in law. But none of that is true in Wyoming’s predator zone when it comes to wolves. You don鈥檛 even need a hunting license or tag to kill one, just the opportunity.

Weiss cites 鈥渨olf whacking鈥� as an example, and it鈥檚 how Roberts captured the wolf he would go on to torture and kill. The term describes using a snowmobile to run a wolf to the point of exhaustion. Once it slows or collapses, you kill the animal by running it over. As Roberts鈥� escapade demonstrates, sometimes that might take multiple impacts, and sometimes the animal is simply left to die a slow, painful death.

鈥淟egislators in Wyoming are aware of the practice, and have declined to do anything about it,鈥� says Weiss.

The wolf advocate points out that the wolf Roberts tortured to death is also, 鈥減robably not even a year old yet.鈥� And was likely so injured by the impact with the snowmobile that it was unable to resist capture, or fight back as Roberts allegedly tortured it.

Why isn’t behavior like this covered by animal cruelty laws? Because, in Wyoming, those don’t apply to wolves.

鈥淭he incident occurred in a part of the state where gray wolves are legally classified as predatory animals,鈥� explains Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s statement on the incident. 鈥淧redatory animals are not managed by the department and animal cruelty laws, per Wyo. Stat. Ann. 6-3-1008 (a)(vii) do not apply to predatory animals.鈥�

Weiss also explains that, even if wolf abusers could be prosecuted under some statute, doing so would require willful participation from individual law enforcement officers, all the way up through their agency鈥檚 chain of command, and into the state’s political leadership. 鈥淓ven if a [District Attorney] wanted to take up a case, a police officer would need to first bring it to them,鈥� she says.

The only illegal thing Roberts appears to have done under Wyoming law is to move the wolf from one place, to another. Hitting it with his snowmobile, taping its mouth shut, dragging it into a bar, beating it, and eventually killing it all seem to have been not just permissible activities in state law, but the inevitable and intentional result of Wyoming鈥檚 policies.

And even while the wolf was left to suffer, Wyoming law worked to protect Roberts. Lawmakers there understand how controversial these policies are, so they created a regulation that . No such policy exists for any other species, anywhere that I am aware of. And even though the regulation doesn’t protect individuals who break the law, state wildlife officials attempted to use it to 鈥渟hut down communications with the media,鈥� according to , a blog covering political affairs in the state.

This is far from the first event that sparked public outrage over Wyoming鈥檚 predator zones. The culture war surrounding wolves flared up last September, when one of the wolves Colorado reintroduced was lured into Wyoming and

Since the scandal broke last week, state officials have been under fire from members of the public.

鈥淚 would be disappointed if anyone were to paint Wyoming with a broad brush and suggest that Wyoming citizens condone the reckless, thoughtless and heinous actions of one individual,鈥� Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon in response to the outcry. Gordon, a Republican, to return their wolves when they cross the Wyoming border. Colorado has working agreements for the return of their wolves with Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona. Weiss says no legislation that might protect wolves from future acts of cruelty has been introduced in the state.

The post A Wyoming Man Allegedly Tortured a Wolf. He Barely Broke State Law. appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Get out the pack, Jack. Make a romantic plan, Fran. No time to be coy, Roy. OK, you get the drift.

With Valentine鈥檚 Day on the horizon, maybe you鈥檙e looking to impress someone with a night or two that will ignite the fire. We鈥檝e got you covered, with our favorite romantic getaways of all time. These trips are perfect for best buds and to save for future mates, too.

The 国产吃瓜黑料 staff have pretty much ditched the roses-and-chocolate rigamarole in favor of road trips to remote Southwestern desertscapes, ridgetop hikes, and fly-fishing excursions followed by steamy soaks in hot springs. Because, for most of us, nothing cements a relationship like听outdoor appreciation. If your partner doesn’t share the awe of a spectacular sunset, the joy of a sweaty mountain-bike ride, or the seduction of fireflies on a porch in Appalachia, we ask: Is that person really for you?

Here are some of the best romantic getaways that have sparked 国产吃瓜黑料 relationships and friendships over the years.

Isle Royale National Park

Location:听Lake Superior, Michigan

Price:听$7 per person, per day for backcountry permits; one-way ferry and sea plane fares from $90 and $275, respectively

Why We Love It: In 2020, I met the love of my life at the Rock Harbor Trailhead in northeastern Isle Royale, a national-park archipelago in Lake Superior. Due to pandemic restrictions, the isle was accessible only by seaplane, so I , for a solo, seven-day, 75-mile-ish backpacking trip. I had no concrete plans other than to criss-cross the island southwest to Windigo, hitting the bays, ridges, Superior shoreline, and interior lakes along the way.

I had just snagged a permit from the ranger station, strapped my fly rod to my pack, and was about to set off when I noticed a tall, blonde guy stumble out of the bushes. He was dirty, bug-bitten, sunburned, and full of trekking beta. I struck up a conversation: Where had he gone? How about the coolest vistas? Must-stop camp spots? Trails to avoid or take?

We talked for 20 minutes, and parted ways with smiles but no phone numbers鈥攎e, to the trail; him, to catch a seaplane out. A month later, he tracked me down on Linked In to see how my trip went. Six months later, we met up for a trail run in Sedona, Arizona. A year later, we got engaged and married. But here’s where it gets good: We returned to Isle Royale for our honeymoon.

From our seaplane drop in Windigo, we backpacked for a week, averaging about 14-16 miles per day, charging through both fresh and familiar territory up toward Rock Harbor. We started with the 30-mile in the southeast, where we encountered bull moose with five-foot racks in marshy spits, fields of purple, yellow, and red wildflowers, and turquoise Superior vistas from the fire tower. Then, we pushed north to , where we hunkered down on the lakeshore with freeze-dried chili mac and cheese, and slept under the stars to a symphony of howling wolves. After, we climbed along the spine of the island via the , stopping at Lake Desor to soak aching feet and rest, before trekking to in the west for an orange-sherbet sunset. We polished off our trip playing cards and hiding from cheek-reddening wind at Moskey Basin in our tent, before plunging into Superior and cracking cold beers from Rock Harbor’s camp store. It was tough to board our seaplane out, but we’ll be back throughout our lives. I can’t think of a better, more meaningful place to celebrate getting hitched. 鈥�Patty Hodapp, 国产吃瓜黑料 senior digital travel editor

Location: Southeast Utah

Price: Free

Why We Love It: When my wife and I discuss the formative months of our relationship, we inevitably begin to reminisce about a weeklong 2016 meander through southeastern Utah. A maiden road trip is the ultimate relationship test. Can we get along for hours on end in the car? Are our tastes in music compatible? Are we both comfortable with a blank itinerary and no clue where we鈥檙e going to eat or sleep each night? Pringles or Doritos? It was on the first day of that trip that we learned the answers: yes, yes, yes, Doritos. We were a perfect match.

If you were to ask us to pinpoint the location where everything fell into place, we鈥檇 also provide matching answers: , about two and a half hours south of Moab. Tucked between Bears Ears National Monument to the north and Goosenecks State Park to the south, this 152-square-mile plot of BLM-managed land is sometimes referred to as Little Monument Valley. Explore it via its 17-mile dirt access road and you鈥檙e quickly surrounded by the same massive sandstone spires you鈥檝e seen in countless westerns and postcards, but with hardly any other visitors competing for the photo ops.

We turned onto that road around 4 P.M., drove six miles in, and turned again onto a short, dead-end spur road, where we pitched our tent just beside a massive wash. Then we cracked open some beers and sat on the back of my car to watch the sunset. There were no other sounds in the universe save for the whoosh of an occasional breeze, and the colors changed every two minutes. Most people probably wouldn鈥檛 describe Valley of the Gods鈥� rugged, barren landscape as romantic. But for a magic half hour each evening, I can鈥檛 think of a more romantic place on earth. 鈥�Christopher Keyes, 国产吃瓜黑料 Inc. vice president and general manager, Outdoors

Los Poblanos Historic Inn and Organic Farm

Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico

Cost: From $350

Why We Love It: If a 25-acre lavender farm with wandering llamas, artisanal purple gin cocktails, and beautiful gardens and courtyards that the affianced dream of booking for their weddings doesn鈥檛 appeal to your romantic sensibilities, this place will change your mind. Los Poblanos is a lovely, quiet getaway from the whirrings of the world. I recommend it frequently to friends or generally anyone traveling through Albuquerque with time to spare.

My husband and I came here to celebrate an anniversary years before the media began bestowing it with awards, but we have returned a handful of times since, to enjoy family celebrations at its farm-to-table restaurant, Campo; sit down to a leisurely brunch (we can鈥檛 seem to order anything but the eggs Benedict鈥攖hose homemade English muffins are worth the hourlong commute); and take part in the convivial that are quickly booked by local Burque帽os and held at one or two very long tables.

Stay a night or two in a North Field room with a fireplace (make this request, as not all have them), but get there early enough to spend time out on the patio, surrounded by the rows of lavender, at their height in June, and watch the shadow of dusk fall slowly over the towering Sandia Mountains. If the weather鈥檚 nice, and it tends to be in Albuquerque, borrow a bike and ride along the Rio Grande. Make s鈥檓ores at the fire pit. Wake up late and walk the farm鈥檚 fields, visit the chickens. Savor the relaxed pastoral atmosphere. Time with your partner in such a setting can鈥檛 but work wonders. It has for us. 鈥�Tasha Zemke, 国产吃瓜黑料 associate managing editor

Lake Crescent Lodge

Location: Inside听Olympic National Park, Washington

Price: $211

Why We Love It: Lake Crescent is my happy place. Its perfectly clear, deep blue waters are ringed by majestic evergreens and framed by rolling mountains. The best spot along its perimeter is the , a white, Victorian-style property built in 1916. There鈥檚 a beautiful sunroom for grabbing drinks, and a verdant lawn rolls down to the waterfront, where Adirondack chairs are positioned perfectly for sunset viewing. There is also a sit-down restaurant on-site, but national park food always leaves something to be desired, so instead, my husband and I opt to grab takeout from Frugals, a burger drive-through in Port Angeles, and enjoy a picnic by the lake.

For my 25th birthday, we managed to snag a room in Lake Crescent鈥檚 historic lodge building. There are newer buildings and cabins on the premises that offer private bathrooms, but the original lodge, with its lace curtains and wood paneling, charmed us. Each year my husband grants me my birthday wish鈥攁 canoe paddle on one mountain lake or another. It鈥檚 the only day of the year he鈥檒l get in a watercraft with me, due to my hopeless paddling skills. After 20 minutes of me steering us in circles, he patiently does all the work to navigate us around the lake while I take pictures and eat sandwiches. It’s heaven.

That year we grabbed the earliest canoe rental possible鈥�7 A.M.鈥攁nd took off across Lake Crescent before any motorized boats ventured forth. The water was like glass, and early-morning fog rose from its surface. We peered down at submerged logs and skirted the shoreline to avoid the more than 600-foot icy depths with no sounds other than birdsong. 鈥�Mikaela Ruland, National Park Trips associate content director

Ojo Caliente and Taos Spa, Resort and Hot Springs

Location: Ojo Caliente, New Mexico

Price: From $239 per night; from $45 for soaks on weekdays

Why We Love It: Angie knew what was coming when we left Denver for an extended weekend getaway in Taos, New Mexico, a few years ago. We鈥檇 been together for three years and had spent the previous eight months discussing our future and The Big Question. It was time. We鈥檇 already picked out the engagement ring and planned an itinerary:听 Dinner at . A hike in the Sangre de Cristos. An afternoon in downtown鈥檚 plaza.

But our most anticipated spot was , a well-known spa resort west of Taos. We鈥檇 visited Ojo Caliente (Spanish for 鈥渉ot eye鈥�) the year before, and it immediately became our favorite hot springs. Seven outdoor geothermal pools of varying warmth surround a cool soaking pool and mud bath. The smell of burning cedar and mesquite waft through the grounds. Staff ask everyone to keep conversations to a whisper. And the compound is tranquil, tucked in among the pi帽on and cottonwood trees at the base of a rocky bluff and听surrounded by a network of hiking trails.

We kicked off our getaway by spending a day in relative silence, soaking in the hot water, enjoying each other’s company, and unwinding with a massage. We booked a private pool and ate at Ojo’s restaurant that evening. Two days later, we hiked up 13,167-foot Wheeler Peak and exchanged rings at the top, just as we had planned. 鈥�, 国产吃瓜黑料 articles editor

The Grand Traverse

Location: Grand Tetons, Wyoming

Price: Variable, depending on whether you do it yourself or use a guide company

Why We Love It: When my girlfriend and I started dating, we thought it would be a good idea to try the Grand Traverse, a 14-mile line across ten summits with 24,000 feet of vert. She had lots of experience climbing, but she鈥檇 never been on a multi-pitch adventure before, let alone a multiday alpine effort. For some reason, we decided it was a good idea anyway. Over three days in July, with the help of , we traversed the Teton skyline, moving fast over complicated terrain, camping in a tiny tent on small ledges, and relishing in the splitter weather. It was the kind of trip that either demolishes a relationship or hardens it into something that lasts. We’ve been together for nearly a decade since. 鈥�Matt Skenazy, former 国产吃瓜黑料 features editor

Granite Park Chalet

Location: Glacier National Park, Montana

Price: From $140

Why We Love It: When my wife and I got married in September of 2000, our grandparents weren鈥檛 happy. Not because they didn鈥檛 like our choice of partner, but because they couldn鈥檛 attend the wedding. The 7.6-mile hike to the remote site we鈥檇 chosen to tie the knot鈥擥lacier National Park鈥檚 historic 鈥攚as just too much. But we were enamored with the century-old stone-and-wood structure, located just west of the Continental Divide, atop a hill with sweeping views of Glacier鈥檚 peaks and valleys, scenery made even more spectacular by the light show that happens when the sun dips below the jagged horizon.

Our wedding party, just under 30 strong, trekked to the chalet via the , which hugs the famed Garden Wall, a sharp ridge that at the time was laced with glittering streams and sprays of wildflowers. If you find romance sleeping at tree line in an alpine wonderland, miles deep in the wilderness, Granite Park Chalet is your spot. But full disclosure: room service is not one of the perks. You鈥檒l cook meals on the chalet鈥檚 propane stove and schlep water from a nearby creek.

Yes, we pressed our wedding guests into pack duty, asking them to help us haul in three days鈥� worth of drinks and food. My mother-in-law-to-be baked a wedding cake on-site, and the bridesmaid decorated the chalet鈥檚 community dining room. But the collaborative spirit only added to the allure of holding our celebration here. How good was the reception? After seeing the pictures, even our grandparents were happy. 鈥�Dennis Lewon, 国产吃瓜黑料 Inc. director of content

Shenandoah National Park

Location: Near Sperryville, Virginia

Price: Variable, depending on whether you pitch a tent in the park (campsites from $30) or stay at a local Airbnb or hotel

Why We Love It: They say Virginia is for lovers. I haven鈥檛 traveled enough around the state to vouch for that, but I鈥檝e spent many weekends at this national park, and I think you could honestly say that the Shenandoahs are for soulmates. Just north of Sperryville, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, there鈥檚 a dirt road that distances you from gas stations and billboards and delivers you to the base of a gorge known as . Each time my then-boyfriend and I set off on the modestly challenging two-mile trail, the hushed vibe instantly reset our moods and our rhythm.

There鈥檚 something different about this place, unlike other hikes I鈥檝e known, and how it sequesters you among the crowded trees, obscuring daylight. Away from the tensions of everyday life, it brought on an almost tangible expression of what filmmaker Jason Silva refers to as a 鈥�.鈥� We navigated moss-covered rocks and fallen trees, danced in a stream, gawked at what appeared to be bear tracks, geeked out at the geography, and paused solemnly at a cemetery.

We stayed at a rustic (and slightly terrifying) old cabin loaned to us by a friend. It had shoddy cell reception but was comfortingly close to the trail and replete with an outdoor shower, cast-iron cookware, firewood, and our hauled-in provisions. Sitting on the porch at dusk, we joked about DIY glamping听while sipping Champagne and watching fireflies the size of lanterns dance with the constellations. My memories have since outlasted that relationship, so 鈥渟oulmates鈥� may not be entirely accurate. But then, as with pretty much anything in life, it is what you make of it in the moment. 鈥�Renee Marie Schettler, Yoga Journal executive editor

Sun Mountain Lodge

Location: Winthrop, Washington

Price: From $172

Why We Love It:听 The magnificent views here have been awing guests for decades. Established in 1968 in central Washington鈥檚 Methow River Valley, the is an aerie atop a foothill boasting immense 360-degree vistas: the mountain terraces and spires of the North Cascades and thousands of acres of Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. Guest rooms and a dining room are built around those views. I鈥檝e been fortunate to stay here four times, teaching writing classes for the and hiking on glacially carved slopes where strong winds cause trees to grow sideways.

I have been here with friends and colleagues, but never a romantic partner: I wish! Instead, each time, I sent my husband and our two sons cascades of photos: Mount Gardner from my room, the horse ranch I can spy from my class, the nearby Lake Patterson, where people fish, and even the stuffed bison in the lobby (his name is Floyd) and the massive musk ox and caribou heads mounted above the fireplace. Every season has its charms: sunflowers and wildflowers in spring and summer, the brilliant red foliage of fall, and, in winter, snow (not to mention the annual , a 40K race that begins on the valley floor, continues on what鈥檚 touted as North America’s largest ski-trail network, and finishes at the lodge).

My husband would love to skate-ski here. We鈥檇 both like to tackle some of the daylong rock climbs around Mazama, 23 miles to the northwest. My friend Jill LaRue, a nurse who works the conference, mountain bikes the trails around the lodge. If you hadn鈥檛 packed for all of the recreational possibilities, you can square things away at the lodge’s sizable gear-rental shop. This being Washington, it is perhaps unsurprising that the salmon served at the lodge is always great. And if you have time for further exploring, you might try snacks and soup at the Rocking Horse Bakery and Little Dipper Cafe in the quintessential mountain town of Winthrop, ten miles east, or visit the funky cabin-like Mazama Store in Mazama. 鈥�Alison Osius, 国产吃瓜黑料 travel editor

The Highlands at Harbor Springs

Location: Harbor Springs, Michigan

Price: From $200

Why We Love It: I am turning 40 this month, and to celebrate, my husband and I are spending our first weekend away from our three-and-a-half-year-old. We didn鈥檛 want to travel too far, and we also wanted something that both felt luxurious and had skiing. That last bit was important鈥擨 was born and raised in Sun Valley, Idaho, and having recently relocated to northern Michigan from New Mexico, I thought our skiing options would be fairly limited.

But then I discovered the 鈥淒eer Valley of the Midwest,鈥� (formerly known as Boyne Highlands). Booked! We鈥檙e staying in a slopeside Gleneagles Ultra Luxury Suite in the resort鈥檚 historic and recently renovated main lodge, and I鈥檓 looking forward to the soaking tub, Italian linen sheets, bidet, record player, included breakfast, and ski-valet service. And the highlight: a snowcat-accessed moonlight dinner at the resort鈥檚 mountaintop North Peak restaurant the night of my birthday.

It鈥檚 not going to be the deepest skiing of my life, or even my season, but I can鈥檛 imagine a better way to turn 40 than a fancy, toddler-free ski weekend with my favorite ski partner. 鈥�, 国产吃瓜黑料 Inc. director of digital sales strategy

Red Cliffs Lodge

Location: Moab, Utah

Price: From $129

I didn鈥檛 actually go on a romantic getaway to just outside Moab with my partner. I went on a romantic getaway there with myself. But this lovely lodge鈥攔ecently acquired by Marriott鈥攈as been top of my list for a weekend with my husband soon.

Bonding over new experiences as a couple is awesome, and there are plenty of ways to do that at Red Cliffs. The lodge offers great amenities, and also serves as an adventure concierge. During my stay, I checked out the onsite and relaxed with a sound bath. The Lodge also arranged a guided canyoneering trip with , and an Arches stargazing photography tour at 1 a.m.

The lodge itself sits 25 minutes from the Arches entrance, 14 miles up Grandstaff Canyon alongside the Colorado River. And you don鈥檛 have to head into the town of Moab to go on a climbing, mountain biking, or hiking date. Climb at nearby Fisher Towers or boulder at Big Bend. Shuttle the Whole Enchilada. Take a hike on Grandstaff Trail. Or go for a scenic drive up into the La Sals.

No phone service, the pastoral setting, and the soothing sound of the Colorado River don鈥檛 hurt the romantic vibes either.

If you鈥檙e heading to Red Cliffs soon, keep in mind that the property is under renovation until early 2026, so some areas are closed and some offerings/amenities are temporarily on pause.听鈥�, Climbing editor in chief

Lake Creek Road Dispersed Camping Area

Location: Ketchum, Idaho

Cost: Free

Why We Love It: A few summers back, my boyfriend and I went on a quest for a weekend retreat in Idaho that led us just beyond Ketchum, to the Lake Creek Road camping area. Nestled along the eponymous creek, it became the perfect haven for a few days of mountain-biking adventures and tranquil post-ride relaxation. The beginner-friendly , which guided us to a mesmerizing听vista, was practically at our doorstep. The , weaving through sage and aspen, provided a captivating forested singletrack experience, revealing glimpses of the majestic Pioneer Mountains.

Also close by was Frenchman鈥檚 Hot Springs, an idyllic setting for rejuvenating soaks, enhanced by the refreshing flow of the nearby Warm Springs Creek. What made the getaway truly special was the sense of being off-grid, with no interruptions from cell-phone service, allowing us to fully immerse ourselves in the weekend. Evenings were spent reconnecting by the campfire under the incredibly bright stars. It was a much needed escape from the ordinary. 鈥�Sierra Shafer, Ski editor in chief

The New Mexico鈥揅olorado Borderlands

Location: The San Juan River and Pagosa Springs

Price: $500 for a day of guided fishing; rooms at The Springs Resort and Spa starting at $340

Why We Love It: Over Thanksgiving, my boyfriend booked a day of fly-fishing from a drift boat on the San Juan River, a fishery in northern New Mexico that鈥檚 well-known for its absolutely massive trout. There are a few area outfitters with similar offerings, like and . Neither of us had ever fished with a guide, and after countless long days wading upriver and tying rig after rig, it was a treat to have someone else do the dirty work so we could just fish. Then we drove through a blizzard to Pagosa Springs, Colorado, about an hour and a half away from the takeout, to stay at the听, where we soaked late into the night. The next day we caught little trout in the river below the resort and once again soaked until we were prunes. This is a good trip to take in the colder months, when there are smaller crowds on the (very popular) river. And the hot springs are that much sweeter when the weather’s unfriendly. 鈥�Abigail Barronian, 国产吃瓜黑料 senior editor

Cape Alava, Olympic Wilderness Coast

Location: Olympic National Park, Washington

Price: $8 per person per night for a backcountry-camping permit; park-entrance fee additional

Why We Love It: The northern stretch of Olympic National Park coastline is pretty much my favorite place on earth, period. It鈥檚 the place where I always feel totally present, which is the main reason I鈥檇 take a partner there for some quality time. The ocean, the remove from roads and other people, and the terrible cell service make the rest of my life seem very distant, and the world shrinks to the rocky beach, the waves, and my companions. The tide pools full of anemones, starfish, and other sea life in the large intertidal zone at Cape Alava make it my preferred spot, and you can pitch a tent at dozens of campsites strung out along the rocky beaches.

Starting at the Lake Ozette ranger station, it鈥檚 a three-ish mile hike through windblown forests and peat bogs on a well-maintained trail to reach the cape. The effort-to-scenic-payoff ratio is unmatched, and the mellow route to campsites on the coast avoids a few backpacking pitfalls that can spoil the romance鈥攏o one is going to bonk, it鈥檚 easy to loop back to the car for forgotten essentials, and the short distance means you can bring extra goodies like a bottle of wine or a small watermelon.

The downsides include the long drive to get there (five hours from Seattle, longer if you have to wait at the ferry), the hassle of , and potential storms and high winds once you鈥檝e arrived. Full disclosure: I鈥檝e never taken a partner here, just friends, although one friend I brought along did leave the coast as more than a friend, so make of that what you will. But if I ever wanted to spend a few days with a sweetheart, to simply enjoy the picturesque surroundings and each other鈥檚 company, I鈥檇 take them to Cape Alava. 鈥�Miyo McGinn, 国产吃瓜黑料 assistant editor

AutoCamp Joshua Tree

Location: Joshua Tree, California

Price: From $223

Why We Love It: Think of romance, and you might think of iconic destinations like Paris or Venice, but I feel most connected to my partner when we visit Joshua Tree. We recently stayed in for an overnight excursion to the high desert, and the amenities and proximity to the national park鈥攁 quick six miles鈥攎ade it one of our loveliest weekends together. The property鈥檚 Airstreams have been converted into trendy tiny homes but offer the novelty of vanlife. (And when you鈥檙e living out of your van in wintertime, there鈥檚 no complimentary hot cocoa and cider bar, as there is here the entire month of December.)

We had a great time in ours: the beds are plush, the bathrooms are large, and there鈥檚 heating and A/C. Also, every airstream unit comes with a private outdoor fire pit and dining area with a table and chairs, so you can cozy up next to your beau and toast with s鈥檓ores while stargazing up one of the darkest, most decorated skies in the world. Not interested in sleeping in a converted Airstream? Check out its cabins. AutoCamp is so romantic that it literally hosts weddings on-site at its large gathering space. It also hosts loads of activities, day and night, from themed hikes and new-moon soundbaths to concerts and cultural tours. 鈥�Emma Veidt, Backpacker associate editor

Garnet Mountain Fire Lookout

Location: Custer Gallatin National Forest, Montana

Price: $73

Why We Love It: More than 8,000 fire towers perched on high points across the U.S. at their peak in the 1950s, giving lookouts a vantage to spot the telltale curl of a wildfire start before it could spread. Today, only a fraction of those still stand. But at a few of them, backpackers can spend the night, enjoying panoramic views and stellar mountaintop stargazing for themselves.

For the first anniversary of our first date, the woman who is now my wife and I ventured up to one of those鈥�, elevation 8,245 feet鈥攖o try and claim some of that magic. From Bozeman, it鈥檚 a 26-mile drive to the 听and from there it was a 3.5-mile hike to the summit, through a conifer forest and wide-open mountain meadows that still held late-spring snow on their western faces. Before long we鈥檇 settled into the fire tower, a squat, two-story building with a woodshed on the bottom and a full wraparound porch surrounding the square living quarters on top. Furnishings were solid but spartan鈥攁 small pantry, a propane burner and wood stove, a table, and four bunks, each just big enough for two determined lovebirds to squeeze into. But when that night鈥檚 sunset lit the hills, I would have taken it over any palace. 鈥�Adam Roy, Backpacker executive editor

International Bonus: Hvammsvik Hot Springs and Northern Lights

Location:听Mosfellsb忙r, Snaefellsnes Peninsula, Iceland

Price: Soak from $38

Why We Love It: A couple of years ago, to celebrate our first wedding anniversary, my husband and I cruised around southwest Iceland for six days. We love a thermal-springs soak after hard hikes and trail runs, and prefer to dodge crowds and drive less, so this smallish outdoor mecca was a no-brainer addition to the end of a stint in Ireland.

We rented a Dacia Duster 4X4 with a rooftop tent in Reykjav铆k ($900 for five days, tricked out with sleeping and cooking essentials and a hot spot for GPS, via ) and headed out with no agenda except to explore the country’s remote terrain rich with waterfalls, lava fields, alpine valleys, and camping spots. A few days in, we decided we needed a geothermal soak. So we headed west along offshoot F-roads (F听for听蹿箩盲濒濒, which means 鈥渕ountain鈥� in Icelandic) to on the Snaefellsnes fjord. There, we spent hours hopping from one pool to the next, mowing down salads from its on-site bistro, and sipping champagne from its swim-up bar鈥攇lorious rewards after miles on backcountry trails. After we plunged into the Atlantic to scrub our dirt and sweat away, we scored a campspot nearby, made pasta on the stove, and kicked back to watch the most dazzling five-hour northern lights show we’ve ever seen. All told, we’ve been lucky to share lots of romantic moments in stunning places worldwide, but this memory tops our list. 鈥摈.贬.

International Bonus: Kasbah Tamadot

Location: Atlas Mountains, Morocco

Price: From MAD 7,550 per night (roughly US $775)

Why We Love It: As a couple, it can be tempting to take the easy route when traveling overseas, the road more traveled. Relationships are adventurous enough. Why add more blind corners?

Sometimes, though, it pays to explore the back roads.

Such was the case for my wife and I during a delayed honeymoon to Morocco, two years after we were married. Neither of us had been to the North African country when we decided to spend a week in Marrakech, a well-trodden tourist destination that somehow remains as mystical as it must have been when 16th century sultans ruled it. Today, the medina is full of souks selling Berber rugs, piles of spices, and elaborate kaftans鈥攏ot to mention a long list of bougie hotels. Basically, you know it鈥檚 going to be comfortable, even for my wife, Keren, whose idea of roughing it is an outdoor massage.

Me, I鈥檓 a sop for 鈥渙ff-the-beaten path鈥� experiences. I can鈥檛 think of anything more boring than an afternoon massage, which is why I insisted on spending at least a few nights in the mountains outside of Marrakech. So I decided unilaterally, because I was in charge of reservations, to book us into , a private home turned remote retreat overlooking a river valley in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains.

The resort, an hour and a half outside of Marrakech, is centered around a large 1920s riad, a traditional Moroccan house with rooms surrounding a central, tiled courtyard. The grounds of Tamadot include gardens, an oversized pool, fancy Berber tents for glamping, and a little farm with camels, donkeys, and chickens, among other critters. There鈥檚 even a Turkish bath and spa. Despite the extensive grounds and long list of upscale amenities, everything about Tamadot feels intimate, like being welcomed into a family home, one with multiple fountains covered in floating flower petals.

Oh, it also happens to be owned by Richard Branson, whose mom fell in love with the riad years ago, so he bought it and transformed it into the oasis it has become. Let鈥檚 be clear, this isn鈥檛 exactly the road less traveled, despite its surroundings, but Tamadot was my concession to my wife, so I could do all the other things I wanted to do.

The end of the valley, for example, is a popular launch point for trekking in the mountains, including to the summit of Toubkal, the highest peak in North Africa. With Kasbah Tamadot as our base camp, we were easily able to explore the valley鈥檚 upper villages, including Imlil, which is often referred to as the Moroccan Chamonix. After a hike on our first full day, we were welcomed into a local’s home that doubled as a makeshift restaurant. We sat next to a low table on elaborately-sewn cushions and were served a traditional vegetable tagine, heated over a wood fire in the backyard. The vegetables鈥攃arrots, potatoes, peas, and zucchini鈥攚ere cooked to perfection, and served with a platter of steaming couscous. Keren, as a vegetarian, had been struggling to find food she liked for days, even in Marrakesh. Here, after a long hike, we finished even the last bite.

The following day, we visited a woman-owned cooperative producing and selling argan-oil products鈥攕oaps, moisturizers, and other cosmetics. We bought a bag-full of their wares. In the afternoon, I hiked up a ridgeline while Keren visited the animals at the farm. On our final day, I arranged a motorcycle tour鈥攕et up through the tourism company 鈥攖hat would take us through the mountains to the Agafay Desert.

In the U.S., Keren wouldn鈥檛 get on a motorcycle if ashes from a volcano were about to rain down on us. 鈥淭hose things are death traps,鈥� she kept saying in advance of the day. But when our driver, Hussein, pulled up to Tamadot鈥檚 front gate on a Chang Jiang 750, a vintage Chinese bike outfitted with a leather-seated sidecar鈥攐ne that happens to be stylish as hell鈥攖he magic of the moment took over. We both saddled up and spent the entire day on the motorcycle, careening down dirt roads, visiting a small village in the desert with an ancient mosque, and walking through a narrow, ancient souk. The vendors and locals stared at us every step of the way, as if we were the first foreigners they鈥檇 even seen. We bought candy and shared it with local kids running on the streets.

Halfway through the day, we stopped at the home of a prominent Iman now occupied by his great-grandson. Our host served us wild mint tea and cookies, pouring the kettle from high above his head into small cups held below his waist. It was the traditional pouring style, he explained, a sign of hospitality and respect, because the long pour created foam on top of the tea to catch the dust in the desert air. I鈥檝e never felt a more welcoming gesture.

Back at the resort that evening, the staff of Kasbah Tamadot had left a bottle of Moroccan grenache and glasses on our nightstand, along with rose petals on the bed. The forced romance might have felt mawkish, but after a long day on the bike, we sat silently on the terrace with a glass each, watching the sun disappear.

After two years of marriage, it was clear we had both fallen in love again鈥攚ith a new country, slightly expanded versions of ourselves. A simple willingness to explore, despite our reservations, brought us together in a way that no ceremony could.

The next morning, I even ventured over to the spa, hand in hand with my wife. 鈥�Ryan Krogh, 国产吃瓜黑料 contributing writer

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