Thanks, Warren. I’m excited to help you plan your next trip for this year and that you already have one in mind!

Thanks, Shellie. I’m very happy that your family enjoyed the Sawtooths so much and I’m also excited about helping you plan more adventures.

Thanks, Ashley, and get in touch when you’re ready to plan the next trip.

Thanks for that nice endorsement, Darryl. I look forward to helping you plan more great adventures for yourself.

I certainly feel as if Michael’s plans gave me the knowledge that I needed to have a successful and enjoyable hike and I certainly intend to rely on him for future backpacking trips.

Darryl Hadsell
Houston, Texas

Thanks for sharing that, Dennis, I appreciate it. I’m very happy your hike went so well. Nice work.

I completed the trek in October, and the changing leaves were absolutely spectacular. As someone who was not familiar with New Hampshire’s terrain or hiking specifics—particularly the crucial aspect of water availability—having a detailed, custom plan significantly eased my anxiety about the experience.

The detailed planning provided peace of mind and an enjoyable trek. If you’re considering the Pemi Loop or other extended hike, especially if you’re new to hiking in New Hampshire, I highly recommend using Michael’s Custom Trip Planning service.

Hi Puja,

Thanks and, yes, there are feasible backpacking trips in southern Utah and Arizona in late November and early December. While the weather becomes more of a risk at that time of year, I have backpacked in the Southwest at that time of year. In fact, I just helped a couple plan a Grand Canyon trip for the week of Thanksgiving. I don’t think Owl and Fish canyons would be the best choice, but I could offer you suggestions. I’ll email you about it. Thanks for asking.

Thanks so much, Michele, I greatly appreciate that. And you know I always look forward to helping you plan another adventure!

His trip planning services are a bargain for what you are getting—his top-tier advice on both strategy (what does your family want to do?) and tactics (his outstanding expertise on how to accomplish this). And he gives creative logistics suggestions that I never would have thought of. Michael’s custom trip planning is not just for backpacking/wilderness trips. For this trip, we stayed in lodging (again which came recommended based on his personal experience). It just saved me (as trip planner for the family) I’d estimate 40-60 hours of time planning and again, made the most of our limited family time together. 100% recommend! Once you hire Michael once, you’ll find yourself dreaming of taking another adventure vacation that Michael can make a reality.

Thanks, Angie, I appreciate you sharing those thoughts and look forward to helping you plan more trips.

Thanks, Matt. I’m happy your trip turned out just as you hoped it would and I look forward to helping you plan another.

Thanks for the nice comment, James, and certainly get in touch when you’re ready for your next trip.

Michael was an absolute delight to work with throughout the entire planning process—incredibly responsive, warm, professional, and enthusiastic, taking the time to understand exactly what I was hoping to get out of each trip and tailoring the itineraries to my specific interests and skill level. The trip plans he provided were thorough and well-organized, covering everything from logistics and gear recommendations to daily itineraries and backup plans, giving me confidence to tackle these adventures and focus on enjoying the experience rather than worrying about details. Both trips were absolutely spectacular and went off without a hitch thanks to Michael’s expert planning, with routes that showcased the very best each area has to offer and places I never would have found on my own.

If you’re considering a backcountry adventure and want the confidence that comes with expert planning, I wholeheartedly recommend Michael Lanza’s custom trip planning service—his combination of extensive knowledge, personalized attention, and genuine passion for the outdoors makes him an invaluable resource for any wilderness adventure.

Thanks for sharing that, Joe, and I look forward to helping you plan more great adventures.

Thanks for that nice comment, John. I’m also looking forward to helping you plan your next adventure with your sons.

Thank you, David. I know how important this trip was for you and I’m really glad I could help you make it such a success. Tell me when you’re ready to talk about the next one.

Thanks, Josie, I’m very happy your Tetons trip with your daughters went so well and they’re eager for another adventure. I’m looking forward to helping you with the next one, too.

Thanks, Shelley, I appreciate that. I was so excited when you got the permit that you did, I knew you’d love that hike. Holler when you’re ready for the next adventure.

Thanks to Mike’s custom trip plan, we had a GREAT trip to Glacier National Park in August 2024. Mike patiently answered many pre-trip questions about gear, food, local details, etc. He reviewed the current gear that we had and made suggestions for updates while understanding that we were on a budget.

Our four-day trip was a huge adventure with unforgettable scenery and lots of precious family time together—unplugged. We even encountered a raging thunderstorm but made it through thanks in part to the preparations that Mike suggested.

Now, we’re thirsty for new adventures. We’re sure to turn to Mike and The Big Outside for help. We recommend Mike!

Thanks for that comment, Jim, and I’m looking forward to helping you plan your next trip.

Thanks, Jack. Congrats again on the outstanding adventure you had in the High Sierra and on a great section of the JMT. I look forward to helping you with your next trip.

Thanks, Ira, it was my pleasure helping you find and plan a great hike with your teenage son! Be in touch when you’re ready for the next one.

Michael comprehensively addressed all of the details including where to park, hiker shuttles, gear recommendations, and even baked in an alternate itinerary to allow for either one less/extra day. Finally, Michael patiently answered multiple follow-up emails with “one more question.” IMHO: it’s “cheap insurance” to tap into Michael’s expertise and not have a dream trek go badly.

Thanks for the nice comment, Ondrej. Get in touch if and when you make it stateside again.

From the get-go, Michael was extremely responsive and flooded us with a wealth of information. We literally had to schedule hours on weekends to review the content Michael provided. Yes, of course it was templated, but with such attention to detail and customization that it felt tailor made. We learned everything we needed from Michael’s supremely detailed guides and itineraries. Furthermore, Michael was always there to answer any follow-up questions. Truly outstanding service.

Can you find all the information Michael tells you on the internet for free? Yes, of course. Will it take you tens of hours to compile it? Yes it will. Will it be personalized to your questions and needs? Maybe, if you try really hard, but there’s a high chance you’ll make a mistake. Like we almost missed the window to submit our Grand Canyon backcountry application, because as Europeans we didn’t even realize that was a thing. (You need to fax that thing!) Michael literally saved our chance to backpack in Grand Canyon, and Hermit Trail was absolutely breathtaking.

Our more than a month-long trip to the US cost quite a fortune and spending a few hundred bucks on a custom plan from Michael was no doubt one of the best decisions we’ve made.

Thanks Michael!

Thank you, Johann, and you already know that I truly enjoy helping you plan your adventures with your small group of dads and kids.

On the long car ride back, I mentioned to my friend that finding Michael on the web years ago was one of the best discoveries I’ve ever made on the internet. He has given me the inspiration and courage to make these trips with my kids, and in doing so, I’ve created lasting memories, and I’ve been able to change my appreciation for the great outdoors in this beautiful country that I wouldn’t have done otherwise.

Thanks, Rob, I thought you and Jake would fall in love with the Winds. Well done, too. Let me know when you’re ready to go back.

In addition, Michael gave us gear tips, wildlife information, weather advice and much more. The trip planning from Michael couldn’t have been easier; we communicated via email, as well as a couple of phone conversations, and he delivered a 10-page custom trip plan that was incredibly detailed and well thought out.

He also made himself available for last minute questions up until the time we left for the trip. As a result, we fell in love with the Wind River Range and can’t wait to get back and explore some more.

Thanks, Ron, and it makes me happy knowing that your family had such a successful trip at a challenging time of year on a hard hike. Congratulations to all of you.

You are welcome and thank you, Heather. I thought you’d really like Jotunheimen National Park.

Get in touch whenever I can help you plan another trip.

Thanks for the comment, Ed, and kudos to you two for handling the surprise snowfall so capably!

Thanks, Mark. I’m very happy that you and your son had such a great trip in the Winds!

Michael’s intimate knowledge of the Wind River Range combined with his willingness and hard work to help us tailor our trip to our specific goals went way beyond my expectations. The level of detail he provides makes trip planning so much easier for me. It also clearly helps me to enjoy far better trips than I could possibly create on my own. This is the third time that I have used Michael’s service for backpacking trip planning and I will definitely be asking for his help planning further adventures in the future.

Thanks, Mark, and I’m very happy that you’ll be embarking on this big JMT hike that you’ve been thinking about for years. Have a great hike.

Thanks for the comment Nitin and I’m so glad you guys decided to hike the Ruby Crest Trail, it is a beauty. Get in touch when you’re ready for the next adventure.

His deep knowledge of literally every topic important to a JMT hiker is expressed with the skill of a gifted writer and backed up by his experience hiking this and so many other trails. He takes the time to understand your goals and capabilities and delivers a detailed trip plan. Logistics, equipment, tips for a solo hiker, resupply, training, weather… it’s all there. And Michael responds quickly to questions and checks in often at the most critical stages of your planning.

The permit process for the popular JMT hike was a particular source of uncertainty and a big concern. Michael laid it all out and, when the Yosemite lottery failed me, presented a terrific workaround. Rather than the disappointment of a year’s delay, I’m looking forward to an epic experience and going into it excited and better prepared because of Michael Lanza. I highly recommend his Custom Backpacking Trip Planning service.

Thanks, Madison. Knowing what a good time you and your son had together on your trips means a lot to me. I’m ready to dive into planning the next trip when you are!

Thank you, David. I’m exceedingly happy that you and your 15-year-old son had the opportunity to enjoy such a great hike on the Teton Crest Trail. I look forward to helping you plan your next adventure.

Michael was especially helpful in the initial trip planning, narrowing options down, routing ideas, and figuring out permits. We didn’t initially get the exact permits we wanted, but he helped develop an alternative plan and then when we got the ideal permitting the day before the trip – he jumped back in and helped make sure we knew everything we needed to know.

Thanks, Michael!

Thanks for your comment, Patrick. It’s been a pleasure for me to help you with your group’s adventures and especially to know you’re introducing so many young people to experiences that are likely to ignite a lifelong passion for many of them. I very much look forward to helping you again and again.

Patrick Zarrick
St. Louis University HS

Thanks, Shelley and Chris. I’m very excited for the trip you have coming up in Glacier this summer and looking forward to hearing all about it.

Mike expertly guided us through the planning process and we ultimately settled on a trip to Glacier National Park. Navigating the permit system and route planning can be a daunting task, but Mike provided us with a personalized plan that included three options based on our preferences.

Thanks to Mike’s expertise, we’re eagerly anticipating our four-day backpacking trip to Glacier. We’ll be following our first-choice route and relying on the wealth of information on Mike’s blog to ensure we have the right training, gear, and packing tips for the trip of a lifetime.

We can’t recommend Mike enough—if you’re planning a backpacking trip, he’s the one to turn to!

Thanks for that comment, Daniel. I’m genuinely very excited for you for the trip you and your son will be taking in Glacier this summer. You do have a great hike ahead of you and it’ll be that much more special sharing it together. Have a wonderful time.

Hi Bobby,

Thanks for sharing that and I’m glad you feel prepared for your John Muir Trail hike later this year—and that you got a permit for it. I’m confident you’ll have an amazing experience and I’ll be eager to hear about it afterward.

Michael’s support and expertise have been invaluable. Thanks to him, I now feel confident and comfortable about hiking the JMT. He’s lightning-fast with his responses and always ready to give me his best, most honest advice no matter what question I throw at him. Thanks to him, I’ve expanded my backpacking knowledge without having to sift through the endless stream of good and bad advice on the internet.

I can’t wait for my JMT experience, and I have The Big Outside and Michael to thank for it. It’s worth every penny.

Bobby

Thanks for those nice words, David. As I wrote to you, it made me happy to have the opportunity to help you and your son realize a great adventure in such a uniquely remarkable place as the Grand Canyon (which I’m returning to yet again this April). And kudos to you guys for doing it at a more challenging time of year. I look forward to helping you find more wonderful adventures together.

Thanks, Steve and Tom, and I look forward to collaborating on your next adventure, too.

If you are new to hiking or backpacking, I would encourage you to retain Michael. His firsthand knowledge and lifetime of experience can shorten your learning curve dramatically. His trip planning was comprehensive and provided contingency plans for potential diverse circumstances (weather, rainfall, etc.). Lastly, he was very responsive to our questions and provided clearly written answers.

We look forward to collaborating with him in the future.

Steve and Tom

Thanks, Mark. Get in touch when you’re ready to plan the next one.

Thanks, Johan. And, yes, I do try to be honest with people about how hard a hike will be! I’m glad your Grand Canyon trip went so well. Please get in touch when you’re ready for the next one.

He has a unique ability to fill you with just enough (realistic) confidence to embark on an adventure that at the onset may have seemed impossible to conquer. Follow his advise and you are sure to have a terrific experience, whether you’re a beginner or expert backpacker.

He opened up a new world to me and for that I will be forever grateful.

Note: if he says something will be hard or strenuous… he means it. Follow his lead 🙂

Thanks, Jeff, I appreciate those words. I know how much this adventure with your son meant to you and I’m very happy that it was such a great success. Looking forward to helping you again with the next one!

I can confidently say that I won’t embark on another hike without his expertise. What sets him apart is not just his wealth of knowledge but also his reasonable pricing coupled with an unparalleled level of thoroughness. He considers every aspect of planning, leaving no stone unturned. It’s a rarity to find someone so dedicated to ensuring a flawless and enjoyable outdoor adventure.

The scenery he directed us toward was absolutely remarkable, surpassing all expectations. If you’re considering a hiking trip and want it to be not just good but exceptional, Michael from The Big Outside is the person to make it happen.

Hey Alexis, thanks for the nice comment and you bet I would be excited to help you plan another great adventure.

Thanks, Vanessa and Ben, and nice job knocking off the Tour du Mont Blanc!

Vanessa and Ben

Thanks, Ryan, I appreciate you sharing that. Congrats on an awesome hike in Glacier. I actually ended up making that Pitamakan-Dawson traverse a couple of weeks ago, too, it’s stunning. Get in touch when you’re ready for the next adventure!

Thank you, Isaac. It was fun for me to help you with that John Muir Trail section hike.

Thanks, Carl, I appreciate your comment and I’m happy your Winds trip was a great success.

He took care of every detail, from crafting a customized itinerary that perfectly suited our group’s interests and providing invaluable insights on the best trails, campsites, and must-see spots in the Wind River Range. The communication throughout the planning process was top-notch, and any questions or concerns were promptly addressed. Michael is not only knowledgeable about the area but also passionate about the outdoors and ensuring that we were well-prepared for our adventure.

Thanks to Michael Lanza, our Wind River Range adventure was a resounding success, filled with stunning vistas, thrilling hikes, and the kind of camaraderie that can only be forged in the great outdoors. I wholeheartedly recommend his Custom Trip Planning service to anyone seeking a stress-free and exhilarating wilderness experience.

Thanks very much, Robert. I’m delighted you two enjoyed your hike so much and look forward to helping you with the next one.

Thank you for the nice words, John. But more importantly, good on you for getting back to the Sawtooths to complete the hike you had to cut short last year. I’m happy you did that. And, of course, I always look forward to helping you plan your next adventure!

Thank you, John, I appreciate the endorsement and greatly enjoy helping to enable your adventures. Looking forward to the next one, too.

Thanks, Lisa, it really has been a great pleasure to plan trips for your adventurous gang and I look forward to more of that as much as you do!

Lisa

Thanks very much, Morgan, and I look forward to helping you plan more great adventures.

It was our first backpacking trip and we heavily relied on Michael’s expertise on how far we would go, where we would camp, pre/post trip logistics, water sources, gear, everything! We pretty much followed his suggestions to the letter, and we had the most amazing time. I loved that I actually got to enjoy the beauty of the trip and not stress planning it all. I also wouldn’t have known the best place to go. I just can’t get over how I would’ve never fallen in love with the Sawtooth Mountains if it wasn’t for this trip plan! I also loved that he gave us several options to end early or just take a different route, which we did utilize because I was more exhausted than I planned! Every hiker we passed was pretty much doing the route we were doing in the opposite direction but Michael’s expertise suggested we hike to the lodge instead. I’m so glad we did it that way!

That was definitely the best money I’ve ever spent! I look forward to using Michael in the future to uncover more hidden gems where we can go explore!

Hi Lauri and Dean,

Thanks for being readers of my blog and your nice compliment. You have touched on a region, eastern Europe, where I have great interest in exploring in coming summers. However, I have not hiked in Hungary, Slovakia and Czech Republic. Wish I could help you more and hope I will be able to in future.

My wife and I have hiked for 50 years in the US and Europe, S. America and SE Asia. While I look forward to use your travel expertise in our uncharted US hikes, do you have experience to help us plan hike/adventure/travel the Austrian Alps and into Eastern Europe including: Hungary, Slovakia and Czech Republic?

Thank you!

Thanks, Joe, and congrats on your big hike on the magnificent Teton Crest Trail! I’m excited to help you plan your next adventure.

Thanks, Amy, I’m happy that your family’s trip was so enjoyable and I’d be delighted to help you plan another.

Thanks, David, and I’m very happy your backpacking trip with your son was such a success. I look forward to helping you make more father-son adventures happen.

Thanks, Ben, I’m very happy that your Grand Canyon trip went so well and I look forward to helping you plan more wonderful adventures.

Thanks for the nice words, Neil, I enjoyed working with you and have a great adventure in Yosemite.

Thanks very much, Michael, I appreciate that and you and your son certainly do have a great hike awaiting you in Yosemite!

Thanks very much, Stuart, I’m glad you got a permit for a Yellowstone backpacking trip. Enjoy!

Michael has provided everything I asked for, with a carefully constructed multi-page itinerary with much flexibility and many options that enabled me to jump start my planning process by many weeks. I emailed Michael a number of times and his responses were prompt. He answered all my questions on many diverse topics from sleeping pads to combat the cool night temperatures to ideal dates for avoiding mosquitoes.

I probably would have made a few key mistakes in my own planning without his sage advice. Michael gave much more extensive responses to my questions than I would have expected. I guess that’s just the excellent quality service that he provided to his customers.

So even if you could plan the trip yourself, I recommend Michael’s service to save substantial blocks of time and avoid errors. Above all, he knows about getting reservations, which is critical in the National Parks these days.

Thanks, John, I appreciate those words. Let me know when you’re ready to plan the next adventure.

Hi Heidi,

My good friend Guido Buenstorf, who’s a widely traveled trekker and all-around adventurer as well as a prominent economist in Germany (although I keep telling him that he could have a much more prestigious career as an outdoors blogger), shared this additional advice in response to your question:

“Generally, May is very early for the Alps. We did not get a lot of snow this winter and are unlikely to get much more at this time of the year. Still, I’d be hesitant to recommend a trip that gets them to more than 1500 meters/5,000. Malerweg is in Sächsische Schweiz, close to Dresden, which has some of the most dramatic scenery you’ll find below 1000 meters.

“Two things came to my mind immediately. First, the Allgäu region, which is the Western part of the German (pre-) Alps. I did not find an English website, but they market three long-distance trails at three levels of altitude. Himmelsstürmer will not be safe at that time of the year, but Wasserläufer (the mid-altitude variant) might be an option. All three trails are very long, but they might choose nice sections. More specifically within Allgäu (and not too alpine for the season) is the region between Pfronten and Tannheimer Tal (which belongs to Austria), or farther west between Sonthofen and Balderschwang.”

I hope that gives you more information to work with, Heidi. Good luck.

Hello Heidi,

First of all, thanks very much for subscribing to The Big Outside, I appreciate your support for my blog. That’s great you’ve returned to backpacking. I was on a long section of the JMT last August. See my blog story “High Sierra Ramble: 130 Miles On—and Off—the John Muir Trail.”

Yes, the higher-elevation hikes in Europe would be snowbound through May and much of June, into early July on the highest treks, including Scotland’s Highlands. The Picos de Europa is often good in June but you read that we had a snowstorm then; May would likely be treacherous on many trails there, snow and ice.

In May, the only European trails likely to be snow-free for hiking are going to be lower elevations in or near the Mediterranean. One of the several I’ve done in Europe was in Spain’s Valencia region, in May, and it was delightful. There’s a trail on Corsica I’ve not hiked but had my eye on for a while called the Selvaggio Blu, but it’s reputed to be quite hard, requiring rappels in places. But I think it may be snow-free by May.

I’ve read that the Alps have had a very warm and snow-less winter, so if that persists through spring, the trekking season may begin unusually early this year. But May would be very early and it’s still too early to predict.

That’s not much help, I know, except to affirm your suspicion that the highest routes will not likely be available to them.

Let me know if I can ever help you with trip planning or answer any questions.

I was delighted to find your website as I was researching upcoming trips. I recently returned to backpacking after many years. Most recently, I did seven days on the JMT. It was incredible, and I am looking to more. Your posts inspire many ideas.

At the moment, I am helping my son and a friend plan a 4-8 day backpacking trip in Europe in May 2023. Do you know of any high alpine trips that might work then? I realize it is too early for the traditional trips in the Alps. I read your post on Picos de Europa, which sounds amazing and also scary with the sudden snowstorm. They are looking at a few options in Germany, Malerweg and Rheinsteig. These offer a nice mix of nature and culture. However, I would like to provide them a high alpine opportunity as well. They could even make two or three villages base camps for day hikes. They have some but not abundant backpacking experience.

If you have ideas, I would love to have you help create a custom itinerary.

Thanks in advance,
Heidi

Thanks very much, Dave, I appreciate your comments and have really enjoyed helping you plan some great trips and seeing you being the catalyst for your family’s three-generation adventures. Looking forward to more.

Thanks, Dean, and I’m very happy that you got a permit for such a great route. Enjoy!

Could not be happier with the custom trip planning and I’m very much looking forward to seeing the Grand Tetons, which Michael obviously knows well and loves!

Thank you Michael!

Thank you, Frank, I appreciate that and hope to help you plan another trip in the future.

Having dayhiked up the various canyons in the past, I wanted access to Michael’s knowledge and passion to maximize the experience for my trip with my wife and daughter. Michael wanted to know about my party’s hiking and backpacking experience and really took the time to take that information into account, as well as what I was thinking about and wanting to accomplish. He presented a very detailed plan, complete with what we would see on the trail as we hiked each day. He provided mileage and elevation gain and loss. I particularly appreciated his responsiveness to my questions and was very happy with the plan he presented. The trip itinerary included options for managing daily mileage and factoring in an additional day to take in some side treks off the main Teton Crest Trail. He responded to my questions and provided very useful information regarding reservation strategies.

Michael cares about the park and I believe he cares about my family’s experience of the park.

Thanks for sharing your memories of the Sierra, Robert.

Got it, Mike, I’ll email you. Thanks.

I would like your assistance, per the current subscription, for a trip to hike The Wonderland Trail next spring as the trails open.

Thank you,
Mike D

Thanks very much, John. I’ve enjoyed helping you with some amazing trips and I agree, the Dolomites stand alone for scenery. Looking forward to working with you on the next adventure.

Thanks, Chuck, and you guys certainly scored a permit for an envious adventure in Glacier!

Thanks, Vince, I’m really happy that trip went so well and look forward to helping you plan another.

Thanks for the nice words, Joe, and I’m excited to help you plan many more great adventures.

Thanks very much for sharing all of that, John. I’m really happy your family had such a great time in the Wind River Range. You are all an inspiration!

This year in particular we appreciated the direction of the route he proposed, including some alternate itineraries. As we hiked, we regularly found ourselves acknowledging we’re getting the better view or approach to the setting. And, as the weather cooperated, we were able to also accommodate traversing a particularly beautiful tundra area, the Lizard Head Plateau.

Michael’s trip planning packet is so comprehensive (13 double-sided pages this year) that we decided to cut and paste sections of it to bring on the trail with us and reviewed each night before the next day’s adventure. In addition to Michael’s custom trip planning package we also have chosen a premium subscription to The Big Outside blog which regularly has tidbits of helpful and inspirational information and stories. Last, working with Michael is a like having a personal, virtual guide for our trips. He’s highly knowledgeable, responsive and has become a friend invaluable to our family’s wilderness ventures.

Thanks Michele and congrats on completing the JMT, you’ve been planning that for a long time! I can’t wait to hear about it.

Thanks, Kyle, and have a great JMT hike!

Thanks, Dennis, and congrats, you have a great Grand Canyon hike coming up!

Michael, through the Custom Trip Planning option, which is part of the Premium Subscription package, was worth it for me.

I am going to hike “the Big Ditch” in October. I needed to understand the ins and outs of obtaining a backcountry permit – to increase my chances of obtaining the dates and routes that I thought would be best for my abilities, while maximizing the overall experience. In addition, I wanted to have a unique plan that took advantage of Michael’s many years of experience and trips to the Grand Canyon. I did not want the usual, highly trafficked route that most people take but rather some more unique routes and camp sites. Michael walked me through the process and created a specific trip plan with all the little particulars needed. I was able to not only secure the dates but also the exact route that I sought. It will be memorable.

Michael’s insights, plans and guidance should be taken advantage of when planning your next big hike.

Thanks, Parker, I’m glad that you and your dad had such a rewarding hike on the Teton Crest Trail (and I’ll point out that going later in summer mostly eliminates the mosquitoes). Let me know when you’re ready to plan the next one!

In GTNP, I strongly recommend staying at Death Canyon Shelf and North Folk Cascade if you are hiking the Teton Crest Trail. Additionally, coming down Paintbrush Canyon is a must. The bug and mosquito situation is severe, though, so prepare for that.

Overall, Michael was a great help, I strongly recommend his guidance. Now time to plan the next hike!

Thanks, Ryan. I’m confident you’ll have a great experience in the Tetons.

Hi Rc,

I honestly believe that all U.S. national parks are quite safe, with crime a rarity. As for the best 7- to 10-day hike in the parks, that’s hard to choose but the very best options would have to include a 94-mile traverse I did mostly on the Continental Divide Trail in Glacier National Park, and an “87-mile hike I took through northern Yosemite, and almost any section of the John Muir Trail, especially including portions in the John Muir Wilderness and Kings Canyon National Park.

See my stories story “America’s Top 10 Best Backpacking Trips” and “The 10 Best National Park Backpacking Trips.”

I hope that helps and good luck. Get in touch anytime.

Thanks, John. I’ve really enjoyed helping your family plan some great trips and I’m excited to help introduce you to Glacier and other magnificent places. Enjoy the Winds!