Exercise
American Hiking Society Announces The Best Hikes in the West
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Nov 29, 2007 - 6:56:40 PM

American Hiking Society Announces The Best Hikes in the West

(HealthNewsDigest.com) - Silver Spring, MD –Red Rock Canyon in Las Vegas and California’s Lost Coast were among the hikes selected by the American Hiking Society after a year-long search to find the best hikes on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands. Detailed descriptions, stunning pictures and directions to these great hikes are available at www.AmericanHiking.org.

Many BLM lands, the majority of public lands in the West, are unique and wild, offering exceptional views, few people, and a rare opportunity to experience the “wild West” in the same way the pioneers did hundreds of years ago. But, because many of these fantastic landscapes aren’t well known, it’s hard to find information about exceptional hikes on these lands. To encourage people to enjoy and steward trails on BLM lands, American Hiking Society launched a search for the “Best BLM Hikes” in the West.

Winning hikes feature midnight sun, knee-deep wildflowers, petroglyphs and the opportunity to experience traditional western lifestyles. Best yet, most of these hikes are part of a new system of BLM lands known as the National Landscape Conservation System – 26 million acres of the best places to experience the history and wild beauty of the West.

The winning hikes include:
The Pinnell Mountain Trail, Steese National Conservation Area, AK. Take advantage of the midnight sun to explore this 27-mile trail in a long weekend!

The Lost Coast Trail, King Range National Conservation Area, CA. Walk along a pristine beach and see whales spouting off the coast. Watch the sun set into the Pacific Ocean and rise over a towering mountain range.

Calico Tanks Hike, Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, NV. Take a journey through otherworldly red rocks only an hour away from the Las Vegas Strip.

Fisher Towers Trail, Fisher Towers Wilderness, UT. Walk through purple-red sandstone towers to the crest of an epic ridge.
Virgin Peak Hike, Gold Butte Area of Critical Environmental Concern, NV. Experience a challenging hike through the desert to experience some stunning plants left over from the last Ice Age.

Continental Divide Trail, Ignacio Chavez Special Management Area/Empedrado Wilderness Study Area, NM. A challenging multi-day backpacking trek past several extinct volcanoes.
Cow Creek Wilderness Hike, Cow Creek Wilderness, MT. Follow in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark through the winding ridges of this unmarked wilderness.

Little Blitzen Gorge Hike, Steens Mountain Cooperative Management and Protection Area. Walk by a rushing river in the shadow of a 10,000-foot peak speckled with wild flowers.
Kingston Range Wilderness Hike, Kingston Range Wilderness, CA. Experience 360-degree views and solitude in this isolated area.
Anniversary Narrows Hike, Muddy Mountains Wilderness Area, NV. Experience a geologic journey into the jagged canyons of this spectacular area.

White Rock Loop Trail, Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, NV. Experience desert springs and the noble White Rock Hills within 30 minutes of the Vegas Strip.
Paria Canyon - Vermillion Cliffs Wilderness Hike, Vermilion Cliffs/ Paria Canyon Wilderness, AZ. Journey back in geologic time as you walk beside the placid Paria River.
Mill Creek Canyon Hike, Mill Creek Canyon Wilderness Study Area, UT. Splash in a waterfall in the middle of a desert in this undiscovered gem.

For stunning pictures and directions to these outstanding hikes on BLM lands, visit www.AmericanHiking.org .

About American Hiking Society
Founded in 1976, American Hiking Society is the only national, recreation-based nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and protecting America’s hiking trails, their surrounding natural areas, and the hiking experience itself. To learn more about American Hiking Society and its programs, including the Western Public Lands Initiative please visit www.AmericanHiking.org or call (301) 565-6704.

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