If you routinely toss your hiking boots in the coat closet when temperatures begin to drop, then it’s time to think again.  The fun and adventure don’t have to be over just because summer has ended!  From Maine to Oregon to Colorado, you will find numerous noteworthy winter hiking trails that feature fewer crowds, stunning, beautiful views, and winter wildlife-spotting opportunities too.

The country’s hiking trails truly clear out in the winter.  Experts report that you can literally hike “for miles without seeing another soul.”  If snowshoeing across frigid, white plains isn’t your thing, go south and hike trails that are often too hot to take in the summer.  Pack what you need to keep warm, and avoid the sun’s glare. 

Lightweight layers and the right footwear are essential.  You want outer clothing that can be easily stuffed into a backpack, so you have lots of room for extra trail snacks and other essentials as well.  Don’t forget that the days are now shorter too, so you need to head out early enough to enjoy the views and complete your hike before nightfall.  Here to help you in deciding where to go, are some of America’s best, beautiful winter hikes.    

1.  The Jud Wiebe Trail, Telluride, Colorado

The  Jud Wiebe Trail begins and ends in Telluride.  From the very top of this terrific trail, you can see the skiers enjoying their stay at the popular Telluride Ski Resort.  This mountain town might be famous for its snow, but the state has roughly 300 beautiful days of sunshine too.

This particular trail is about three miles in total.  More importantly, it’s comparatively dry most of the year.  If you venture there following a snowstorm, bundle up and consider microspikes.  Veteran visitors confirm that this hike is at least as beautiful beneath a blanket of virgin snow.

In the summer, southern Utah’s dry heat often deters many hikers.  In the winter, though, any warmth is welcomed.  Zion National Park’s Mars-like landscape is reported to be as stunning in the winter.  Some say it’s even more attractive under a layer of snow.

It’s an unexacting three-mile trip transporting you to a unique landscape of prickly pear cacti and colored sandstone spires that basks beneath the desert sun all year long.  Get gear from Parks Project and support America’s national parks while hiking since this specific brand actually donates to various park conservation efforts.