62page

60 BACKPACKER 03.2014 S P R I N G W E A T H E R A R R I V E S E A R L Y in Big and Little Dominguez Canyons, which sit within the rain shadow of 11,237-foot Grand Mesa (the larg- est flat-topped mountain in the world). The scant snow that falls here melts by late March, so when other parts of the state are still buried beneath 20-foot drifts, the Dominguez paths are dry—and bedecked with pink and yellow prickly pear cac- tus flowers. Best of all, these canyons’ perennial streams provide ample access to water. For a two-night, 25-mile escape into sandstone country, start at Bridgeport trailhead (off US Route 50) and cross the 200-foot-wide Gunnison River via a footbridge. Hike .8 mile south to Bridgeport Campground (a popular stop for rafters and a useful crash pad for hikers arriving Friday night; no services), then con- tinue .8 mile to the confluence of Big and Little Dominguez Canyons. Take the right fork into Big Dominguez, where orange sandstone cliffs sit atop the jet-black schist carved by the creek. Its tributaries become little waterfalls in April and May, during high-country snowmelt. A mile from the canyons’ confluence, look for petroglyph panels depicting serpents and sheep, then scan the base of the cliffs for the real thing (sheep, that is—bighorns and their lambs graze here in April). Continue 7.5 more miles to a rocky bench overlooking a waterfall-fed swimming hole, and pitch your tent (free, no permit required) for a 9.5-mile first day (or, camp earlier and dayhike if your legs feel rusty). Next morning, retrace your steps to hike south into Little Dominguez Canyon, where a less obvious (but easily discernible) foot- path parallels the stream. Meander through fra- grant sage and camp beneath broad stone alcoves 2.8 miles from the junction. Return north to Bridgeport on day three. DENVER, CO DOMINGUEZ CANYON WILDERNESS AREA Explore a canyon oasis. YOUR TRIP YOUR TOWN IT’S THE PERFECT PAIRING: The 18-mile Lakeshore Trail serves up constant panoramas of ice-capped summits towering 8,000 feet above Lake Chelan, but the low-elevation, south- facing path offers snowless hiking by April 1. The only catch? Trailhead access is by ferry only (from Field Point; $24 one- way; ladyofthelake.com) and service is limited in April (near- guaranteed solitude, but hikers must plan an out-and-back from Stehekin, the trail’s northern end). From Stehekin, hike to mile 7 for the best overnight option. To enjoy the whole route in the same amount of time, go in May and request a ferry drop-off at Prince Creek, the trail’s southern tip. The trek starts among yellow glacier lilies and a rainbow of other wildflowers as it ventures northwest, linking lakeside views of steep-sided peaks with pine-scented stretches of inland forest (several creek crossings make water shoes handy). Camp at Meadow Creek Shelter at mile 8 (it lacks lake views, but offers lockers to protect food from resident black bears) or press on for 3 more miles to Moore Point, a peninsula extending into the 33,300-acre lake. A 2013 wildfire thinned its trees (avoid camping beneath snags) and expanded the panoramas from this already-scenic spot; those eye-popping views, along with easier walking on day two, call for a leisurely start the next morning. Climb to 1,600- foot Hunts Bluff to savor the trip’s best vistas, with the Cascades’ arrow-like summits piercing the sky above Lake Chelan’s turquoise waters, before descending to water level (where the path remains all the way to Stehekin). Once there, catch the afternoon ferry back to Field Point. PHILADELPHIA, PA Get “back to nature” on New Jersey’s Batona Trail with an easy, 17.6-mile, two-night shuttle hike that offers spring-blooming orchids and sundews. bit.ly/Batona; 1 hour drive CINCINNATI, OH Make a quick getaway to East Fork State Park’s 14-mile, hiker-only Backpack Trail, where April brings rumbling creeks and falls. Rainy- day bonus: Campsites 1 and 2 have shelters. bit.ly/ EastForkSP; 1 hour drive Scratch your itch for alpine splendor. LAKE CHELAN NATIONAL RECREATION AREA YOUR TRIP SPOKANE, WA YOUR TOWN RAIN-SHADOWED: THE PEAKS BORDERING LAKE CHELAN ARE TALLER THAN THE CASCADES TO THE WEST, BUT ARE DRIER AND MELT OUT EARLIER. P H O T O S B Y D O N P A U L S O N P H O T O G R A P H Y / A G E F O T O S T O C K ( L E F T ) ; T O M B O L INFO FS.USDA.GOV/MAIN/OKAWEN DRIVE TIME FROM SPOKANE 3 HOURS, 20 MINUTES INFO BIT.LY/DOMINGUEZWILD DRIVE TIME FROM DENVER 4 HOURS, 20 MINUTES YOUR TOWN, YOUR TRIP