From our our basecamp in the suburbs of Vancouver BC we've been lucky to explore much of Western North America. Since our time is limited we made use of extensive research, thanks in no small part to personal websites like this one. We created this website to pay forward the tips we received and have structured it in a way that you can quickly focus on just the best hikes.

	Guide to the Northwest - Top Ten List
	Guide to the Mountain West - Top Ten List
	Guide to the Southwest - Top Ten List

Along the way we have also encountered much wildlife. Like our hiking guide it isn't meant to be a complete list of every possible species but rather a comprehensive list of the most common and most interesting species out there.

	Birds
	Mammals
	Reptiles

Just a small town girl

Karen is responsible for nearly all the photography on this website. She also has portfolios on Zenfolio Flickr and is featured on All Canada Photos. In addition to photography she also creates humorous nature videos.

A city boy, born & raised in South Detroit (Windsor, ON)

David is responsible for nearly all the writing on this website. He also has a Wordpress Blog.

These days we can usually be found online as David¹ and Karen² at NWHikers.net

Hiking with Kids has been quite the learning experience. They are still too young to go on most of our hikes however we are looking forward to taking them on more trips in the future.

We've also had the pleasure of hiking with many other people, our regular partners are awarded badges and are celebrated in our Hall of Fame

Our wedding at Sentinel Pass in Banff National Park

Our secret to getting the most out of hiking:
Don't Stop!

● 1996 ● Kennedy Hot Springs, Glacier Peak Wilderness, WA ● High Falls Creek, Coast Mountains, BC ● Garibaldi Lake, Coast Mountains, BC ● High Divide, Mt Baker Wilderness, WA ● Skyline Divide, Mt Baker Wilderness, WA ● Taylor Meadows and Garibaldi Lake, Coast Mountains, BC ● 1997 ● High Falls Creek, Coast Mountains, BC ● Ape Cave, Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, WA ● Shannon Falls, Coast Mountains, BC ● Half Dome, Yosemite National Park, CA ● Mt. Frosty, Manning Provincial Park, BC ● 1998 ● Devils Garden, Arches National Park, UT ● Delicate Arch, Arches National Park, UT ● South Kaibab, Grand Canyon National Park, AZ ● Angels' Landing, Zion National Park, UT ● Observation Point, Zion National Park, UT ● Queen's Garden, Bryce Canyon National Park, UT ● Joffre Lakes, Coast Mountains, BC ● Cape Alava/Sandpoint Loop, Olympic National Park, WA ● Skyline Divide, Mt Baker Wilderness, WA ● Cascade Pass to Sahale Arm, North Cascades National Park, WA ● Hidden Lake Lookout, North Cascades National Park, WA ● Rhor Lake, Coast Mountains, BC ● Cerise Creek, Coast Mountains, BC ● 1999 ● Stein Canyon, Coast Mountains, BC ● Rubble Creek, Coast Mountains, BC ● Lake 22, North Cascades, WA ● Horseshoe Basin, Pasayten Wilderness, WA ● Spider Meadow, Glacier Peak Wilderness, WA ● Widgeon Lake, Coast Mountains, BC ● Blue Lake, North Cascades National Park, WA ● Heather/Maple Pass Loop, North Cascades, WA ● Easy Pass, North Cascades National Park, WA ● Railroad Grade, Mt. Baker Wilderness, WA ● 2000 ● Elowah Falls, Tunnel Falls, Oneonta Gorge Loop, Multnomah Falls Loop and Latourell Falls, Columbia River Gorge, OR ● Ape Cave, Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, WA ● Mt. Townsend, Olympic National Forest, WA ● Dungeness Spit, Olympic Peninsula, WA ● Hoh Rain Forest to Glacier Meadows, Olympic National Park, WA ● Landslide Lake, Strathcona Provincial Park, BC ● Crest Mt, Strathcona Provincial Park, BC ● Squire Creek Pass, Mountain Loop, WA ● Goat Lake, Glacier Peak Wilderness, WA ● Green Mountain, Glacier Peak Wilderness, WA ● Wedgemount Lake, Garibaldi Provincial Park, BC ● Mt. Hartzel, Joffre Group, Coast Mountains, BC ● Brandywine Mountain, Coast Mountains, BC ● Mt. Winchester, Mt. Baker Wilderness, WA ● Table Mountain, Mt Baker Wilderness, WA ● Wilcox Pass, Jasper National Park, AB ● Cirque Peak, Banff National Park, AB ● Iceline, Yoho National Park, BC ● Alpine Circuit, Lake O'Hara, Yoho National Park, BC ● Lake Byrne, Glacier Peak Wilderness, WA ● Joffre Lakes, Coast Mountains, BC ● 2001 ● Ryan Mountain, Joshua Tree National Park, CA ● High Falls Creek, Coast Mountains, BC ● Summit of Mt. St. Helens via Monitor Ridge, WA ● Mt. Dickerman, Mountain Loop, WA ● Green Lakes, Three Sisters Wilderness, OR ● Summit of South Sister, Three Sisters Wilderness, OR ● Thornton Lakes & Trappers Peak, North Cascades National Park, WA ● Crowfoot Pass, Banff National Park, AB ● Bow Hut, Banff National Park, AB ● Sentinel Pass, Banff National Park, AB ● Ptarmigan Ridge, Mt. Baker Wilderness, WA ● Skyline Divide, Mt Baker Wilderness, WA ● Windy Gap, Mt. Rainier National Park, WA ● Musical Bumps to Russet Lake, Garibaldi Provincial Park, BC ● Panorama Ridge, Garibaldi Provincial Park, BC ● Lakes Basin, Eagle Cap Wilderness, OR ● Artists Ridge, Mt. Baker Wilderness, WA ● Summit Trail, Mt. Revelstoke National Park, BC ● 2002 ● Kirkwood, Heavenly & Squaw Valley, Lake Tahoe, CA ● Mono Lake & Hot Creek, Eastern Sierras, CA ● Telescope Peak, Death Valley National Park, CA ● Badwater, Zabrinski Point and Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, Death Valley National Park, CA ● Mammoth Mountain, Eastern Sierras, CA ● Garibaldi Lake, Coast Mountains, BC ● Joffre Lakes, Coast Mountains, BC ● Bumpass Hell, Lassen National Park, CA ● Lassen Peak, Lassen National Park, CA ● Mc Arthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park, CA ● Summit of Mt. Shasta via Avalanche Gulch, Shasta National Forest, CA ● Oregon Caves National Monument, OR ● Damnation Creek, Redwoods National Park, CA ● Stout Grove, Jedediah Smith State Park, CA ● Garfield Peak, Crater Lake National Park, OR ● Burroughs Mountain, Mt. Rainier National Park, WA ● Natches Peak Loop, Mt. Rainier National Park, WA ● Summerland, Mt. Rainier National Park, WA ● Spider Meadow to Image Lake, Glacier Peak Wilderness, WA ● Tundra Lake, Stein Valley Heritage Park, BC ● Heliotrope Ridge, Mt. Baker Wilderness, WA ● Lake of the Hanging Glacier, Purcell Mountains, BC ● Akimina Ridge, Waterton National Park, AB ● Lineham Ridge, Waterton National Park, AB ● Grinnell Glacier, Glacier National Park, MT ● High Pass, Mt. Baker Wilderness, WA ● Wedgemount Lake, Garibaldi Provincial Park, BC ● 2003 ● Wailua Falls, Kauai, HI ● Pu'u o Kila Lookout, Koke'e State Park, Kauai, HI ● Kalalau Trail, Na Pali Coast State Park, Kauai, HI ● Lava Butte & Lava River Tube, Newberry Volcanic Monument, OR ● Dog Mountain, Columbia River Gorge, WA ● Summit of Mt. Adams via South Spur, Mt. Adams Wilderness, WA ● Mt. Temple, Banff National Park, AB ● Conrad Kain Hut, Bugaboo Provincial Park, BC ● Burstall Pass, Banff National Park, AB ● Mt. Indefatigable, Kananaskis Provincial Park, AB ● Elfin Lakes, Garibaldi Provincial Park, BC ● Mt. Curtis Gilbert, Goat Rocks Wilderness, WA ● Berg Lake and Snowbird Pass, Mt. Robson Provincial Park, BC ● Spray Park, Mt. Rainier National Park, WA ● Comet Falls, Mt. Rainier National Park, WA ● Rainbow Lake, Coast Mountain, BC ● Hannegan Peak, North Cascades National Park, WA ● Table Mountain, Mt Baker Wilderness, WA ● Wing Lake, North Cascades, WA ● Twin One Glacier, Coast Mountains, BC ● Skyline Divide, Mt Baker Wilderness, WA ● 2004 ● Kiholo Bay and Green Sand Beach, Big Island of Hawai'i, HI ● Halema'uma'u Crater and Chain of Craters Road, Hawaiian Volcanoes National Park, HI ● Mauna Kea and Captain Cook Monument, Big Island of Hawai'i, HI ● Umpqua Dunes, Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, OR ● Proxy Falls, Willamette National Forest, OR ● Trail of Ten Falls, Silver Falls State Park, OR ● Helmcken Falls and Spahats Canyon, Wells Gray Provincial Park, BC ● Cheam Peak, Chilliwack Forest District, BC ● High Divide, Mt Baker Wilderness, WA ● Blackcomb Mountain, Coast Mountains, BC ● Heather Trail, Manning Provincial Park, BC ● Wapta Falls, Yoho National Park, BC ● Mt. Fairview, Banff National Park, AB ● Lake Magog, Mt. Assiniboine Provincial Park, BC ● Consolation Lakes, Banff National Park, AB ● Yellow Aster Butte, Mt. Baker Wilderness, WA ● Blue Lake, North Cascades National Park, WA ● Wing Lake, North Cascades, WA ● 2005 Lindeman Lake, Chilliwack Lake Provincial Park, BC ● Joffre Lakes, Coast Mountains, BC ● Goat Mountain, Mt. Baker Wilderness, WA ● Skyline Loop, Mt. Rainier National Park, WA ● Indian Henry's Hunting Ground, Mt. Rainier National Park, WA ● Adams Creek Meadows, Mt. Adams Wilderness, WA ● Bird Creek Meadows, Mt. Adams Wilderness, WA ● Paradise Park, Mt Hood Wilderness, OR ● Burroughs Mountain, Mt. Rainier National Park, WA ● Railroad Grade, Mt. Baker Wilderness, WA ● Rainbow Ridge, Mt. Baker Wilderness, WA ● Larch Valley, Banff National Park, AB ● Larix Lake, Banff National Park, AB ● Lake McArthur, Yoho National Park, BC ● Blue Pool and Red Sand Beach, Maui , HI ● Pipiwai Trail, Haleakela National Park, Maui , HI ● Maui , HI ● The Fishbowl and the Aquarium, Ahihi-Kina'u Natural Area Reserve, Maui , HI ● 2006 ● Summit of Golden Ears, Golden Ears Provincial Park, BC ● Heliotrope Ridge, Mt. Baker Wilderness, WA ● Panorama Ridge, Garibaldi Provincial Park, BC ● Snow & Bench Lakes, Mt. Rainier National Park, WA ● Van Trump Park, Mt. Rainier National Park, WA ● Pinnacle Saddle, Mt. Rainier National Park, WA ● Skyline Loop, Mt. Rainier National Park, WA ● Ptarmigan Ridge, Mt. Baker Wilderness, WA ● Lake Ann, Mt. Baker Wilderness, WA ● Blum Lakes, North Cascades National Park, WA ● Snowking Traverse, Glacier Peak Wilderness, WA ● Monica Meadows, Purcell Mountains, BC ● Park Butte & Scott Paul, Mt. Baker Wilderness, WA ● Lake McArthur, Lake O'Hara and Odaray Prospect, Yoho National Park, BC ● Colchuck Lake to Gnome Tarn, the Enchantments, Alpine Lakes Wilderness, WA ● Mt. Winchester, Mt. Baker Wilderness, WA ● 2007 ● Cleman Mountain, Oak Creek Wildlife Area, Wenatchee National Forest, WA ● Kolob Canyons, Zion National Park, UT ● The Subway, Zion National Park, UT ● Wire Pass to confluence with Buckskin Gulch, Pariah Canyon-Vermillion Cliffs Wilderness Area, UT ● Horseshoe Bend, Colorado River, Page, AZ ● The Wave, Coyote Buttes North, AZ ● Havasu Falls and Mooney Falls, Havasupai Reservation, AZ ● Sunrise Point, Bryce Canyon National Park, UT ● Mt. Dickerman, Mountain Loop, WA ● Coast Trail, East Sooke Regional Park, BC ● Welcome Pass, Mt. Baker Wilderness, WA ● Ruth Mountain, North Cascades National Park, WA ● Dog Mountain, Mt. Seymour Provincial Park, BC ● Timberline Trail from Top Spur to Elk Cove, McNeil Point and Barrett Spur, Mt. Hood Wilderness, OR ● High Note, Whistler Resort, Coast Mountains, BC ● Grouse Ridge, Mt. Baker Wilderness, WA ● Opal Cone and Rampart Ponds, Garibaldi Provincial Park, BC ● Brandywine Mountain, Coast Mountains, BC ● 2008 ● Lamar Valley Yellowstone National Park, WY ● Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone National Park, WY ● Oxbow Bend, Snake River Overlook and Moulton's Barn, Grand Teton National Park, WY ● St. Mary Falls, Glacier National Park, MT ● Mt. Price, Garibaldi Provincial Park, BC ● Glacier View, Mt Rainier National Park, WA ● Grove of the Patriarchs, Mt Rainier National Park, WA ● Ingalls Lake, Alpine Lakes Wilderness, WA ● Skyline Divide, Mt Baker Wilderness, WA ● Ramona Falls, Mt. Hood Wilderness, OR ● Seven Lakes Basin, Olympic National Park, WA ● Tuck and Robin Lakes, Alpine Lakes Wilderness, WA ● Park Butte Lookout, Mt. Baker Wilderness, WA ● Lake Ann, Mt. Baker Wilderness, WA ● Healy Pass, Banff National Park, AB ● Nub Peak, Mt. Assiniboine Provincial Park, AB ● Lake McArthur, Yoho National Park, BC ● Cutthroat Pass, North Cascades, WA ● 2009 ● Dragon's Teeth and Honolua Bay, Maui, HI ● Hosmer Grove, Haleakela National Park, Maui, HI ● Mt. Ellinor, Olympic National Forest, WA ● Alouette Mountain, Golden Ears Provincial Park, BC ● Tonquin Valley, Jasper National Park, AB ● Wilcox Pass, Jasper National Park, AB ● Emerald Ridge and Klapatche Park, Mt. Rainier National Park, WA ● Hadley Peak via Cougar Divide, Mt. Baker Wilderness, WA ● Whatcom Pass and Tapto Lakes, North Cascades National Park, WA ● Lake Byrne via Lost Creek Ridge, Glacier Peak Wilderness, WA ● Salal Creek to Athelney Pass, Coast Mountains, BC ● Tank Lakes via Necklace Valley, Alpine Lakes Wilderness, WA ● Sapphire Lakes, Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park, BC ● Silent Lakes via Easy Pass, North Cascades National Park, WA ● Island Lake and Titcomb Basin, Wind River Range, WY ● Cirque of the Towers, Wind River Range, WY ● Oxbow Bend, Grand Teton National Park, WY ● Grand Prismatic Spring and Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park, WY ● Cheakamus Lake, Garibaldi Provincial Park, BC ● Queen's Garden, Bryce Canyon National Park, UT ● Willis Creek Canyon, Peek-a-boo Canyon, Spooky Canyon, Coyote Gulch, Devil's Garden, Calf Creek Falls, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, UT ● Goblin Valley State Park, San Rafeal Swell, UT ● Chesler Park, Needles District, Canyonlands National Park, UT ● White Rim, Mesa Arch, Island in the Sky District, Canyonlands National Park, UT ● Windows Arch, Double Arch and Delicate Arch, Arches National Park, UT ● 2010 ● Aransas Wildlife Refuge, Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center, Charlie's Pasture, Mustang Island State Park, Hazel Bazemore Park, Blucher Park, TX ● Mist Trail, Yosemite National Park, CA ● Mono Lake, Eastern Sierras, CA ● Big Pine Lakes, John Muir Wilderness, CA ● Thousand Island Lake and Garnet Lakes, Ansel Adams Wilderness, CA ● Blanca Lake, Wild Sky Wilderness, WA ● Lake of the Hanging Glacier, Purcell Mountains, BC ● Parker Ridge, Jasper National Park, AB ● Plain of Six Glaciers, Banff National Park, AB ● Caldron Lake, Banff National Park, AB ● Windy Ridge, Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, WA ● Cooper Spur, Mt. Hood Wilderness, OR ● Little Annapurna, The Enchantments, Alpine Lakes Wilderness, WA ● Ape Lake, Coast Mountains, BC ● Kendall Katwalk, Alpine Lakes Wilderness, WA ● The Enchantments via Colchuck Lake, Alpine Lakes Wilderness, WA ● 2011 ● Wenas Wildlife Area, WA ● San Juan Island National Historic Park, WA ● Goblin Valley State Park, San Rafeal Swell, UT ● Cathedral Valley, Capitol Reef National Park, UT ● Spooky Canyon and Calf Creek Falls, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, UT ● Wire Pass to confluence with Buckskin Gulch, Pariah Canyon-Vermillion Cliffs Wilderness Area, UT ● The Wave, Coyote Buttes North, AZ ● Yellow Rock, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, UT ● Cedar Breaks National Monument, UT ● Bryce Canyon National Park, UT ● Antelope Island State Park, Great Salt Lake, UT ● Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Great Salt Lake, UT ● Meeks Table, Alpine Lakes Wilderness, WA ● Mt. Kobau, Southern Okanogan Grasslands Protected Area and Vaseux Lake Wildlife Area, BC ● Monica Meadows, Jumbo Pass, BC and MacBeth Icefield, Purcell Mountains, BC ● Gwillim Lakes, Valhalla Provincial Park, BC ● Copperstain Pass, Glacier National Park, BC ● Cobalt Lake, Bugaboo Provincial Park, BC ● Dinky Peak, Mt. Seymour Provincial Park, BC ● Banshee Peak via Summerland, Mt. Rainier National Park, WA ● Snow Lake, Alpine Lakes Wilderness, WA ● The Enchantments via Snow Lake, Alpine Lakes Wilderness, WA ● The Narrows, Zion National Park, UT ● White Pocket, Pariah Canyon-Vermillion Cliffs Wilderness Area, AZ ● Bryce Canyon National Park, UT ● Peek-a-boo Canyon, Spooky Canyon, Coyote Gulch, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, UT ● Valley of Fire State Park and Red Rock Canyon, NV ● Rattlesnake Ledges, Alpine Lakes Wilderness, WA ● 2012 ● Columbia Wildlife Refuge, WA ● San Juan Island National Historic Park, WA ●