How do you find trials or plan trips.

[West michigan]

I am lucky the Red is in my backyard. There are many unofficial trails to some nice sites. I would highly recommend it. I am helping to lead a trip (3D2N Sat-Mon) there over Memorial Day weekend if there is interest.

I’d like to go this weekend as I have Monday off also
7.5 hr drive
Need recommendations and I like loops

[Scarecrow]

Not sure if this would be applicable to where you're at, but here in my neck of the woods I tend to find places to hike by reviewing our national forest map in PDF format. It shows all the hiking trails and OHV routes as well as many other points of interest. When I see a spot that peaks my interest, I'll do a Google search for that location/trail, and see what comes up in the results. Usually, I'll find a trip report or at least a website that has more detailed information about it. Gaia GPS and their website have been good too, but for some reason, the app hasn't been working worth a hill of beans on my phone lately.

[Acbigbear]

AllTrails.com


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[Acbigbear]

https://www.alltrails.com/


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[jeff-oh]

I’d like to go this weekend as I have Monday off also
7.5 hr drive
Need recommendations and I like loops

Trail map here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE...rdb5276793.pdf

Tunnel Ridge Rd is currently closed for maintenance. It is a gravel road and this likely means grading. Could be done by the weekend, but watch USFS web site for details.

As a first time doing the heart of the Red is not a bad place to start. Note: there is an overnight parking permit required $5/3days and is available at all the gas stations and at the Gladie Visitor Center. You can park at the lot off Chimney Top Rd. Trail 221. Head West on the Rough trail. Past Grays Arch looping back on 205, 223,226,and 220.

A great place to camp is at the many sites near Hanson's point. (can google map's it: 37.816640, -83.626684) This is an unofficial spur trail and the side trial is to the North of the Rough Trail just west of where the Pinch 'em Tight (223) intersects. (at the two vertical tick marks on the trail map.)

Also Lunch Rock is a nice Spur Trail just past the rock climb (you'll know it when you get there (15 foot 60 climb).

Here is my AllTrails trace of my trip from last year. Though it is not this exact trip it does clearly point out the two spur trails to the rock cliffs. It also has many great camp sites marked.
https://www.alltrails.com/explore/re...iver-gorge--31

The trip laid out is the one Adventure Archives did in their Youtube Video: https://youtu.be/heNaZCmIjPY Actually re-do the AA trip. It is the same as above but starts on the West end of the Gorge. I started at the East end (Brian's route in AA video (trail map @ the 1:12 point in video)

As a final suggestion, must do a post trip stop Miguel's Pizza (37.783249, -83.682984) and get a great pizza and enjoy a cold Ky local beverage: A-late-1. Also on Google Maps.

Enjoy.

[87warrior]

The US Forest Service has improved the usability of their mapping system two-fold over the past few years. While the map won't show state forest lands, you can quickly find trails in the National Forest(s).

https://www.fs.fed.us/ivm/

[Tyroler Holzhacker]

I also like to use google earth to do a 3-D map recon of potential trails. Topo maps 5.0 is a new app i just installed on my Iphone that looks promising, although I have yet to test it. I prefer paper maps in case my iphone battery dies while on the trail.

[DannyRosa]

Thanks for all the replies guys. Love this community

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[OCDave]

... Trying to find some weekend trips but I'm getting a little overwhelmed on where to start or how to find some loops. ... I'm in northeast PA and I'm willing to drive honestly up to 6 hrs really. ...

I take a lot of road trips with the family. From MN we've driven to Washington DC, Key West, the Parks of Utah, Yellowstone, Glacier and this Spring we toured California.

Start with a google map of home, zoom out until you are at the limit of how far you want to travel. Find anything green on your map. Zoom in and explore. Does it look appealing? If yes, plan from there. If no, zoom out and find the next green patch.

Adventure starts when you are willing to leave the house with a less than certain outcome. Explore what's close then keep going.

[Smckinney0031]

Check out the app alltrails. It offers hiking maps for all states! You might find some great spots that way

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