In the United States, no one can deny that part of thrill of backpacking is the challenge of meeting and conquering the terrain on foot and exciting moments that make your heart race.
But there are some hikes that are more dangerous than others and you should only attempt them at your own risk!
Utah
Utah is a state that is ideal for backpacking but there are a couple of journeys that should only be attempted by the pros. One of those is “The Maze†located in Canyonlands National Park. It is an immeasurable rock wilderness found in the southeastern part of the state.
Its center is the convergence of the Colorado and Green Rivers where the passing of the millennia has carved the sandstone layers of rock into astounding forms with a wide array of colors.
The dangerous aspect of this trip is that it’s filled with dead end canyons. You can wander in and out of a jungle made out of redrock seemingly forever.
A park ranger remarked that it might be as long as three days before a rescue party would reach you. Inexperienced backpackers don’t want to find themselves here without an expert leading the way.
Buckskin Gulch can be found along one of the tributaries of the Paria River in the southern region of Utah. Buckskin Gulch is considered to be the deepest and longest slot canyon in Southwestern Utah. It is a twisting bottleneck made of sandstone and a torturous journey.
The walls are narrow and it seems as if a 12 mile slash tunnels as if there is no end through to the desert in the southern part of the state. Buckskin Gulch has been declared by many that as a slot canyon that is the most dangerous in the country.
Glacier National Park, Montana
Montana is often referred to as Big Sky Country but it has mountains that reach far into that “Big Sky.†Those that have dared the Huckleberry Mountain can say that if you spit you might end up hitting a grizzly bear.
It is said that in the Lower 48 states that Glacier National Park has the highest density when it comes to bears.
Besides having to navigate the rough terrain of the trail, one has to worry they will meet a bear just around the bend. This is especially true during the summer season and autumn as hungry grizzlies are foraging for plump and tasty fruit that can be found ripening as you trek the Apgar/Huckleberry Lookout Trail.
