Lakeshore Trail

The Lakeshore Trail is one of the most remote day hikes — or overnight backpacks — in the lower 48, and getting to the trailhead is half the adventure. You'll arrive by boat or floatplane to Stehekin, a tiny community with no road access, then set off along the western shore of Lake Chelan through old-growth forest, past cascading side creeks, and along stretches where the turquoise lake fills every gap in the trees. The trail rolls through moderate ups and downs as it traces the shoreline, weaving between dense cedar groves and sun-blasted rocky sections. At seventeen miles one way, this isn't a casual stroll — it's a full commitment that rewards with lakeside camps, swimming holes, and the kind of quiet you only find when cars literally cannot reach you. Backpackers and solitude addicts will be in heaven.