As a Colorado local, a PCT hiker, and the Sierra section in a few weeks......hiking any of the 56 14ers is best done before noon, starting before sunrise with a headlamp. We are known for afternoon storms, hail, etc. Stay safe, stay free! Great recommendations!!!!

Love that you recommended the Donner Summit stretch, it's such a crazy piece of early California history (also I live right outside Agua Dulce and thank you so much for inspiring me to get over to Vasquez Rocks and hike a local piece of the trail!!)

Hey Dixie- thought I'd add my 2 cents for a good spot. I've not hiked the whole way, but the 14 mile section of the AT from Carver's Gap to Hwy 19E which traverses the Roan Mountain Highlands at the Tennessee/ North Carolina border is a memorable spot. I could not believe the views from the balds up there, and one day, I hope to get back up there and spend a couple days. If you time it right (mid to late June) the Rhododendron blume makes for a real 'mountaintop experience.' With the abundant open views and your penchant for doing a celebratory twirl at such locations makes me wonder how you made it through the area with your internal gyro intact, as constant twirling would be in order across the whole area, with maybe a vocalization of "The Hills Are Alive...." And many thanks for your posts- you're an inspiration!

I was hoping you would post something like this and here it is! The filming and photography in your episodes is always top notch. A good side endeavor might be to put out a Dixie Trail Hiking Calendar with your beautiful scenery photography for each month of the year. Am also interested in any videos you would like to make compiling your favorite and most beautiful spots on each of the three trails. No need for info on how to hike them, just video or pics of your favorite or most beautiful spots. Thanks!

Dixie, can't thank you enough for your channel and all the effort that goes into it. It was enough to help my 16 year old son to backpack North Done and Whitney last summer. We live in Missouri and had zero experience and not been above 1000 feet. My daughter's turn is next year and she chose Colorado. You just cemented the trail we will choose. Thanks again.

Can you imagine what Granny Dixie will be like after a lifetime of hiking?! Her grandbabies are going to sit around her and listen to *incredible* stories.

how many people get a smile on their face every Wednesday when Dixie comes on with a video.?. i do. never a dull subject. thanks Dixie stay safe and warm.

Living just outside Pearisburg,VA I would agree with the VA sections you mentioned....I'm lucky that I'm 90 miles from Damascus and about 35 from McAffee and Tinker Cliffs area...Mt Rogers area never gets old to me....thanks for sharing ..

I grew up with that section of the PCT basically in my back yard. Desolation wilderness is my heart and soul. 💕

Seattle local here. Just discussing with friends that we do the Snoqualmie to Stevens section later this summer. I can't wait!

I'm born and raised in South Lake Tahoe...so glad to see a shout out so close to home. :)

A friend of mine was telling me about Mt. Rogers today. He said the ponies gather in a large blueberry field there. Apparently, many of the ponies are gathered and sold each year to help control the population. I haven’t been past NC on the AT. Sounds like a good stretch. Thanks!

Wow Dixie this is the perfect video for me. At 57 and with family and scouting obligations there is no way I can take 6 months off but I can take a week or two or three and these are fantastic recommendations. And with the way my mind works, I just want someone to point me in the right direction and go. I still have to do my homework but I don't have to pour over hiker sites and get 60 different opinions on what is the best section to do. Very helpful Keep up the good work.

These are great selections. How hard to decide what section hike is the most grand. I agree, everthing on the PCT is awesome. One of my favorite parts is Echo Lake going south to Ebbets Pass, about 45 miles.

The first time I ever saw Old Faithful erupt, was in May of 2012. It was snowing so hard that I could barely tell the geyser was erupting. I knew more from the sound than from what I could see. Enjoyed the video as usual.

The white mountains are beautiful my favorite stretch is from mt mooselauke to Lafayette over the franconia ridge.

Thx Dixie for a timely video in advance of my summer hiking plans. I moved to Tahoe area couple years ago and new to backpacking. Glad to see one of your PCT favs is the desolation wilderness, literally in my backyard 👍. We’ve had a below average snow seasons so far, with the upshot of perhaps being able to hit the trails, snow free in early June unlike last year when we had snow on trails until late July.

You've helped me tremendously in my quest to find a great week-or-so hike somewhere out west (Pennsylvania guy here). Thank you for the video.

I love the Smoky Mountains, from Fontana Dam to Davenport Gap. It’s a very tough section hike but you don’t need to pack a tent as section hikers have priority at the shelters. I’ll be hiking that section again in three weeks. See you on the trail.

Thank you from Lake Tahoe! I also can sit by Lake Aloha for days, as a matter of fact, it was at Lake Aloha last summer that I tore calf muscles and ended my season. And it's Aloha I'm returning to first thing this spring now that I'm healed up. So happy you listed Echo lakes to Donner.

Favorite section on the PCT is definitely the South Lake to North Lake loop. You can fly into Mammoth Lakes airport (United has flights) and Eastern Sierra Transit has a shuttle to Bishop. The loop takes you from South Lake, over Bishop Pass, Dusy Basin, down to LeConte Canyon, some of the most beautiful lakes and meadows, over Muir Pass, and through Evolution Valley. You head back East up Piute Creek trail back to Piute Pass and down to North Lake. Then it’s back to Bishop, California. Total loop is just over fifty miles, so perfect for a week long backpacking trip. I happen to live in Bishop, and it’s one of the best sections of the PCT. Enjoy!

This is a really well put together video. Really impressed with all the detail and great delivery. Looking forward to a 3 day section hike at Grayson next week !

The White Mountains are beautiful. Anyone that lives within reasonable driving distance should make it a point to hike that area.

This is a great big help you should do more break downs like this ..who better to review short hikes than you. I have been going through all yours and seeking lost videos of the CDT to figure out about a ten day hike..very helpful thanks

Thank you for doing this video! It’s a dream of mine to one day so the full PCT but in the meantime section hiking is more doable. Idnn b love to hear some of your favorite shorter thru hikes! Planning on doing the JMT next year! 💕

Love your hikes and videos. I’m not a hiker (going to try) but lucky I’m in Boston close to NH/Maine/Vermont. There’s places in Maine, Rangely area where you are almost guaranteed to see moose. I like the western mountains and lakes but Acadia National Park in Maine is incredible.

Omg I didn’t know I needed this video but now I’m so happy u made it!!!

Hello Dixie, thank you for sharing another great video, very informative. You chose several of the most picturesque areas in America. All the best to you Dear and your family. Be safe, take care and always take time to have fun. 🤗

Another great video. Just a few days ago I finished watching your CDT through hike, I know, but in my defense I only discovered your channel a month or so ago. Any way, it's great to go to the experience through your eyes. You're amazing

05:35 "might would" !;) Long a fan of might could, and even the occasional mayhap, but I somehow never considered might would.

I absolutely love Snoqualmie Pass. I would have said Wind Rivers, but I get to hike there every year. Thanks for all the great options.

I really liked the section of the PCT north of Carson Pass starting from the Snow Park (parking lot) on HWY 88. That was a really pretty section to hike and you can go up to I think it is HWY 89 or just do it as an out and back. Definitely going to check out the desolation wilderness section from Echo lake north. That looks like a beautiful area. Have been really wanting to do some hiking around the desolation wilderness area so this might be a good place to start.

I’m so pumped about this video Dixie. Me and one of my good friends from high school are meeting up to hike the exact section (Tahoe) of the PCT this summer!!! I’m driving out from Texas to meet him to do it. I can’t wait. It’s kind of crazy because I grew up in California and I have never done this section of the PCT. I’ve done sections north of Tahoe (Plumas Co.area)but not this one.

The Smokies are awesome you have many options to make a loops using the AT and other side trails

I live 40 mins from echo lake and your right the area is magical

Fantastic, thank you....I emailed you with a question back in 2017(Felipe Castellon), you answered and said to go out and hike more. 3/25/2020 start date, PCT. The question was regarding hiking with a puffy and then freezing when it gets wet. Thank you Dixie. I don't get bored of your videos and find them very helpful and entertaining.

I work as a waiter/ bartender in the White's it is beautiful, I will be attempting the AT in 2021

On Breckenridge transport, I snowboard so know it very well. Renting a car works ok, but it’s not great economically, I live in Texas and find it better to drive my truck up, but that’s personal preference. However you get to silverthorn, once you are in any of the ski towns in the area they have a great shuttle service, they are having staff issues right now, so they arrive 20-40 mins apart instead of 20 mins apart like normal, and they bring you to any of the ski towns west of Denver, and around them. Most stops have indoor areas, but be dressed to sit in the cold, I once stood out in the 2 degree night for about an hour and a half at various stops, in a 10 meter visibility snow storm, not fun even in snowboard gear. I don’t want to dissuade you, the service is amazing, that was basically my only bad experience with it, it is also free and relatively quick. Especially in summer I think it must be awesome.

Great video Dixie for those of us who don't have the grit or time to thru hike the whole trails!

If you check out her vids you will see that she returned to Oregon this year to hike the sections she missed - with her pup and Mom!

Hi I live in NorCal, so echo lake to donner is a favorite. Hiked it 2018. I hope to do the northern Washington section this summer. I love section hiking, just have the time for a thru hike. Always enjoy your vids and narration along with your opinions.

I just snowshoed at Echo Lake a couple of weeks ago! That section is totally doable for me if I take the time off work. :)

Thanks Dixie for all the info you offer us.🥰

Come try the Ouachita Trail! It's 223 miles from Oklahoma to Arkansas and like a mini AT. It takes most people 10-15 days. Lots of terrain change, plenty of water (other than one 20-mile section), 21 shelters, and a great group of people maintaining/supporting the trail.

Yet another excellent video for new hikers as well as those coming into the States from elsewhere with limited time. On a side note, you'd make a great public speaker. I forgot what your career is/was, but you're very good at it. Thanks again for all your insight!

Onion Valley to Bishop pass via Dusy Basin or if your up for it keep going to Paiute Pass via Evolution basin and Humphreys Basin.

That first section you mention with lake aloha is actually called desolation wilderness. A cool hike that’s available is the tahoe rim trail which is a 170 mile loop around Lake Tahoe.

I did the Damascus, VA to the Partnership Shelter section back in August 2016. I came back 10 days later with my mountain bike and rode the Virginia Creeper Trail which shares the AT for about 1/4 mile.

Thanks Dixie great video 👍😀

Hi Dixie, I don't konw if you're looking for ideas for content to create videos, but things like this is what I look for. I look for videos from thru hikers of their "Favorites" or "top 5's" of everything & anything regarding the AT. Thanks & great job!

Thankyou Dixie! We've been planning out some section hikes so this was really helpful. May we're taking Sampson (our dog) on his first backpacking trip on the AT. Next is Colorado. We'll see from there. My wife hasn't seen the Rockies before so she may want to do that again. After that I'm retired so it's long hikes everywhere!!

Great video for those of us that are supercharged about your thru-hiking but have been more excited about sections on the National Scenic Trails rather than full journeys. The two sections of the PCT you pointed to are on my list. I will be in Yellowstone this summer 8-9 days on the Lamar Valley. The most interesting sections of the CDT from me are that strange and wild areas near Cuba NM and the Gila where Aaron went boondocking. On the AT, I have how cool it would be to fly to NYC and take bus north to go to the Whites or the Long Trail access points. In Yellowstone I have had good luck hitching but it was almost always foreign tourists, often with kiddos, that helped me shuttle around. When driving, I was always shuttling young workers from the Lodges to Gardiner or Cooke City to shop or hike.

Or the hike between cheap parking and Jordan-Hare ...that's a good section!

AWESOME!! To see Lake Aloha up front was great! And too funny because I’m looking to hike the Desolation Wilderness section there in a couple weeks. Such a beautiful place on the TRT/PCT👍🏻🤟🏻

I live in Western WA about an hour south of Seatac. There are lots of places to hike in the Cascades area where the PCT goes through. I'd be willing to be a shuttle but only if I can tag along 😉. I enjoy hiking and backpacking and also like being a tour guide.

Fantastic! Those 4 hikes out west look amazing.

I absolutely loved Damascus during trail days and Grayson Highlands (the ponies and that open area) I loved it..didn't wanna leave..and found out there is a huckleberry farm near there...YuM...

Good video good topic. I fall into the category of ppl you named at the beginning so I couldn't do thru hiking. But I'd love to go backpacking so thanks for the list of good sectionals to check out.

8:57 "You're probably gonna wanna crap your pants." Well, that would officially make you a thru-hiker according to a hiker I know trail-named Dixie.

No-No-No (14:37) 😮 - Wonderful video. A nice trip down memory lane. Looking forward to your next journey.

Amazing trails, not much chance of doing any of them though as I am UK based. Still it's wonderful to see al you guys hitting the trails. Guess I will have to stick with Europe trails for now. Thanks for all your videos it's been great watching you travel, keep pressing on 👍🏼😁, Jon.Walker.

I've been to Lake Aloha CA and Grays Peak CO. Both of those place are extremely beautiful and unforgettable!

Fantastic informative video. Some of us don't even know where to start researching these things. Thanks so much for the details...

Thank you for the information. I have learned so much from your videos.

So genuine and honest with your observations and opinion. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and inspiring adventures with us (me) Lol 💕

I'm doing a backpacking trip this Spring and all you video's have given me the confidence to feel prepared and get out there. So thank you! I love your videos, they're fantastic!

thanks for doing this video! I wish I could go see the western ones! I agree with you on some of the AT ones. My favorites were also the Roan/Grayson highlands balds, and the whites (Franconia ridge is the best!), but I love camping at Speck Pond!

Great topic! Thanks for putting this together.

I loved Glacier NP more than even Yosemite. Thru hikers tend to either hit it too early or too late in the season, but section hikers and LASHs can really soak in the beauty!

Hi, Dixie. Thank you so much for doing these videos. I have watched many of them. My dream would be to hike the Camino de Santiago in Northern Spain. My wife and I love hiking, but we are not very experienced. I'm a retired college professor and live in Tucson, Arizona. - DrDave.

Great video, but as a New Mexican I would recommend Grants to Cuba NM..great variety of habitats , mountain forests, open desert, great rock formations.. Maybe even an experienced mountain lion. (Already tamed by Dixie)

Snoquamie Pass to Stevens is a great hike, I did it in Aug 2018. The trailhead is only 45 minutes away for me. There is now a once a day bus service from downtown Seattle to the Snoquamie Pass. It's Flixbus.com. My favorite lake on that section is beautiful Spectacle Lake. It worth the 1/2 mile and 500 ft descent from the PCT.

am planning a section hike this summer and was undecided.... thanks for the info... heading to Damascus!

Thanks! Hopefully we’ll be able to do a section of the pct soonish. Echo lake to Donner Summit looks beautiful.

Very nice list; great information. Thanks!

The very first section you mention is also dog friendly. My puppy girl and I did that section last September. There is an area at echo lake chalet where you can park your car for the week or so you’ll need. We were lucky enough to find some lovely people to drive us back to the car from donner summit. The drive back is about an hour. Don’t know if shuttles would allow dogs. I didn’t know there was a shuttle service. If you do have your dog I would advise you have shoes for them it you’re hiking that section. The snows were completely melted when we went through and there are long stretches of ankle twisting rocks which can ruin your puppy’s hike by hurting their pads.

Ahh grays and torreys are gorgeous! I did those at the end of last summer and i didn’t realize grays is the highest point on the cdt. The whole trip was lovely.

I have hiked all over the Sierra, but love the Desolation Wilderness is my favorite.

Good to see gray peaks is on the continental divide hoping to go climb it this summer

Glad you made this! I live somewhat near the PCT but have very little time for long hikes so this will be interesting. :)

One of my challenges for doing a long hike is that I don't drive. That's why I'm researching the stretch between Timberline Lodge and Cascade Locks as there is public transit available between the two points to Portland, OR

great information and a great video, different to what you normally do but 10/10

Dixie, your Trail Days plan sounds great and kind of familiar! Hey the more the merrier. I am planning on doing a bus to Bristol, TN then shuttle/Uber/hitch to Damascus. My plan is to hike/crowdsurf the 255 miles past Catawba to Daleville. I’ll get myself to Roanoke and a bus back home. According to the 12 mile plan that should be just under 3 weeks. Good to know there is an earlier opportunity to get off trail if needed. Looking forward to the merry month of May. Probably right when the skeeters wake up too. 🤪

Thanks Dixie! I hope to check out all these sections.

plan on hiking the state of Virginia in the spring may take A few trips to do

There are so many sections on all 3 of the crown trails that are great. Folks looking to do a week long section need to do their homework and plan ahead. You put some good info out there thanks Have Fun & Hike Safe

Have only done one section of these trails and that was on the AT from Winding Stair Gap to NOC with my son and his scout patrol. Would love to explore more of the Southern AT section hikes. Not sure which one to try, next.

Wow, great info! Thank you

There is actually a bail out on section j on the pct. Just past deception lake there is a hyas lake junction. It's around 20 mile in starting from Stevens pass

i was watching this to see if the section i planned on hiking on the PCT was a good one and what do you know, its the first suggestion. i live only like 45-ish minutes from Donner Summit so that makes it pretty easy to arrange for someone to pick me up. glad i at least kind of know what i'm doing lol

I've only hiked Gorham, NH to Monson, ME, but I can think of a few places that I'd like to back to.

Once again, interesting and useful content accompanied with outstanding video.

Thank you for another great video.

Montana resident here. Just gonna throw out some info. If you wanna hit Yellowstone, it will be cheaper and easier to fly into Bozeman. Also don’t go during peak season. The park is a mad house.

The North Cascades are my absolute favorite

Another awesome post - thanks Dixie!

I would echo your recommendation of the Mt. Rogers area and the Whites in New Hampshire. I have hiked in both areas and they are notable for providing some open views and a solid break from the green tunnel.

I did my first section hike in west virginia and Maryland

I love the Mount Whitney zone. Lake Aloha looks beautiful.

Hey Dixie, I'm a fellow Alabama hiker here and i highly recommend the East Rose Bud trail in Montana for you to hike. Unbelievable scenery