From New York to Wyoming to California, there are lots of amazing national forests to explore. Places where hiking, biking, horseback riding and kayaking allow for easy social distancing and you can truly take the time to get away from modern technology. I’ve been filming in national forests for the past few years for my “Travels with Darley” PBS TV series and prior to that, rode through many national forests for “Equitrekking.”
Check out the above special video, taking you to 12 of my favorite national forests and see what nature destinations you need to add to your bucket list.
National Forests profiled include:
- The Bridger Teton National Forest around Jackson Hole for mountain biking and surfing… yes, river surfing!
- Snowy Range Scenic Byway and Vedauwoo in the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest by Laramie, Wyoming.
- Hiking, rafting and mountain bike along the Continental Divide Trail throughout in New Mexico, including in the Gila National Forest and Santa Fe National Forest.
- Kayaking on Lake Tahoe and skiing Squaw Valley with Olympian Jonny Moseley in Nevada and California.
- Hiking to ice caves in the Badlands of North Dakota in the Dakota Prairie Grasslands and mountain biking along the Maah Daah Hey Trail outside of Watford City.
- Fall in New York’s Finger Lakes National Forest, including horseback riding and hiking along the Finger Lakes Trail.
- Cranberries and the Highland Scenic Highway in the Monongahela National Forest
- Bison and ecology at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie outside of Chicago along old Route 66
- and more!
