Romano's Favorite Hiking Haunts No.1

Great Basin National Park

Nevada

No question about it that I live among some of the best hiking terrain in the world. The North Cascades and the San Juan Islands are right in my backyard. The Olympic Peninsula is a short skip (okay a ferry ridge actually) away and big beautiful British Columbia is a mere hour (when there are no border back-ups) away. But despite these great places being some of my favorite places to hit the trail, I have other favorites scattered about North America and the globe. There are some excellent places out there and they all offer different experiences than what I can find here in Washington. So let's begin with some of them, shall we?

Great Basin National Park in nowhere Nevada is a real gem! One of the least visited of the major national parks, you'll find lots of room on the trails here; and old-growth Bristlecone pines and spectacular Great Basin viewing from 13,000-plus feet Wheeler Peak, the second highest summit in the Silver State. You can car camp at 10,000 feet to beat the heat, listen to thunder boom all night in the distance (and occasionally right over you) and stare out at a night sky second to none. Remember not to drink too many beers though while sitting around the campfire, or you'll end up with a headache unsurpassed anywhere-except perhaps from one acquired from being out on the Vegas strip all night!