There’s an innate, raw sensation associated with this experience.
reaching a summit
It serves as a natural resting place: you’ve climbed uphill until there were no more slopes left to ascend, so all that remains is to take a picture, settle down, and relish the moment. To commemorate this occasion,
National Trails Day
, we asked
Backpacker
’s editors have shared the finest summits they’ve ever conquered. Their accounts include tales from climbing their local mountain, viewing an iconic vista at a renowned national park, and reflecting on the significance of the most pivotal summit in the annals of long-distance hiking for them personally.
Bear Peak, Boulder, Colorado
I’m just as fond of epic, once-in-a-lifetime, stand-tall-and-shout-to-the-heavens mountains as anyone else. However, there’s an appeal to these regular summits—those that await when you’ve got a spare couple of hours and feel like climbing higher than your daily worries. Such is the case with Bear Peak, a rugged, 8,459-foot peak rising against the horizon above
Backpacker
In my experience, Boulder’s hometown trails have always held a special place. Starting from the South Mesa Trailhead just outside the city center, this route offers a brief yet challenging trek—around 4.2 miles each way and an ascent of approximately 2,900 feet. The journey begins with a mild walk across grassy fields near the foot of the hills. As you progress, the path becomes rugged as it ascends sharply through dense pine woods. It then zigzags past areas scorched by fire until reaching the ridge separating Bear Peak from nearby South Boulder Peak. Atop lies a final easy incline leading to a cluster of rocks marking the summit. Here, amidst catching your breath, you get panoramic views encompassing the town below, expansive prairies, and endless jagged peaks extending toward infinity along the northern stretch of foothills. Whether hiking solo, accompanied by guests who dropped by, or alongside colleagues, during sunny days or when dark storm clouds gather above the mountain range, every visit reveals fresh aspects worthy of admiration.
Adam Roy, Editor-in-Chief
Mount Katahdin, located within Baxter State Park in Maine,
For numerous hikers tackling the northern part of the Appalachian Trail every autumn, scaling Mount Katahdin signifies the end of their arduous trek. However, for me, reaching its windswept pinnacle felt more like a fresh start. When I was 14, my passion for hiking began during a summer camp excursion where we aimed to conquer this renowned mountain. This marked my initial encounter with setting up a waterlogged tent amidst a mid-night downpour, navigating rocky terrains, trudging through alpine fields despite burning leg muscles, and experiencing both elation and frustration upon arriving at a cloud-covered summit. Following my ascent of Katahdin, a lasting sense of achievement lingered within me, fueling an insatiable desire to return to the trails repeatedly. Throughout the challenges of high school, these recollections acted as proof positive that I had what it takes to face tough tasks head-on. Over subsequent years, similar feelings of triumph accompanied various summits conquered. Yet, none will ever match the profound appreciation reserved specifically for Katahdin—the place where my lifelong affinity for mountains truly took root.
Zoe Gates, Senior Editor
Nevada Fall, located within Yosemite National Park in California
If we’re being precise, the peak of Nevada Falls doesn’t qualify as a “summit.” From the observation deck over the bridge, you’ve still got roughly a thousand feet more to ascend to reach Liberty Cap, the massive granite dome towering overhead. During the summer preceding seventh grade, my family joined another group of families for an excursion to Yosemite where we stayed at Housekeeping Camp. I looked forward to a week filled with activities such as hiking, mountain biking, and river rafting within the valley. However, as someone beginning to embrace solitude, I wasn’t thrilled about all the ongoing interactions required during this adventure. Fortunately, there was one escape—hiking up to Nevada Fall alongside my father. This marked my initial encounter with hiking as a form of meditation: As we approached Nevada under the sound of cascading waters, everything else faded away from my thoughts until silence prevailed. Moreover, climbing those knee-height steps along the Mist Trail made working out my quadriceps almost exclusively necessary, allowing me to concentrate solely on reaching each new curve in the trail. To be exact, the summit of Nevada Falls isn’t technically considered a true summit since you’re not quite at the top yet—you have approximately a thousand additional vertical feet ahead to scale Liberty Cap’s enormous granite formation. Yet perched atop that spot and peering downward toward the valley below gave me a profound sense of accomplishment. Despite feeling muscle-bound for days after completing the strenuous 7.3-mile trek which involved ascending nearly 2,400 feet vertically, right upon finishing, I yearned eagerly for what lay beyond—the allure of the next ascent awaited irresistibly.
Emma Veidt, Associate Editor
From
2025
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