Osterman|Creative Multipage Publication

KANAWHA STATE FOREST, CHARLESTON, W.V.
Only seven miles from West Virginia's capital is a
9,300-acre spread of Appalachian forest crisscrossed
with 25 miles of marked hiking trails of varying difficulty.
Not only is the forest's varied terrain less crowded in the
winter, hikers are less likely to encounter the mountain
bikers who flock there in the summer.
PALO DURO CANYON, AMARILLO, TEXAS
Nicknamed the "Grand Canyon of Texas," this
huge red-rock canyon outside of Amarillo in the Texas
Panhandle has similar scenery to the actual Grand
Canyon, if not quite at the same scale. (It's sometimes
called the second-largest canyon in America.) Palo Duro
State Park has approximately 30 miles of trails, the most
iconic of which is the 6-mile round-trip Lighthouse Trail,
taking hikers to the base of a 300-foot rock formation
resembling a lighthouse. Go when the weather's right for
views of the frosted desert as far as the eye can see.
HOCKING HILLS, OHIO
Ohio isn't normally thought of as hill country, but the
sparsely populated Appalachian foothills creep well into
the southern and eastern parts of the state. Only an hour
south of Columbus are the Hocking Hills, an especially
rugged section marked by cliffs, gorges, caves and
waterfalls. This popular outdoor recreation area has
fewer visitors in the winter, but the state park system
there has over 25 miles of marked trails that are open
year-round, and the scenery -- from frozen waterfalls
to huge sandstone caves to the deep, narrow gorge of
Conkle's Hollow -- make it a rewarding place to hike
even in cold weather.
BIGHORN MOUNTAINS, WYOMING
This scenic spur of the Rockies rises from the Great
Plains all the way past 13,000 feet, but inside the one
million-plus acres of Bighorn National Forest are 1,500
miles of trails, many of which you don't have to be a
mountaineer to enjoy in the winter. A short drive from the
town of Sheridan, Wyo., are two popular options among
cross-country skiers and snowshoers: the Sibley Lake Ski
Trails have 15 groomed miles in the 8000-foot range, and
the Cutler Hill Trail adds three additional miles for those
with dogs.
DELAWARE WATER GAP, N.J. AND PENNSYLVANIA
New Yorkers and Philadelphians looking to escape
the brown slush for some more refreshing winter scenery
can head to the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation
Area, one of the most popular units of the National
Park System. Frozen waterfalls, views of the iced-over
Delaware River and a snowy section of the Appalachian
Trail are some of the wintertime attractions here. One
short loop, suggested by the Appalachian Mountain
Club, is the 4.5-mile Coppermine Trail, which begins at
22 RUNNER’S WORLD