What is the "best" place for a summer backpacking vacation?

Question

I have been looking at lists of "best" camping and backpacking destinations in North America. I disagree with most of the suggested destinations as being the "best" locations. I can observe in many lists that the most popular destinations are merely "developed" campgrounds or locations near major cities that serve as a weekend retreat for millions of people who think that their own backyard is the "best" place in the world.

I am wondering where the most dramatic adventures would be in North America for an explorer: mountain scenes; frequent wildlife encounters; abundant wildflowers; clear lakes and streams. A few locations that arise in my mind: Banff; Tetons; Kootenai; North Cascades. A few wilderness areas that stand-out: Maroon Bells Snowmass Wilderness; Collegiate Peaks Wilderness; Boundary Waters.

Valleycat1 · Accepted Answer

Also look at Sequoia National Park and Sequoia National Forest in California just south of Yosemite.   Since you do not like tons of people around, steer clear of the Mt Whitney area and the John Muir trail.

Everyone has different, specific ideas on what makes a hike ideal, so you really just need to decide what those qualities are for you, how your fitness level and hiking skills measure up to the rigors of the places you are looking at, and pick a place on your own.  It also depends on whether you want to hike one way or end up back where you started.

What is the "best" place for a summer backpacking vacation?

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