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May

EXPAND THE DESTINATION BOXES BELOW TO SEE OUR May HIKING AND BACKPACKING TOURS.

To see other calendars, just select the month you’re interested in. You can always give us a call 7 days a week at 1-800-715-HIKE (4453) to learn availability immediately.

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2023 May Trip Dates

U.S.A. Destinations

Arizona Hikes

View from Horseshoe Mesa in Grand Canyon National Park Grand Canyon National Park

Backpacking Trips

Grand Canyon National Park has not yet issued backpacking permits for this month. It's extremely beneficial to register before the permit process (85+% of our guests do). You can pick any dates and you'll receive a 5% early registration discount! We have a great success rate and your deposit is fully transferrable or refundable if we're unsuccessful. Click here to read more about Grand Canyon's permit process, or get started by selecting a trip and hitting "Go!" below.

All Other Trip Types

Sunset on Cathedral Rock in Sedona, Arizona Sedona Hiking Tours

California Hikes

Sunset in Death Valley National Park Death Valley Hiking Tours

Mammoth Lakes backpacking trip in the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range Eastern Sierras

Sunset in Joshua Tree National Park Joshua Tree Hiking Tours

Sunset at Lassen Peak with reflection on Manzanita Lake Lassen Volcanic National Park

Two people backpacking on the Lost Coast of California Lost Coast Guided Hikes

Precipice Lake so still it's a mirror lake in the high sierras Sequoia - Kings Canyon

Sunset on Half Dome, Yosemite National Park Yosemite Hiking Tours

Colorado Hikes

Landscape from high up in Rocky Mountains in the Flattops Wilderness Area of Colorado with man traversing along ridge on summer day with alpine lakes below and background. Stunning mountain view. Flat Tops Trips

Bull Moose at Sprague Lake in the early morning light. Rocky Mountain National Park

Montana / Wyoming Hikes

Absaroka Mountains in Wyoming Absaroka-Beartooths

High ridge in the Gros Ventre Mountains of Wyoming Jackson Hole Guided Hikes

Jedediah Smith Wilderness in the Tetons Tetons Guided Hikes

Jagged peaks of the Wind River Range, Wyoming Wind River Range

Heart Lake and Mount Sheridan in Yellowstone National Park Yellowstone Hiking Tours

New Hampshire Hikes

view from Mount Washington in New Hampshire in afternoon light White Mountains Hut Treks

North Carolina Hikes

Quartz high in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Asheville Asheville Hiking Tours

Sunset and storm clouds over Great Smoky Mountains National Park Smoky Mountains Guided Hikes

Utah Hiking Tours

Sunset on the cliffs of Canyonlands National Park Arches & Canyonlands

Sunset view of the hoodoos of Bryce Canyon National Park Bryce Hiking Tours

Arch in Capitol Reef National Park Capitol Reef Guided Hikes

Wide angle Horizontal composition Golden Cathedral Neon Canyon Escalante National Park Utah Grand Staircase Escalante

Backpackers in Paria Canyon Wilderness Paria Slot Canyons

Stunning vista of Zion National Park Zion Hiking Tours

Vermont Hikes

Early morning autumn in the Green Mountain National Forest in Vermont Vermont Hikes

Washington Hikes

Wonderland Trail in Mount Rainier National Park Mount Rainier Hiking Tours

Backpackers in North Cascades National Park North Cascades Guided Hikes

Views from Hurricane Ridge, Olympic National Park Olympic Hiking Tours

International Destinations

Alps Guided Treks

Hiking trail in the Italian Dolomites Alps Guided Treks

Canadian Rockies Treks

Lake Louise in the Canadian Rockies Canadian Rockies Treks

Iceland Hiking Trips

Laugavegur Trail in Iceland Iceland Hiking Trips

Nepal Treks

Hikers on the Everest Base Camp Trek in Nepal Nepal Treks

Norway Hiking Tours

Lofoten Islands Hiking Tour in Norway Norway Hiking Tours

Patagonia Trekking (Chile)

Puerto Natales sunset in Patagonia, Chile Patagonia Trekking (Chile)

Peru Treks

Alpine lake in the Cordillera Huayhuash, Peru Cordillera Huayhuash Trekking

Machu Picchu hiking tour in Peru Guided Hikes to Machu Picchu

Tanzania (Kilimanjaro)

Tents at sunset on Kilimanjaro Tanzania (Kilimanjaro)

Vietnam

Ha Long Bay in Vietnam with boathouses and cruises Vietnam

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HIKING IN MAY

BENEFITS OF HIKING IN May

May is one of the busiest months of the year for us at Wildland Trekking. This is for several important reasons that also provide huge benefits to guests hiking in the month of May. First, a couple massively popular trips open up – these include the Rim to Rim hike in the Grand Canyon and the Half Dome Trek in Yosemite. May is a phenomenal time of year to join any of our hikes in Yosemite because the waterfalls are running at their peak flows, which is spectacular.

Second, in May you can pick from many desert and canyon destinations (like Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce, Capitol Reef, Arches, Canyonlands, Sedona’s Red Rock Country and more) because they are in their prime season. And you can also pick from multiple mountain destinations which are just starting to open up or are very close to their prime (like Yosemite, the Smoky Mountains, the Blue Ridge Mountains, Yellowstone and more.)

Internationally, May is considered one of the best months of the year to hike the Inca Trail or other Peru treks. And Vietnam is still excellent.

Finally, a huge benefit of May is that schools and colleges are still in session so the summer peak tourist season is not yet underway. This means you can enjoy some amazing destinations with relative solitude.

DRAWBACKS OF HIKING IN May

One of the biggest drawbacks of hiking in May is that there aren’t very many international destinations that are in their prime. Peru and the Inca Trail are the major exceptions to this point.

Another drawback, especially in mid to late May, is that the Grand Canyon is moving closer to its higher summer temperatures, which inside the Canyon can be 105 degrees fahrenheit in the shade.

WHERE TO HIKE

Huge waterfall between rocky mountainsThere are three main categories of destinations to hike in May:

– USA desert and canyon destinations – these options include Grand Canyon, Sedona’s Red Rock Country, Zion, Bryce, Grand Staircase-Escalante, Paria Canyon, Capitol Reef, Arches, Canyonlands and more.

– USA mountain destinations – the major mountain destinations that are open, some in their early seasons, in May are Yosemite, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Blue Ridge Mountains and Yellowstone.

– Trekking and backpacking internationally – recommended options for May are Peru and Vietnam.