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October

EXPAND THE DESTINATION BOXES BELOW TO SEE OUR OCTOBER 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 October 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

Canada Hiking Tours

Canada Hiking Tours

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 OCTOBER

BENEFITS OF HIKING IN OCTOBER

October ushers in the fall peak season in the desert and canyon destinations. Zion, Bryce, Grand Staircase-Escalante, the Sedona area, Grand Canyon, Paria Canyon, Capitol Reef, Arches, and Canyonlands are all absolutely stunning this time of year. Joshua Tree and Death Valley begin to open in October as well, although they are still quite warm, especially early in the month. In these desert and canyon destinations we offer backpacking trips, llama treks, inn-based tours, camping tours and day hikes.

More benefits of October are in general very few crowds in America’s national parks and the fall colors in the Smoky Mountains, Blue Ridge Mountains and Vermont hit their peaks. Yosemite is wonderful in October because Yosemite Valley is at a low elevation of appx 4500′ which makes for great fall hiking and thinned out crowds.

Internationally, there are many options of where to trek in October which is a wonderful perk. Kilimanjaro is excellent in October; Inca Trail is at its best as are other Peru hikes; Vietnam is great in October; and Nepal is in its prime. Patagonia is beginning to open up in October although its still early in the season and conditions are reflective of this fact with wet, snowy and cold conditions.

DRAWBACKS OF HIKING IN OCTOBER

The major drawback to October is that the USA and northern hemisphere mountain destinations come to a full or partial close. Yellowstone, the Tetons, the other areas of Wyoming, Sequoia-Kings Canyon, the Eastern Sierras, Rocky Mountain National Park, North Cascades and Mount Rainier all run into short days, cold nights and the potential for winter weather.

WHERE TO HIKE

There are three main categories of destinations to hike in October:

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

– USA fall mountain destinations – Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Blue Ridge Mountains, Vermont’s Green Mountains, and Yosemite National Park are all wonderful this time of year.

– Trekking and backpacking internationally – recommended options for October are Peru, Kilimanjaro, Vietnam, Nepal and Patagonia.