PLEASE NOTE: If you’re interested in Grand Canyon backpacking trips, and you don’t see them in the calendar, it’s likely because permits aren’t available yet. Permits are issued approximately 4 months prior, and it’s extremely beneficial to register before the permit process begins. Learn more or register on the individual trip pages.
Trip Dates
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HIKING IN SEPTEMBER
BENEFITS OF HIKING IN September
Probably the biggest benefit of the hiking and traveling in September is the sheer number of options to choose from. In the USA the mountain destinations are fantastic usually into mid to late September, and the desert and canyon destinations are cooling off and entering their prime seasons. September is our busiest month of the year for this reason – almost every destination we have is operating at full or near full capacity.
Three more huge benefits with September are that the bug season in the mountains is completely over; the crowds at America’s national parks are a fraction of what they were in July; and by late September some areas (like the Smoky and Blue Ridge Mountains) are starting to see fall colors emerge as the transition to winter slowly begins.
Internationally, the northern hemisphere mountains are great into at least mid September – these destinations include the Canadian Rockies, the Alps, Iceland, and Norway. Kilimanjaro is excellent in September, as is the Inca Trail and all treks to Machu Picchu. Vietnam opens up again in September, as does Nepal in mid September.
DRAWBACKS OF HIKING IN September
There really aren’t significant drawbacks to hiking in September. It’s an excellent month to travel and trek, and we highly recommend it.
WHERE TO HIKE
There are three main categories of destinations to hike in September:
– USA desert and canyon destinations – these options include Grand Canyon, Sedona’s Red Rock Country, Zion, Bryce, Grand Staircase-Escalante, Capitol Reef, Arches, Canyonlands and more.
– USA mountain destinations – all mountain destinations in the USA are still in their prime for at least the first half of September: Yosemite, Sequoia-Kings Canyon, the Eastern Sierras, Lassen Volcanic National Park, Olympic National Park, the North Cascades, Mount Rainier, Yellowstone, the Tetons, Jackson Hole Area, Wind River Range, Absaroka-Beartooths, Rocky Mountain National Park, the Flat Tops, Great Smoky Mountains, Blue Ridge Mountains, and White Mountains in New Hampshire
– Trekking and backpacking internationally – recommended options for September are Peru, Kilimanjaro, the Canadian Rockies, Norway, Iceland, the Alps, Vietnam and Nepal.