Backpacker Shares 19 Undiscovered Hikes

We've all been there. We're out on our favorite trail, enjoying a crisp, fall morning, taking in the wonderful colors of the autumn leaves, and soaking up the solitude that we enjoy so much. It's a wonderful feeling right up until the point when the trail starts to get crowded, the silence is broken, and the that solitude we love is gone forever. Yep, our favorite trails all get discovered eventually, and the things we loved about them start to fade away as we are forced to share them with others.

With that in mind, Backpacker Magazine has put together a great list of 19 "undiscovered trails". A collection of hidden gems that remain uncrowded and remote, at least until we all read this article. Some of them have been around for awhile, while others are new, but they each offer wonderful hikes through beautiful backcountry without the big crowds found on more well known trails.

Some of the trails making the list include Lake Ouachita Vista Trail in Arkansas, which began construction in 2007, and now has 18 of its eventual 44 miles complete. Looking for something even more epic? Then check out the Ring the Peak Trail in Colorado, which will eventually encircle Pike's Peak and run 80 miles in length.

Personally, I like the list of "Secret Trails", which have some excellent suggestions for places that we can go to recapture the solitude on the trail. I'm especially interested in the Comanche Bluff Trail here in Texas, which happens to be in my backyard. I have to make a note to get out and hike that one, before everyone else does.