Backpacking in the western US without a rental car?

[-]

Dancer-at-Large@reddit

Glacier National Park, fly into Kalispell, take taxi to park ~45 min drive. Maybe book a night at a lodge first and last night.

[-]

Lasagna_Bear@reddit

https://www.amtrak.com/glacier-national-park-by-rail-travel-packages

[-]

Excellent-Reserve715@reddit

The Amtrak West Glacier station takes you right to the edge of the park. No taxi needed!

[-]

Might be helpful to know your specific destination(s), but unless you find some type of carpool situation with another person or party headed to the same place, I'd wager this is almost an impossible ask.

The US is huge and the biggest and best parks tend to not be located near to the major cities.

[-]

Choice_Blackberry406@reddit (OP)

I haven't decided on a destination. I want to base my destination on ease of access!

[-]

NotYetThere32@reddit

Go to the AT. Multiple places you can catch a train or bus

[-]

jamesmarsden@reddit

Ok fair enough -- I'll bite! Do you have a few destinations you're interested in? It might be possible to do if you pick a city that is close to parks and then either find someone headed your way or book a group trip.

"Western US" is a huge place with an insane amount of parks, and 3-4 days is only enough to properly do one park, in my opinion.

If you truly don't have a preference, I'd offer the following recommendations:

Fly to Las Vegas and take the National Park Express to Zion NP. This wouldn't be a "backpacking" trip per se, but you could see an incredibly beautiful park without a rental car very easily and stay nearby in Springdale.

Fly to Seattle, take the train downtown, walk to the Seattle-Bainbridge ferry, take the ferry to Bainbridge, then take the Strait Shot Bus to Port Angeles, WA to access Olympic National Park. Olympic has tons of longer hiking routes and is incredibly scenic, so this would be a great multi-day option for solo backpacking.

Other options that spring to mind would be Rocky Mountain National Park (express bus from DEN) LINK or Grand Canyon National Park (3.5-4 hour bus ride with lots of private bus or shuttle options).

Hope this helps!

[-]

Choice_Blackberry406@reddit (OP)

Woah I had no clue Zion was so close to Vegas! I'll definitely look into that!

I did the Washington State parks in 2023 and 2024 with a rental car and it was amazing!

I will also check out info on Rocky Mountain. Thanks!

[-]

pheasantmb9062@reddit

Both Rocky Mountain and Zion are FANTASTIC ideas for this trip if you can find shuttle transport from the airport!!! Once you get to Zion you can rent a bike for a while and use that as transport if you so desire as well

[-]

Bdc9876@reddit

Zion is amazing. Las Vegas is hell on earth.

[-]

malledtodeath@reddit

The people who live in Las Vegas are the most interesting people in the world, locals, and transplants. I love Vegas but I don’t gamble or drink much, there’s a lot of art and culture, and the local bars are amazing. You can collect the most fascinating unexpected stories meeting people there. Every city is what you make of it.

[-]

Bdc9876@reddit

Vegas is full of white trash meth addicts. It’s a shit hole of a city and wouldn’t even be in my top fifty cities in America to visit. Probably the most disappointed I have ever been in an American city. Vegas sucks

[-]

malledtodeath@reddit

that’s how how I feel about Illinois and Missouri in total.

[-]

Loggerdon@reddit

Zion is 250 kilometers from Las Vegas. You’re better off renting a car.

Also check the weather. It’s a little bit hot now but it gets very hot in the summertime.

[-]

workingtrot@reddit

Zion is fantastic and the right size for a 3 - 4 day trip

[-]

davethebagel@reddit

Denver has some other options too. You can take bustang up into the mountains and find a trailhead near a stop(frisco or vail), the end of the Colorado trail is accessible by bus in Denver, or I think there’s a shuttle up to Nederland and then to the 4th of July trailhead.

[-]

jamesmarsden@reddit

In checking around, it appears that it's quite easy to get from Denver International via bus to the Estes Park Visitor Center, then take the Hiker Shuttle into the park. From there you can either get on the Bierstadt Lake Trail or take the Moraine Park Bus Route to access other trails.

RMNP is absolutely stunning; I highly recommend this option for a trip of your length :)

[-]

jamesmarsden@reddit

Hey this is random but thank you for this thread -- it's made me reconsider what's possible on solo trips without a car and I think I'll be trying car-free for my next solo backpacking trip!

[-]

LouisTheYounger@reddit

It's so much more doable than people make it out to be. Add hitchhiking to the mix, and you can kinda get anywhere (with enough time, that is).

[-]

BGGGReddit@reddit

Fly into Portland. Take the public bus to multnomah Falls. Hike to the PCT and go south for as long as you want towards Mt Hood. Hike to Timberline or zigzag and take the bus back to PDX. World class hiking with no car.

[-]

skittlesriddles44@reddit

Jackson, Wyoming might be an option. The airport shuttle only runs in the winter, so you could Uber from the airport to town, it’s a 20 minute drive. Then there is a bus that goes from town to Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, which is 20-30 minutes. You can access the Teton range from the resort or you could maybe walk from JHMR to Granite Canyon Trail Head and do the Teton Crest Trail.

[-]

SugarRush212@reddit

First of all, what you’re looking for might not be common, but all these people saying it’s impossible are showing their ignorance. It’s very possible. Normally April and May would be a terrible time to come backpacking in Colorado, but this year who knows. I’d normally recommend waiting until June at least. In Colorado it’s pretty easy to reach the town of Glenwood Springs by bus or Amtrak. If you’re flying on points it wouldn’t hurt to check flying into Eagle or Aspen airport as well. From there you can take RFTA buses to various trailheads. I doubt they’ll start the shuttle bus early regardless of conditions, but if you time it right and snag a permit you could do four pass loop, one of the premier backpacking loops in the Rockies. Summit county is also easy to reach by bus from Denver, and has local buses that get you close enough to trailheads.

[-]

Lordkinbote2019@reddit

Easier with a car but some possibilities. You will have to time it well because some routes are very limited eg once a day.

Yosemite via Yarts from Fresno airport. Drops you in the valley, permits will be a huge hassle but you can take park shuttles or other yarts lines to easier permit locations.

Inyo via Eastern Sierra Transit, from Reno airport to Mammoth, then take the Reds Canyon shuttle if its running. Might be other hike starting locations along Eastern Sierra transit shuttle lines, there are many nice trails along eastern sierras but not sure how close these shuttle routes get.

Mendocino national forest or mendocino coast/fort bragg area, via Mendocino Transit route 65. Or along the Sonoma Coast via route 95, eg Bodega, Jenner, Gualala etc.. You can either fly directly to sonoma airport to catch it there, or take the shuttle to sonoma airport from SFO or OAK. Supposedly they have flag service anywhere there is a safe pullout. I've only used car camping sites along the coast vs. backpacked this way, but I would guess there are interesting options if you scope out their route map.

There is an (expensive imo) bus from las vegas to grand canyon. iirc you can also take a bus (maybe with a transfer....) from phoenix to grand canyon. Like yosemite, permits are not easy. winter can be nice at the bottom, and easier permits.

[-]

Normobserver@reddit

All around Seattle for

[-]

Clio_Vita@reddit

Actually, there are a few National Parks that are transit accessible...
Starting with Yosemite National Park. Fly or Amtrak to Fresno or Merced, then the Yarts Bus
(https://www.yarts.com/) will get you to and through the park. There are also park circulation buses that move you around the park to various trailheads.

[-]

Simple_Worry_8577@reddit

Glacier National Park. I took an Amtrak train to the park and then used the park busses to go wherever I wanted to hike. It took a bit of planning, but it was a great trip.

[-]

Next-Honeydew4130@reddit

Shuttles, sure. Public transport, nope.

Most national parks are going to have some kind of shuttle service I would bet.

[-]

BlueEllipsis@reddit

I’d try outdoorsy online communities near your destination and ask for a ride there.

I’ve done lots of backpacking, hitch-hiked a bit, and given people rides to/from trailheads in the past. It’s safer and easier than you’d expect, and if you can throw some cash for gas, I bet plenty of people would be willing to drop you off.

[-]

workingtrot@reddit

Grand Tetons - there is a multiuse trail that goes from Jackson hole airport to the park, about 8 miles. Lots of shuttles around as well for Yellowstone and Winds but those might run you more than a rental car. Also depends heavily on the time of year, although this year snowpack has been very very light. May and June are usually very mucky and gross but that might not be the case this year. September is nice but be prepared for anything from 90s to whiteout blizzards.

If you're willing to go outside the US, Vancouver Island probably has some pretty good options (but ferry ride + maybe sea plane if you're trying to get to the western side of the island will probably be more than a rental car). Seattle has a pretty good train system but I don't know if it goes out far enough to any of the national park/ national forest areas.

What about Las Vegas area? There might be some shuttles to the grand canyon/ joshua tree/ etc.

You can take Amtrak to glacier national park - it is not cheap at all and it takes \~30 hours but it's kind of fun.

[-]

kkkktttt00@reddit

If they only have 3-4 days, I can't imagine they want to spend 30 hours of that on the train.

[-]

workingtrot@reddit

Well yeah. And it also costs as much as 2 weeks of a rental car. I still recommend it as an experience if you have the time and money

[-]

Choice_Blackberry406@reddit (OP)

Uugh yea I'm painfully aware of the low snow year. My original plan was to ski tour Mt. Saint Helens, but that definitely isn't happening this year 😭

I did the Washington State parks in 2023 and 2024 and had an amazing time! But yea, they are way out there hah.

I will look into Grand Teton! Thanks!

[-]

friends_think_im_gay@reddit

Seattle has public transit busses that will take you to many popular hiking trails. I’m sure at least a couple could be a multi day backpack if planned right.

[-]

SafetyNoodle@reddit

Yosemite is definitely an option. There is public transportation from the Fresno airport directly to Yosemite Valley. There are many backpacking options from there. It's not frequent service but totally doable.

[-]

AltruisticWishes@reddit

Of course, the funny thing is that Fresno is going to be so much more expensive and less convenient to fly into

[-]

SafetyNoodle@reddit

Sometimes, but it's not always that bad. You'll probably need a connection but it's small and should be easy to navigate.

[-]

AltruisticWishes@reddit

I think it's generally worth it to just rent the car because public transit to any backpacking trailhead is almost always going to eat up a bunch of time AND not having a car means you're can't easily get cheap supplies once you're in your general destination.

Also, without a car you are going to be severely limited in your sightseeing ability. You're paying for the flight and using time off from work - might as well see more while you're there

[-]

Own_Exit2162@reddit

If you fly into Denver there are buses and a train to get you into the mountains.

If you plan to hike anywhere along the PCT, there are plenty of private shuttles.

And there are always public transit options between airports and the nearest National Park.

[-]

marcopoloman@reddit

Try turo

[-]

rafaelthecoonpoon@reddit

It's basically impossible to get to trailheads without your own car or hitchhiking in the Western US. Probably some exceptions but I can't think of any

[-]

lojic@reddit

Many more than you would think!

https://hikingbytransit.com/map/

https://transittrekker.com/transit-trekking-resources/

[-]

rafaelthecoonpoon@reddit

I was actually going to make a caveat about California but was in a rush. Outside of Cali, immediately around Portland, Denver, Seattle it's basically not a thing.

[-]

ifoldsocksatmidnight@reddit

You’ll need a car.

Signed: Northern California native and avid backpacker.

[-]

lojic@reddit

Many more options than you would think: https://hikingbytransit.com/map/

(I'm hoping to put together some cross-Sierra routes that take advantage of this as showcases for how this is actually totally doable sometimes!)

[-]

Choice_Blackberry406@reddit (OP)

Hah yea that tracks. My original plan was to ski tour Mt Saint Helens, but the snowpack is cooked. Also considering Shasta if I can't find a viable carless option.

[-]

lojic@reddit

Heyo. Lots of other people have provided info about various National Park shuttles that exist. I run a website for car free outdoor access in (~northern) California and have at this point mostly finished the work looking for trailheads that are transit accessible. Zoom out on the map here: https://hikingbytransit.com/

I have lots of plans for the future (doing trans-Sierra hikes, mostly) that would let me write up better advice and suggest specific trails and routes, but for now I'll say:

1) the Tahoe Rim Trail is very transit accessible: https://hikingbytransit.com/hikes/tahoe/

2) soon (this year?) there'll be a trail from Grass Valley to Truckee, which'll connect to the existing Sierra trail network (PCT, and a trail to Reno). It's currently under construction, I saw great progress at the end of last summer, the website is just outdated: https://pinestomines.com/

3) large sections of the PCT are transit accessible: https://www.pcta.org/discover-the-trail/backcountry-basics/pct-transportation/

Apart from all of that, the Transit Trekker website (run by a friend of mine) has a good collection of resources from around the country to peruse: https://transittrekker.com/transit-trekking-resources/

[-]

Ripley1046@reddit

Almost anything cool in the western US is a minimum of 100 miles from anything. Not having a car will likely not be an option unless you can find a guided tour or something. There are some buses, but even that may be more expensive and less convenient than just renting a car.

[-]

davethebagel@reddit

Lots of national parks have public transit options including train access. Also lots of great public land is right outside of some major cities.

You probably won’t have a lonely wilderness adventure where you don’t see anyone on your 4 day hike without a car, but you definitely can find somewhere great to go backpacking.

[-]

Glimmer_III@reddit

Colorado.

Fly into DEN, then get to Denver, then take the Bustang to wherever the weather is favorable. Go for a walk. Then take the Bustang back to Denver and get to DEN. No permits are generally required.

[-]

BFHD-red@reddit

A few solid options that work really well without a rental:

**Seattle, WA** – Fly into SEA, then take the Link Light Rail directly to downtown. From there you can access trailheads via buses (King County Metro) or the Trailhead Direct shuttles that run on weekends in summer. Mt. Rainier and Olympic NP are harder car-free, but the Cascades near North Cascades Highway have some shuttle options.

**Denver, CO** – Fly into DEN, take the A-Line train straight to downtown ($10). Rocky Mountain NP has a free shuttle system inside the park, and the Estes Park shuttle runs from Denver during peak season. RMNP is genuinely doable without a car if you time things right.

**Portland, OR** – MAX light rail from PDX airport to downtown. From there, Gorge Express bus to Columbia River Gorge runs on weekends (\~$5 round trip). Lots of great day hikes accessible without a car.

**Las Vegas, NV** – Red Rock Canyon has a shuttle from the Strip now. Valley of Fire is harder, but still doable via tour shuttles. Good base if you want desert terrain.

For trailhead shuttles specifically, check out Rideshare2Trails or look for volunteer hiker shuttles on local hiking Facebook groups. Many trails near popular cities have organized carpools/shuttles set up by hiking clubs.

Hope this helps narrow it down!

[-]

travlngus@reddit

I feel like the US especially the west and middle of the country are some of the worst places to backpack without a car. This country isn't very enticing for that kind of travel unfortunately. You could probably spend the same or less money going somewhere else and get more bang for your buck.

[-]

baeb66@reddit

There is a bus system in Olympic National Park. I have zero idea how functional it is. Maybe ask on the Seattle sub or Olympic sub.

[-]

Sweet-Cloud-4502@reddit

No go, you need a car. Unless you’re in a major city, you need a car. The US is enormous.

[-]

smokingpen@reddit

I googled this:

ride share western united states airport to national parks

And came up with quite a few options.

Knowing where you’re going is the first step; figuring out how to get from the airport to your location is secondary.

[-]

Choice_Blackberry406@reddit (OP)

Well I'm trying to figure out where to go based on how easy it will be to get around hah.

[-]

smokingpen@reddit

Yeah. So. The western United States is about as walking friendly as Point Nemo is neighbor friendly. As someone else pointed out, national parks and airport accessibility don’t go hand in hand. Grand Teton may be accessible from Jackson, WY, but it’s not really more accessible than anywhere else.

Zions is in the middle of nowhere.

Yosemite is a giant wilderness. As is Yellowstone (incidentally, the barrier between Yellowstone and Grand Teton are the Grand Tetons).

The list can be pretty extensive and in each case your issue is where do you want to go and, based on that, what’s the best way to get there?

With that said, shuttles are certainly an option. On first reading, I thought of the ski areas in Utah from SLC airport and the busses that used to run all over (haven’t been that way in 20 years), but even then busses aren’t necessarily the best choice.

Washington State may be more conducive to easier travel from airport to national park, but those are also limited based on park and what you’re trying to do.

It would seem in a decision matrix following what you’re trying to do, starting with the park and then looking at transportation options is the correct path. Which doesn’t mean: choose a park and that’s it.

It does mean you’re creating a list of desired parks and then testing the availability of transportation availability and time from (and to) the airport to maximize your experience.

Right now, it seems like you’re trying of decide based on transportation before know what park to visit. While it may work or you may find someone or a company who will work with you, the more efficient path is:

What parks are you most interested in visiting right now?

What airports are closest?

Do your points cover the cost of round trip air fair?

If yes, what services or share boards exist to get from airport to park.

Compare against priority of visit list.

Decide and book.

While I’m not a frequent flyer anymore, and haven’t in a while, getting to an airport is always the first step and even then it’s getting to an airport that puts you close enough for other forms of transportation: taxi, rental, train, light rail, uber or Lyft, shuttle services, and so on.

Start with the parks and work from there. IMO

[-]

Choice_Blackberry406@reddit (OP)

LMAO I was on a ski bus in SLC two weeks ago. They do still run! That's where I got the idea to go on a trip without paying for a rental.

I made this thread because I was wondering if it's possible to get around without a rental, but it's looking more and more like it isn't a viable option. Thanks for the advice!

[-]

Select_Pilot4197@reddit

You can make it to parts of Olympic National park in WA from Seattle, take the Bainbridge ferry and then hop on the bus to Hurricane ridge.

[-]

Choice_Blackberry406@reddit (OP)

I did the Washington State parks in 2023 and 2024 and they were incredible!

[-]

Select_Pilot4197@reddit

I know there is a shuttle to Estes park from Denver airport, https://estesparkshuttle.com/

[-]

Choice_Blackberry406@reddit (OP)

Ooo that is very interesting, thank you!

[-]

Select_Pilot4197@reddit

You are welcome! Have fun planning your trip.

[-]

Hullois-fr@reddit

I went to Channel Islands national park without a car. You can take the commuter train from Los angeles to Ventura, where the boats depart. However when I did it, I had to take the train the night before, couchsurf in Ventura, and then take the boat the next morning. To get back, i made a friend on the boat who drove me back to LA. Its a beautiful park, would recommend.

Other option, if you can find a way to get there, Yosemite national park has a shuttle bus whithin the main area of the park, so once you're there its pretty easy to get around without a car.

[-]

Choice_Blackberry406@reddit (OP)

Channel islands sounds interesting!!

Also Yosemite was the first park outside of the south that I went to and is why I'm hooked on visiting national parks now 😄 I was actually considering spending a couple of nights at Curry Village as I have unfinished business on the Mist Trail!

[-]

communitytcm@reddit

make sure you buy insurance that covers the car at the trailhead. much of the rental car insurance only covers problems in the city/highway zones. once you are in the national forest, or a wilderness area, you are not covered. Trailhead break-ins and stolen vehicles are a thing in the US. beware.

[-]