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I don't know how you judge "the best" -- is it in the eye of the beholder? Albuquerque has many miles of Sandia foothills trails and some leading up to the summit on the city's east side. The bosque trail courses through the riverine forest along the Rio Grande right through the middle of the city. The forest is the longest bosque forest in the world. On the west mesa is the sprawling Petroglyph National Monument and the chain of cinder cone volcanoes with numerous trails. Those are all within the city limits or adjacent. The National Forest continues to the east. To the northwest is Ojito Wilderness and White Mesa bike trails. The Jemez Mountains are a bit more distant but easily accessed within an hour. The Puerco River and Cabezon Peak back country area is vastly empty and accessible mostly on unpaved roads. Natural areas offer a mix of forested mountains, river bosque cottonwoods, and desert and rocky wilderness. There are only 2 million people in the state, so you are quite on your own once out of the city if you like solitude.
City view -- bosque forest in the foreground, foothills and Sandia Mountains to the east.
I don't know how you judge "the best" -- is it in the eye of the beholder? Albuquerque has many miles of Sandia foothills trails and some leading up to the summit on the city's east side. The bosque trail courses through the riverine forest along the Rio Grande right through the middle of the city. The forest is the longest bosque forest in the world. On the west mesa is the sprawling Petroglyph National Monument and the chain of cinder cone volcanoes with numerous trails. Those are all within the city limits or adjacent. The National Forest continues to the east. To the northwest is Ojito Wilderness and White Mesa bike trails. The Jemez Mountains are a bit more distant but easily accessed within an hour. The Puerco River and Cabezon Peak back country area is vastly empty and accessible mostly on unpaved roads. Natural areas offer a mix of forested mountains, river bosque cottonwoods, and desert and rocky wilderness. There are only 2 million people in the state, so you are quite on your own once out of the city if you like solitude.
City view -- bosque forest in the foreground, foothills and Sandia Mountains to the east.
Even though it's on the prairie, the City of Denver has a large mountain park system. If you've ever been to Red Rocks, you've been to a Denver Mountain Park.
Here's a picture of Summit Lake (12,840'). Summit Lake is also a Denver Mountain Park. Mount Spalding (13,842') is the summit to the right. Mount Evans (14,268') is to the left slightly out-of-frame. The couloir in the middle of the shot is a winter climbing route for Evans.
Looking over Echo Lake toward 13ers Pettingell Peak, Bard Peak, and Mount Parnassus from the Echo Lake Lodge.
Daniels Park, O'Fallon Park, and Corwina Park are popular Denver Mountain Parks, but I don't have any pics of them...yet.
Location: northern Vermont - previously NM, WA, & MA
10,748 posts, read 23,813,296 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Guineas
One of my favorite places in Seattle is Discovery Park which has bluffs, forests, hills, beaches all in one park. Feels wild even though it's in the city proper. Several city buses stop there.
On the bluffs at Discovery Park. Own photo.
Own photo. Seattle Discovery Park, down at the beach.
Forest trail within Discovery Park. Own photo.
There are other good ones in Seattle too including Lincoln Park, Seward Park, Carkeek Park, all give off a feeling of wilderness. The burbs have some good ones as well.
Beautiful photos! It's been many years since I've lived in Seattle, but I do remeber Discovery Park felt like a trip into the wilds out of town. My favorite spots to drop out of the city were Interlaken Park (you could hear the hum the city but it had a deep woods feel), and Seward Park (love the old growth grove there).
Last edited by Champ le monstre du lac; 07-07-2022 at 12:34 PM..
Location: northern Vermont - previously NM, WA, & MA
10,748 posts, read 23,813,296 times
Reputation: 14660
Quote:
Originally Posted by SunGrins
I don't know how you judge "the best" -- is it in the eye of the beholder? Albuquerque has many miles of Sandia foothills trails and some leading up to the summit on the city's east side. The bosque trail courses through the riverine forest along the Rio Grande right through the middle of the city. The forest is the longest bosque forest in the world.
I love how Albuquerque left the Rio Grande in its natural state rather than building a concrete ditch through town. I use to take my dogs for walks in the Bosque. Loved it there is the fall when the cottonwoods were ablaze in yellow.
Last edited by Champ le monstre du lac; 07-07-2022 at 12:38 PM..
In Portland, the Sandy River Delta is one of our favorite places to take the dogs. It's an off leash park but it's managed by the US Forest Service and feels very wild and natural with wetlands, fields, and forests. It's located just outside of city limits.
Forest Park is located within city limits and it definitely feels like a lush wilderness forest rather a city park. It's absolutely massive at 5,200 acres.
Lastly, Sauvie Island is a really cool spot 10 miles northwest of downtown. It's known for its sandy beaches, farmland, and wildlife refuges.
Those were all great suggestions, thank you. I love the Portland area and am considering relocating there. I just get a little bit nervous about the earthquake risk there... but I know its silly of me as there's no way of telling when that may be and every metro has its own risks.
No. Everglades National Park lies beyond Miami's southern/western suburbs. There is a minimal amount of undeveloped land between the edge of the suburbs and the park boundary that could be considered "everglades", but they mostly just look like flooded, treeless fields. The interesting stuff is in the park.
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