Arizona
South Kaibab/North Kaibab Trail System (strenuous)
Grand Canyon National Park

The Hike: Avoid the hordes on the Bright Angel Trail and instead start a four-day cross-canyon trek on the South Kaibab Trail as it drops quickly from Yaki Point to the Colorado River, 6.4 miles and 4,780 feet below (hike from Yaki Point a mile and a half down to Cedar Ridge and back for a good day hike). Spend two nights at Bright Angel Campground, just above the river's north bank, with a day in between to explore the arduous Clear Creek Trail. On day three, pick up the 14.2-mile-long North Kaibab Trail and take it halfway up to Ribbon Falls and the Cottonwood Campground. A final seven-mile push lands you on the North Rim.

Local Wisdom: Bring lots of sunscreen, water, and a hat. This is essentially desert hiking, which means a gallon a day per person; there's no water on the South Kaibab Trail except at campgrounds.

Getting There: Leave a car at each trailhead or make reservations with Transcanyon Shuttle ($60 per person; 520-638-2820). A permit is required for all overnight camping, and competition is fierce. For an application and a backcountry trip planner, call Grand Canyon National Park, 520-638-7888.

Resources: USGA togo maps: Phantom Ranch and Bright Angel Point. Guidebook: The Official Guide to Hiking the Grand Canyon, available for $11.95 from the Grand Canyon Association (520-638-2481) or from the visitor center.

Civilization: The Grand Canyon Lodge, on the North Rim near the Kaibab trailhead, is a rustic 1920s log-and-stone main lodge and 80 cabins overlooking the canyon. Doubles, $56-$95. Call 303-297-2757.

New Mexico
Middle Alamo/Yapashi/Upper Alamo Trail (moderate to strenuous)
Bandelier National Monument

The Hike: This loop's start and finish in Frijoles Canyon is usually swarming with tourists, but the monument's 23,000 backcountry wilderness acres are hardly visited. The full two-day loop covers 18 miles and takes you in and out of high-walled canyons and from dry piñon-juniper mesa tops to thick fir and ponderosa pine forests. From the visitor center, hike six miles to the unexcavated pueblo of Yapashi and another two miles to the bottom of Capulin Canyon, where you can camp. On the return leg, take the Upper Alamo Trail to the Upper Crossing of the Frijoles for a final six-mile streamside jaunt.

Local Wisdom: Pets are prohibited at the monument. Every year scores of visitors try to bring their dogs on this hike, only to be turned away at the gate.

Getting There: From Santa Fe, take U.S. 84/285 north 13 miles to New Mexico 502, exit onto New Mexico 4, and proceed to the monument entrance, where you can pick up a free backcountry camping permit. Call Bandelier National Monument at 505-672-3861.

Resources: USGS topo map: Frijoles. Trails Illustrated's map of Bandelier ($8.95) and the Los Alamos Historical Society's A Guide to Bandelier National Monument ($8.95) are available at the visitor center.

Civilization: Casa Escondida B&B in Chimayó, 45 minutes from Bandelier, is an old adobe on six acres with an outdoor hot tub. Doubles, $75-$130. Call 800-643-7201.

Texas
The South Rim (moderate to strenuous)
Big Bend National Park

The Hike: High in the 7,200-foot Chisos Mountains, the South Rim offers views that reach far into Mexico. The 13-mile loop begins in the Basin, a mountain valley walled in by reddish-brown igneous rock; you can hike in either direction, but the Laguna Meadow Trail climbs less steeply on the outbound leg. Don't pitch your tent right on the rim, especially if it's windy. On the return, descend the Boot Canyon and Pinnacles Trails. Plan on at least two days, so you can hike to Emory Peak, the area's highest summit, and the North Rim, an extension of the South Rim.

Local Wisdom: Bears have returned to Big Bend, so keep all food, utensils, and aromatic items in the special bear-resistant food storage lockers at all designated campsites.

Getting There: From El Paso, about five and a half hours away, take I-10 east 119 miles to U.S. 90. Go south for 104 miles to Alpine and Texas 118, and then 100 miles to the Basin Visitor Center, in the middle of the park, where you can pick up a free overnight permit. Call Big Bend National Park at 915-477-2251.

Resources: Trails Illustrated (800-962-1643) publishes a good waterproof map, based on USGS topos, for $8.99. A topo called Chisos Mountains Trails is sold for 53 cents at the visitor center. Guidebook: Hiker's Guide to Big Bend ($12.95, from Falcon Press, 800-582-2665).

Civilization: The Gage Hotel in Marathon, 45 miles from the park entrance, has colonial-Mexican-style rooms and a pool. Doubles, $44-$100. Call 800-884-4243.