Avoid California's Crowded John Muir Trail For This Wildly Scenic And Underrated Hike

"Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees," the naturalist John Muir wrote in 1901 (via National Park Service). "The winds will blow their own freshness into you and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves." More and more hikers are discovering the wisdom of those words and following Muir out into the wilderness — many by setting out on the trail that bears his name. Perhaps too many.

Today, the 211-mile John Muir Trail forms the most famously scenic segment of the Pacific Crest Trail, stretching between Mount Whitney and Yosemite, and people from all over the world make the pilgrimage to California to hike it. But you'll need a hard-to-get permit, and because of its storied reputation, you'll find the trail relatively crowded.

For a more remote alternative, strap on your boots and backpack and head for the Boundary Trail in Washington's Pasayten wilderness. This 80-mile trail travels east to west, hugging the Canadian border. Just like the John Muir Trail, the Boundary crosses a remote wilderness with no roads, soars over high mountain passes, ranges beside crystal-clear alpine lakes, and offers up abundant wildlife along the way. Less abundant? Humankind. This trail is every bit as remote as California's Lost Coast Trail, but the rewards are mighty, as most visitors return from the Pasayten Wilderness saying it's one of the most beautiful places they've ever been.

Just as the John Muir Trail is part of the longer Pacific Crest Trail, the Boundary Trail is a segment of the Pacific Northwest Trail, which runs from Glacier National Park in Montana to the Pacific Ocean. The half-million acre Pasayten Wilderness could be called Washington's own Yosemite — that's how stunning the landscapes are. On paper, the Boundary Trail may sound easier because it gains less altitude than the John Muir Trail and includes less mileage overall, but it's also less maintained, so you may be slowed down by having to climb over fallen trees. And there are no real opportunities for what thru-hikers term "resupply," or what you might call grocery shopping. That means a heavier pack, which will also slow your roll. 

Another downside of the Boundary Trail's remoteness is that planning to get on and off of it can be a challenge. The Irongate Trailhead, where the hike begins, requires a 4x4 to get to and simply isn't reachable by passenger cars, according to the Forest Service. The "official" exit down to gorgeous Ross Lake (pictured) is overgrown, so some trekkers opt to join the Pacific Crest Trail for the last few miles and exit that way. Public transportation around here isn't an option, so you'll want a friend to pick you up, or you'll be hitchhiking at the end of your trip.

By now you're wondering: Is it worth it? Ask anyone who has done it. "The Pasayten Wilderness will forever be one of the most impressive backcountry areas in the United States I've ever trekked," one Instagrammer noted. "The views we experienced on this stretch had to be earned, which added to the feeling of joy when we reached each campsite at night."

If the entirety of the Boundary Trail sounds daunting, there are plenty of ways to experience the wonders of the Pasayten Wilderness with less of a commitment. For a shorter yet still challenging backpacking trip that samples the same scenery but avoids the logistical issues, the 40-mile Devil's Dome Loop begins and ends just off Highway 20, and climbs a distinct trail to views that AllTrails users variously describe as "hard" and "incredible." The Cathedral Slam is another challenging yet easily accessed backpacking trip that also begins near Ross Lake and takes you deep into the Pasayten. For a spectacular day hike, the 7.8-mile trek to Easy Pass isn't easy — few trails in these mountains are — but yields glacier views and fiery orange subalpine larch trees in autumn. 

If you're up for testing your mettle against a long and difficult trail, but the remoteness of the Boundary Trail makes you nervous, the well-traveled Wonderland Trail around the base of Washington's Mount Rainier is hard to hike but easy to access — but like the John Muir Trail, you'll have to navigate a permit system. It too is a stunner, and once you've done it and developed a taste for the Northwest's gloriously untamed wilderness, the Boundary Trail will bounce right back onto your bucket list.