We Need the Wild

Embrace the Wild and Find Your Strength

Quick Getaways for Busy Professionals

Welcome to Your Next Mini Adventure!
Balancing work and life can be challenging, but that doesn’t mean you need to put your travel dreams on hold. Short, impactful trips can refresh your spirit and create unforgettable memories—all within a week. Explore these curated getaway ideas designed for the modern working professional.

Benson Lake Loop

Yosemite National Park and Hoover Wilderness, California

  • Length: 48 miles
  • Duration: 5-6 days
  • Highlights: This 48-mile loop through Yosemite’s northern section showcases glacial-fed alpine lakes, towering granite peaks, and meadows bursting with wildflowers. The hike starts on the less-traveled eastern side of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and follows the Pacific Crest Trail for 14 miles along the backside of the loop, giving adventurers a taste of the Sierra section of the PCT.
  • Why Go: You will learn lessons that extend far beyond the trail – resilience, gratitude, the power of pausing, and the joy of the unexpected. If you’re looking for a challenge that will change the way you think, the way you lead, and the way you live, this hike might just be what you need.
  • Click here to read more.
Yosemite National Parks Smedberg Lake one of the many lakes you will see while hiking the Benson Lake Loop
Hikers enjoying Smedberg Lake, one of the many lakes you will see while hiking the Benson Lake Loop.

Trans Catalina Trail

Avalon and Two Harbors, California

  • Length: 38.5 miles
  • Duration: 4-6 days
  • Highlights: The Trans Catalina Trail (TCT) is a breathtaking 38.5-mile lollipop thru hike that spans the length of Santa Catalina Island, just off Southern California’s coast. This trail offers a unique combination of rugged adventure and coastal charm, showcasing pristine beaches, rolling green hills, vibrant wildflowers, and encounters with island wildlife like bison and foxes.
  • Why Go: You will enjoy the convenience of designated beachside campsites, restaurants, restrooms, and water spigots, making it an excellent choice for first-time or solo backpackers. Fair warning though – this hike is deceptively hard, including the famously challenging route to Parson’s Landing.
  • Click here to read more.
Yellow wildflowers on the approach to Little Harbor on the Trans Catalina Trail.
Hiking into Little Harbor on the Trans Catalina Trail

Timberline Trail

Mount Hood, Oregon

  • Length: 41.5 miles
  • Duration: 4-5 Days
  • Highlights: The Timberline Trail offers an ideal Oregon hiking experience, circling Mount Hood with stunning views and diverse landscapes. This 41.5-mile loop features over 10,000 feet of elevation gain, crossing wildflower meadows, glaciers, and streams, with views of iconic peaks like Mount Hood, Mount Jefferson, and Mount Rainier. The trail is known for its abundant water sources and exciting stream crossings, making it both convenient and adventurous.
  • Why Go: It’s the perfect short adventure with big rewards, including meeting PCT thru-hikers and enjoying the famous Timberline Lodge breakfast buffet. The logistics of planning this hike are easier because it’s a loop that starts and ends at a hotel with ample parking- no need to arrange car shuttles.
  • Click here to read more.

Goat Rocks Wilderness

Goat Rocks Wilderness and Gifford Pinchot National Forest, Washington

  • Length: 120 miles of trails
  • Duration: Perfect for short 3–4-day trips
  • Highlights: Breathtaking landscapes and diverse wildlife in a remote, rugged setting.
  • Why Go: Located between Mt. Rainier and Mt. Adams in southwestern Washington, the 100,000+-acre Goat Rocks Wilderness is part of the Cascade Mountain Range. The wilderness is known for its alpine meadows, small lakes, and ponds, fed by annual snowfall that keeps water sources full until late summer. Wildlife thrives here: pikas and marmots live above the timberline, while deer, elk, and mountain goats roam at lower elevations.
  • Click here to read more.