Hike to BBQ on These 7 Trails

Hikers talk a lot about food: what they’re going to eat pre-hike, what they’re planning to nosh mid-hike, and—especially—the big plan for the post-hike throwdown. And there’s no better way to celebrate a summer hike than with some authentic barbecue. Meat, carbs, a thick slather of sauce—what’s not to like?

To celebrate peak BBQ season and help you ring in your Memorial Day right, we’ve compiled this list of hikes that pair perfectly with nearby barbecue establishments. Here are the best places to enjoy that most venerable of American cuisines.

Big Pine Lakes Trail, John Muir Wilderness

Post-hike pit stop: Copper Top BBQ, Big Pine, California

There’s nothing like big scenery to work up a big appetite. The Eastern Sierra has some of the grandest terrain in the Lower 48, and on this trek you can come face-to-face with the spiny arêtes of Temple Crag and its neighbors—all while enjoying a constellation of serene lakes. At 14 miles round-trip and up to 3,500 feet of gain, this hike makes for a long day. Fortunately, there are campsites along the way if you want to break it up with an overnight (obtain a permit first). No matter how long you take, the barbecue at Copper Top in nearby Big Pine, California, should be the perfect end to the trip. Tri-tip steak features heavily on the menu here, as do an array of sausages.

Mt. Sterling via Baxter Creek Trail, Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Post-hike pit stop: Gill’s BBQ and Catering Service, Hartford, Tennessee

We’d be remiss not to include this route, which is located in the center of the barbecue universe: the American South. Climbing Mt. Sterling is a treat for the mind and the body, serving up an absurdly scenic, 4,800-vertical-foot ascent that will have your stomach begging for its reward. (Bring snacks, of course, but don’t ruin your appetite.) This 12-mile out-and-back is one of the best segments along the 300-plus-mile Benton MacKaye Trail, and a fire lookout at the top offers panoramic views of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

When you’re done, drive 15 quick minutes down I-40 to Gill’s, where the menu boasts traditional Appalachian barbecue offerings—think mustard-based sauce and pulled pork—as well as inventive dishes like barbecue tacos and burritos.

Mt. Ida, Rocky Mountain National Park

Post-hike pit stop: Smokin’ Dave’s BBQ, Estes Park, Colorado

Keep in mind that the South doesn’t have a monopoly on good barbecue joints—especially ones near outstanding mountain scenery. Case and point: Smokin’ Dave’s BBQ near Estes Park, Colorado. To work up an appetite worthy of this local gem, start your day with a hike of nearby Mt. Ida. This peak stands proudly on the Continental Divide in Rocky Mountain National Park, and the view from the top encompasses a craggy cirque cradling Azure and Inkwell Lakes. Even better news: Far removed from Rocky’s jam-packed Bear Lake portal, 12,881-foot Ida sees only a fraction of the national park’s usual hordes.

Tackle the 9-mile, 2,400-vert out-and-back to the summit, then drive the views-for-miles Trail Ridge Road back down to the gateway town of Estes Park. Once you’re back below treeline, make a beeline for Smokin’ Dave’s. With four locations across Colorado’s Front Range, this is an establishment that knows how to cater to hungry hikers. Be sure to throw in an order of okra and ribs and get munching.

Lake of the Crags, Grand Teton National Park

Post-hike pit stop: Bubba’s BBQ, Jackson, Wyoming

Lakeside lounging and barbecue are two staples of summer fun, and you’ll appreciate them even more when there’s a good old-fashioned rock scramble in between. Lake of the Crags is a steep-sided mountain tarn perched at 9,600 feet in the Grand Teton National Park. Steep mountain slopes hide this zone from the Jackson Hole valley floor, so, even though it’s relatively accessible, you’ll feel like you’re deep in the wilderness.

Starting from the String Lake trailhead, the trail corkscrews up 2,900 feet over 3.6 miles through wildflower-filled meadows and into talus fields below the lake. Lake of the Crags remains largely crowd-free, so you might have this cliff-cradled paradise all to yourself. Back in civilization, stop by Bubba’s in the town of Jackson, Wyoming. National park visitors have flocked to Bubba’s since 1983, and its brisket sandwiches and pulled pork platters will have you refueled and ready for the next day’s adventure.

Giant Mountain, Adirondack State Park

Post-hike pit stop: Pitkin’s, Schroon Lake, New York

Upstate New York might seem a bit out of place on this list. Maple syrup? Apple cider donuts? Stewart’s ice cream? Sure. But barbecue? Hear me out. Pitkin’s, a local favorite in the Adirondack hamlet of Schroon Lake, New York, has been serving hungry townsfolk (and hikers) since 1907. Its St. Louis-style ribs—a barbecue style defined by a sweet, tomato-based sauce—and brisket mac ’n cheese are filling options for anybody who’s tackled the Adirondacks’ notoriously rock- and root-strewn terrain. Before you settle into a booth, climb Giant Mountain, an Adirondack 46er, from the nearby Chapel Pond. This trail goes straight up (3,000 vert in just 2.7 miles), but the reward is views into the summit-studded High Peaks Wilderness to the east and Lake Champlain to the west. And, of course, ribs at Pitkin’s once you’re down.

Hay Rock via Appalachian Trail

Post-hike pit stop: Three Li’l Pigs Barbeque, Daleville, Virginia

As the Appalachian Trail swings into the town of Daleville, Virginia, it passes by Hay Rock, a scenic spot overlooking the Carvins Cove Reservoir. While Hay Rock itself is picnic-worthy—especially when fall color hits the Blue Ridge Mountains—you can soak in even more scenery on an 8-mile, 1,500-vert round-trip hike.

For your finale, hit up Three Li’l Pigs Barbecue. Its vinegar sauce-centered barbecue is a perfect example of the local North Carolina/southern Virginia style, and it’s just a half-mile walk from the trail.

River Overlook Trail via Trammell Crossing, Pedernales Falls State Park

Post-hike pit stop: The Switch BBQ, Austin, Texas

No barbecue-centric list would be complete without an entry from Texas, and Hill Country has the highest-density mix of food and trails in the state. Pedernales Falls State Park, an hour’s drive from Austin, offers hikers the chance to lounge in the park’s namesake river before continuing on to a stunning viewpoint. After you’ve taken in the view, head back the way you came to finish up the 5.5-mile round-trip hike. On your way back to Austin, make sure to stop off at The Switch BBQ. Brisket is king here, but Tex-Mex specials like pulled pork nachos and smoked chicken enchiladas spice up the menu.