Best Eco-Adventure Camping:
San Gorgonio Wilderness Area camps, San Bernardino National Forest, Calif.

The San Gorgonio Wilderness Area offers the determined hiker 12 different trails and numerous backcountry camps with spectacular views of Sierra-range peaks. Summiting the 11,500-foot peak of San Gorgonio is an adventure all itself, taking you through a number of ecological zones. Base camps for this effort are Dry Lake (9,219 feet) and Trail Flats (9,680 feet), accessed from the Dry Lake Trail. Grinnel Ridge Camp can be reached atop Lost Creek Trail, where there are great views of Sugarloaf Peak and Santa Ana Canyon farther up. For real solitude, ascend the Fish Creek Trail to Big Tree Camp, while taking in magnificent views of Yucca Valley.