Best places to live in the U.S.A. if you love hiking?

[Slo-go'en]

just back from hiking mt cardigan in the middle of no where, NH....NH seems hard to beat.

I'm glad I live here and most other people don't.

[Venchka]

Someone mentioned Boulder real estate.
For grins and giggles I looked up average home prices in Boulder and neighboring Longmont.
Boulder: $775,000.
Longmont: $325,000 or $350,000. I didn’t write it down.
The size of the average homes weren’t listed.
Crazy.
Wayne

[Hosh]

Actually it’s pretty simple; location, location, location

4 season recreational Mecca’s, great mountain biking, jeeping, backpacking, hiking, snowboarding, cross country skiing, downhill skiing, snowshoeing, camping, kayaking, rafting, mountaineering, bouldering, fly fishing, ice climbing, hand gliding, hot air ballooning, and basket weaving.

High end employment in tech, finance, software, healthcare, insurance, and communications

And it’s been overrun by all the freaking Californicators!

[Hosh]

Actually it’s pretty simple; location, location, location

4 season recreational Mecca’s, great mountain biking, jeeping, backpacking, hiking, snowboarding, cross country skiing, downhill skiing, snowshoeing, camping, kayaking, rafting, mountaineering, bouldering, fly fishing, ice climbing, hand gliding, hot air ballooning, and basket weaving.

High end employment in tech, finance, software, healthcare, insurance, and communications

And it’s been overrun by all the freaking Californicators!

[peakbagger]

Affordability for housing is a hurdle for many folks. I can point out several basic homes in the Northern Whites for less than 100K. There currently are a couple of homes and a house lot located directly on the AT in Shelburne NH between the Rattle River Shelter and Hogan Road.

I would not advocate directly buying a home anywhere until renting for a year or so but rents are cheap in the area. After a year or so renting, someone can get an idea is they like real seasons. The big point is many folks think they like real seasons but until they have lived through a winter and early spring, they will not know. Late fall and winter hiking for those with the gear and the brains to use it can be the best time of the year for hiking but it comes down to that you need to pick your days and be a fair weather hiker. The year round economy isnt thriving in the region although seasonal jobs are always available May through the end of September and December through late March. There are quite a few state jobs in the area for folks with social service skills, the pay is low but they have state benefits. If someone is so inclined and have a clean record there is a state and federal prison in the region that are always hiring.