Spring is coming and no doubt most avid hikers are anxious. If you're determined to plan a backpacking or camping excursion this summer, here are five places you'll be sure to remember for years to come.

• Lightning Lakes, British Columbia. This is perhaps the best place to introduce a newcomer or young family member to the world of backpacking. Four lakes are linked by a trail that meanders along the Cascade Mountain valley floor.
• Picture Rocks National Lakeshore, Michigan. Why wait until spring? Here, along Lake Superior, is perhaps one of the ultimate adventures for snowshoeing. Hidden deep in the woods are ice caves and frozen waterfalls. Overnight visitors can stay in the warmth and comfort of a nice lodge — although you can camp, too.
• Glacier National Park, Montana. Located along the Canadian/U.S. border, this park is full of grizzlies, glaciers, alpine meadows, and mountain peaks.
• The Temagami, Ontario, Canada. For a real wild experience that winds and mends its way through a puzzle-like network of lakes, streams, and rivers, head to the Temagami, on the border of Quebec and Ontario, north of Toronto.
• All 'Round Ranch, Utah. Located in Jensen, this ranch specializes in backcountry trips to the wilder parts of northeastern Utah — with a twist. You are assigned a horse and you become a working cowboy for a week. Call 800-603-8069 for more information.