re: Looking for a backpacking destination idea...

if I may throw a homer suggestion, the Chilkoot Trail.

If you don't mind a bit of travel (5.5 hrs from DFW or Houston to Seattle, 2 hrs to Juneau and a puddle jumper or Ferry to Skagway) doing the Chilkoot Trail.

I've done it a couple times and it's awesome. Its part of two park systems (US NP Svc and Parks Canada) and goes from a ghost town in coastal rainforest in Ak to barren alpine and lakes in Canada. You can do a 3 day hike up to Lake Bennet, take a tourist train or bus back to Skagway. Halfway back, get off (whistlestop for hikers) and hike up to Lawton Glacier, come and catch the train again to Skagway. It may not be something you want to do this year, but it's definitely a unique experience. You need permits from the park svscs to do it.

Dyea was a boom town, but not much is left. You can raft or kayak the river, and in mid summer there are lots of brown bears feasting on salmon.



Summit on the Canadian border is barren, with a series of alpine lakes leading down to Lake Bennett



Trail profile




The "cities" listed on the trial profile are former camps on the trail of 98, and nothing left but a few ruins, if you poke around enough. It's wilderness.