I want to plan a 1-2 week backpacking trip beginning in Early June. I have a solid amount of experience backpacking (about 3 years worth), though I do not consider myself a master. But I also do other wilderness activities like white water raft, canoe/kayak, mountain climb. So I feel comfortable being on my own in the back country for a while.

This is also the first trip I will be leading/planning on my own (It is me and a couple of my friends). I have been out west to Eagle Cap Wilderness, Snake/Salmon river, Yellowstone. I am looking to go somewhere new!(If that's not a good idea, let me know).

Where would be a good place to do this trip? Out of a 10 scale of difficulty, I am looking for a 7-8. I was thinking about doing a leg or two of the Appalachian Trail or heading into the Sierras or Arizona.

Ideally, I'd like to be able to make fires, restock food every 4-5 days, minimize critters and insects (but hey, that's nature for ya), and be in warm climate. I like altitude too.

I appreciate any and all advice and suggestions! The more specific the better.

-J

This year early June is good for the Sierra. The JMT northern section allows 4-5 day resupply BUT, with three people, I think you are a bit too late to get permits. If however you were to start from Twin Lakes (out of Bridgeport), you could likely get a permit and could intersect the JMT at Tuolumne Meadows. As for fires, there are no fires allowed on a lot of the JMT due to elevation and this year as a drought year, there is likely to be a ban on all open fires.

Early June is too early for the Rockies. They are getting more than normal snowpack this year. Maybe some sections of the CDT in New Mexico? Lots in Canyonlands, Zion, etc but not sure you could put together a continuous 2-week trip. Grand Canyon - same permit problems. Anywhere poplular that requires permits you are a little late in planning.

Someone else will have to chime in on early June in the PNW.

early June in the PNW

A limited number hikes are available in early June in the PNW, because they need to be relatively low elevation, or else you need to plan on the trails being entirely buried under consolidated snow above (roughly) 3500 ft. A two weeks continuous duration hike just isn't in the cards in the PNW that early. A one week hike might be possible, if you did some messing around instead of trying for big mileage.

If the OP is interested in the PNW, some of the best hikes in early June would be on the Olympic Peninsula in WA, or the Wenaha-Tucannon wilderness over in extreme NE Oregon. This year the low snowpack in southern Oregon might allow earlier-than-normal access to the Kalmiopsis or Red Butte wildernesses, but winter isn't over yet and the snowpack could still change quite a bit by mid-April.

What aimless and W_D said!

A few other places in the Pacific NW accessible in June would be the Rogue River Trail and Hell's Canyon. Hell's Canyon could last for 2 weeks, but if you want a resupply you'd have to arrange it with one of the jet boat outfits ($$$). Otherwise, you'd probably be looking at two one-week trips in separate locations.

For California, watch the snowpack because they are actually getting moisture. Everything depends on how long the current series of storms keeps up. The Sierra may hopefully get a bit closer to normal, in which case early June would still be quite snowy.

As mentioned, don't count on fires. I suspect they'll be banned quite early in the year, depending of course on the weather between now and then. Wood stoves are banned when/where campfires are, and there's an increasing move to ban alcohol stoves in dry conditions, too.

Well, if you want a week, in june, no bugs, and fires,

tides look pretty good for starting West Coast Trail in Bamfield
(vancouver island) about June 10, or May 25. You need 6 nights on trail or so the first time you do that one.

Swell! Thank you all so much!
If I am understanding correctly, it seems like most western trails will still be snowy in early June. However, I am going to research a bit more about the lower elevation trails.

How about the AT? or other national trails on the east coast?
My buddies and I want to end up in Dover, DE around June 19th for Firefly Music Festival (one of my friends is working it). And from what I have found out so far, there seems to be less snow and other barriers to starting in June (however, with the current storms all over the country, I am sure we are in for a weird backpacking summer).

Thanks again for all the advice!
-J

June is no problem for the AT, except perhaps for the whites and northward, depending on the year. June is a fine month for the rest; you could estimate your hiking speed and just pick somewhere either north or south of your destination to start. Perhaps leave the trail in southern Pennsylvania and hitch or take a bus to where you're going in Delaware.

It's not hard to find AT mileages online to work this out; the AT is a pretty easy trail to just sort of "jump on" and start walking.