5 Dream Hiking Trips You Can Take For Cheap This Summer

While the act of hiking itself may not be pricey, everything surrounding a hike-centric vacation sure is—from booking flights to buying a backpacking permit to reserving accommodations on the bookends of your trip. But if you plan your adventure with airfare deals, exchange rates, and budget-friendly travel hacks top of mind you can avoid a potential blow to your wallet. 

We researched flights from the central hub of Denver to affordable hiking destinations across the globe. We also did some digging for local travel hacks to make your adventures at these destinations more thrifty. Here’s where to travel in 2024 if you’re vying to go on a low-cost hiking adventure that’s worth every cent.

San José, Costa Rica

The Deal

Flights from Denver International Airport: Starting at $394 round-trip

Exchange Rate (as of time of publication): 1 USD = 503.17 CRC

The best things in life are free—like hiking. And there are plenty of trails to explore in and around the capital city of San José, Costa Rica. During peak summer travel months, you can’t beat under $400 flights from Denver that drop you at the foothills of a dense tropical cloud forest covering the Cordillera de Talamanca mountain range. A favorable exchange rate for the Costa Rican colón also means your spending money will go further. 

The Hikes

Parque Eólico Santa Ana; Parque Nacional Tapantí – Macizo de la Muerte; Braulio Carrillo National Park

Hike local at the lush Eolico del Valle Central Park, a 45-minute drive from the city center. You can get to the park by public bus for under $2 one way, departing from Costado Sur Parque Beneméritos De La Patria. Don’t miss hiking the Pico Blanco por Ventoleras trail (5.6-mile loop) that will challenge you with over 2,300 feet of elevation gain but reward you with panoramic valley views. 

For more rugged hiking, head to Braulio Carrillo National Park—one of Costa Rica’s largest national parks. The mix of high-altitude cloud forest and lowland tropical rainforest caters to all hiking styles—from the Cacho de Venado trail (3.6-mile loop) up the Barva Volcano to the jungle-engulfed Zurqui Trail (7 miles out and back). In a climate prone to rainfall, you’ll drool over the picturesque views of gushing waterfalls while ducking for protection under the enormous palmito leaves, known as the “poor man’s umbrella.”

Calgary, Canada

The Deal

Flights from Denver International Airport: Starting at $340 round-trip

Exchange Rate: 1 USD = 1.37 CAD

Most folks flock to the Canadian Rockies to immerse themselves in the beauty of Banff National Park. But the journey comes with a hefty price tag, especially if you plan to stay a night or two in the heart of town or near Lake Louise before or after your time in the backcountry. Opt to start your journey to the trailhead with a stay in Calgary instead. The mountain-adjacent metropolis offers a less expensive option for dayhikers willing to make a short commute to the trailhead with all the perks an urban outdoor hub has to offer: affordable public transit, free festivals, and access to an abundance of parks and green space. 

Where to Hike

Bragg Creek Provincial Park; Spray Valley Provincial Park; Banff National Park

Between the foothills of Banff National Park and the vastness of the Canadian Prairies, nature surrounds Calgary on all sides. Dayhikers can explore the eastern edge of Kananaskis Country in Bragg Creek Provincial Park on Telephone Trail (9.3-mile loop) or Elbow Trail (7-mile out and back), or wander deeper into remote wilderness in Spray Valley Provincial Park along the Tent Ridge Trail (6.3-mile loop). National Park purists or Banff-bound thru-hikers can also catch a $10 shuttle via On-It Transit from Calgary to Banff.

San Juan, Puerto Rico

The Deal

Flights from Denver International Airport: Starting at $219 round-trip

Exchange Rate: USD

Soak in the summer sun on the trail without spending a fortune. Flights to San Juan from Denver start at just over $200 in June and July. You can start your days on the trail early to beat the humid mid-day heat and end your afternoons relaxing at the beach. Camping is limited in this region of Puerto Rico but you can save money with a hostel stay in town at Santurcia Hostel ($79 per night) or the beachside Casa Coral Luquillo ($92 per night) in Luquillo, a small beach town an hour east of San Juan. You can also splurge a little and stay on the edge of El Yunque National Forest at Rainforest Inn ($234 per night) with full bed and breakfast amenities and easy access to the trails. 

Where to Hike

El Yunque National Forest; Bosque Estatal de Carite

Take a short 40-mile drive west of San Juan to a dayhiker’s paradise: El Yunque National Forest. The lush rainforest landscape is full of hidden waterfalls, cool swimming holes, and foliage as far as the eye can see. Popular spots for dayhikes include the El Yunque Trail (5.4-mile out and back) to the top of El Yunque Peak and the Tradewinds Trail (4.6-mile out and back), each showcasing the region’s misty cloud forests, footpaths overflowing with flowering foliage, and moss-covered terrain. Travel a bit further to Bosque Estatal de Carite, or Carite State Forest. The one-hour trip south of San Juan is worth it for a short but stunning 1-mile rainforest hike that leads to El Charco Azul, a radiant blue, 40-foot-wide freshwater swimming hole.

Lima, Peru

The Deal

Flights from Denver International Airport: Starting at $439 round-trip

Exchange Rate: 1 USD = 3.70 SOL

Hikers typically head to Cusco, Peru, to make the iconic pilgrimage to Machu Picchu to hike the classic Inca Trail. But you can cut the cost of your flight to Peru in half by opting instead for the capital city of Lima, which lies 1,100 miles west. Characterized by its oceanside hikes that resemble the coastlines of California, you’ll also savor Peruvian culture in Lima with affordable eats in town. Pro tip: Ask for the “Menu del dia” (translates to “menu of the day”) to keep costs down. This style of meal typically includes a drink, soup, entreé, and a side for only 15 soles (or $4). 

Where to Hike

Reserva Paisajistica Nor Yauyos-Cochas and Zona Reservada Cordillera Huayhuash

Escape the city for dayhikes and camping overnights in the trail-rich towns of Huancaya and Vilca to the east. Use the money you saved on a flight for a car—your best option for getting to the trailhead in nearby forest areas and nature reserves. You’ll need to drive around 7 hours through the Andes to get there but the route is beyond beautiful. 

Free camping is abundant in Reserva Paisajistica Nor Yauyos-Cochas, also called the Nor Yauyos-Cochas Reserve. This reserve is known for waterfalls that cascade into turquoise lagoons surrounded by a backdrop of eucalyptus-covered mountains topped with snow-capped peaks. Here you’ll find spots for primitive camping in Huancaya on the banks of the Cañete River, or you can sleep with creature comforts at Huancaya Glamping. A five-hour farther east drive into the Andes, you can camp within the eucalyptus forests surrounding Vilca on the edge of the San Cristobal and Cantagallo hills. 

Head north of Lima to Zona Reservada Cordillera Huayhuash to experience some of the most remote mountains of South America in the Peruvian Amazon. Backpackers can take on the famed Cordillera Huayhuash Circuit, a high-altitude mountain pass flanked by dramatic mountain faces and piercing glacial lakes the entire route. 

Reykjavík, Iceland

The Deal

Flights from Denver International Airport: Starting at $670 round-trip

Exchange Rate: 1 USD = 141.77 ISK

Iceland certainly isn’t the cheapest place you can travel. But if you plan your adventure with budget hacks in mind—like using public transit and backpacking instead of hotel hopping—you can lock in a relatively affordable trip. From Denver, you should be able to land airfare to Reykjavík for under $1,000 during the peak summer months of June and July. You can also take the Highland Bus or Strætó bus to nearby towns and popular dayhiking trails, including the iconic mountainous Thórsmörk area three hours southeast of Reykjavík.

Where to Hike

Reykjanesfólkvangur Reserve and Thingvellir National Park

Skip the Blue Lagoon for dayhikes in the Reykjanesfólkvangur Reserve on the popular Búrfellsgjá Trail (3.4-mile out and back) and the cliffside Krýsuvíkurfoss Trail (3-mile out and back). The 30-minute day trip journey to the trailheads will cut down on the cost of travel across the country to more remote natural areas but offers equally as stunning views. Búrfell Mountain, a basalt tuya volcano famous in this southeast corner of Iceland, is a hallmark of the reserve. You can also journey to Hveragerði south of the Reykjadalur Valley for dayhiking and camping via the Strætó bus. Soak in a Reykjadalur Hot Spring Thermal River and camp at Reykjamörk Hveragerði Campsite for a cheaper stay. About 45 minutes northeast of Reykjavík you can also explore the “Heart of Iceland”—Thingvellir National Park—or make the journey farther east to backpack the Laugavegur Trek (34-mile point to point). This region of the Icelandic Highlands is arguably one of the most stunning for its hot spring-studded landscape (prime for soaking in) and is surrounded by multicolored rhyolite mountain ranges and vast basalt lava fields. Plan far enough in advance to book one or some of the famous Laugavegur and Fimmvörðuháls on-trail huts.