I often hike alone (yes, I know I shouldn't) and when I'm exploring trails in the the backcountry, I've considered camping out there. However, I change my mind when I'm faced with my limited sleeping options.

But, while researching backcountry hikes, I stumbled across this Yahoo Travel article that highlights the backcountry accommodations in the Northeast. And even motivated me to try it in the process.

From spartan shelters alongside hiking trails to a handsome roadside lodge set beside the main highway that cuts through Crawford Notch, the AMC can provide sleeping quarters for roughly 2,200 visitors a night during the peak summer season when all facilities are open.

In recent years, the Boston-based club has expanded its accommodations to other backcountry locations, most notably Maine's North Woods. After acquiring 37,000 acres in the 100-Mile Wilderness, the club has taken over sporting camps used by hikers, canoeists, fly fishermen, snowshoers and cross-country skiers.

Most facilities are in New Hampshire and Maine, but the AMC also has lodgings in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York and New Jersey. While most are in the rural backcountry, at least two sites can be reached by public transportation from New York or Boston.

The nightly rates vary from as little as $8 for use of a tent platform to $135 per person for a private room with meals at Highland Lodge, although AMC members receive a discount.

The club's entry into the lodging business dates back to the late 19th century, after the AMC was founded in 1876 to promote recreation and conservation in the White Mountains. The first of the huts, Madison Spring Hut, was built 12 years later.

The eight huts, crown jewels of the club's lodging network, offer a range of views - all of them spectacular - and various levels of accessibility.

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