Transcaucasian Trail

For decades, fraught geopolitics and poorly marked trails gave all but the most intrepid hikers pause about the Caucasus Mountains, an area known for its jaw-dropping geography. But the Transcaucasian Trail, a volunteer-based initiative aiming to link Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan via an 1,800-mile network of paths, is making the region more accessible. Its latest bushwhacked additions: a 50-mile stretch that runs through Dilijan National Park, the Armenian nature reserve prized for its crystalline lakes and 10th century monasteries, and a 77-mile track in Svaneti, a Georgian region known for its glaciated peaks and UNESCO-protected guard towers. —Benjamin Kemper