When you carry the whole world in your pocket, aid can arrive from the most unexpected places

There’s a lot to know before parking your van or pitching a tent on public lands. Here’s how to do it right.

From towering waterfalls to long-distance trails, this 90-mile stretch of Route 20 packs the region’s best adventures into one trip

Moab isn’t the only place to go. Explorer and professional skier Kalen Thorien shares her intel on how to find adventures off the beaten path.

We’ve found the most adventure-packed routes for your road-trip bucket list

In the same way that backcountry skiers read avalanche reports and whitewater kayakers check water levels, anyone hiking in the West needs to start planning for fires as a baseline safety precaution

‘The Noor,’ filmed by Vadim Sherbakov, captures the otherworldly winter beauty of the planet’s deepest lake, Russia’s Lake Baikal

Writer Jason Motlagh has been reporting in Afghanistan since 2006, which has involved developing close relationships with Afghan journalists and their families. He and a network of media colleagues are currently in a race to get more than 100 of them out of the country as the Taliban cracks down.

If you were as caught off guard by the end of summer as we were, here are some easy-to-plan itineraries for the long weekend

Statewide grassroots efforts to protect, conserve, and ensure access to natural resources are what makes the Green Mountain State such a haven for outdoor recreation

Here are some foolproof ways to ward off ticks, no-see-ums, mosquitos, and fleas—and to find relief if they get you anyway

At Olympic, you can go from luscious rainforests, to snowcapped peaks, to the stunning Pacific Coast—all in one park. What more could you ask for?

Many major national parks implemented new reservation systems intended to give visitors a more positive experience by decreasing gridlock, parking issues, and long lines for public services. But are they actually helping or making it more difficult to visit a park?

To live in the small town of Haines, Alaska, is to live with bears, with roughly one brown bear for every nine human residents. Last winter, a local snowboarder woke a hibernating brown bear in the backcountry and was severely injured, furthering tensions between food-stressed bears and anxious local residents. But in most encounters, it’s the bear that ends up dead, prompting the question of what it means to coexist.

Leaf peeping in New England. Surfing California’s coast. Cruising Alaska’s Inside Passage (yes, Alaska, in fall). We scoured the world to find the absolute best destinations to satisfy your autumn wanderlust—especially this year, when we all have a little cabin fever.

Leaf peeping in Colorado. Surfing the Azores. Cruising Alaska’s Inside Passage—yes, Alaska, in fall. We scoured the world to find epic adventures and stunning destinations to satisfy your autumn wanderlust, especially this year, when we all have a little cabin fever.

These six scenic byways will bring you across the most beautiful destinations on the East Coast

Think the central states are mostly flat and boring? These seven scenic byways will change your mind.

Explore lonely desert roads, venture deep into Utah's red-rock country, or head for the high alpine of the Rocky Mountains

From California's sheer cliffs to Oregon's craggy mountains, the west coast of the U.S. is home to some of the planet's most stunning scenery. Here's how to see the best of it.

From winding canyon roads and vast desert straightaways to historic routes and serene oceanside drives, the U.S. is home to some of the most awe-inspiring roads in the world. So e compiled 25 of the best byways—each loaded with joy-inducing adventure, scenery, and history.

From expert tips to gear recommendations to trail inspiration, we teamed up with Swedish gearmaker Fjällräven to help you make the most of your time in nature

Whether you’re looking to explore mountains, canyons, beaches—or all three—these RV trips have something for every kind of adventurer

Alaska’s Kobuk Valley National Park is an overlooked gem. It offers up the great caribou migration, stargazing and miles of solitude, and massive dunes you’d expect to find in the Sahara. This is the 40th stop on our 62 Parks Traveler's quest to visit every national park in the U.S.

What started as a fun personal challenge turned into a three-year van-life journey that pushed our writer to explore the most remote coasts in the United States

Think hotels with bike washing stations and retreats with spin classes, all located near miles of empty singletrack

Take a break from NPS crowds by visiting these lesser-known designations, which we chose based on spectacular scenery, great hiking trails, and unique features.

A day in Austin, Texas never disappoints—and L. Renee can prove it.

Watch as photographer and storyteller L. Renee explores the region’s historic, cultural, and outdoor hubs.

Our writer and her partner were about to embark on a longtime plan when their relationship abruptly ended. Despite her fears of doing it alone, she’s hitting the road—it was always her fantasy to be realized, anyway.

After her prestigious corporate job nearly destroyed her, Melinda Spooner found her path forward by getting way, way out there

These listings are as close to the park entrances as you can get

At the most recently declared national park, the adventure starts and ends with the 1,000-foot-deep New River Gorge. The 73,000-acre stretch of rugged canyon in West Virginia is home to Class IV+ whitewater rafting, some of the best rock climbing on the eastern seaboard, purpose-built singletrack, and more than 100 miles of hiking trails that capture this dramatic part of the country.

Thanks to the rise of engineered parks, it’s now easier than ever to learn to surf a wave in a kayak

From paved city paths to mountain-peak trails, there’s something for every kind of runner in Texas

How to tackle Chilean Patagonia’s Dientes de Navarino, the most unpredictable trek in the world

On a backpacking trip through Utah’s Buckskin Gulch with ultralight gear legend Glen Van Peski, our writer learns about the Crotch Pot, an Oscar-winning actor’s anti-snoring technique, and that there’s a whole lot of shit you don’t need when you’re on the trail 1,000 miles from home

We found the best places to pitch your tent in all 50 states, so you don’t have to.

The nonprofit Native Skywatchers has spent more than a decade collecting and preserving Indigenous star knowledge. Now organizations like NASA and the NPS are joining the movement.

Getting lost teaches me mindfulness, even when I’m terrified

A bevy of mapping apps exist to track and plan trips for different outdoor activities. Here’s the best one for running, cycling, hiking, backpacking, climbing, and skiing.

When President Biden needs a break from Putin and Mitch McConnell, he vacations on the Delmarva Peninsula, a blend of mid-Atlantic beauty, quirky accents, and tasty treasures from soil and sea. I grew up in the heart of it. Hear my song to this glorious land.

Gates of the Arctic in northern Alaska is one of the last truly wild national parks. There are no roads or trails, and the park boasts the stunning Brooks Range, six wild and scenic rivers, and gets fewer than 3,000 visitors a year. Our 62 Parks columnist was awestruck by her 39th stop on her quest to visit every national park in the U.S.

Introducing Outside+, a whole new way to feed your outdoor passions

More than 3,000 people attempt to walk the entire Appalachian Trail every year. Only about a quarter of them succeed. This intel from an AT thru-hiker provides key information to help you tackle and complete the 2,193-mile trek from Georgia to Maine.

Crowds, lines, and permits. Here’s how to visit a park this summer without melting down.

Katmai, in southern Alaska, is one of the few places where you can safely get up close and personal with a brown bear while it’s feeding—a life-list event says our 62 Parks Traveler about the 38th stop on her quest to visit every national park in the U.S.

Drawing parallels with the Galápagos Islands, this marine wonderland is a similarly diverse treasure found just off the Southern California coast, home to 2,000-plus species, some 150 of which can be found nowhere else

Photographer James Barkman has been living in his 1976 VW Westfalia van for seven years. The lessons he’s learned can help you on your long-weekend road trip, too.

A new wave of companies disrupting private-plane travel have made it more accessible to hop on a small chartered flight to regional destinations that are closer to outdoor playgrounds than any large airport

Fun, easy-to-pull-off adventures within a couple hours of the Mile High City

Been to the Centennial State before and looking to go deeper? Check out these northern Colorado adventures.

Looking to progress in your sport? From deepwater soloing in Majorca to mountain biking in New Zealand, these trips will take you to the next level.

From a baobab-filled outcropping in the middle of Botswana’s Makgadikgadi salt pans to an adventure hot spot in Iraqi Kurdistan, plan a trip to these bold destinations to earn some major adventure travel cred

Some of our favorite challenging outings in the heart of Colorado’s high country

Elevate your next ­outdoor sleepover with these genius tricks

Wild, off-the-beaten-path outings in one of Colorado’s most rugged corners

If you want a swath of stunning wilderness all to yourself, book a trip to Lake Clark, says our 62 Parks columnist of the 37th stop on her quest to visit all the parks in the U.S.

Whether you're new to off-roading or have been exploring for years, add these trail systems to your hit list

It’s finally time to take that beach vacation. You might as well post up right by the ocean.

Because there’s no better way to experience a national park than by sleeping in it

Fuel up for your next adventure with these deliciously portable bento boxes

All you need is a long weekend to get out, get lost, and find yourself again. From Asheville to Seattle, we’ve researched the best three-day wilderness trips within road-tripping distance from a city.

You don’t have to head to Europe to hike to a backcountry chalet. Here are the most spectacular stateside options, ranging from rustic to full-service experiences.

Mountaineers come to summit this Alaskan park’s namesake 20,310-foot peak, the highest in North America. Our 62 Parks columnist set out on a mountain bike to see the stunning terrain and bountiful wildlife during the 36th stop of her quest to visit every national park in the U.S.

From Maine to Alaska, we’ve done all the research for you to camp in style while visiting America’s best idea this summer

Make this summer all about exploring off-the-beaten-path adventures within a few hours of your home

Utah’s national parks are iconic, but they’re just the tip of the adventure iceberg

Professional intel on the best crowd-free stargazing in one of the world's best night sky destinations

Expert recommendations for extended adventuring around each of southern Utah's Mighty 5 national parks

The wild canyons and mountains of southern Utah have been around for over 2.6 billion years, and we want to protect them for a few billion more. This effort is known as Forever Mighty.

If you’re worried about how the current campsite and rental-car shortages are going to impact your summer travels, consider these options. We’ve rounded up our favorite companies in six cities, plus the itineraries to test them out on.

In New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont, local stewards have banded together to persuade private landowners to allow access to backcountry skiing, mountain biking, and other kinds of outdoor recreation

Plan a trip to this Alaskan treasure to explore vast glaciers and to see huge whales and a diverse array of other fauna, says our 62 Parks columnist about the 35th stop on her quest to see every U.S. national park

A wild place—and an American ideal—are heading for destruction. We can stop it now.

From surfing the coast of Maine to exploring slot canyons in Utah, these adventures will make the whole family happy

This is just the kickoff to a ten-year plan to protect more land, water, and wildlife

Campgrounds at popular national parks started booking up six months ago, but don’t fret: these strategies will help you to find a great spot to pitch a tent all summer long

From miles of accessible trails to nearby boarding services to dog safety, these are the best (and worst) parks to visit with your best friend