Hiking
What really happens to you when you spend months trekking the Pacific Coast Trail? Getting tired and filthy is just the start of it.
Our hiking columnist recently suffered a painful accident while traversing the Continental Divide Trail
Never hit the road without these trusty adventure-ready items
Storms dumped rainfall across Utah. One hiker died and another required rescue.
Dogs who stay active live longer—and there’s no better way to stay active than hiking. Keep your pooch on the trail with a lot of love and a little veterinary help.
Belgian ultrarunner Karel Sabbe just shattered the fastest known time for a supported trek along the iconic pathway
America’s most classic hiking route is generally a safe place for an adventure. But not always.
Here's what to consider when hiking with a four-legged friend
Call him crazy, but our hiking columnist loves climbing hills. A fifth of the way into the epic Continental Divide Trail, he’s got some ways to improve your form, function, and mental performance on the ascents.
A proposed price increase for backcountry access in Zion could raise fees by as much as 400 percent for some groups
Will Peterson overcame downpours, flooding, and his own hectic schedule to smash the unsupported FKT on America’s oldest thru-hike
When a court struck down the public’s right to wild camp in Dartmoor National Park in January, hikers lost the only place in England where they could dispersed camp without getting the owner’s permission first. Now, an appeals court has given it back to them.
The nonagenarian proved that age truly is just a number
Cops say Robert “Steady Eddie” Kerker was caught in a swollen waterway in July
A hiker found the woman’s body on a popular trail near the national park
It was so hot that rescue helicopters couldn’t take off
One of the most popular mountains on the Appalachian Trail closed to overnight visits after visitors trashed it in 2020. Now, those temporary restrictions are starting to look permanent.
Live electric wires and bridge damage are among the hazards that trail crews have found so far—but it’s not all bad news
You’re supposed to be happy for them, right?
Visits to one popular Colorado fourteener have declined by more than half since 2020
The CDT’s traffic is ballooning. In Montana, the National Park Service isn’t facing what that means for Glacier.
Authorities are trying to determine what caused the deaths of three people found in a remote campsite near Gunnison last week
How hikers on a mission to mark an (un)official nude-friendly trail system can help you navigate the world of naked hiking
The death is the third snow-related fatality that local search and rescue has responded to over the past three weeks
A stripped-back list of do’s and don’ts to keep in mind when hiking in the buff
Most of this year’s PCT class is skipping the snowbound Sierra. A small group of adventurers is pushing straight through.
Fear and overzealousness often lead to an overstuffed pack, which you’ll regret for hundreds of miles. Our thru-hiking columnist has advice on what not to take when you’re heading out.
Authorities say the unleashed mutt provoked the bruin, and have closed a popular trail near Asheville
National Park Service officials weren’t too happy about people going off-trail to find it
After surviving 9/11 at ground zero, the thru-hiker started walking—and never stopped
Four years ago, our hiking columnist didn’t know the triple crown of hiking existed. Now he’s on the verge of completing it—or at least trying to.
Witnessing a friend’s dangerous fall prompted the author to reevaluate the way she talks about outdoor blunders
Sands, 65, never returned from a hike on Southern California’s Mount Baldy in January
Students in the Semester-A-Trail program at Emory and Henry College will spend their spring and summer semesters hiking part or all of the Appalachian Trail—with gear, support, and an on-trail budget included in tuition
The former Navy SEAL faced deep snow, gusting winds, and sheer ice on North America’s highest peak. But he still smashed the previous records set by Karl Egloff and Killian Jornet.
How to make due without hiking poles, a sleeping pad, and more pieces of crucial backpacking gear
When it comes to sustainability, false claims are everywhere. Here’s how to actually make sure the products you buy are as eco-conscious as manufacturers claim.
Over 7,000 miles on trail, our hiking columnist has tried coffee and caffeine in most every form imaginable. But the humblest one of all taught him something about himself.
After losing a friend on a camping trip, the writer thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail to process his grief. Out there he learned that making the most of life requires fully committing to every moment.
The Benton MacKaye Scenic Trail starts at the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail. It could become our country’s next big hiking route.
Get the beta on the best places to spot bison, pronghorn antelope, bighorn sheep, and more amid one of America’s wildest landscapes
The booking website generates big bucks for private firm Booz Allen Hamilton. Our writer argues it’s a necessary tool for protecting the outdoors.
In a moment of isolation on the trail, the record-setting thru-hiker found the will to keep walking by turning to her younger self for support
The outdoor guide had lost their passion for adventure. The trip that was supposed to be their last brought it back.
After a five-year hiatus, thru-hiking legend Heather “Anish” Anderson just set another FKT: the 250-mile section of the Appalachian Trail that runs through Pennsylvania. In this essay, she explores how her relationship with the sport has evolved over the past decade since her groundbreaking Pacific Crest Trail record in 2013.
Can’t take 6 months off to hike the PCT? We understand. Here’s how to take a big trip without getting fired.
Thru-hiking is for everyone—but if you really want to build your life around the trail, some careers make it easier than others
A group of young hikers used Apple’s Emergency SOS system to trigger a rescue
Got a few days off, a pair of healthy feet, and a pain threshold higher than Dean Karnazes? You can (possibly) blaze the length of America's Most Beautiful Trail.
Take an epic tour of the sweeping prairie and secluded mountains of eastern Montana
Matthew Read, 19, spent two days stranded in the woods
A pilgrim seeking peace and purpose on Spain’s famed Camino de Santiago finds much more
These five destinations deserve a spot on your western U.S. bucket list
After the bestselling novelist’s marriage fell apart, she decided to take a long walk in the wild. It set her up for a life of adventure.
Encounters between bruins and campers led the forest service to shutter the areas
A small injury during Morgan Brosnihan’s Pacific Crest Trail thru-hike inspired a big idea: Why not set up a mobile clinic for hikers who need help?
Authorities in North Carolina say the duo were selling marijuana, mushrooms, and LSD to thru-hikers
A half-hour ramble to a local campsite may not be your idea of an epic backpacking adventure. But it might just give you a new perspective on what’s important in a hike.
Lifesavers in Colorado recently rescued multiple hikers who had lost their footwear on the same slushy trail
There are a number of benefits guides provide to hikers and backpackers of all experience levels.
When the thru-hiker’s dream trip was cut short, she learned that failure is just a chance to reset your goals to match your reality
Snowpack and trail damage on the North Rim prompted the Park Service to delay opening until June 2
The outdoors are for everyone. Here’s our best advice on how and where to go camping, hiking, and backpacking if you’re just getting started.
Completing a winter journey on the Appalachian Trail convinced the fun-loving thru-hiker that he can accomplish whatever he dreams up
Editor Adam Roy explains why his ultralight four-legged friend is the ideal backpacking companion
Like all intense hobbyists, hikers start Instagram pages just for their adventures. Why not integrate it into the rest of your life already?
Two hikers died and more than ten required rescue after heavy rains inundated Buckskin Gulch
A proposed law would require hikers who ignored warning signs or walked on closed trails to reimburse the state for SAR
Our hiking columnist has spent more than a quarter of the past four years on trail. Every morning out there, without fail, he eats another perfect packet of Pop-Tarts.
Rescue crews in SoCal are already warning hikers to skip the snowy San Jacinto Mountains
There's a lot of outdoor misinformation out there, and we're on a quest to quash it
A slow walk through the woods has psychological and physiological benefits—and it could teach you a few things about hiking, too.
Officials issued tickets to ascend 3,284-foot Old Rag in 2022. The program was a success, so the park is continuing it in 2023.
Last January, Carl Stanfield set out to break the world record for the most miles ever hiked in a year. In failing, he found his temporary limit—and, he hopes, a renewed version of himself.
This year’s white winter in the Sierra Nevada could create dangerous conditions along the iconic trail in the spring and summer
Long-distance hikers love to reach towns and binge. I temporarily gave up the cycle, and maybe it changed my life.
A federal judge convicted Jeffrey M. Johnson for operating a paid guided tour without a permit in a national park
Perry’s time for a self-supported trek on the trail nearly broke the best mark for a supported effort
Park officials believe the 31-year-old succumbed to hypothermia