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

Nick “Chezwick” Gagnon became the fastest person to circumnavigate the enormous route, which takes in sections of five major thru-hikes

Columnist Maggie Slepian explains why expertise in the outdoors does not make you immune from mistakes

Hikers had to pay to access 14,272-foot Quandary Peak outside Breckenridge in 2021 and 2022

The latest story of a tourist behaving badly in a national park is a real head scratcher

Colorado has thin air and endless views. New England has roots, rocks, and tree-lined trails.

Jon Anderson overcame temporary snowblindness to complete the 2,650-mile journey from Mexico to Canada

Philip Carcia covered nearly 2,000 miles over a span of 90 days to complete the arduous goal. It was his third attempt at the challenge.

The photographer is willing to go the distance for the perfect shot

The results, however hilarious, remind us how hikers destigmatize the body

Andrea Sansone spent the summer scouting Nolan’s 14 before setting the FKT

Joe “Kanga” Harvey was last seen heading toward the Connecticut River, where his body was later retrieved

The veteran hiker takes us through his three-day attempt, which saw him battle bladder problems and extreme exhaustion

Editors list the bold and bizarre items they’ve stuffed into a backpack for a trip to the woods

The Granite State has the right to bill hikers for the cost of their rescue, if officials deem them to be reckless in the outdoors

Each year, Big City Mountaineers changes thousands of kids’ lives by bringing them on their first outdoor adventures. You can make it happen for another.

People keep falling into outdoor latrines while rescuing lost phones. Our editors list the belongings they would fish out of an outdoor crapper—and which ones they’d leave behind.

Your guide to all-things Long Trail for your upcoming thru-hike

The 20-mile ridgeline covers over 12,000 vertical feet and overlooks the Austrian city of Innsbruck

Lessons learned during a stroll through London’s narrow streets and soaring parks

By some measures, Jenny Bruso’s advocacy for body inclusivity in the outdoors has been a wild success. But she says the fight has barely begun.

Don’t whack a golf ball off one either, or chuck a Frisbee, or do anything else that jeopardizes the safety of your fellow hikers

The distance runner shaved more than two hours off the JMT’s previous fastest time

On Thursday, they finished the last leg of the triple crown, but they’re not done yet