Hiking and Backpacking
Archive
There are many threats to the 50-year-old Wilderness Act. But the most dangerous, Kenneth Brower says, comes from those who are chipping away at the very idea of wilderness itself.
Come for the solitude on the island's unpeopled parts and check out the dedicated ex-pat community if you decide you never want to leave.
It may be the oldest emotion. Before happiness, before sorrow, before exhilaration, and way, way before the urge to climb mountains and bomb down steeps, there was fear. Now scientists are finding new ways to help us conquer our deepest anxieties—and use them to perform even better.
Five business icons share how they flipped the switch on their careers—and how you can follow in their footsteps.
Jack Kerouac spent the summer of 1956 manning a fire tower on Washington's Desolation Peak, in the northern Cascades. He didn't do much writing there, apparently, despite being alone with pencil and paper. But he stayed for 63 days. The views were good.
Cheryl Strayed started out on the legendary 2,650-mile Pacific Crest Trail with no backpacking experience, too-small boots, and a massive pack she nicknamed Monster. She learned a thing or two about gear on that 93-day trek (REI’s return policy saved her on one occasion), and she writes about some of…
When you have only the weekend to get outside and play, it helps to have an adventure-ready daypack prepacked and ready to go. Think of it as your bug-out bag, but instead of fleeing an impending apocalypse, you’re escaping from the tedium of your workweek. So whether you’re going…
A smart probe that crowdsources snowpack data to tell you where it's safe to ski.
Our favorite jackets for staying warm and dry—even on the chilliest adventures
There's a six-pack of cold ones waiting for you at base camp. The only problem? No bottle opener. Thankfully, we're here to help.
We're all familiar with digital detoxes, but one young man took it a step further. Many steps further in fact.
Do cell phones, satellite messengers, and personal locator beacons create more false alarms in the backcountry?
A star political blogger for Grist.org, David Roberts spent so much time posting and Tweeting and staring at screens that he almost went nuts. So he pulled the plug for a year, restarting his relationship with technology and actively seeking health, balance, and adventure in the real world. What he learned just might save you from meltdown.
I'd love to haul my kids up the railings to Half Dome, but don't want to risk accidents—or turning them off of hiking forever. How can we have fun while staying safe in the national park?
Who says you have to chose between land or water?
Climate change is opening up more than ice fields—it's stoking a new tourism economy.
When it comes to staying safe and enjoying great views, rooftop tents are the way to go.
Swiss explorer Mike Horn looks to grind out a big first—again.
Yosemite Valley, the birthplace of rebel climber culture is supposed to be all cleaned up and mellowed out. But as a new film shows, the outlaw spirit is alive and well.
No, don't stop using it. But you need to go beyond SPF and add more protection to your arsenal.
Roman Dial is an adventure icon and Alaskan legend who raised his son, Cody, in the outdoors. Now Cody is missing in a Costa Rican jungle and Roman is leading the search.
The Weather Channel dips a toe in the way-too-crowded waters of reality survival programming with two new shows, So You Think You’d Survive? and Fat Guys in the Woods. It’s not a pretty sight.
In the half-century since the Wilderness Act was passed, almost everything has changed. All the more reason to go wild.
The key to seeing the best of Iceland? Posting up in the middle of the action.
As climate change threatens snowpack, ski areas are adopting a new survival strategy: Beefing up the summer fun.
The Balkan Peninsula's new megatrail is as much about imbibing culture as it is about bagging peaks. In his first dispatch from the trail, the author embarks on a 1,250-mile journey across six countries.
A jacket that can handle the trail but looks tailored enough for a dinner in Aspen—and is 100 percent American? We'll take three.
I want to explore the best of what nature has to offer. Where can I find some up-and-coming ecotourism sites?
An excerpt from Unruly Places: Lost Spaces, Secret Cities, and Other Inscrutable Geographies examines the spaces between borders
For the sake of your spine and your sanity, heed these rules
Physical challenges help kids rise to life's challenges, as unpredictable and varied as they might be
Beat the crowds on the not-so-beaten path this summer in one of America's favorite national parks.
Trapping of bobcats, coyotes, and other fur-bearing animals is on the rise—with man’s best friend the collateral damage.
There's a reason exiles dreaded being packed off to Siberia. While retracing the path of a doomed 19th-century U.S. polar expedition in the Russian High Arctic, we encounter swarming mosquitoes, a few Kalashnikovs, an island lost in time, the burial site of ten brave men, and a haunting beauty like nothing we've ever seen.
Long stretches of open road through some of the most beautiful areas of the country, peppered with wildlife sightings, adventurous detours, and good brews—it's so much more than getting from Point A to Point B.
Five wild mountain ranges. Hundreds of miles of trails. Zero crowds. That’s what awaits visitors at the country’s newest Naitonal Monument in New Mexico. Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks consists of four separate patches of the Chihuahuan Desert surrounding Las Cruces in southern New Mexico. Encompassing a half-million acres…
The Pennine Way, England’s first national trail, turns 50 this year. Even if it’s literally over the hill, the 268-mile route of rolling terrain is as popular as ever, especially this weekend. July 12 marks the annual National Trails geocache release, during which new coins…
Seriously. Abbey Road Farm Bed and Breakfast offers an idyllic farm experience (plus llamas) in the outdoorsy paradise of Carlton, Oregon.
Paul D. Paur left behind all his worldly possessions and entered the Appalachian Trail in early June. Concerns about his mental health surfaced alongside reports from fellow hikers that Paur is looking for God. What's he really doing there?
There's a new brand in town. Does its dehydrated food stack up to—or shrivel before—its rivals?
With a little help from Make-A-Wish, Yosemite’s first honorary park ranger earns his keep and proves his strength
Keep your four-legged adventure companion cool in the heat this summer.
These ground-tested strategies will help you conquer every last weekend.
The drive from Eureka, California, to Coos Bay, Oregon has dunes, salmon, and Jurassic Park-worthy greenery—but no crowds. It'll be our little secret.
There's nothing more American than hitting the open road with the windows down, the music up, and a cooler full of beer in the backseat (you know, for later). Sure, the game has changed a little—smartphones have all but rendered guidebooks and crumpled maps obsolete—but one essential question remains: where to go? Look no further. We hand-picked the ten best, most adventure-packed road trips in the country.
This Olympic Peninsula loop in Washington is a water-lover's dream—take your pick of waterfalls, rivers, beaches, and lakes. And don't forget the seafood.
Take it to Alaska's Kenai Peninsula and find some of the best fishing, paddling, and moonshine-sampling of your life.
This road trip from New Orleans to Florida featuring lazy days feasting on the freshest seafood, sandy camping, and pristine paddling.
Hit up Best Towns 2014 winner Duluth, Minnesota, then hike and bike your way to Michigan's renowned shores.
It's a lonely road from Las Cruces, New Mexico, through West Texas, but very much worth it. Just a few reasons why: surreal white sand dunes, a massive network of caves, and mountain biking trails all to yourself.
Drive the Big Island loop in Hawaii—and make time for long hiking or paddling trips, plus awe-inspiring face time with volcanoes, manta rays, and starry skies.
Five stunning national parks await beyond North America's 49th parallel. But beware: you'll face shifting ice, mercurial weather, and polar bears if you take this path less traveled.
A Southern Colorado loop where you can rough it in a yurt and throw one back in Durango.
Start in the Grand Canyon and wander up to Moab, Utah, with some moonlit camping and excellent mountain biking along the way.
The route from Jackson, Wyoming, to Glacier National Park, Montana packs in five national parks and plenty of watering holes.
From smart grills to high-tech camping toys, these gadgets are designed for dads who get after it outside.
Seven men want to share a few thousand pieces of gear with the world. And they need your help.
National parks are America's greatest recreational asset. Now an overdue movement will make them even better.
Australia's Greater Blue Mountains offer an unforgettable view just four hours from Sydney
These images, from some of Outside's favorite photographers, will make you want to pack your bags and get lost in adventure.
Dream all you want about your adventure bucket list, but isn't it better to get right out there and start ticking off boxes? Let these trips be your inspiration—or your exact blueprint.
Full disclosure: I secretly wanted to love Lululemon's men’s gear when the company sent me a box of clothes to test. I just wasn't prepared to admit it. The company has become synonymous with women's yoga gear. If you close your eyes and think Lululemon, I doubt any masculine visuals…
So you’ve promised your significant other you’ll do something romantic this weekend. Trouble is, you still haven’t planned anything. But don’t worry: there’s a way to turn a regular walk in the woods into an amorous getaway. Just grab your favorite daypack, fill it with these five items, and pay…
None of the products on this list are necessary for a good time. But hey, partying itself is about indulgence. And if you’re already indulging, why not enjoy it all the more with these six pieces of summer gear? Miir Growler ($60) Miir makes you…
Like any real estate choice, camping is all about location, location, location. Camping on a portaledge—a deployable, hanging-tent system—gives rock climbers locations worth bragging about: unimpeded views, no noisy neighbors, and everything from egress to big-wall climbs. In the U.S., there’s no better place for a suspension sleeping system than…
‘Tis the season for car camping and barbequing, which means grilled burgers, sunny days, and (hopefully) cold beer. But to keep your beverage of choice chilled, you’ll need a cooler that can withstand the heat. We reviewed four mini coolers—each 10 liters or smaller and each packed with a six-pack—to…