Hiking and Backpacking
Archive
Go ahead. Sit back, relax, and crack open a cold one.
Ravaged by historic flooding, the European nation is struggling through crisis. But behind the destruction is a gem of a country well worth a second look.
For years, I used to test how far I could go on day trips without eating. I don’t know if it was some unexplainable machismo or just laziness, but that mindset changed about six months ago. I’d gone on a four-hour run with an empty stomach and no food in…
When 24-year-old David Sneddon disappeared hiking around western China, officials chalked it up to a drowning. Only a decade later did another scenario emerge: maybe David had been kidnapped and taken to North Korea.
It’s tough to tell how trustworthy a piece of gear is going to be when you first buy it. In fact, the only way to actually test your equipment’s longevity is to, well, test it. Thoroughly. So instead of having you, dear reader, put your gear through the ringer in…
Forget about rubbing two sticks together. Without matches, your only hope of getting a fire started in the wild is to take advantage of other tools at your disposal. Mykel Hawke—a former U.S. Army Special Forces Green Beret and founder of survival school Spec Ops—recommends two easy,…
Europe has a secret. It's called Albania—a Maryland-size playground of rugged peaks, emerald seas, and ripping rivers. The only catch? It's really poor, graft is rampant, and there's little environmental regulation. Pack your bribe money for a warts-and-all jaunt through the wildest post-Communist state on earth.
Last September, a trekking company's guided trip through the wilds of Papua New Guinea was shattered when machete-wielding men attacked the native porters, killing two on the spot and injuring many more. The motive appeared to be robbery, but Carl Hoffman knew something else was at work—ancient tribal patterns of violence that, he knew, would inevitably be avenged
Yosemite National Park offers arguably the most scenic hiking in the country. The only challenge? Picking which trail to hike.
Yes, I write about gear for a living, I have access to the most sophisticated toys and tools in the outdoor world, and I’m constantly geeking out over tech details. But I’m keenly aware of the fact that the gear does not make the athlete. I was a much better…
There's a group of people who believe that in a world of extreme natural disasters, being ready for any catastrophe is more than just a precaution. It’s practical.
Lyme disease is up 21 percent in dogs, but that doesn’t mean your ultimate adventure companion has to stay in the kennel—so long as you take these precautions before hiking this summer.
The climbing season may not be closed for business just yet this season, but it may be tough to convince the mountain's most important climbers to carry on.
The volcanic remains at the heart of Aniakchak National Monument—the least visited site in the national park system—are a trippy mishmash of postapocalyptic cinder cones, hardened lava, and flame-colored walls. The only catch? Doing it right involves days of trekking and rafting through some of the planet’s toughest, most bear-heavy terrain.
With nearly 30,000 miles of well-marked and maintained trails, Switzerland is a mecca for hikers. From late June to early September, walkers can explore alpine peaks, wildflower meadows, and crystalline lakes. Although day hikes abound, it’s also possible to string inn-to-inn treks into multi-day, budget-friendly trips. Although routes are graded…
There's a rod here for everyone, from the expert angler to the one just getting his toes wet.
Our ultimate video guidebook has got you covered
Summer Buyer’s Guide tester Billy Brown currently has an office, a closet, and a garage overflowing with next year’s light hikers. The founder of Trek Tech blog and his testers have run about 120 boots through the ringer over the past year. In other words, he…
Hiking even a short section of the Appalachian Trail can seem a daunting prospect. After all, the AT is a 2,184-mile footpath is comprised of flat sections, scrambles, steep inclines, challenging descents and more. You might wonder whether you have the strength or stamina to even venture a hike. “Having…
Because not only do children adapt to wild places—faster, sometimes, than adults—they thrive in them. They need them. We all do.
The team behind Google Street View is going off-road, and they're turning to you for help
Tennessee, North Carolina, and Georgia have the biggest mountains among the 14 states on the Appalachian Trail. The southern portion of the Appalachian Trail. Although the promise of southern temps might draw spring break hikers to Georgia, sleet and snow are common here in March. Georgia is better hiked in…
The Appalachian Trail is one of 11 National Scenic Trails and—along with the Continental Divide and Pacific Crest trails—one of three popular, near-border-to-border treks in the U.S. The New England portion of the Appalachian Trail. Through-hikers on the AT have a roughly 2,180-mile journey in front of them. However, the…
Although it might seem that backpackers are free spirits who fly by the seat of their pants, most experienced hikers will tell you that good planning is what determines a good trip. Here’s what you need to know before tackling a long-distance hike, such as the Appalachian, Pacific Crest, or…
Kicking off the New Year at a kid-friendly adventure resort.
Sixteen-year-old Noah Graham was lying down during a late-summer camping trip when he felt jaws clamp down on the back of his head. He reached back and touched a Wolf’s face.
The Sonora Pass Café—and its chef—takes trail magic to new heights.
There are some things you just can't leave home without. We're not just talking about your smartphone—there are more important things in life, especially if you're headed outside.
Who needs muesli and mulled wine? The U.S. hut scene is gaining ground. These DIY trips put you in the best of the backcountry.
Every year, scores of Into the Wild fans tackle a dangerous river crossing to visit the last home of Alaska's most famous adventure casualty. Why are so many people willing to risk injury, and even death, to pay homage to a controversial ascetic who perished so young?
Into The Bus: An intimate tour of the Fairbanks City Transit System Bus 142, where the late Chris McCandless was discovered
Recharge dead batteries off the grid with these portable power plants
Do family vacations that are meant for learning about other cultures devolve into the wild mistreatment of historical sites? These guidelines aim to help you help them see what's so special about all things ancient.
How the federal government tried to ruin my 30th birthday (and how I didn’t let them).
April Showers or Labor Day deluge—new gear to keep you dry
Not to be vulgar, but I get gassy whenever I go somewhere above 7,000 feet. Please say it’s not just me.
One thing you shouldn’t leave behind with your foolhardy youth: the great American dirtbag road trip. Mark Jenkins explains how to do it right.
What are the coolest and most unexpected uses of duct tape in the outdoor world?
Finding gear in my size is impossible. What are the best products for bigger guys?
Everything you need to plan the perfect Grand Canyon summer escape
Don't touch that wild water until you've used at least one of these methods
We compare the best carriers for bringing your kids into the outdoors.
The outdoors can be deadly if you're unprepared. But these gear items will help you make it home alive—even if everything else goes wrong.
Next-gen satellite phones make it easier than ever to stay connected
The less you carry, the more fun you'll have. Cut down your weight with these easy ideas.
I want to hike up a live— or at least dormant—volcano. Where can I go without getting scorched?
Don’t let a minor malfunction ruin your big trek. Learn to patch a sleeping bag, glue together a boot, and make four more simple repairs that everyone should master before setting foot on the trail.
I work on trails to help my local mountaineering club. Is there anything light enough to carry along in my backpack?
For more than a century, Western climbers have hired Nepal’s Sherpas to do the most dangerous work on Mount Everest. It’s a lucrative way of life in a poor region, but no service industry in the world so frequently kills and maims its workers for the benefit of paying clients. The dead are often forgotten, and their families left with nothing but ghosts.
Sure, it’s the biggest state in the union. But that doesn’t mean every adventure in Alaska has to be an expedition. These six day-hike-friendly trails will give you a taste of the Last Frontier’s wild beauty and still get you back in time for last call.
Over the past five years, nine new national monuments have joined the ranks of America’s protected lands. But Michael Brune, the man who heads up the Sierra Club, would like to see more. Elizabeth Hightower Allen joins him, his family, and a pack of rambunctious llamas on a tour of New Mexico’s highlands.
Norway has everything the alps does—towering mountains, five-star restaurants, loads of culture. You also get fjords, glaciers, epic whitewater, and a few thousand polar bears.
I’m a fan of the Grand Canyon, but I’ve visited there a few times now and I’m looking for something new. Where can I find a canyon that puts the Grand to shame?
I like to celebrate post-trail with a few high-quality adult beverages. Where would you recommend for an avid hiker who’s also a beer nut, a wine lover, and a liquor snob?
I’m headed to Hawaii, but lying on the beach is not my thing. What hikes would you recommend?
Who needs headlamps? From a bioluminescent bay in Puerto Rico to a Japanese trail lined with glowing mushrooms, these ten hikes are at their best when it's dark out. Pack your camera (leave the flash at home) and prepare to be amazed.
No one wants to be stuck in a yoga studio when the weather is nice. The solution? Take your practice to the trails.
Outside reviews the best gear in the Summer 2013 Buyer’s Guide, including the Rab Maverick.
I’m headed across the pond to Great Britain, and I’d like to do some hiking while I’m there. What are my best best for logging some trail time?
I’ve done some climbing and mountaineering in the Lower 48, and I’ve been thinking about attempting Denali. What kind of prior experience do I need to tackle The High One?
How do you teach a boy to love the wilderness when you’re terrified of what might happen out there? Hiking with his ten-year-old son, William Broyles confronts his memories of Vietnam–and one very large grizzly. (And three other great essays on fatherhood, from Jack Hitt, W. Hodding Carter, and Anthony Doerr.)
And we mean "trips" in the literal sense. Our contributors share their most-loved, go-to spots across the U.S.
I'm planning on heading up north this summer to do some hiking in Alaska and the Yukon. Where should I go?
How do you predict the weather at the top of the world? Ask a highly unconventional meteorologist.
Carl Zimmer walks into the woods to find out why these tiny beasts are skyrocketing in number—and outsmarting scientists with every bite
We may never know how 21-year-old rafter Kaitlin Kenney died on the Colorado River, but we will never forget why she went
I want to hike part of the Appalachian Trail with my 16-year-old son this summer. We plan to go for a week. What are the best stretches for a trip like this?
I'm getting ready for a two-month trip around Asia and I need luggage that can hold up to serious abuse. What do you recommend?
The new country of South Sudan is blessed with oil, water, and a safari bonanza: one of the largest, most stunning animal migrations on earth. But without roads, laws, or infrastructure, can Africa’s youngest state turn potential into stabilizing profit? Patrick Symmes joins the adventure.
Travel to these destinations for tons of open space—and it's all yours
