Hiking and Backpacking
Archive
We’ve done the impossible and made a list of best hikes in our national parks. Now’s a perfect time to start checking them off, from Acadia to Yosemite.
The answer isn’t as obvious as it was five years ago
The environmentalist drag queen found the community they craved as a queer teenager at a YMCA summer camp. Now they’re determined to share that experience with as many LGBTQ+ kids as possible.
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.
Can’t take 6 months off to hike the PCT? We understand. Here’s how to take a big trip without getting fired.
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.
Our hiking columnist went to the AT’s legendary Trail Days this year with one mission—to figure out what hikers were and weren’t putting on their feet
23 testers snoozed on nineteen pads. These are the very best of the year.
We dunked 19 filters across the country, from silty streams in California’s Agua Caliente Creek to clear lakes in Washington’s Olympic Mountains, to find the year’s best.
We hiked, ran, skied, and climbed through the night to find the best illumination of the year
We reviewed 386 pieces of gear. But these ones stood above.
If you've been held back from doing something that excites or intrigues you, read on
Matthew Read, 19, spent two days stranded in the woods
Sure, pretty sunsets and endorphin-pumping summits do the trick. But we’ve also found plenty more surprising moments of wonder and delight.
No commands, rules, or directives here. Just a gentle nudge towards something truly lovely.
A pilgrim seeking peace and purpose on Spain’s famed Camino de Santiago finds much more
Why be stuck behind the masses at popular parks when you can wander some of the nation’s best with barely a soul in sight?
The wild world of fastest known times includes crazy ideas, stunning successes, disappointing failures—and so much in between
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.
Phoenix recorded its earliest 100-degree day in 80 years
A tax-deductible donation of any size can have a huge impact on these nonprofits, all working to get everyone outside and protect our planet. Pick an org and donate today in just a few clicks.
When upgrading your kit becomes a way to ignore your problems
Americans live in one of the most individualistic nations on earth—and it can be one of the most isolating, too. Could hiking be a way for us to find our way back to community?
Faced with risk and loss in the mountains, our writer grapples with what it means to lead a life well-lived.
As a high-school student, she signed up for an ambitious adventure—and learned the hard way to be upfront about what doesn’t know
Our trails columnist has hiked thousands of miles. These are the routes at the top of his bucket list. Thrill yourself with a trip to an amazing trail this year.
Authorities in North Carolina say the duo were selling marijuana, mushrooms, and LSD to thru-hikers
According to our testers, two new GNSS units from Garmin make it an easy answer
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.
This nonprofit turned 40,000 miles of unused travel infrastructure into a system of walking and biking paths—and wants you to use them
Lifesavers in Colorado recently rescued multiple hikers who had lost their footwear on the same slushy trail
Losing his lower legs to disease in childhood caused him to hide himself for decades. Then a long, hot hike across the Grand Canyon showed him a new way forward.
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
After losing her father, she first turned to the outdoors for relief. Then she funneled her grief into creativity.
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.
Randy Udall was most at peace in the wilderness. After he died on a solo backpacking trip, his daughter took up his tradition of hiking to a secret place in Wyoming’s Wind River Range, where she was surprised by what she found.
Completing a winter journey on the Appalachian Trail convinced the fun-loving thru-hiker that he can accomplish whatever he dreams up
Like all intense hobbyists, hikers start Instagram pages just for their adventures. Why not integrate it into the rest of your life already?
Make great boots. Inspire people to use them. Here’s how.
The PCT traces the west coast of the U.S. over almost 2,700 miles. Our expert trail columnist reveals everything you need to know about what to pack, eat, and read, plus where to sleep and how to have the most fun on this scenic long trail.
Two hikers died and more than ten required rescue after heavy rains inundated Buckskin Gulch
We destroyed packs from three different price points to help you decide which one to buy
Stop relying on bulky socks to keep your feet warm when you hike
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.
He’s a big fan of survival shows, and I have a hunch he’s trying to recreate one on our trips
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
The multidisciplinary artist was struggling with alcoholism when they joined a trail crew in the mountains on a whim. Out there, they found a new community—and reclaimed their life.
A slow walk through the woods has psychological and physiological benefits—and it could teach you a few things about hiking, too.
Starting and finishing in the storied alpine town of Chamonix, France, the TMB circles Mont Blanc. This hundred-mile trail is one of the world’s most stunning—and definitely one of its most entertaining.
Emily Pennington wanted to see it all. But life on the road was fiercer than she ever imagined.
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.
Nothing is better than landing in the perfect hut for a night or two to get away from it all. These beautiful cabins are available to book all year, and you only need a moderate fitness level to reach them. Bring your kids, bring your elders, and head out for awesome wilderness access and big scenic payoffs.
Securing a permit to hike in national parks or well-protected preserves can be difficult. But it’s not impossible. Here’s how to do it.
Why people keep running into trouble on the highest peak in Los Angeles County
While California’s storms were devastating in many parts of the state, they blew epic snow and adventure opportunities into the park. Waterfall viewings are off the charts, there are fewer crowds, and conditions are primo for backcountry exploring.
Some of our favorite gear is garbage. And that's why we love it so much
Thousands of acres in California’s Sierra National Forest have been proposed as a national monument. Many argue that the protection is crucial for wildlife, the environment, and wilderness recreation. But it will face stiff opposition.
Washing your face or bowl with Dr. Bronner’s? Sure. Using it to cure congestion? Maybe. Using it as toothpaste? Hmm.
Long-distance hikers love to reach towns and binge. I temporarily gave up the cycle, and maybe it changed my life.
Our Maui-based writer offers intel on how best to explore the popular park, famous for volcano and crater hikes, sunrise views, tough road rides to the central summit, and supreme stargazing
An experienced 59-year-old hiker died after falling from 2,865-foot Mount Willard
From tiny pocketknives to freeze-dried foods, these ultralight-friendly gifts are best presented in a sub-one-ounce merino sock
If you’re small-framed, you could be in for some serious savings
Escaping the craziness of the season to head into the wild can sound amazing—right up until that overnight snowstorm crushes your tent.
Led by one of the outdoors' biggest retailers, some manufacturers may soon ditch women's and men's sleeping bags for nonbinary ones made to fit a wide variety of bodies
Highlights from the first-ever Outside Gear Summit
Perry’s time for a self-supported trek on the trail nearly broke the best mark for a supported effort
Injured in the SoCal backcountry, a man got a break when two campers heard him screaming for help
Burnout can affect participants of any sport—including hiking. Here’s how to identify, prevent, and cure it.
Park officials believe the 31-year-old succumbed to hypothermia
Our hiking columnist knows firsthand that buying gifts for the hiker in your life can induce anxiety. These affordable finds from independent companies can’t miss.
Hikers on the Appalachian Trail will see the permit price increase from $20 to $40 in 2023
From stunning alpine routes to the environments where high-altitude herbs thrive, tap into the healing power of nature in the mountains of Switzerland