Hiking and Backpacking
Archive
With inflation on the rise, I scrapped plans for another long summer hike. On little daily walks through South Dakota’s Black Hills, I’ve rediscovered the surprise and delight of getting back to basics.
Long-standing rules for how we do our business in the wilderness are changing in a very big way—and it’s about time
Join us on a life-list Himalayan trek, and do good for others while enjoying one of the world’s dream trips
Put down those soggy, freeze-dried go-to’s and dig into these delicious recs from Outside staffers
And what to do when your girlfriend won't hike with you but plans to hit the trails with her friend
For his new PBS show, ‘America Outdoors,’ comedian and activist Baratunde Thurston connects us to our natural environments through the most interesting of creatures: humans.
From family-friendly hikes to deep-wilderness paddling trips, Maine has it all.
The outdoor world has produced another horror story involving a clumsy tourist, a lost cell phone, and a search and rescue mission
An unidentified hiker went missing in California while retracing the footsteps of Jonathan Gerrish and Ellen Chung, who died with their one-year-old daughter of heat exposure and dehydration in 2021
You've spent ages preparing for a trip, but now it's right around the corner and you're having second thoughts
Scott Benerofe finished a rare and daunting southbound winter thru-hike of the AT. His self-proclaimed normalcy about the endeavor suggests such treks might not stay so rare for long.
Weight-loss discussion in outdoor forums can inadvertently reinforce the idea that there's a "correct" kind of outdoors body. What should you post about where?
It’s way more expensive and not as comfortable. Our gear director weighs the pros and cons of an über-light kit.
Outside’s ethics guru weighs in on the Great Outdoors Music Debate
Bomber bags for air travel, daily commuting, or any adventure off the beaten path
You don’t need to “get in shape” to enjoy hiking season. Here’s how to savor it from the start.
Here are the nine pieces from the 2022 Summer Gear Guide that our gear editors are obsessing over
Meet Moose, the nine-pound Rex rabbit warming hearts along New Hampshire’s scenic trails
Perfect for the on-the-go adventurer, these portable products make sunscreen application—and reapplication—easy
The latest pieces of clothing and knowledge that’ll help you get the most from this season’s excursions in the backcountry
For comfort and storage space, this shelter is hard to beat
A portable three-person tent for deep backcountry adventures
With the right tent you can protect yourself from the weather, spread out in luxury, and settle into a home away from home
Keep your pup safe and stylish on the trail with these seven accessories
This shelter is a versatile three-season performer
This pack bridges the gap between ultralight and ultracomfy
A beginner friendly backpacking pack with everything you need—and nothing you don’t
From the backcountry to the airport, this pack has you covered
A lightning-fast water filter makes staying hydrated on the trail easier than ever
These accessories might not make or break your trip, but you’ll sure be glad you packed them
This compact solar panel will juice up your next long-distance trek
Shoulder the load and make miles with these trail-ready rucksacks
These hikers will help you carry your load and stay comfortable and secure, no matter the terrain
One month and 26,000 votes after kicking off our favored footwear tournament, we have a victor
Amy McCulloch went to the Himalayas looking for adventure. She came back with an idea for an epic novel.
Lessons learned at camp sometimes do come in handy
The 440-mile route goes from the third-deepest lake in the U.S. to the jagged peaks of the North Cascades and the tulip-filled Skagit Valley
We’ve come a long way from the chlorine troughs of yesteryear
Six contenders have fallen from the mix. It all comes down to this. Your vote decides the outcome.
These seven destinations are the perfect summer base camps, with plenty of adventure on and off the water
This retired professional ultrarunner has found (almost) every waterfall along this wild stretch of central California coast. And, no, he won’t tell you where the best ones are.
This Central American destination is the adventure traveler’s dream, from its jungle-covered peaks to a coastline where 450 islands stretch across the world’s second-largest barrier reef. It’s beautiful, accessible, culturally diverse, and home to historically significant Maya sites.
To become one of those people who joyfully hikes, bikes, and skis in the nude, she’d have to train for it
After finishing the Appalachian Trail, I experienced severe pain in my lower right leg. Little did I know, toe socks and spacers would be my saving grace.
It’s time to settle a longstanding debate once and for all. Which sandal will be crowned king?
They’re essentially adventure flip-flops and therefore superior to every other sandal
This simple sandal has everything you need and nothing you don’t
Eight fan favorites. Three head-to-head rounds. Only one winner.
From routes that have been rebuilt after wildfires to newly constructed singletrack, we can’t wait to get trekking on these trails around the country
A growing body of research suggests that it’s no longer sustainable to bury our waste in the wilderness
Score sunglasses, fire pits, water bottles, and more at a discount until midnight tonight
Next to having a little time to themselves, these are their top wish-list items
Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Ohio turned a canalway into a 90-mile trail perfect for hiking and biking, and our 63 Parks columnist highly recommends a ride
Backpacking when the weather forecast is anything but optimal can be intimidating, but with some modifications to your kit, you can turn it into an enjoyable four-season activity
Get ready to cover more ground, more quickly
Don’t assume a noise deterrent will save you from a run-in with a wild animal. Do your homework before you head out into the wilderness.
It’ll take some miles to reach these eight remote, high-elevation lakes, but what better way to cap off a strenuous trek than diving into cool, crystal-clear water?
The phone feature can be a convenient safety tool. But for one writer, it served as a crutch for anxiety.
In the ten years since she published her memoir about hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, her life has changed dramatically—and so has the trail itself
GPS units sometimes fail—you owe it to yourself to know how to use a trusty compass
Water weighs a lot, audiobooks weigh nothing, and more semi-philosophical tips to guide rookie trekkers to a strong finish
Join us for a live Zoom Q and A with the beloved author, presented by the Outside Book Club, on Tuesday, April 5
Wisdom gained by trying, and sometimes failing, to stay comfortable outdoors
Heading out on your first overnight? Use this handy list as your guide to packing for a three-season backpacking trip.
Missoula, Montana’s M Trail is many things. But mostly it’s just steep.
Outside Learn has more than 2,000 videos across 450 lessons, covering topics ranging from fitness and nutrition to running and cycling to survival and gear repair
But is it worth the $700 price tag?
These three pairs of size-inclusive hiking pants stood up to all sorts of outdoorsing
From a scenic path that extends the entire length of New York to a new route connecting Yellowstone to Grand Teton, here are the most scenic ways to experience America’s wilderness by bike