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The Appalachian, Pacific Crest, and Continental Divide trails pass through a combined 22 states. Our hiking columnist categorizes them from hardest to easiest.

Everybody does it. But pooping in the wrong place could make a mess of someone else’s hike. An expert shares how to make the best of a crappy situation on the trail.

What’s an acceptable baseline of fitness? According to the most adventurous American president in U.S. history, it was an ultra endurance trek.

Learning how to talk about problems you’re having on the trail—and how to listen—can be the difference between a frustrating, demoralizing hike and a fun, fulfilling one. What can psychology teach us?

The Alaska ferry system is creaky and unpredictable. But it may be the best way to reach the wildest trailheads and abandoned shorelines in America.

Neighbors Jeff Hashimoto and Langton Ernest-Beck dreamed up a crazy summertime challenge: climb Washington’s 100 highest mountains, and link the peaks by bike

From the most beautiful hikes in the world to advice on tipping, these are our most-read articles of the year

The 26th president once demanded that military personnel be able to walk 50 miles in 20 hours. I set off on an ill-fated mission to see if I could do it myself.

A hiker rescued in California last week is the latest to find themselves pinned under a big rock. But they’re far from the first—or the unluckiest—to have a bad encounter with a boulder.

Bikes, skis, and tents can be a costly commitment. With that in mind, brands like Evo, Fjällräven, and L.L.Bean have designed outdoor trips where you can demo top-end equipment for days or weeks at a time.

When it comes to packing for a winter camping trip, separating good advice from falsehoods can be difficult

Knowing how to keep warm could help save your life if things go wrong on a winter hike

Hitting the trail with someone may be the best way to get to know them. But what if “someone” is your new hubby?

These are some of our favorite gear brands led by badass women in the industry

Search and rescue officials are urging adventurers to carry appropriate gear after an unprepared hiker nearly died on one of the state’s high mountains

Itacate’s dehydrated meals fill the backpacking void with chilaquiles, Caldo Tlalpeño, and sopa de lentejas

Meet nine cats that hike, camp, kayak, ski, and even rock climb—and love exploring the wild outdoors as much as their humans

Doyle set a speed record on the AT 50 years ago, long before YouTubers and partying twentysomethings had flooded the iconic trail. Through his Appalachian Trail Institute, which he's run since 1989, he’s still trying to convert a new generation of thru-hikers to his personal philosophy of what the trail should be.

A video of daddy longlegs clustering on a backpacker’s had arachnophobic hikers vowing to stay away. But look a little closer, and you might just gain a new appreciation for the Alaskan wilderness.

After three years of testing, Rocky Mountain National Park may make its reservation system permanent—and other parks aren’t far behind

And Alfredo Aliaga is already planning his return to come back and do it again next year

The weather's getting colder, and that means your packing and planning strategies have to change. Steer clear of these backpacking mistakes for a smoother transition to fall.

For most AT thru-hikers, Katahdin is the finish line. For Will French, it was the halfway point on a 25-year, 4,320-mile journey along the prehistoric spine of the Appalachians.

The Southern Sierra’s record snowpack may have contributed to a deadly accident on 14,505-foot Mount Whitney this month.

The rise of social media has created a new breed of influencers who tackle the world's longest trails with their audiences in tow. But success isn't guaranteed on a thru-hike—and bailing with thousands of eyes on you is more complicated than it looks.

An outbreak of norovirus on the Pacific Crest Trail proves that hikers’ hygiene routines need an upgrade

How a new pair of Limmers taught me a few things about life, death, and the trails we hike in between

On a winter thru-hike of the Ozark Highlands Trail, Jeff Garmire contended with snowstorms, swam a river, and bushwhacked paths overgrown with bramble—and discovered the rugged heart of one of America’s lesser-known long trails

A bizarre rescue in Michigan has eerie similarities to a 2022 incident in Washington State

Think all cheese delivery services taste the same? Not a chance.

This little burg hits the sweet spot where high adventure meets a low cost of living

Nothing says “for better or for worse” like forcing your wedding guests to trek 60 miles to a ceremony deep in the jungle

These weeklong backpacking trips are the perfect length to squeeze into a vacation

Late season snow damaged trails and delayed start to the season, pushing hikers into hotter summer conditions

These great towns are in the middle of glorious mountains with spectacular leaf-peeping, mega views, and fun things to do...and eat...and drink

Storms dumped rainfall across Utah. One hiker died and another required rescue.

From where the Donner Party was stranded in California's High Sierra to the remnants of the great Chacoan civilization in New Mexico, you can relive history on these incredible trails

Making your own camp stove out of a cat food or soda can used to be a rite of passage for backpackers. But with canister stoves getting lighter and cheaper—and fire bans getting more and more common—one Backpacker editor argues their time has come. (Plus: Another editor dissents.)

Why even bag it if you’re not going to carry it out?

These short-but-sweet hikes are the perfect microadventure for busy people. Here’s how to tackle them.

Our national forests are brilliant, underappreciated, and uncrowded compared to most national parks. Here’s the intel on where to hike in these stunning landscapes.

America’s most classic hiking route is generally a safe place for an adventure. But not always.

We found a novel treatment that actually removes the itch

Call him crazy, but our hiking columnist loves climbing hills. A fifth of the way into the epic Continental Divide Trail, he’s got some ways to improve your form, function, and mental performance on the ascents.

I’m an experienced solo backpacker, but she’s a marathoner and a natural athlete

At these Labor Day Outdoor fests, for three sweet days, you can be outside, hike, hear live music, swim, boat, and run. Plus: there's food and beer.

Backpacker editor Zoe Gates sets off to discover if chatbots are the solution to our trip-planning woes

When a court struck down the public’s right to wild camp in Dartmoor National Park in January, hikers lost the only place in England where they could dispersed camp without getting the owner’s permission first. Now, an appeals court has given it back to them.

Three years ago, Danae and Olen Netteburg set out with their four kids on the Appalachian Trail. Three years (and one more baby) later, they’re about to complete the Triple Crown. All of them.

Cops say Robert “Steady Eddie” Kerker was caught in a swollen waterway in July

�����ԹϺ���’s ethics columnist weighs in on the great cairn debate

They don’t necessarily save energy, but a new study suggests they might save your legs

Canada is experiencing its worst wildfire season on record, but the country’s beautiful national park system has mostly escaped them

A former hiking guide reveals his favorite trails in and near Yosemite National Park, with views of enormous waterfalls, El Capitan, and wildlife

A hiker found the woman’s body on a popular trail near the national park

Walk among deep river gorges, glacial mountains, alpine lakes, and vast deserts, all on beautiful under-the-radar public lands

One of the most popular mountains on the Appalachian Trail closed to overnight visits after visitors trashed it in 2020. Now, those temporary restrictions are starting to look permanent.

A lot of what thru-hikers eat on the trail is far from good for you. But some nutrition-minded backpackers are trying to buck the trend.

Enjoy this corn-studded and quinoa-based salad on the trail

Live electric wires and bridge damage are among the hazards that trail crews have found so far—but it’s not all bad news

Visits to one popular Colorado fourteener have declined by more than half since 2020

The CDT’s traffic is ballooning. In Montana, the National Park Service isn’t facing what that means for Glacier.

Authorities are trying to determine what caused the deaths of three people found in a remote campsite near Gunnison last week

The death is the third snow-related fatality that local search and rescue has responded to over the past three weeks

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.

Remember the mustard, learn how to save your batteries, and the best trick for a cold sleeping bag

Authorities say the unleashed mutt provoked the bruin, and have closed a popular trail near Asheville

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.

Hiking, like most things, is just better in Sweden. And now with the annual Fjällräven Classics, hikers all over the world can join the fun.

Witnessing a friend’s dangerous fall prompted the author to reevaluate the way she talks about outdoor blunders

There are two types of mountain athletes in the world

Want a hiking boot to adventure with you for years to come? Meet the Danner Mountain 600 Leaf GTX.

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

Whether you’re road-tripping or flying with Fido, our columnist has found the friendliest campgrounds, hotels, and airlines that welcome canines—as well as an app that dog owners shouldn’t live without

Retreating from a wildfire during a backpacking trip inspired the nonprofit founder to share climate change’s impacts on nature with others

How to make due without hiking poles, a sleeping pad, and more pieces of crucial backpacking gear

The dog trainer developed disordered-eating habits in college. Sitting under the stars brought her back into her body.

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.