Hiking and Backpacking
ArchiveThe energy bars and hydration mixes our editors swear by, on sale at Backcountry
Lo Phong La Kiatoukaysy, a.k.a. Lil鈥 Buddha, started thru-hiking America鈥檚 trails after 9/11. He hasn鈥檛 stopped yet.
Our testers gave these products their stamp of approval
A writer with a few such times under her belt ponders whether or not speed enhances or detracts from the experience
When Maggie Shipstead set out to report on women-only expedition travel, she was driven by a desire to learn new skills in a low-bro-factor environment. But six days exploring Alaska with the state鈥檚 first woman-owned adventure outfitter turned out to be regenerative in ways she didn鈥檛 expect.
What started as a Instagram account has boomed into a community of Muslim hikers taking on trails around the world
A thru-hiker鈥檚 best tips for decreasing your garbage
I tallied the waste I created for a month of my thru-hike. It was embarrassing. Now I know how to begin fixing it.
We鈥檝e beat these pieces up in the field, and now they鈥檙e steeply discounted during REI鈥檚 Cyber Week sale, which lasts now through December 6.
Looking for some thoughtful gift ideas for the adventurer in your life? Save up to 40 percent on gear and apparel at Huckberry鈥檚 Black Friday sale, now through November 27.
Check something off your wish list with these discounts on tents, apparel, lights, backpacks, accessories and more
I own a men鈥檚 Fitz Roy puffy that doesn鈥檛 really fit and got damaged by hot grease during a campout. Here鈥檚 why it鈥檚 my most treasured clothing possession.
These are our favorite pieces that won鈥檛 break the bank
Backpacking rule number one: pack enough to eat
What鈥檚 a surefire way to ruin an outdoor adventure? A selfish partner.
How to balance freedom and adventure with safety and security
Stories about kids who break hiking or climbing records feel like the continuation of an outdated and unhealthy attitude toward outdoor recreation
Whether you want to explore public or private lands, these maps demonstrate landownership lines for the entire U.S.
Don鈥檛 let your old stuff gather dust or go to the landfill. Put it to work doing good.
Yes, this flannel is expensive. But judging by its effect on our writers, it鈥檚 worth every penny.
Pursue your favorite activities with color-coded trails in Gaia GPS鈥檚 U.S. Forest Service roads and trails layer
A new Complex series takes Rick Ross, Lil鈥 Kim, and Quavo on short hikes. Each episode gets vulnerable in wonderfully unexpected ways.
If you sent me this question before the pandemic, I probably would have a very different answer. But we鈥檙e all in a different time now.
Even the runner-up hikers from this year鈥檚 test are pretty great
We only have space for six pants in the print magazine, but there are plenty more worthy pairs you should know about
A couple and their one-year-old child were found less than two miles from their car in the Sierra National Forest, with no obvious trauma. Authorities finally determined the cause of death.
Scientists take their equations for the energy demand of hills and rough terrain out into the real world
An overexplained 鈥渞ecipe鈥 for my favorite endurance fuel
From campsite to nightlight, BioLite鈥檚 AlpenGlow sets the perfect vibe
Keep your body and the planet clean
Common mistakes you鈥檙e probably making when your best friend takes off, and what to do next time
In the words of Brendan Leonard: 鈥淚 did perhaps underestimate it a tiny bit鈥
Maintenance is easy with these eight items that won鈥檛 break the bank
The outdoors are all around you, no matter where you live
Pawel Szafruga recently did the unthinkable by summiting all of Colorado鈥檚 14,000-foot peaks in a single thru-hike. Will others follow?
Even if you don鈥檛 climb Washington鈥檚 highest peak, the spectacular views and scenery in Mount Rainier National Park will leave you invigorated, says our 63 Parks columnist of the 42nd stop on her quest to visit every U.S. park
Stories are about how human connections are made and kept in the outdoors, and how they鈥檙e evolving now鈥攚hen community has never been more important or more at risk
Smart tips to make sure your new adventure partner has a blast and feels welcome outside
We鈥檝e sweat in them, worn them on muddy trails, and through countless miles on pavement. Now they鈥檙e discounted.
Stock up for fall adventures with these killer deals on gear we鈥檝e tested in the field
Save money on gear we love, now through September 6
Now is one of the best times of the year to save on camping essentials
A long-distance rambler named Bearsun is walking from L.A. to New York, dressed like a very large Pok茅mon. This is his story.
With an innovative hipbelt and pockets (almost) everywhere I need them, this backpack is a quiver killer for multiday treks
Narrator: The summit was not just ahead
Top-notch carry solutions for on-the-go essentials
An athlete and adventurer wants to summit the world鈥檚 highest peaks while advocating for inclusivity in the world of outdoor recreation
In the same way that backcountry skiers read avalanche reports and whitewater kayakers check water levels, anyone hiking in the West needs to start planning for fires as a baseline safety precaution
Hiking is for everyone鈥攂ut as Kara Richardson Whitely, a.k.a. Mama Kubwa, discovered, not everyone has gotten the memo
Your partner鈥檚 planning an epic adventure with his ex, but you鈥檇 rather be his go-to travel buddy
Here are some foolproof ways to ward off ticks, no-see-ums, mosquitos, and fleas鈥攁nd to find relief if they get you anyway
As the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report made clear this week, we鈥檙e going to need to give up some of the things we love if we don鈥檛 want much more taken away
Those instructions on the brownie box? Feel free to ignore them. This simple technique will get you a chocolatey dessert in just a few minutes.
At Olympic, you can go from luscious rainforests, to snowcapped peaks, to the stunning Pacific Coast鈥攁ll in one park. What more could you ask for?
Injury forces ultra legend Scott Jurek off the trail
Leaf peeping in New England. Surfing California鈥檚 coast. Cruising Alaska鈥檚 Inside Passage (yes, Alaska, in fall). We scoured the world to find the absolute best destinations to satisfy your autumn wanderlust鈥攅specially this year, when we all have a little cabin fever.
Leaf peeping in Colorado. Surfing the Azores. Cruising Alaska鈥檚 Inside Passage鈥攜es, Alaska, in fall. We scoured the world to find epic adventures and stunning destinations to satisfy your autumn wanderlust, especially this year, when we all have a little cabin fever.
This time the former AT record holder is heading southbound and shooting for a time of under 40 days
Challenge yourself, choose your own pace, and embrace nature all by yourself
And what to do when your fitness level doesn鈥檛 match your adventure partner鈥檚
Can I cut switchbacks? What about smoking on the trail? And what do I do with all those rocks?
It takes patience and some trial and error to make new trail buddies
鈥淵ou always think you鈥檒l save the ones you love when the moment comes. But he didn鈥檛 save her.鈥
Create the ultimate wet-weather defense system with these six waterproof items
Because sometimes, you just want to get away from it all
No two waterfalls are exactly alike, but these will always capture our imagination
Sleeves still play an important role against the elements, even when it鈥檚 hot
That shiny sheet of plastic you have wadded up at the bottom of your daypack can help you stay alive. Will it help you stay comfortable? That鈥檚 a different story.
Take a break from NPS crowds by visiting these lesser-known designations, which we chose based on spectacular scenery, great hiking trails, and unique features.
Public lands have become more trodden and restrictive, but the pandemic-era craziness might not last
We鈥檙e eyeing these steals at Huckberry鈥檚 annual Summer Sale, which lasts now through July 26
A far-from-comprehensive list
You鈥檙e dead set on walking every inch of a trail, but your partner doesn鈥檛 mind skipping a section or two. How do you compromise?
History tells us why skiing鈥攁nd the outdoors in general鈥攍acks diversity. Thanks to the work of dedicated groups, this is slowly changing.
When hikers have leftover food or gear, they don鈥檛 trash it. They drop it in a box for the next person who needs it, forming a beautiful network of anonymous interdependence.
After a year spent inside with too much time on his hands, a writer survives two days in the woods with only the equipment available to his hobbit alter ego鈥攔apier and lute included
Exercise may not be enough to make up for thru-hikers鈥 bad diets, a new paper suggests
On a backpacking trip through Utah鈥檚 Buckskin Gulch with ultralight gear legend Glen Van Peski, our writer learns about the Crotch Pot, an Oscar-winning actor鈥檚 anti-snoring technique, and that there鈥檚 a whole lot of shit you don鈥檛 need when you鈥檙e on the trail 1,000 miles from home
Master the shakedown for a smoother trek
Acadia National Park in Maine boasts 150 miles of trails on its official maps, but that鈥檚 only a part of what once existed. Matthew Sherrill tagged along with a couple of local history obsessives to explore some of the dozens of unmarked paths that lead to what were once major attractions鈥攑laces some want to stay a secret.