Vacations
Kick it up a notch with these quick fixes.
Tired of the same old weekend loops? Looking to create memories your grandkids will talk about? In this how-and-where guide, we serve up 15 extraordinary escapes that will shatter your expectations of "normal." From adventure moviemaking to canyoneering, we'll take you places you've never been—but will long to visit again soon.
If you plan to hit more than one national park in a year, consider this national parks pass.
Thru-hike America's most revered long trail: the Appalachian Trail.
Pick your pilgrimage through the backcountry Holy Land: Mt Eielson Loop or Kesugi Ridge.
Explore secret Africa on an alpine wildlife safari.
See sheer-sided fjords, calving glaciers, and the northern hemisphere's largest ice sheet.
Lose yourself in Europe's last great wilderness.
Explore a hiker's fantasy island on Tasmania's rough-and-wild long trail.
See the Andes the way Cortez did–totally wild.
Discover the best of Kiwi wilderness–north and south–with these two hikes.
Score classic Alps scenery, adventure, and hut culture without the classic crowds.
A veteran traveler discovers a world of adventure in his backyard.
Master every detail of far-flung adventure–from visas to vaccinations–with these time-tested tips from guides and veteran globetrotters.
Tackle everything from jet lag to malaria (and those pesky mosquitoes) with our guide to staying healthy abroad.
Start your adventure right with these tips on getting to the trailhead and keeping in contact once you get there.
We've traveled to 10 countries and uncovered the best adventures you never knew existed.
This tech-saavy passport sleeve protects your documents from radio wave scanners
Roll, carry, or tote around your gear with the versatile High Sierra Overpass Wheeled bag.
The North Face Base Camp Series duffel is reliable through the worst dragging, zipper-yanking and rain.
Durable and lightweight, the Granite Gear Ultraflight 115 will keep you rolling.
Trek across the roof of the Andes, mix in some trail riding–on bike and horseback–and climb a 19,000-foot volcano.
Test your scrambling skills–plus sea kayak, rock climb, and scuba dive the Gulf of Orosei Coast.
These dark-sky treks serve up perfect viewing spots for autumn's intergalactic bling in North Carolina, New Mexico, and California
We've got a selection of cozy shelters and trail-side restaurants from Washington to Maine. Check out these hikes in the Rockies, the Northeast, and the Northwest.
How to retrace each segment of the author's perfect week from "A Perfect Week in the Tetons."
You won't waste a minute with our only-the-highlights hiking and climbing guide to the West's archetypal range. From the loftiest summits to the loneliest cross-country routes, this seven-day sampler visits every type of Tetons treasure-and then some.
On this burly, 210-mile traverse, which crosses 33 passes and barely touches established trails, you can find Alaska-sized scenery, complete solitude, and just enough risk to keep things interesting.
Hike the best section of the Great Divide Trail.
In search of a guilt-free adventure in the tropics, Jason Daley discovers the line between saving the world–and seeing it.
The planet's most dynamic landscape is full of bubbling hot springs, steaming geysers, and kaleidoscopic lava flows. Hike Iceland's epic Laugevegur Trail, and join the action.
6 more must-dip pools from Alaska to Hawaii
Here are the top wilderness soaks on the continent. Can you keep a secret?
How can I comparison-shop for a guided trek in Alaska?
Half a world away, you'll find exotic highs while hiking in Tasmania.
Visitors to Montana's Glacier National Park can visit on the cheap or pay an arm and a leg -- but each way has its unique charms.
One writer ditches his S.U.V. for a vegetable oil-powered Volkswagon Beetle and drives into the Sierras to hike the Pacific Crest Trail and test his environmentalist platitudes
A successful hike often starts with a bit of research.
Secluded coastline and bikable rain forests are just two things waiting for you in Mexico
Museum curator Glenn Crosby tracks down Ansel Adams' famous shot
Smart ways to foolproof your next hike.
Try this black diamond, three-day kayak trip that navigates Lake Superior's piney islands.
Idaho's capital offers hiking, kayaking, and climbing close to downtown
Take a winter hike to the steaming pools of Melanie Hot Springs in Gila Wilderness, New Mexico.
Traverse the Yukon Territory's Tombstone Range, sea kayak Baja, trek Torres del Paine, Patagnoia–all in 2008. Plus, monthly adventures closer to home.
Pretty pictures and promises of a trade might get unenthusiastic spouses out the door.
Try this 30-mile lollipop loop that is almost entirely above 9,000 feet.
Cozy huts, five-course meals, and world-class foliage highlight one family's fall trek.
Like crowded campsites and easy trails? Then by all means avoid this deafeningly quiet expanse of rugged, wildlife-rich mountains and forest in Washington's North Cascades.
Explore six new routes through the most rugged, scenic, and wildife-rich mountains in the Lower 48.
Head out with six hard-charging huskies, and winter will never feel more alive.
Kayak amid the reefs and sand of Virgin Islands National Park
Tour the wildlife menagerie that is southeast Alaska on two kayak trips
Start packing now for a once-in-a-lifetime ski tour through silent, snow-draped Yosemite.
Hike and canoe through the pristine springs of Missouri's Ozarks.
On this trip you'll find everything from alpine meadows to ancient rainforests
Come to this tropical oasis for great weather, an array of fruit and some great swimming.
A night in Yosemite's most famous hotel
Visit this remote section of the Arctic before climate change alters it forever
Paddle blue inlets too new for any topo.
Camping in Death Valley might give you the hottest day of your life.
Get more Glacier hiking ideas in our online exclusive
3 hidden hikes in our readers' favorite backpacking park
Spring comes earlier to this mountain paradise.
Here's a challenging hike with constant Grand Canyon views.
The ultimate guide to greenhouse adventure, featuring 8 surprising new trips, acres of virgin terrain, and a peek at the future of North American wilderness.
Who wouldn't want to be marooned on this Florida barrier island?
Explore a glacier-covered forest near the Canadian Rockies' highest peak
Just minutes from Anchorage lie dozens of world-class hiking and paddling trips. This guide gives you the best, plus gear and travel tips to smooth the way.
Always carry extra identification when traveling internationally.
You'd never guess it: Three quiet trails in such a busy, beautiful place.
A definitive guide to the hottest, sweetest, looniest, and most colorful spots in the great outdoors.
Can a place that sees 9 million visitors a year really have any surprises? You bet. We found three hikes full of unexpected history, scenery, and solitude.
It's as big as California, boasts more volcanoes than Alaska, and counts nearly as many geysers as Yellowstone.
Stay cozy this winter by bedding down in a heated cabin or yurt.
Want a ceremony that reflects your passion for the outdoors? Here's everything you need to know to pull off a wilderness wedding.
Deep in the heart of the forbidden Tibetan kingdom, a long-awaited adventure inherited from the author's father takes an unexpected twist.
Do you have what it takes to climb Alaska's Denali? Find out with our mountaineer's guide.
Mount Kenya offers classic climbing to all backpackers
Try this ultra-scenic route if you attempt North America's third highest peak.
Aconcagua's West/Southwest Face offers climbers more challenge on the Western Hemisphere's highest peak.
Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska
Kilimanjaro National Park, Tanzania
Planning to climb Mexico's famous volcano Iztaccíhuatl? Start with our online guide.
Dolomites, Italy
The Obelisk offers a remote climbing challenge far removed from other Sierra hotspots.
The short but stunning Mahoosuc Range has major-league attractions, like the toughest mile on the Appalachian Trail and conditions that discourage the faint of heart.
Rather than simply stare at the Great Wall, a determined hiker decided to get a different perspective.
Deep in the cloud forests of Costa Rica, you'll learn to dodge fireballs and poisonous frogs while tracing a circuit around a living volcano.
When you hike the world's highest peaks in search of the legendary snow leopard, be prepared for the unexpected.
Visitors to Siberia's Lake Baikal encounter endless coastline, brown bears, and exotic hiking to last a lifetime.
Endless varieties of coral and birds await when you kayak the blue waters of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula.
Jungles, coral-reef wading and rocky scrambling await Tahitian adventure hikers.
The Bossi Bivouac Hut offers culture and comfort at the base of the Matterhorn.
Face your fear of snakes and spiders in Australia's Royal National Park, and the bush will reward you with the journey of a lifetime.
Planning an overseas backpacking trip? Here's a few tips to prepare you before you go.
Southeast France's Gorge Du Verdon provides backpackers with miles of narrow canyon walls, river wading, and strenuous hiking.
Let rivers and ridgelines be your compass as you hike in the shadow of Alaska's Mt. McKinley.
The Annapurna Circuit is your path to the rooftop of the world.
Our comprehensive guide to the best backpacking you can find in Rhode Island.
Our comprehensive guide to the best backpacking you can find in New Jersey.
Our comprehensive guide to the best backpacking you can find in Pennsylvania.
Our comprehensive guide to the best backpacking you can find in Illinois.
Our comprehensive guide to the best backpacking you can find in New Mexico.
Our comprehensive guide to the best backpacking you can find in Iowa.
Our comprehensive guide to the best backpacking you can find in Virginia.
Our comprehensive guide to the best backpacking you can find in Tennessee.
Our comprehensive guide to the best backpacking you can find in New Hampshire.
Our comprehensive guide to the best backpacking you can find in Nevada.
Our comprehensive guide to the best backpacking you can find in Ohio.
Our comprehensive guide to the best backpacking you can find in North Dakota.
Our comprehensive guide to the best backpacking you can find in Wisconsin.
Our comprehensive guide to the best backpacking you can find in California.
Our comprehensive guide to the best backpacking you can find in West Virginia.
Our comprehensive guide to the best backpacking you can find in Florida.
Our comprehensive guide to the best backpacking you can find in Alabama.
Our comprehensive guide to the best backpacking you can find in Oregon.
Our comprehensive guide to the best backpacking you can find in North Carolina.
Our comprehensive guide to the best backpacking you can find in Minnesota.
Our comprehensive guide to the best backpacking you can find in Arkansas.
Our comprehensive guide to the best backpacking you can find in Alaska.
Our comprehensive guide to the best backpacking you can find in Hawaii.
Our comprehensive guide to the best backpacking you can find in Delaware.
Our comprehensive guide to the best backpacking you can find in Kentucky.
Our comprehensive guide to the best backpacking you can find in Kansas.
Our comprehensive guide to the best backpacking you can find in Indiana.
Our comprehensive guide to the best backpacking you can find in Idaho.
Our comprehensive guide to the best backpacking you can find in Michigan.
Our comprehensive guide to the best backpacking you can find in Maryland.
Our comprehensive guide to the best backpacking you can find in Louisiana.
Our comprehensive guide to the best backpacking you can find in Nebraska.
Our comprehensive guide to the best backpacking you can find in Missouri.
Our comprehensive guide to the best backpacking you can find in Mississippi.
Our comprehensive guide to the best backpacking you can find in South Carolina.
Our comprehensive guide to the best backpacking you can find in Utah.
Our comprehensive guide to the best backpacking you can find in Texas.
Our comprehensive guide to the best backpacking you can find in Wyoming.
Our comprehensive guide to the best backpacking you can find in Vermont.
Our comprehensive guide to the best backpacking you can find in Arizona.
Our comprehensive guide to the best backpacking you can find in America.
Our comprehensive guide to the best backpacking you can find in Washington.
Our comprehensive guide to the best backpacking you can find in Massachusetts.
Our comprehensive guide to the best backpacking you can find in New York.
Our comprehensive guide to the best backpacking you can find in Maine.
Our comprehensive guide to the best backpacking you can find in South Dakota.
Our comprehensive guide to the best backpacking you can find in Montana.
Our comprehensive guide to the best backpacking you can find in Connecticut.
Our comprehensive guide to the best backpacking you can find in Colorado.
Our comprehensive guide to the best backpacking you can find in Georgia.
Camping with kids can plant a wild seed in them that will grow as they do-but only if you get them Out There.
How can we conserve South Dakota's Badlands?
Hear wild horses thunder through camp. Look for wolf tracks in the mud or eagles' nests in the cliffs high above. Cast off the workaday world and go hike an island paradise.
Head to the White Cloud Mountains for a crowd-free taste of Idaho high country.
Hike a rugged, historically rich trail for 21 miles along a nearly deserted island off British Columbia's coast.
Hike to the edge of the Cascade Range in this forgotten corner of the Washington wilderness.
Take the finest mountains in the world, add high-country meadows, glacial valleys, alpine lakes, pine-and-hemlock forests, and what do you have? A recipe for backcountry bliss.
High above the trees you'll find the hike of your dreams: a ridgeline trail where your only companion is an occasional mountain goat.
"With some eagerness, and some anxiety, and some misgiving, we enter the canyon below?." -John Wesley Powell, August 13, 1869
If you're a backpacking purist, Tennessee's new Cumberland Trail was made for you.
In Point Reyes National Seashore, you'll find peace and quiet in the heart of California's earthquake zone.
Arizona's Red Rock Secret Mountain Wilderness is so incredible, you'll want to tell the whole world.
Meet Jamie and Joe, who need help with everything from planning to packing to eating well. Enter our team of experts, with a few simple tricks designed to turn them-and you!-into well-oiled backpacking machines.
It's the longest stretch of virgin coastline left in the Lower 48. But that's just one of many reasons to hike it.
How do you protect the largest trees on Earth? Don't harm them in the first place.
In the 20 years since the passage of the Alaska Lands Act, nothing has changed in many of the state's wild places. And that's reason to celebrate.
Glacier National Park possesses scenery that'll suck the breath out of your lungs, quiet so intense you'll wonder if your ears still work, and enough wildlife to make a zookeeper drool with envy.
Where the words "wild" and "life" take on new meaning
Sure, you can summit Mt. Rainier, but the real treasure isn't on top. It's the Wonderland Trail down below.
Alaska's premier area for fish and wildlife.
Not your laid-back summer holiday -- canoeing and hiking galore.
If you plan on hiking the European Alps, get ready for some differences across the pond.
In the European high-country Alps you can wander through the most stunning mountains in the world. Vive la difference!
Combine white sand beaches and gin-clear water with snow-free highland hiking, and you've got Baja, the perfect midwinter escape.
When gently paddling amidst the mini-icebergs that grace Prince William Sound, you ponder one question: why walk?
Wrangell-St. Elias National park is known for its jaw-dropping scenery, but there's just as much beauty at your feet.
A once-in-a-lifetime solo hike through Lake Clark National Park, where the midnight sun shines like candlelight on the mountains.
Looking for a really wild time? Grab your passport and head to Canada, where the mountains are big, the views stretch beyond your imagination, and you can't fling a moose pellet without hitting some kind of wildlife.
The Middle Fork of the Salmon River Trail is a 100-mile-long backpacker's dream that comes complete with muscle-soothing waters and the occasional glass of wine with your four-course dinner.
If you like stunning mountains, challenging trails, breathtaking scenery and warm temperatures in winter, New Zealand is your ticket to paradise. Just watch out for the thieving parrots.
The Continental Divide in Rocky Mountain National Park is a place of reckoning and, given its trackless nature, a place of choices. To a young man who came of age here, it offers perspective on paths not taken.
The 10 once-in-a-lifetime adventures any backwoods fanatic should have under his hipbelt before hanging up the ol' pack.
The bison are relics from the past, and the wolves know no fear. Welcome to Wood Buffalo National Park, where time stands still and the land shrugs off man's attempts to alter its primitive spirit.
In a land with few trails, Alaska's Resurrection Pass stands above them all.
The host of BACKPACKER's television show gives us a peek inside.
