| NATIONAL PARKS QUICKLINKS |
Local Hikes in the East
Kentucky's Land Between The Lakes, see a South Carolina swamp (without the bugs), hike through four states in one huge day, and more.
Trail Mix: Great November Hikes in the East
Your region's go-now guide: Explore New York City, hike four states in 24 hours, and perfect days in NC, GA, and NH.
BACKPACKER Trail Scouts' Top Eastern Local Hikes
Check out the River Trail in South Carolina, the Florida Trail, or a loop in Mississippi and Virginia.
Killer Trips: Weather
Our favorite high-risk, high-reward adventures in North America.
Trail Mix: East
Your region's go-now guide
Easy Epics: 17 Drive-up Campsites a Backpacker Will Love
Combine the best of car camping (spacious tents, comfy chairs, frosty margaritas!) and the best of backpacking (deep solitude, outrageous scenery, swimming holes!) with these 17 accessible hideaways.
Readers' Choice 2012: Your Neck of the Woods - Southeast Hikes
See Shenandoah's tallest waterfall, traverse secluded ridgelines, score cliff-top panoramas, swim beneath falls, and walk through wildflowers and oak stands on the Florida Trail.
Rip & Go: Iron Mountains - Little Dry Run Wilderness, VA
Score quiet views of the southern Virginia highlands on this lush loop.
Perfect 10: North America's 10 Most Memorable Hikes
Ten trails. Ten unmatched miles each. Get maximum bang for each boot step on hikes that our most-traveled contributors call their all-time favorites.
Rip & Go: Rockytop Loop - Shenandoah National Park, VA
Escape Skyline Drive to discover secret summits and hidden valleys.
The High Life: Hiking Utah's Highline Trail
Watch your step on Utah' Highline Trail. The nonstop views and rampant wildlife are distractingly spectacular. Plus: Gaze away on 9 more elevated hikes.
Trip Finder: Appalachians
Your favorite Appalachians hikes—from dayhikes to weekenders to multiday trips.
Readers' Choice: Appalachians
Your favorite parks, weekend getaways, peak ascents, campsites, and more in the Appalachians.
Rip & Go: King's Canyon CA, Grand Canyon AZ, Shenandoah VA
From routes to food to post-hike brewski, we've got your weekend backpacking plans dialed. This week, we've got three killer adventures in Kings Canyon, Shenandoah, and the Grand Canyon. Ready? Read. Rip. Go!
Best Hikes Ever: Falls Hollow Trail, VA
Hike through waterfall spray to a rarely summited grassy bald.
Best. Hikes. Ever.
We've covered 245,591 miles of trails in our 37-year history. Here are our 20 all-time favorite trips, plus—shocking!—20 routes we never covered.
Rip & Go: Mathews Arm Loop - Shenandoah National Park
Ramble through brilliant red and yellow fall foliage.
Local Hikes: Roanoke, VA
The best hikes near Roanoke, VA.
Local Hikes: Richmond, VA
The best hikes near Richmond, VA.
Local Hikes: Southeast
The best local hikes in the southeast, as chosen by the area's best hiking clubs.
American Classic: Hiking the Appalachian Trail
In this ultimate guide to the country's favorite footpath, you'll find our picks for the best hiking and camping, and a complete plan for thru-hikers. Plus, meet a man who has made it his job to help AT hikers.
The Best Cities To Raise An Outdoor Kid
Which towns offer the ideal mix of accessible trails, inspiring teachers, and great recreational resources? We worked with The Outdoor Foundation to identify America's top 25 places to beat nature deficit disorder.
Southeast Readers' Choice Hikes
Colossal trees, sweet swimming holes, and the USA's best picnic spot.
Your Favorite Places: Readers' Choice Trips 2010
Who knows the secret trails and must-do classics in every corner of the country? Our teams of regional experts, recruited from the ranks of readers like you. Here are their top hikes from coast to coast.
Readers' Choice Southeast Hikes: Ramsey Cascades, Great Smokies, TN
See big water, massive trees, and tiny amphibians.
Readers' Choice Southeast Hikes: Mt. Rogers NRA, VA
Celebrate the arrival of summer with an unrivaled circus of color.
Readers' Choice Southeast Hikes: Max Patch Bald, NC
Have a picnic on one of the Southeast's biggest balds.
Readers' Choice Southeast Hikes: Clingmans Dome to Silers Bald, TN
Bag four scenic peaks in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Readers' Choice Southeast Hikes: Thru-hike the Florida Trail
See wild, historic surprises in the Sunshine State.
Readers' Choice Southeast Hikes: Raven Ridge - Blackbird Knob Loop
Dolly Sods Wilderness, WV
See a Great White North south of the Mason-Dixon.
Rip & Go: Iron Mountain Loop - Mount Rogers National Recreation Area
Lose the leaf-peeping crowds on this quiet ramble above Virginia's loftiest canopies of color.
Top 3 Family Dayhikes
Pack up your brood for a day in the outdoors with these kid-friendly trails.
Weekend Planner: Quick Escapes
Get big views and rack up long miles with these close-to-home adventures.
America's Newest Wilderness
A quick guide to the best acres, trails, and views.
Top Cities to Raise A...
Does your kid want to be an ice climber? How about a thru-hiker, or paddler? These cities have just what you need.
The Best Cities to Raise an Outdoor Kid: The Winning 25
From Boulder to Juneau to Bozeman, see which cities made the cut for the best place to raise an outdoor kid, and why.
Party Peaks
Ten perfect summits for your next group hike
The Fix: Shenandoah National Park
Catch this national park's brightest fall foliage on a short stroll or an all-day epic.
Appalachian Trail Thru-Hike Gear List
We've got your Appalachian Trail packing list dialed. Here, take stock of what you'll need to thru-hike the trail. Just print it out and get packing.
Time 2 Go See Wild Horses
From Florida to Wyoming, track wild horses for four hours or 10 days.
The Appalachian Trail's George Washington National Forest
Find spectacular views and deep solitude on this weekend hike.
Shenandoah Adventure Guide
Here's your chance to uncover secret paths in this popular park.
High Points: Mt. Rogers, Virginia
Allow the plants to color the landscape as you make your way along the trail.
Virginia, White Oak Canyon, Shenandoah National Park
Waterfalls abound on this great 8.2 mile loop.
Best Backpacking In Virginia
Our comprehensive guide to the best backpacking you can find in Virginia.
Prayers Answered In Virginia's Priest Wilderness
In Virginia, a miracle occurs and hikers get some new wilderness, thanks to The Priest.
Lion's Tale Trail: Explore With Your Fingertips
Trail goers can experience a whole new world by hiking Virginia's newly renovated Lion's Tale Trail.
Virginia's Crest Zone: Basking In Moonshine
Pine Mountain and Wilson Ridge command high-country vistas stretching across rock-strewn meadows.
Virginia's Berrypicking Paradise
When hiking on Virginia's high, exposed heath balds in late summer, leave gorp and other snacks at home.
Muddy Love In Shenandoah
All along the 23-mile Shenandoah Mountain trail and in the forested areas throughout the Appalachian Mountains, vernal pools are rich aquatic breeding grounds.
Virginia's False Cape State Park
Near-complete isolation just a few miles from Virginia Beach.
Virginia's Ramseys Draft Wilderness: Rugged And Remote
Challenge and a hint of risk are part and parcel in Ramseys Draft Wilderness.
Virginia's Massanutten Range
The 50-mile-long Massanutten range in Virginia may be D.C.'s top-secret hiking getaway.
Virginia's Three Ridges
Hike this gorgeous, mountainous section of Virginia's Appalachian Trail.
