| NATIONAL PARKS QUICKLINKS |
Grand Canyon National Park: Tanner-Escalante-Grandview Circuit
If you've hiked the park's established paths, it's time to raise your game. Explore the South Rim's wilder side with this 41.1-mile, off-trail trek. The challenges: routefinding, exposure, class 3 scrambling. The rewards: riverside beach camps, big views, solitude.
Grand Canyon National Park: Boucher-Hermit Loop
Scramble through remote ravines, soak up private riverside vistas, and tour from rim to river on this stout, 25.1-mile circuit.
Grand Canyon National Park: South Kaibab-Tonto-Bright Angel Trail
Start early for sunrise in the canyon and crowd-free hiking on this 13.4-miler that descends to the gorge's mezzanine level.
Grand Canyon Adventure Guide (2012 National Parks Series: Part 6 of 6)
Find world-class scenery and challenges (no passport required) with our scouts' top day, weekend, and weeklong routes in the Big Ditch. Whether you're a canyon-country pro or a first-timer, we guarantee you'll find terrain that tests your boundaries.
The Other Way In
Hike to life-list hot spots without waiting in life-list lines. These under-the-radar trails deliver everything but the crowds.
Over The Edge
Nearly 150 years after John Wesley Powell's pioneering trip through the Grand Canyon, the park still conceals remarkable places no humans have ever seen. Contributing editor John Harlin joins a crew of explorers on a journey of discovery.
Burn After Reading
Empty White Mountain summits. Tourist-free Yellowstone geysers. Rarely hiked Yosemite ridges. Rangers, guidebook writers, outfitters, and ultra-hikers dish their favorite routes for the first time.
America's Best Campsites
Park your tent in one of these 10 spots, and you'll be happy in the morning. Guaranteed.
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.
Perfect 10: Free PDF Trip Planning Guides
We've picked the top 10 miles of North America's 10 most memorable hikes. Find your way to wilderness nirvana with these map and planning guides.
Navigation Center: Videos
Learn the basics of using GPS devices and watch amazing Google 3D flyovers in our special navigation focused video center.
National Parks: Grand Canyon
Discover surprising solitude and endless vistas on an easy-access multiday trip between rim and river.
National Park Slideshows
See scores of stunning images from the Grand Canyon, Denali, Yosemite, and more.
Readers' Choice: Southwest
Your favorite parks, weekend getaways, peak ascents, campsites, and more in the Southwest.
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!
America's Scariest Trails: What are You Afraid of?
Haunted mountains? Vanished campers? Bloodthirsty creatures? An evil wind that lures hikers over a waterfall? We dare you to hike America's scariest trails.
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.
Best Hikes Ever: Escalante Route, AZ
Plumb the wild depths of the Big Ditch.
Rip & Go: Grandview Loop - Grand Canyon, South Rim
Descend to the Ditch's primitive core on a three-day loop.
Ranger Confidential: Secrets of the National Park Rangers
True tales from the front lines--and behind the scenes--of America's national parks.
Life's Short, Hike More!
What makes a backpacker a backpacker? It's not the garage full of gear or piles of guidebooks--it's the experiences, from thru-hiking a long trail to pushing your personal envelope to inspiring a child's love of wilderness. Here we present BACKPACKER's new Life List: 10 experiences to add to your tick-listnow--and the key skills you need to nail them.
New Life List: Tackle a Monster Dayhike in the Grand Canyon
See a week's worth of scenery in 24 hours, and redefine your idea of what's possible.
Gear Review: Tough Boots
Heading into rough terrain? Our crew of Grand Canyon rangers and guides abused nine pairs of boots for four months. Only five survived.
Download BACKPACER Photo Wallpaper for Your Computer, iPhone, iPad, or Blackberry
Need instant inspiration? Download these BACKPACKER destination photos–Switzerland, Grand Canyon, & John Muir Wilderness–and get lost.
Secret Hikes: Hiking Grand Canyon National Park
Surprise: This park's busy corridor trails offer a fast track to a private slice of heaven.
Hike the Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim!
Don't try this at home: Our editor-in-chief tackles a gonzo 21-hour rim-to- rim-to-rim hike in the Grand Canyon with friend Shelli Johnson.
Secret Hikes of the National Parks
The perfect dozen: Embark on one of these 12 treks, and turn America's most iconic preserves into your own private paradise.
3D Interactive Grand Canyon: Our Toughest Routes
Tackle our toughest and least-crowded routes in the Grand Canyon with this interactive map.
Life List: Grand Canyon
Learn where solitude reigns--and why. Plus: Tackle the hardest Big Ditch route we've ever published.
Grand Canyon: Hardest Hike Ever
This epic trip is hard, dry, steep--and gorgeous. The Cranberry Route--the final leg of this challenging loop--is the boldest, hardest scramble our scouts have done in the Grand Canyon. Study the key steps of this eight-mile section and see more details at backpacker.com/hikes/637440. Warning: Don't attempt this route without advanced navigation skills.
Grand Canyon Treasure Map: Hard
Find solitude and Adventure in the Big Ditch.
Grand Canyon Treasure Map: Moderate
Find solitude and adventure in the big ditch.
Grand Canyon Treasure Map: Easy
Find the best trail for your backcountry skills.
Grand Canyon: Treasure Map
Score your own private paradise with this insider's guide to uncrowded areas in Grand Canyon National Park.
America's 10 Most Dangerous Hikes
Like your life and limbs intact? Then you'd better get skilled before visiting these trails.
National Parks Center
We've collected the best hikes, most amazing photos, and mind-blowing videos for the ultimate National Park planning center. Get inspired and get hiking now!
National Parks Hall of Fame: Photo Galleries
Catch the best views in the nation's marquee parks from the comfort of your computer. Prepare to drool...now.
National Parks Hall of Fame
The all-time best. That's what every hiker wants on a national park trek, and that's what you'll get if you tackle one of these 25 trips.
National Parks Hall of Fame: Best Canyon
The Tanner Trail in the grandest of U.S. canyons is a camping classic.
Watch It, Hike It: An Episode-by-Episode Guide to The National Parks: America's Best Idea by Ken Burns
Catch these highlights from The National Parks: America's Best Idea, then download maps to hike to them yourself.
BACKPACKER 3D Trail Flyover Videos
Fly these classic hikes in 3D with our guided tours.
America's Scariest Trails: Tragedy in the Grand Canyon
When bodies can't be buried, do their spirits ever rest? Hike to the scene of this wreck and find out.
National Parks Confidential: Q & A with Filmmaker Ken Burns
On the eve of his much-anticipated documentary, Ken Burns discusses the heroes and history of America's most precious wildlands–and the new challenges they face now.
Depth Perception: Trek to Grand Canyon's Royal Arch
The best view in the Grand Canyon can't be seen from the rim. Brave the trek to Royal Arch, hidden deep in the gorge, and your world will never look the same.
Insider's Guide: The Grand Canyon
From dayhikes to weekends to weeklong hikes our Grand Canyon expert will have you ready to hit this natural wonder in no time. PLUS: Get dialed with essential skills.
Perfect Substitutes: Crowd-Free Destinations
You know that the big-name parks draw big-time crowds. But each of those outdoor icons has a lesser-known replacement that offers some of the same classic features and epic scenery–and you get it all to yourself.
Grand Canyon Royal Arch: Exclusive Google Flyover Video & Photo Slideshow
Veteran Grand Canyon photographer and explorer Elias Butler did double duty on his visit to Royal Arch by capturing the beauty on video and in photographs.
National Parks Hall of Fame: Ranger Rated
No one knows the national parks better than the rangers who patrol them. We polled a bunch of insiders on their favorite national park sights, sounds, and tastes.
Poll: What's Your Favorite National Park?
Life List: Raft And Hike The Grand Canyon
Explore hidden gorges and spy rarely seen wonders on this three-week raft trip designed specifically for hikers.
Canyon Connections: Link Grand Canyon To Zion
Trek empty terrain all the way from the Grand Canyon to Zion.
River Keeper
Grand Canyon raft guide and Havasupai tribal member Shana Watahomigie becomes a paddling–and Hollywood–pioneer.
Top 3 CCC Trails
The Civilian Conservation Corps is turning 75—so celebrate right by hiking its classics.
National Parks Lifelist
The ultimate vacation in one of America's iconic parks requires the ultimate hiking plan: classic scenery, no crowds, and secret campsites. Here's how to spend a perfect week in Glacier, Yosemite, Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Olympic, Denali, and the Great Smoky Mountains.
Denali National Park
Hike with grizzlies in this remote northern corner of Alaska's greatest park.
Yellowstone National Park
America's first national park is a playground for grizzlies, wolves, moose, and hikers (not in that order).
Olympic National Park
Explore two ecosystems in this hinterland of moss-draped forests, ancient trees, and snowcapped peaks.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Graze blueberry patches, explore swimming holes, and tag the South's high points on this sultry hike.
Grand Canyon National Park
Drop into America's belly on a little-known hike that dips in and out of four different canyons, each blessed with gurgling spring water.
Yosemite National Park
Climb classic Sierra passes, ogle granite monoliths, and camp above treeline in John Muir's second home.
Glacier National Park
Scramble up class III peaks and cross late summer snowfields on this strenuous but straightforward trip through Montana's big-mountain country.
National Parks Lifelist: Intro
Bright Angel Trail, Grand Canyon - America's Most Dangerous Hikes
Baked or broiled?
How Your Kid Can Save a Park
Send him out on a work trip. Let wilderness do the rest.
How to Light a Campfire in the Smokies
Trees, trees are everywhere, but sometimes there isn't a dry twig in sight.
Is Inadequate Funding the Main Problem Facing the National Park System?
This question fuels the debate regarding how to help the aging national park system improve.
National Park Vacation Planners: 3D Videos and Downloadable Beta
3-D hike videos, complete trip planner pdfs, our interactive ParkFinder tool, and more.
How to Score Denali's Choicest Permits
The system was rigged, says a former ranger. Here's how to beat it.
Trip Finder: Stay-Dry Spring Hikes
Stay dry on spring treks in Minnesota, New Mexico, and more.
May Close-to-Home Hikes
Our map team has been hard at work plotting the coolest hikes. Check out May's selections here.
Backpacker's Readers' Choice Awards 2008
America's 100 Best Hikes–chosen by you.
Explore the Grand Canyon In Under 10 Hours
The Grand Canyon is steep and deep, but besides rock you can take in lush springs and junipers.
Freefall: Tragedy in the Grand Canyon
Arizona's Havasu Canyon is a hiker's paradise famed for its jaw-dropping waterfalls. But now there's trouble in paradise—serious trouble.
Essential National Park Skills: The Ultimate Park Pass
Write your own ticket to new adventures with these 10 territory-expanding skills.
From the Grand Canyon to Canyonlands: Hiking At The Speed Of Sound
Seven national parks in 7 days--starring a ragtop, Red Bull, and one scary rabbit.
America's Hardest Dayhikes
Push yourself on any of these challenging hikes
Camping at the Grand Canyon
Spend New Year's in the Big Ditch, where fishing, camping, and hiking await
Grandview Trail, Grand Canyon National Park
Here's a challenging hike with constant Grand Canyon views.
Three Quiet Grand Canyon Hikes
You'd never guess it: Three quiet trails in such a busy, beautiful place.
Best Dayhikes In America
With strong legs and an ambitious plan, you can see more wild country in 12 hours than some backpackers see in a week, and still make it home in time for dinner.
Best Backpacking In Arizona
Our comprehensive guide to the best backpacking you can find in Arizona.
Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument
In the 1800s, cowboys didn't think much of the Grand Canyon's Parashant National Monument. Luckily, times and attitudes have changed.
