Two Years After the “Massacre on Max Patch,” the Mountain Is Healing
One of the most popular spots on the Appalachian Trail, Max Patch, is better off now than it has been in years.
Latest
Going to Zion National Park? We Made You a Playlist.
Load up this Spotify playlist and get going.
Feeling Sore After a Long Hike? Time to Hit the Gym.
Feeling achy and serotonin-depleted after a couple months on the trail? This gym workout will help you out.
Make Your Own Retro Backpacking Gear With These DIY Projects
If hikers five decades ago could make their own gear, so can you.
The Best and Worst Backpacking Food, Ranked
Because nothing is worse than finding out you’ve got a dud after a hard-charging day in the backcountry.
What You’re Made Of
While snow climbing, William Toor and Mariella Colvin fell nearly 1,000 feet down a couloir in Rocky Mountain National Park.
Mountain Lion Euthanized After Attacking Trail Runners in Utah
Authorities tracked down and killed the cougar following an encounter that left one woman with minor injuries.
Can You Take a Cat Backpacking? I Tried it and Found Out.
Can our scout coax his feline friend into becoming a true trail companion?
The Best Hikes in Joshua Tree National Park
Full of rock scrambles, cactus clusters, and desert views for days, Joshua Tree National Park is the southwest at its finest.
5 Exercises To Improve Your Muscle Mobility
Do these exercises regularly to widen your range of motion to feel your best on the trail and avoid injuries.
It’s Time for a Mountain Dew Smackdown
Our soft-drink warriors both believe this sugary, caffeine-packed soda is the perfect refreshment after exercise or adventure. (Hmm. OK.) They disagree about flavors, and be warned: it might get loud.
Member Exclusives
Stories, gear reviews, hiking guides, and more just for Outside+ members.
Join Outside+ See All2022 Summer Gear Guide
The 13 Products That Won Awards in the 2022 Summer Gear Guide
We reviewed 341 pieces of gear. But these ones stood above.
Fitness
The Best Hiking Workouts for Every Fitness Level
Reality check: Hitting the gym is the quickest way to hike farther, easier, faster, and pain-free. Get into a routine—or take yours to the next level—with these smart workouts for three different levels.
The Best Hikes
The Best Hikes in Colorado
Lace up your boots for a hiking destination that includes Rocky Mountain vistas, alpine lakes, wind-swept sand dunes, and memorable urban parks.
Backpacking Skills
Learn How to Use a Compass and Never Get Lost Again
Make sure you never get lost again by mastering the underappreciated art of navigating with a compass and map.
Gear Round-Ups
The Best Backpacking Kitchen Gear of 2022
Feast-making cookware that won’t slow you down
Trail Guides
The Ultimate Guide to Hiking the Zion Narrows
The Narrows at Zion National Park offers an incredible adventure in America's most amazing slot canyons. Here's how to safely explore them.
Survival Skills
How to Remove and Treat Thorns, Splinters, and Other Prick Wounds
Nature can be brutal. Learn how to to deal with wounds from all kinds of thorns, spines, splinters, shards, quills, needles, and anything else that might get under your skin when you’re on the trail.
Classic Destinations
Experience Deep Backcountry on the Appalachian Trail’s 100-Mile Wilderness
Hike some of the East Coast's wildest wilderness on the AT.
Backpacking Gear
Best Backpacking Tents of 2022
Find shelter from the storm with these excellent backpacking tents.
Long Trails
100 Years Ago, the Appalachian Trail Was One Man’s Dream. Now, It’s Everyone’s.
Benton MacKaye's original proposal for the Appalachian Trail came out 100 years ago. While the trail may have changed, the appeal hasn't.
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Out Alive
Real people who survived the unsurvivable
Listen
Impossible Odds
Two friends, 8,000 trail miles, one year
Featured Story
A.T. Phone Home: Backpacker Wants Your Appalachian Trail Stories
Have a tale from the AT? We want you to give us a call—literally.
From Grandma Gatewood‘s walk to Bill Bryson‘s misadventures to the Instagram hiking heroes of today, some of backpacking’s most compelling stories have originated on the Appalachian Trail. Whether it’s for 3 months or a weekend, everyone who sets foot on this path has their own tale: a bear encounter, a spectacular sunrise, or an unforgettable night with a shelter full of new friends. Now, Backpacker wants to help you tell yours. All you need to do is leave us a message.
This season, we’re highlighting ordinary AT hikers’ extraordinary stories. Here’s how it works: give us a call at 303-253-6424 and leave us a message with your name and a story from your section hike or thru-hike. Anything is fair game: we’re looking for your best moments, your worst moments, a story about your tramily, your favorite summit, an experience that got your pulse pounding, a tale about the friendly space alien you met along the way, or just how the trail has changed your perspective. We’ll pick our favorites and feature them on our Instagram and Facebook accounts for everyone to enjoy. Our only requirement: that it’s out of this world.
Tell us your Appalachian Trail story at 303-253-6424
FAQ
Where will you share these stories?
We’ll share our favorite stories from A.T. Phone Home on Instagram and Facebook, and may also feature them on our site, podcasts, and other social media platforms.
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