Gear Review: Sierra Designs DriDown Cal 30
The best all-around water-resistant down bag by Sierra Designs.
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Local Fall Hikes in the Central U.S.
Check out our top fall hikes from Texas to Michigan.
Rip and Go: Illinois – Shawnee National Forest, River to River Trail
See across the Prairie State from 320-million-year-old sandstone outcrops.
Gear Review: Big Agnes Bellyache Mountain SL 17/Lithia Spring SL 15
The lofty and roomy 700-fill DownTek Bag from Big Agnes.
Editors' Choice Gold: Snow Peak Double
Our editors labeled this the sweetest cup on the planet. Gear Editor Kristin Hostetter tells you why.
Gear Review: Arc'teryx Cerium LT
A movement-friendly puffy synthetic jacket from Arc'teryx.
Gear Review: Sierra Designs DriDown Cal 30
Watch our tester's review of this latest DriDown-filled bag from Sierra Designs.
Gear Review: Sea to Summit Micro MC III 20
Our tester breaks down the pros and cons of this bag from Sea to Summit.
Gear Review: North Face Vibera Boot
Our tester breaks down this versatile boot from The North Face.
Gear Review: L.L. Bean Down Mummy 20 Sleeping Bag
Check out this video review of the latest bag with water-resistant down.
Gear Review: Kelty Ignite 20 Sleeping Bag
Check out the latest sleeping bag from Kelty.
Big Agnes Belly Ache Mountain 17
Check out this review from our in-the-field bag tester.
Backcountry Bartender: Fusions
Add a new dimension to your backcountry cocktail repertoire.
Backcountry Bartender: Gimlets
Learn to mix a classic gimlet, trail-style.
Backcountry Bartenter: Alpine Punch
Learn to whip up a this delicious cocktail concoction in the backcountry.
Learn to Pick a Tent
Editor-in-Chief Dennis Lewon shows you how to pick the tent that's right for you.
Climbing Mt. Rainier
Strap on your crampons as we head to the summit of famed Mt. Rainier.
Learn to Calibrate Your GPS
Make sure you stay on track with this step-by-step guide to calibrating your GPS unit.
Survival Lab: Emergency Whistle Test
Drop Dead Ted puts all sorts of survival whistle options to the test.
Rip & Go: Shoup Bay Kayak-n-Hike
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
Gear Review: Terramar TXO 1.0 Body-Sensors Crew
Check out this quick-dry and wicking baselayer.
Mountain Map: New York – Catskills
Explore a pristine wilderness of soaring peaks and quiet valleys just three hours from New York City.
Top 3 Swimming Holes
Hot weather + cool water = late-summer heaven. Add a dose of backcountry solitude and scenic camping, and you might never leave.
Gear Review: Mountain Hardwear Archer 2 Tent
Our editors loved this top-notch tent from Mountain Hardwear
Gear Review: Eddie Bauer First Ascent Stargazer Tent
A wet weather tent that won't make you feel claustrophobic.
Gear Review: REI Revelcloud Hoodie
A highly stuffable, lightweight puffy jacket from REI.
Behind the Scenes: Making the 2012 Survival Cover
A behind-the-scenes look at shooting the 2012 Survival Cover with photographer Bud Force.
Gear Review: Zamberlan 298 Tundra Hiking Boot
If you need a high mileage boot with plenty of support try the 298 Tundra from Zamberlan.
Gear Review: Lowa Focus Hiking Boot
This boot feels like a dayhiker - light and fast - but with the support of a moderate boot.
Survival Lab: Make a Failsafe Firestarter
DIY firestarter - perfect for camping.
Gear Review: Soto WindMaster Stove
A little stove that can handle big wind gusts.
Gear Review: Marmot Stride Jacket
A highly packable windshirt that's extremely comfortable.
Grand 2 Grand Ultra Race
Watch as two BACKPACKER staffers toil through this grueling ultra hike.
Gear Review: Osprey Volt 60 Backpack
An easily adjustable pack for a comfortable fit.
Gear Review: The North Face Conness Backpack
"This is the best-fitting pack I’ve ever used," said our tester after hauling it on a bevy of summer trips.
Gear Review: Thermarest Antares Sleeping Bag
A sleeping bag and sleeping pad combined in one!
Gear Review: Polarmax AYG
A highly wicking baselayer from Polarmax.
Gear Review: Outdoor Research Transonic Hardshell Jacket
A jacket that breathes - no matter the conditions.
Gear Review: First Ascent Igniter 15 Sleeping Bag
This DWR-coated synthetic bag is highly packable and quick drying.
Gear Review: Black Diamond Equipment Bolt 24 Daypack
This lightweight, rugged pack handles dense loads better than any daypack.
Gear Review: Zamberlan 230 SH Crosser Plus GTX RR
This all-around mid duty point was and Editors' Choice Award pick in 2013.
Gear Review: Nemo Nocturne 15 & 30
This Editors' Choice Award-winning sleeping bag has a revolutionary shape for roll-around comfort.
Gear Review: Eddie Bauer First Ascent Accelerant Jacket
This Editors' Choice Award-winning jacket is a year-round favorite.
Gear Review: Black Diamond Equipment ReVolt Headlamp
This Editors' Choice Award-winning headlamp allows for rechargeable or standard batteries.
Gear Review: Asolo Athena Hiking Boot
These women's-specific kicks were a favorite amongst testers.
Chicago, IL: Starved Rock Trail
This beautiful 4.3-mile loop adjacent to the Illinois River adds welcome relief--waterfalls, sculpted sandstone canyons, and impressive overlooks--to the usually pancake-flat landscape.
Moab, UT: Fisher Towers
This short hike threads through a hoodoo-filled climbing mecca with outrageous scenery and countless sidetrip options.
Rocky Mountain National Park: Beaver Mountain Trail
Thanks to only a little elevation gain, this 7-mile loop offers flatlanders great rewards (big views, wildlife, solitude) without much suffering. Pack plenty of water and sunscreen.
Portland: Washington Park
Retreat into the thick, quiet woods of Washington Park for superb views of Mt. Hood and the Portland skyline on this easy 3-mile hike. Don't miss the Japanese garden.
Portland: Salmon Butte Summit Trail
This 8.4-mile, out-and-back climbs steady through giant Douglas fir stands and rhododendron fields to a treeless summit yielding drop-dead gorgeous views of five distinct volcanic peaks.
Portland: Old Salmon River Trail
Hike along a renowned Salmon River on this 5-mile trip through a moss-covered virgin forest to salmon spawning pools, whitewater drops, and hollowed out Douglas firs large enough to resemble caves.
New York City: Hunter Mountain Loop
This 12.2-mile loop rambles through some of the wildest hardwood forest in the northeast and climbs three rugged peaks taller than 3,500 feet in Catskill Forest Preserve.
Seattle, WA: Heather Lake
Explore 4.4 miles through old growth timber to a glacier-carved lake on this family-friendly hike in the Cascade Mountains.
Seattle: Far Country Lookout
Only minutes from downtown, this easy 4-mile hike into the Issaquah Alps passes near a charming waterfall en route to a memorable view of greater Seattle and the Olympics.
Seattle, WA: Ebey's Landing
This 6.6-mile loop features a coastal bluff with dazzling wildflower displays and a wild beach with exceptional views of the Olympic Mountains and the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
Seattle: Iron Goat Trail
Trace the abandoned Great Northern Railroad to remarkable stone tunnels, collapsed avalanche sheds, and super views of the Cascades on this 12.2-mile, out-and-back historical hike.
Tulsa: Horse Thief Springs Loop
Cut through the towering pines of Holson Valley to the rocky shelf of Winding Stair Mountain on this 12.8-mile dayhike or overnight in the Ouachitas. Primitive camping allowed.
Salt Lake City: Thayne Canyon
Climb up a steep canyon draped in a mix of fir and aspen forest to a craggy overlook of the Salt Lake Valley on this moderate 5.2-mile loop in the Mt. Olympus Wilderness.
St. Louis: Dark Hollow
This remote valley in Mark Twain National Forest is often overlooked, but it's a great escape for hikers willing to bushwhack along and through its streams to huge granite walls.
Salt Lake City: Sunset Peak
This 5.3-mile out-and-back threads through a pristine alpine landscape with abundant streams, lakes, and wildlife on its way to a 10,650-foot peak in Wasatch National Forest.
Winston-Salem: Salem Lake Trail
Stroll along the shores of Salem Lake on this 7-mile loop over rolling hills and under tall pine and poplar trees.
Shenandoah National Park: Moormans River
This 4.2-mile out-and-back hike is a local's favorite, climbing gently from the flood-torn banks of the Moormans River to one of the most impressive waterfalls in the park.
Shenandoah National Park: Little Hogback to Overall Run Falls
Take this 8.8-mile out-and-back dayhike or overnight to escape high-season crowds; it stitches together a lesser-known route leading to a photo-worthy waterfall.
San Francisco, CA: Coyote Hills
This easy 6.2-mile loop links lush marshland with ancient mountains--now small weathered hills--that were once islands before river sediment filled in the channel.
New York City: Burnham Hollow to McKenley Hollow
This 14-mile shuttle hike winds tranquil wooded slopes to five peaks over 3,400 feet in a remote section of the Catskills. Off-trail experience and navigation skills required.
New York City: Stony Brook-Rampano Torne Loop
This hilly 6.8-mile circuit visits the best vistas in southern Harriman State Park, including views of the NYC skyline, after a fine start along one of the area's prettiest streams.
New York City: Doubletop Mountain
Escape the crowds on the Catskill High Peaks with this 5.6-mile bushwhack to the range's highest trail-less summit. Compass skills required; hiking poles recommended.
Des Moines, IA: Zirbel's Trail
Enjoy a quiet escape, plus fine lake and forest views, when you travel along the scenic Winnebago River on this 6.3-mile loop to an old brewery site and rock quarry.
Montpelier: Mount Moosalamoo
Passing through a mature hardwood forest, this 6.2-mile out-and-back contours gradually up Mt. Moosalamoo for fine views of the Green Mountains, Adirondacks, and Lake Dunmore.
Las Vegas: Grand Circle Loop
Escape the glitter and gridlock of the Strip on this 11.7-mile loop, which cuts across open desert to explore contorted rock figures and massive red-rock cliffs.
Las Vegas: Liberty Bell Arch Trail
This 4.4-mile hike leads to splendid red rock formations, a beautiful mesa overlooking the Colorado River, and a dose of gold-mining history.
Philadelphia: Appalachian Trail-South of 309
Most of this easy 7-mile hike passes under a tree-shaded ridgeline that insulates dayhikers from the outside world.
Columbus, OH: Old Mans Cave Loop
This beautiful 5.1-mile loop in Hocking Hills State Park runs along a tight sandstone gorge to waterfalls, caves, and funky rock formations.
Phoenix: Blodgett Basin Trail
This little-used trail plunges 1,700 feet through wildflower country to a cool reward by West Clear Creek. Watch for cairns on this 6.8-mile hike to avoid involuntary bushwhacks.
Hike of the Week: Bear Mountain Trail, Sedona, AZ
Hoof it up more than 2,000 feet over 2.3 miles on this leg-burner up Bear Mountain for huge, arcing vistas over Sedona's redrock wonderland and the lush Verde Valley.
Colorado Springs: Palmer Lake to Cap Rock
Quiet rules on this mostly off-trail, 5.1-mile scramble up a boulder strewn canyon to a gnarly rocky crown with panoramic mountain views in Pike National Forest.