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Plymouth Gin is all about keeping our oceans clean and the martinis dirty

With its warm temperatures and long days, summer is the perfect season for backpackers to try going ultralight. Here’s how to make your pack lighter now without spending a fortune on new gear.

Rangers are urging hikers to follow safety rules after an unleashed dog “provoked” a black bear into fatally attacking a hiker’s leashed dog.

During the day, the trails are the main event in these six destinations. But at night? It's the star-filled skies.

Our ethics columnist addresses a common hiker dilemma.

Park officials say requiring visitors to make reservations for Mount Rainier National Park would help cut down on crowding and protect natural resources—but one major hiking organization opposes the change.

Witnessing a friend’s nearly fatal fall made one hiker rethink the way she talks about mistakes.

Extremely high water levels in Maine have shut down the famous Kennebec River canoe shuttle—and almost ended one section hiker’s trip permanently.

For hikers around the world, today isn't just the first day of summer: It's Hike Naked Day. Here's what you need to know before joining in the festivities.

Uncover the secrets of survival packing essentials with renowned survivalist Jessie Krebs as she shares her expert tips and strategies.

No matter what your favorite grizzled YouTuber tells you, survival isn’t about learning to track animals or spear fish with a stick. In this new column, former Air Force survival instructor Jessie Krebs explains what hikers actually need to know to return from the backcountry alive.

These vanilla almond, strawberry, and mocha cocoa peanut butter smoothies are a tasty, lightweight option for breakfast on the trail—and making them is dead easy.

An end-to-end trek of the AT takes a lot of time—but anyone with a free weekend or a few vacation days can experience the highlights. We asked longtime thru-hiker Liz “Snorkel” Thomas to pick her favorites hikes on the Appalachian Trail.

Students in the Semester-A-Trail program at Emory and Henry College will spend their spring and summer semesters hiking part or all of the Appalachian Trail—with gear, support, and an on-trail budget included in tuition.

These easy-to-prepare camping desserts are well worth the extra ounces in your pack.

Winners of the Defender Service Awards save bears, train service dogs, feed people in need, and more. Meet last year’s honorees—and learn how to enter the 2023 contest now!

By many sources' reckoning, Mt. Fuji is the most-climbed mountain in the world. See why by hiking it for yourself.

This bear has learned to appreciate the trail no matter the conditions, and we could all stand to learn from them.

Check out Jeff Garmire's author page.

In a typical June, a little less than an inch and a half of snow falls on Mt. Washington. This year, the peak has seen more than six times that much—and there are still two weeks to go.

Over 7,000 miles on trail, our hiking columnist has tried coffee and caffeine in most every form imaginable. But the humblest one of all taught him something about himself.

What are the best hikes on the PCT that you can do in a weekend? We asked triple crowner and Backpacker thru-hiking columnist Liz “Snorkel Thomas.

Since its peak in the early 20th century, the Salton Sea has suffered from increasing salinity, fish die-offs, and general neglect. But on a pair of kayak camping trips, one paddler found surprising beauty there

A heavy pack and poor posture while hiking can lead to a creaky neck, but you don't have to suffer through it.

Charm him with these delightful gear upgrades

In June of 2022, 62-year-old Dan Wenker fell into a moat in the Tetons, breaking his leg. His climbing partner helped save his life.

Plus: near-perfect hiking underwear.

The answer isn’t as obvious as it was five years ago

As record snows in the Sierra force more and more Pacific Crest Trail thru-hikers to flip-flop, trail angels are stepping up to make sure they get where they need to go—including a hiker-pilot who's flying them there.

A widely-circulated article ranks parks by the total deaths they saw in a ten-year period. But those numbers don’t tell the real story.

Hike, splash, paddle and stargaze your way to warm-weather bliss on these trips.

UltraTNT can help manufacturers create lightweight tents that don't deform under tension. The downside? It’s still heavier than Dyneema.

If you’ve never forgotten an important piece of gear, you will someday. Here’s how to make do without your tent poles, sleeping pad, and more—and how to decide when it’s time to give up and go home.

With both "eastern-style" and "western-style" mountains, Oklahoma is a little-known hiker paradise.

With smoke choking much of the US, we sourced some expert tips for staying safe on the trail.

In the face of a daunting cancer diagnosis, polar explorer Eric Larsen discovered unexpected solace and strength in the lessons he had learned from polar exploring.

Find bigger adventures (and smaller crowds) in America’s most under-the-radar national forest

After a five year hiatus, thru-hiking legend Heather “Anish” Anderson just set another FKT, the 250-mile section of the Appalachian Trail that runs through Pennsylvania. In this essay, she explores how her relationship with the sport has evolved over the past decade since her ground-breaking Pacific Crest Trail record in 2013.

While planning a solo, analog trip, our writer discovers that ditching her phone comes with a cost.

The Benton MacKaye Trail Starts at the AT's southern terminus and runs nearly 300 miles through the hills—and a bipartisan bill is set to name it our next National Scenic Trail.

This short shuttle hike explores the southernmost section of the Benton MacKaye Trail, which links the Georgia backcountry to the northern reaches of the Great Smoky Mountains.

While REI and some other retailers have rolled out non-gendered products and apparel lines, LGBTQ+ advocates and allies say they have a lot more to do.

Get the most out of your backpacking equipment with this sage advice.

A pocket-size Nalgene, a perfect pair of pants, and a minuscule multitool were among our favorite pieces of gear last month.

Follow these tips to help you get into the zone and unlock your true potential.

From picaridin to herbal solutions, there's a wide variety of non-DEET repellents on the market. But which work, and which are just snake oil?

This wood-heated mid could change the game for cold-weather overnights.

With high snow levels making travel on the PCT unusually difficult, many Americans have canceled or postponed their thru-hikes. Not so for the trail's global hikers, who have mostly stuck it out.

The Green Mountain State delivers when it comes to year-round outdoor recreation and adventures with a uniquely Vermont spin

Our hiking columnist went to the AT’s legendary Trail Days this year with one mission—to figure out what hikers were and weren’t putting on their feet

Dubbed "Doo Colorado Right," the state is hoping its new campaign will deter people from leaving human waste where other hikers end up stepping in it.

With the Woods Creek and San Joaquin bridges out and creeks running too high to safely ford, hikers don't have many good options.

Enough of Type 2 Fun. These six hikes give you that just-left-the-spa peaceful feeling.

Incredibly, it's not the first time that a baby bison has been euthanized in the park after a visitor tried to "save" it.

Make sure you never get lost again by mastering the underappreciated art of navigating with a compass and map.

Twelve testers donned 36 tops to find this summer’s best new shirts, midlayers, and baselayers.

These three deluxe mattresses cured our testers’ campground insomnia.

Twelve testers ran, trekked, and squatted in 45 products to find this summer’s best new hiking pants and shorts.

Six testers tried six different sleeping bags. These ones came out on top.

Don't be fooled: The Heartland has plenty of steeps to get your heart pumping.

This weekend's deaths mark the second double fatality in Buckskin Gulch this spring, and follow a string of rescues caused by wet conditions and flooding.

Got a few days off, a pair of healthy feet, and a pain threshold higher than Dean Karnazes? You can (possibly) blaze the length of America's Most Beautiful Trail

Several well-known ultralight brands are slashing prices for the Small Business Sales Week event—but it ends tomorrow, so you’ll have to hurry.

Grab some of our favorite shoes, packs, and tents for up to 40% off right now

Despite the NPS’s best efforts, Yellowstone National Park continues to be the world capital of people getting too close to wild animals.

3F UL’s equipment costs a fraction of its American cottage counterparts. Is it any good?

The epic winter of 2022–23 is still with us, with snowmelt causing flooding concerns in some national parks and in others roads and trails are closed for repairs. Here’s what you need to know for your summer trips.

Scanning the closet but not sure what to pick? We've got you covered from head to toe. Here's what to wear hiking in every season.

Yes: You can make pancakes on literally any stove, including a Jetboil. And you don't need a frying pan to do it, either—just a mug and this trick.

After a snow-delayed start to the season, the North Rim will finally open next week, but services will be limited.

A group of young hikers who went missing near Ojai managed to call for help with Apple's Emergency SOS, which the company introduced with the iPhone 14 last year.

If your hands and fingers swell up while hiking, don't worry. This common hiking ailment has several potential causes and easy fixes.

Creaky joints? Learn how to strengthen your knees with these supine leg lifts, best performed with 3- to 5-pound ankle weights.

Writer and outdoor adventurer Elisabeth Kwak laces up her HOKA Anacapas and embarks on a challenge that helps her redefine success and discover a new identity as an outdoor athlete

Staffed fire lookouts, once ubiquitous in the West, have all but faded into obscurity. Deep in North Cascades National Park, Jim Henterly is still at it.

Outdoor officials in New Hampshire are warning hikers to bring traction devices after one person required rescue for a leg injury over the weekend.