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Highlander's hiking events draw dozens of hikers together for an organized multiday trip with all the trappings of a race. One of our editors tried it—and found a lot to love.

Beginner hikers often overpack and overprepare. But as Maggie Slepian learned the hard way, experienced hikers have their own special way of messing up.

They offer rides, places to stay, food, and more, and never ask anything in return. But thru-hikers still owe a debt of gratitude to trail angels. Here are some ideas on how to repay it.

After a group of campers left one of the Appalachian Trail's most beautiful sites covered in trash, the Forest Service banned camping there. But did it go too far? One local argues for a course correction.

Daron Marquel Ellis pleaded guilty in the November 2021 incident.

Yosemite is beautiful in the fall and winter. Download this playlist and get after it.

A shoulder-season jacket, a bright-as-daylight headlamp, and a device to keep your devices safe: Here’s what our editors brought with them on their fall adventures.

Leave the conventions behind with these five shoulder-season gear tips

Following a boost in visitation, Isle Royale National Park is seeking public comment on a plan to begin requiring visitors to reserve campsites in advance.

Hikers shelled out for parking and a new pay shuttle at Quandary Peak in 2022.

In celebration of 50 years of trail beta and inspiration, we look back on our favorite spots through the moments we chose to capture.

Canada’s most revered backpacking trail was born out of a ghastly misfortune

These little Scandanavian gummies have earned a permanent place in our packs. Why? Let us count the ways.

In California's Big Pine Lakes basin, you can find the southernmost glacier in North America, for now.

How hiking with my canine companion gave me a new perspective on adventures.

Park officials issued the closure for the safety of visitors and bears.

Stop picking between your fitness and your free time. These aerobic conditioning workouts are just as effective and take less than an hour.

Skip the ounce-counting with a new tent, quilt, and pack from one of ultralight’s best-loved brands.

Making your own energy gels is as easy as making a smoothie

Need a backcountry overnight dwelling in a crisis? Survival skills instructor Jessie Krebs has you covered.

Hours of testing, tasting, and innovating goes into these freeze-dried backpacking pouches

A new alert system will let hikers keep tabs on first-come, first-serve sites.

Humans, like trees, grow best in damp soil.

The park’s low visitor counts follow a series of flooding-caused closures.

As defenders of all things outdoors, we can’t let Paul Hollywood’s weird marshmallow hockey pucks stand.

Stay warm, stay hydrated, and explore the season’s top national parks

After decades of disrepair, the path reopened to adventurous trekkers.

After finding her love for the trail, Welcome used hiking to process some of the most challenging moments of her life.

The market is flooded with various styles of filter. Here’s how to pick.

We all use the trails—but very few hikers take the time to help keep them clean, safe, and maintained. Here's how you can join them.

These easy breakfast ideas let you fuel up and break camp without firing up the stove.

From a minimalist pair of trail runners to a two-in-one water filter, this gear is ready to help you turn your next family reunion or business trip into a memorable hiking adventure.

Bear attacks are rare, even in areas with high grizzly concentration. These teammates say it's a "miracle" that they made it out alive.

This trailblazing fire ecologist is making a difference in the world of hiking and land regeneration.

When Svati Narula agreed to spend a season as part of a communications team at Mt. Everest basecamp she thought there would be a buffer between hers and the perils of Everest’s high slopes. But she would find there was no safe distance from the worst disaster in Mt. Everest’s history.

These boots are the only ones you’ll need all winter long

Galadriel—we’ve got notes

Can the East's small but rugged mountains unseat the Rockies' biggest peaks?

Rebecca Clark broke down the incident and emergency response in an update on the social network.

Whether because of poorly-fitting shoes, moisture, or just bad luck, every hiker’s tangled with those raw, fluid-filled bumps. Science can tell you how they form—but can it stop you from getting them?

Timed entry may be over for the year, but so many people have visited this week that the park has been reaching capacity by 8:30 or earlier.

Yes, you might have to get up early. But put in the effort to fit some trail time into your vacay, and you'll have a chance to sample hikes you might otherwise never do.

These two titans of active insulation are more different than they might seem.

Jon Anderson overcame temporary snowblindness to complete the 2,650-mile journey from Mexico to Canada

As winter approaches, the air gets harsher and harsher for our delicate lip skin. Protect it with these tips.

The hiker had broken her leg and been stuck in the wilderness overnight when she crawled to a spot in view of the train.

USFS will take public comment on its comprehensive plan for one of the least-travelled National Scenic Trails through October 30.

Peter Agricola was mountain biking near his home in Norfolk, Massachusetts when went over the handlebars on a downhill and landed chest-first on a downed log.  

The King of Brooks Falls prevailed for his second title at Fat Bear Week.

The next level in lightweight backpacking requires making some tough choices. Here’s how to navigate them.

Don’t go peeping without it.

A pounding skull can ruin a hike, unless treated properly.

Why is the world so taken with Katmai National Park and Preserve’s pre-hibernation faceoff?

Dial in your setup for cold-weather adventures with advice from polar explorers

The Sierra Designs Crescent 2 is beginner-friendly two-person shelter, and right now it's more than 50% off.

Our editors sound off on the bears dominating our brackets.

When a rafter was stung by a scorpion, she assumed she’d be fine. Then she lost her ability to see or speak clearly.

In June 2021, Andrew Devers disappeared after setting out for a dayhike in Washington’s Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.

Hikers can now visit the Sunshine State's national parks and preserves, but some are still reeling from the storm.

Featuring dual-compatibility for power and 50:50 burn time, these two headlamps are ready for any adventure

Check out Backpacker Editors's author page.

Will now be known as "high pile," company announces.

We combed through vintage magazines and catalogs to find out how low you could go back in the day.

A basin of beauty resides in the middle of Kings Canyon National Park.

Philip Carcia trekked nearly 2,000 miles over 90 days—all in his backyard mountain range.

After 2,194.3 miles, this is the equipment that they loved the most.

This portable solar panel offers an endless supply of renewable energy so you can unplug without powering down on your next adventure

Outfitters step up to provide career and financial stability for guides—from health insurance to 401ks to paid time off—as demand for outdoor experiences skyrocket.

Load up this Spotify playlist and get going.

Feeling achy and serotonin-depleted after a couple months on the trail? This gym workout will help you out.

If hikers five decades ago could make their own gear, so can you.

Because nothing is worse than finding out you’ve got a dud after a hard-charging day in the backcountry.

While snow climbing, William Toor and Mariella Colvin fell nearly 1,000 feet down a couloir in Rocky Mountain National Park.

March Madness < Fall Fatness. Voting for the biggest bear at Katmai National Park starts this week.

Authorities tracked down and killed the cougar following an encounter that left one woman with minor injuries.

Can our scout coax his feline friend into becoming a true trail companion?

Explore the natural side of New England with year-round dayhikes, waterfall treks, and backpacking trips in the scenic Berkshires.

Full of rock scrambles, cactus clusters, and desert views for days, Joshua Tree National Park is the southwest at its finest.