All Content

It’s the adventure of a lifetime, but what can it teach you about staying at home? Guide Charlotte Austin shares her hard-won lessons.

Recover better with these tips to use a foam roller and give your muscles some TLC.

Conservationists are ripping Wisconsin after the state blew past its target for its first wolf hunt since 2014.

Save your money—and the earth—with this markdown.

Shake off your cabin fever on one of these five early-season routes.

Store everything you need for a fast-and-light run in this waist-hugging pack.

Go beyond the jargon to find the perfect midsole for your hiking style.

Join on us March 5, at 3:30 p.m. MT for a conversation with Heather "Anish" Anderson about endurance, thru-hiking, and her new book "Mud, Rocks, Blazes: Letting Go on the Appalachian Trail."

You'll never want to take this breathable puffy off.

The Forest Service withdrew its environmental impact statement for the controversial project on March 1—but the sacred site's reprieve could be temporary.

Our new sibling publication is essential clicking for anyone who wants a behind-the-scenes look at the outdoor industry.

The lightest of the ultralight trim their packs lists to help them become stripped-down mile-making machines.

With the Covid-19 pandemic closing parks and borders, U.S. national parks saw fewer visitors than they had since 1980.

There are campsites—and then there are campsites. Settle in for one fantastic night at one of these prime spots, from mountain views to a beach getaway in the middle of Yosemite.

The national parks are our national treasure, and these 10 campsites are the best they have to offer. Hike in, pick up your jaw, and post up in paradise.

This Editors' Choice-winning jacket is ready for all of your spring adventures. Grab it now for as much as 35% off.

A short hike in the Adirondacks leads to a classic 1900s Great Camp and a smaller, but no less beautiful tent camp.

Little-known fact: The symptoms of chronic giardiasis can mimic gluten intolerance. How can hikers tell the difference?

My first thru-hike attempt didn’t end the way I wanted. Here are the lessons I’ll bring to my next one.

Cold digits? These hand warmers can help—at 40% off.

The best bikepacking gear starts with the backpacking gear you already have, then add these six essentials. 

More miles means there's more to see when you go bikepacking off the grid.

Stay hydrated—and stay healthy—with these three innovative products, from a lightweight insulated bottle to a cap with a UV light built into it.

Bringing your little nugget into the woods for the first time can be intimidating. Follow these tips for a safer, less stressful family adventure.

I grew up hiking in the White Mountains. But I never fully appreciated them until I moved away.

The Tread Labs Pace Insole Kit let us dial in our fit no matter what pair we were wearing.

A custom bike pack, a light-as-air ski boot, and some very handy velcro straps: Here are our editors' favorite things of the month.

If you want a side of solitude with your wilderness awe, head to these second-superlatives, where the grandeur is enormous but the crowds are not.

Head off the beaten—or any—path on one of the Adirondacks more obscure slide paths.

Cryptobiotic soil is essential to arid ecosystems. Here’s how to protect it.

REI’s ever-expanding ambitions have earned it plenty of fans—and critics—as it’s grown to dominate the outdoor industry. But many feel the retail giant has been made vulnerable by its own hubris. And now that the pandemic has rocked its fortunes, we’re faced with an uncomfortable question: What if the $3 billion co-op isn’t too big to fail?

Suffering a major injury can keep us from fully committing to the things we enjoy. Taking the time to care for yourself pays off.

Gear testing isn’t all beautiful vistas and sunny days. Sometimes it means sleeping outside when it’s below zero.

These handy brushes will make your reservoir sparkle like new.

Escape the city at this wild respite just a stone’s throw from downtown Chicago

After two days of pointed questioning, the U.S. representative from New Mexico looks all but certain to become the next Secretary of the Interior, and the first Native cabinet member in history.

A new proposal to take out the Lower Snake River Dams could restore both salmon and orcas, as well as tribal fishing rights.

When you have to carry a bear canister, it pays to pare down the rest of your gear. Active Pass member Matt Wise shows us how he does it.

Hopping Pawnee Pass might be the secret to escaping the Indian Peaks’ crowds.

When it comes to remembering my best trips, smells do something that photos never could.

This handy phone case will keep your phone warm and safe on your winter adventures.

With more than 100 miles of hiking trails, there’s no shortage of exploring to be done in this West Virginia getaway, which became America’s 63rd national park in December 2020. A local shows you how it’s done.

Night bikers and skiers will have a hard time outrunning this light's powerful beam.

Backpacker’s parent company acquires Outside magazine, Outside TV, Gaia GPS, athleteReg, and Peloton Magazine, boosting the depth and diversity of storytelling and services in our Active Pass membership.

Thomas has thru-hiked more than 20 long trails, including the Pacific Crest, Continental Divide and Appalachian Trails (the Triple Crown). On top of that, she set a fastest known time on the AT for an unsupported woman and has completed dozens of urban thru-hikes as well. Now, she's joining Backpacker as a contributing editor. Here’s some of Thomas’s best advice and insight fed by more than 20,000 trail miles.

Chilly temperatures and icy trails left three hikers injured and in trouble along the AT this weekend.

What happens when you introduce condiments to your dehydrator? We head to the kitchen to see if molecular gastronomy can work for hikers, too.

Don't be fooled: Hypothermia can happen in the summer or the winter. Learn how to prevent and treat a dropping core body temp.

Forget bears and lightning: The most common and dangerous backcountry hazard is a river crossing—especially during the spring melt, when backcountry waterways run high and rough. Follow these tips to learn to do it safely.

See the trail in a new light when you bring a pad and pencil.

Gymnasts can land backflips on balance beams four inches wide. Their secret: training barefoot.

It's light and roomy, but is this tent durable enough to survive the Pacific Crest Trail? Let's find out.

That shiny sheet of plastic you have wadded up at the bottom of your daypack can help you stay alive. Will it help you stay comfortable? That’s a different story.

These brain buckets provide lightweight protection on backcountry adventures.

Need another pair of ski socks heading into spring? Score this deal, quick.

Optimize your diet and nutrition and you'll feel fresh, hike strong—and leave the Hiker Hobble behind for good.

One of our favorite backpacking snacks gets a bagel-themed makeover.

Find seasonal solitude close to home on this ideal backpack for winter beginners in New Hampshire's White Mountains.

Nearly a year into the Covid-19 pandemic, many of us are ready to say goodbye to stay-at-home orders, shoulder our packs, and head out on a multi-month hiking adventure. But with transmission rates still high and vaccination efforts stretching into late summer, should we hold off?

Too cold to catch some rest? This simple hack provides a long-lasting boost of warmth—and works as well at home as it does on the trail.

For this 28-year-old Minnesotan, life on a long path is a series of snowy 20-mile days with a borrowed husky. What will life after it look like?

Explore a New York's little-known Santanoni Ridge while bagging three Adirondack 46ers on this challenging overnight.

Starting in May, you’ll need a permit to day-hike or backpack the Three Sisters, Mount Jefferson, and other popular zones in the Williamette and Deschutes National Forests.

Pack feeling too weighty? Start slimming it down with these 7 killer brands.

Use these proven methods to make sure your first romantic camping foray into the wilderness isn't your last.

They’re slithery, occasionally venomous, and many hikers’ worst nightmare. Learning to coexist with these reptiles just takes a little knowledge.

See everything from low desert to high peaks on this 30-mile stretch of the Pacific Crest Trail.

Lucky turned up three days after authorities called off the ground search for Josh Hall.

Chile's most famous national park is a bucket-list hiking destination for many, but hundreds of thousands of annual tourists left serious impacts. Then, Covid hit.

Take back winter fun—no matter the weather—by learning how to keep your feet warm.

Barney "Scout" Mann hiked the Triple Crown after turning 55. Here's his ultralight pack list for trips of any distance.

Grab these backpacks, footwear, tents, and more for up to 45% off.

Socially-distanced adventures that are so worth the wait.

If you think of these natural treasure troves as the B-list of the national park system, you’re missing out.

A first-look review of the Thule Stir Alpine 40L

Fleeing the pandemic, Active Pass Member Robin Mino and her husband take a Southwest road trip through Utah and California.

"You get to feel nature under your feet.”