Dave Pidgeon

Get a picturesque lake in Glacier National Park all to yourself.

Backpack a knee-trembling route through an active geothermal zone.

Chase canyon vistas through stands of old-growth hemlock.

Hike to a natural day spa.

Watch a waterfall cascade from the sky.

Aim upward for majestic views over an ancient canyon.

Trek a desert landscape under a purple sun.

Find private valleys, mountain passes, and riverside campsites.

Ascend a remote summit pyramid far away from civilization.

Skirt lakes to soaring ’Daks views.

Find deep solitude where the continent crashes into a frigid ocean.

Hike through waterfall spray to a rarely summited grassy bald.

Rise from the desert floor to an airy, see-all perch.

Hike along bluffs and fern forests in total solitude on Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

Bag a little-known triple crown in New England's northern woods.

Weave around grassy meadows and mirror lakes.

Snag views of swaying prairie grass stretching to the horizon.

Traverse rolling hills to star-gazing meadows.

Track through dense forests ringing with bugling.

Brave thick forest to reach rugged twin summits.

Emerge from crane-crossed coastal grasslands to pristine beaches.

Are wilderness webcams good for the backcountry–or bad for privacy?

The legendary shooter once said that photographs were "usually looked at, seldom looked into." Take a look into three hikes that inspired some of Ansel Adams greatest photos, and take a few pictures yourself.

Backcountry enthusiasts deserve a president who cares about trails. So we asked John McCain and Barack Obama ten tough questions–then polled 989 BACKPACKER readers to find out what matters to you in this election.