Mary Beth “Mouse” Skylis

AT thru-hikers today are more likely to finish the trail and less likely to get their food stolen by a bear—and more than ever before are coming from outside of the United States.

Two months after Hurricane Helene, miles of storm-impacted trail, including a stretch of the Appalachian Trail, have begun welcoming hikers back. Others remain closed until further notice.

A pair of Massachusetts hikers were prepared for winter conditions in the Whites until they fell into Lincoln Brook, while a local took a fatal fall despite wearing microspikes.

The Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy just purchased a parcel of land to permanently protect a small region south of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail. 

In a park where black bear sightings were rare, Zion visitors saw more bears in 2024, specifically between May and June.

When Vanderloop set out to thru-hike the AT, she had no idea she was on her way to becoming the oldest woman on record to complete the feat.

After Hurricane Helene, large swathes of North Carolina and Tennessee’s Appalachian Trail were left devastated. Some hikers are looking to these southern routes as alternatives—and their volunteers and managers say they can handle the new visitors.

After the storm wiped out buildings and canceled fall hiking season, some hostels and guides are searching for a way forward.

On Sunday morning, a park ranger responding to a distress call on Namakan Lake fell into the water and vanished.

Some of the AT’s most famous towns and their residents bore the worst of Helene’s damage. Hikers who were on trail discuss the moment that the storm struck—and locals contemplate the long recovery ahead.

Park officials are warning hikers to be wary of bears during their fall "feeding frenzy" after a grizzly injured a man on the Highline Trail

For years, tensions have run high between AT thru-hikers and rangers in Baxter State Park. One hiker wonders, could moving the terminus solve the problem?

A suspected Norovirus outbreak is the likely culprit of the incidents that closed the Kalalau Trail.

Yosemite Valley is one of the most popular outdoor destinations in the country. Hike in peace on these trails just a short drive away from the park's crowds.

Colorado Fourteeners Initiative points to closures, population growth patterns, and aging baby boomers as possible reasons behind trend.

From flash flooding to excessive heat, some experts say climate-fed weather patterns may be contributing to deaths in one of America’s most popular national parks.

Walking from terminus to terminus is a thru-hiker’s dream, but what about when circumstances—or a really cool side trail—lead you on a detour?

The $100 million gift from the Lilly Endowment could fund infrastructure and education projects.

The Canadian woman was found safe after spending four days lost in the Colorado Mountains.

Hundreds of PCT hikers face last-minute reroutes as wildfires close in on the critical resupply town, which is only accessible by boat, foot, or plane.

A recent explosion in Yellowstone National Park left Biscuit Basin boardwalks "extensively damaged."

Officials beg hikers to extinguish coals after finding dozens of still-smoldering campfires across the state.

California's Shelly Fire is just 8 percent contained and closing in on the town of Etna—but that's not the town's only problem.

All visitors are required to pack out used toilet paper; burying it is no longer an option.

On Sunday, a hiker collapsed just 100 feet from the end of the trail. It was the third death in the park in three weeks.

Kyle Curtin only slept about 12 hours total over the course of his Colorado Trail thru-hike. When he finished, he could barely walk.

The 22-year-old hiker was reported missing after his friends left him behind in Monadnock State Park.

On Tuesday, a horse slid off the side of a popular backcountry trail, falling 30 feet into a ravine.

Even for thru-hikers with a wealth of long trail experience, the Colorado Trail offers challenges all its own.

Seven of the kids were hospitalized.

The fall triggered an hours-long technical rope rescue.

With some relaxed restrictions, driving the iconic road will be easier this year, as long as you follow a couple new regulations.

When temperatures climbed to 103°F and his girlfriend collapsed in the desert, this hiker called for rescue.

After two intense swiftwater rescues, Sequoia National Park officials weigh in on what could be a lethal season.

Trail QTs is a mentorship program for LGBTQ+ hikers and backpackers. Here are the organization's three leaders.

Starting in 2026, oversized vehicles will be barred from the park's popular east entrance.

Bear Mountain State Park re-opened over the weekend after a 10-month closure caused by catastrophic rain damage. 

The method, popular for relocating problem polar bears, could be used to airdrop grizzlies into wilderness areas across the Pacific Northwest.

Officials warn pet owners to remain vigilant after finding at least a dozen barbed treats. No dogs have been reported injured so far.

The highest road in North America is getting a major facelift—and it’s not going to be easy.

A California public lands dispute heats up as the property owners who once fought to protect the land now work to stall new trails.

Acclimatizing to high altitude before a hike is rough, but you can make it easier on yourself.

While the JMT still isn’t open for the season, it now faces potential delays as trail maintainers and geologists work to clear it and assess its safety.

When Laura Van Antwerp stepped on a trail, she found a way to maintain the sobriety she had been fighting for. Now, through her organization Your Sober Pal, she's trying to bring that transformative outdoor experience to people who might not otherwise have had it.

You won’t have as much solitude as you think, and there’s a reason everyone uses some of the same gear. But once you’ve hiked the Appalachian Trail, you’ll never be the same person you were when you started.

A hiker whose loyal, four-legged partner disappeared on the last stretch of the Triple Crown is asking for the hiking community's help finding her.

John Passidomo, 72, died in a fall in the Utah park.

Federal land managers and trail clubs are monitoring the spread of a gastrointestinal illness among thru-hikers on the southern portion of the AT.

A cougar fatally mauled one person and injured another in the encounter near Georgetown.

San Carpoforo Creek Beach will be closed to camping for at least the next two years, with officials citing garbage and human waste as the motivation.

Thousands of luminous insects blinking in unison will light up Congaree National Park this May—and reservations to see them are limited. Here’s how to get on the list.

Lack of employee housing is a critical issue in national parks across the United States, and a super-size gift from an unidentified donor may help Yellowstone tackle it.

In a normal year, Hot Springs’s Appalachian TrailFest is the second-largest gathering on the AT. But with just weeks to go, organizers have canceled it for unclear reasons.

State legislators in Hawaii are fast-tracking a bill that would authorize the state to seek reimbursement from hikers who need rescue after venturing onto closed trails. But not everyone agrees it’s the right move.

Last year was the National Park Service’s busiest season since 2017, with visitors hitting smaller parks and traveling during the off-season.

Last August, a "1,000-year" rain event wiped out roads, stranded hikers, and created a brand-new lake in Death Valley National Park. Less than six months later, the park is reeling from another storm.

At 6,800 miles counting both its northern and southern branches, the coast-to-coast American Discovery Trail is one of the longest paths in the United States, and thru-hikes of it are rare. With less than 50 miles to go, Briana “Rocky Mountain High” DeSanctis is poised to become the fourth person—and first woman—to complete both routes.

Two years after putting a pilot ticketing program in place for the popular hike up Old Rag, Shenandoah National Park announced it would permanently require hikers to have permits.

Christopher "Rafiki" Roma, a Triple Crown thru-hiker, guiding company owner, and prominent member of the New Hampshire hiking community, encountered harsh weather while hiking a long route in the mountains.

You’re getting ready to hit the trail but you don’t want to spend a year’s salary on gear. Fear not: It’s possible to find a system that’s both high-performance and affordable. Get equipped and ready to go with this 3 pound, 12 ounce ultralight setup.

Donner Pass was the site of one of the worst backcountry disasters in American history—but a traveler who got lost there over the weekend fared better.

Maine game wardens had to carry two hypothermic hikers out of the forest after a companion alerted authorities to their predicament.

The Pacific Northwest Trail Is the US’s least-developed National Scenic Trail. But a new comprehensive plan could give a boost to efforts to change that.

Quandary Peak was Colorado’s most-hiked high mountain in the early days of the pandemic, but new data suggest that parking restrictions have cut down on crowding.

When Apple introduced the ability to automatically call for help via satellite in 2022, critics feared it would encourage hikers to be reckless. But a year later, one of the United States’ busiest search and rescue outfits is praising it—and other new safety tech from the company—as a “game changer.”

The Rich Mountain Fire burned 60 acres, just days after another blaze in the park closed part of the Appalachian Trail.

Miles of the AT and Blue Ridge Parkway have closed over the past week as crews battle blazes in North Carolina and Virginia.

Search and rescue officials are urging adventurers to carry appropriate gear after an unprepared hiker nearly died on one of the state’s high mountains.

After discussions about making the system permanent, three of America's most popular national parks are extending their timed entry pilot programs instead.

After otters bit three wild swimmers in the Sierra, state wildlife officials are urging caution.

National Park Service encourages hikers to avoid Whiteoak Canyon and Old Rag due to poor air quality.

And Alfredo Aliaga is already planning his return to come back and do it again next year.

One of the hottest, driest places in the world has a brand-new lake festooned with wildflowers—but park officials say it won't be around for long.

A draft plan would introduce 3 to 7 bears per year into the North Cascades over the next decade.

In a new social media post, the National Park Service said the trend threatens to harm California condors, one of the rarest birds in the United States.

As rutting season begins, officials warn hikers to take extra caution around the wildlife.

Usually, viewers on Explore.org's Katmai National Park live streams expect to see giant grizzlies and wide-open natural views. But on September 5, a wet and cold-looking hiker walked up to the camera and appeared to mouth "help."

Heavy precipitation left some of the park’s key roads in tatters.

As the remnants of Hilary moved inland, floods trapped visitors and boosted flood risk across the southwestern US.

The draft management plan proposes preservation methods for the Appalachian Trail's Triple Crown in Virginia.