Want to Hike 30 Miles in a Day? Here’s How to Do it.
You don't need to be an elite athlete to put down big days on the trail. What do you need? Experience, an early wake-up, and a very good plan.
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The Secret to Beating Altitude Sickness Could Be in Your Gut
Altitude sickness affects up to 75 percent of people who recreate at high elevations. Now, a new study suggests probiotics could play a part in helping hikers resist it.
Want to Crush Steep Hikes? This 6-Move Squat Workout Is Your Secret Weapon.
These exercises include every squat variation you need to develop the power to ascend steeps and stay upright.
Forget DC, These Are the Best Cherry Blossom Hikes Around the World
Explore global cherry blossom hikes—from Japan to the Himalaya—combining spring blooms, scenic trails, and crowd-free outdoor adventure.
Deal of the Week: A Sub-1-Pound Shelter You Can Buy on the Cheap
Need a light, weather-resistant shelter that won't break the bank? Don't overlook Outdoor Research's Helium Bivy.
What Size Backpack Do You Really Need to Go Hiking?
Packs come in all shapes and sizes. Here’s how to find your perfect fit.
Hiker Dies After Entering Closed Area at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
While it's not clear what led to the incident, park officials said that the deceased man was located in "steep and hazardous terrain."
Reserve Your Spot On A 2026 Trip To Nepal With Backpacker
This is your official invitation to join us on our life-list service and trekking trips to Nepal this fall.
California Hiker’s Death is a Grim Reminder of a Hidden Spring Danger
Emergency personnel near Los Angeles are urging the public to exercise caution after a swollen river swept one hiker away.
Sponsored Content
Your Basecamp for Adventures On and Off the Water
Coastal exploration and inland adventure converge in Ventura County
Larry Riddle Spent 3 Years Running From the Law on the Appalachian Trail. Now, He’s Giving Back.
In 2000, he starting hiking as a runaway parolee. Today, he's a beloved trail angel.
Wildlife
The Cocaine Bear Trailer Is Wild. The Real Story Is Weirder and Sadder.
Cocaine Bear's first trailer shows a bloodthirsty, intoxicated bruin rampaging through the forest. But how much of the based-on-a-true-story movie is real?
Fitness
The Best Hiking Workouts for Every Fitness Level
Reality check: Hitting the gym is the quickest way to hike farther, easier, faster, and pain-free. Get into a routine—or take yours to the next level—with these smart workouts for three different levels.
The Best Hikes
The Best Hikes in Joshua Tree National Park
Full of rock scrambles, cactus clusters, and desert views for days, Joshua Tree National Park is the southwest at its finest.
Backpacking Skills
Why You Should Use Trekking Poles
Ending too many hikes with sore, wobbly legs? Trekking poles can help you make it that extra mile.
Gear Round-Ups
The Best Hiking and Backpacking Gear of Winter 2026
From blizzard-ready tents to sleeping bags that can handle the coldest nights, this is the gear you can count on this season.
Trail Guides
The Ultimate Guide to Hiking the Zion Narrows
The Narrows at Zion National Park offers an incredible adventure in America's most amazing slot canyons. Here's how to safely explore them.
Survival Skills
How to Remove and Treat Thorns, Splinters, and Other Prick Wounds
Nature can be brutal. Learn how to to deal with wounds from all kinds of thorns, spines, splinters, shards, quills, needles, and anything else that might get under your skin when you’re on the trail.
Classic Destinations
Hike Mauna Kea: The Expert Guide to Hiking Hawaii’s Highest Point
Ready to hike to the highest point in Hawaii? Ascend Mauna Kea's volcanic slopes to a summit high above the clouds. This challenging day hike is among the most spectacular on the planet.
Backpacking Gear
10 Backpacking Gear Tips We Learned the Hard Way
Get the most out of your backpacking equipment with this sage advice.
Long Trails
100 Years Ago, the Appalachian Trail Was One Man’s Dream. Now, It’s Everyone’s.
Benton MacKaye's original proposal for the Appalachian Trail came out 100 years ago. While the trail may have changed, the appeal hasn't.
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Out Alive
Real people who survived the unsurvivable
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Impossible Odds
Two friends, 8,000 trail miles, one year
Featured Story
She Became the First Woman to Complete This 3,600-Mile Thru-Hike—and Brought Thousands Along for the Journey
This September, Jessica "Stitches" Guo finished thru-hiking the Continental Divide and Great Divide Trails in one five-month push, a deep-backcountry journey that saw her spend weeks without seeing a single other person. But with tens of thousands of people following her daily videos, it was a shared experience.
Jessica “Stitches” Guo began her 30th birthday alone, in the woods, walking north towards the Canadian border.
It was the same way she had spent the last few months of her 20s, during which she hiked from the Mexican border through New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana along the Continental Divide Trail. This day, however, was different.
At 1:51 p.m. on August 12, Guo reached a clearing in the trees, where stone monuments marked the U.S.-Canada border and the northern terminus of the CDT. She collapsed into tears alongside some concerned tourists. When they learned what she had just done, they applauded and helped her record a video, which would be viewed by more than half a million people on TikTok and Instagram.
For a few minutes, Guo sat, welcoming in her 30s with birthday cake Oreos and taking it all in. Then, she stood and continued into Canada. Her journey was not over. In many ways, she felt as if it were just beginning.
“Up until that point, I was like, ‘There’s a chance that I might not do this.’ I might get there and be too late or I might be too tired, or I might be too bored,” Guo says. “So for me to get there and still be feeling great, I was like, ‘All right, yeah, we can actually start the real hike now.’”
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