News

The North Dakota governor has promoted outdoor recreation in his state. Opponents worry about his connection to the oil and gas industry.

An outdoors podcast reports that the celebrated backpack brand will sunset its consumer line next year—but a source with knowledge of the company’s plans says that at least some products will be available longer.

Joro spiders, a much-maligned species of arachnid with a leg span that can top 3 inches, have officially been spotted in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Scientists say they’re harmless to humans—but their effect on the environment is still up in the air.

After SAR rescued two heavily laden, inexperienced hikers from the Lower 48's highest peak, they had some strong advice to share with anyone thinking of following in their footsteps.

A "very small subset" of REI members flagged for misusing the outdoor retail giant's return policy will no longer be able to bring back or exchange their purchases.

Made out of the same fabric many tents use, the AirPot is designed to make going number two in the woods more comfortable—and solve hiking’s burgeoning poop problem.

The most stressful day of any aspiring PCT thru-hiker's life is just around the corner.

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.

In response to a shrinking budget, the land management agency is suspending seasonal hiring next year. Public lands will bear the cost.

For decades, Dartmoor National Park was the only place in England where backpackers could dispersed camp without landowner permission. Now, a multimillionaire hedge fund manager who bought one of the park's largest estates is arguing it should be banned there, too.

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

A viral TikTok post claimed that Helene demolished nearly 900 miles of the AT. But on the ground, locals dealing with the hurricane's aftermath tell a different story.

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.

Parks and trail towns along the southern reaches of the AT are devastated. Here's how hikers can help.

Some southbound thru-hikers are facing tough choices on the AT after Helene left trails across the region damaged, flooded, or closed.

Katmai's famous Fat Bear Week contest is about to celebrate its tenth anniversary—but for the first time, its biggest star is nowhere to be found. We pay tribute to a true champion.

Ultrarunner Tara “Candy Mama” Dower shaved 13 hours off Karel Sabbe’s previous record for hiking the iconic route

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

National Park Service says that it was "proud" to support effort to change name of Clingmans Dome back to Kuwohi.

Kirk S. Thomas Olsen went missing during a solo backpacking trip in the park late last month.

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

Authorities are considering whether to file charges against a man whose suspected harassment of the bear led to the fatal encounter.

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.

The Easy Fire closed the section of trail leading to Hart’s Pass in late July, threatening to block hikers' route to the finish.

A corporate retreat went bad this week after a 15-person hiking group left one of their own behind on Colorado’s 14,231-foot Mt. Shavano.

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

The bear came in through the window, cracked open the kids' earthquake emergency kits, and started devouring granola bars.

Move aside, pack mules. This duo of highly trained llamas is here to steal the spotlight.

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.

The evacuation call came late at night, causing chaos and confusion as locals and tourists tried to leave the park en masse.

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

After setting a new co-ed record in Colorado, this hiking couple shares their secrets for stronger trail partnerships.

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.

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.

Scientists have discovered some friendly new bacteria in the waters of Bath, England, which was once the Romans’ favorite soaking spot. What else is lurking in the deep?

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.

This June 19, national parks are waiving entry fees for all visitors in honor of the Juneteenth holiday.

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

Check out Corey Buhay's author page.

The Interlaken Fire likely resulted from a campfire that was abandoned days before the embers caught flame.

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

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. 

Authorities believe Lucas Macaj, 23, took a "significant fall."

A hiker decided to leap the 5-foot gap from a clifftop to a hoodoo near Moab, Utah. It didn’t end well. 

The bills would have instructed the state to seek reimbursement when hikers needed rescue from a closed trail, but faced opposition from emergency personnel.

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

Starting this fall, backpackers will have to pay a new fee to hike California's popular Lost Coast Trail. For some, it will triple the cost.

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.

San Gabriel Mountains and Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monuments in California will now include land sacred to local Indigenous people, increase equitable outdoor access in Los Angeles, and protect habitat for endangered species

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

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.

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.

The historic Haiku Stairs are a popular—if illegal—trail, but with hundreds of rescues and hundreds more citations for trespassing, local officials say it’s time for them to go.

After a bobcat attack in January this year, Saguaro National Park warned visitors to be on the lookout for infected animals.

The brands say the three offerings—which include hiking in Shenandoah and camping in the New River Gorge—will “celebrate Black joy in nature.”

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.

With the recent completion of the Capital to Tahoe Trail, Carson City is looking for two hikers to go from its core all the way to Canada for good money.

Cinamen, an 8-year-old cat from New York, went viral for leading guests at his owner's AirBnb on Appalachian Trail hikes. It's a role he was born to play.

In Instagram apology, actor said he didn't see closure sign before making "impulsive" decision to leave path.

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.

A recent SAR communique reams out an incautious adventurer who climbed up the peak amid dangerous conditions and then called for emergency lifesaving

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.

For now, Mystery Ranch will continue to operate from its headquarters in Bozeman, Montana.

The Conservation Fund will turn over 3,654-acre Richmond Ranch to local government and plans to add miles of hiking trails to the parcel.