Watch a Black Bear Knock Out Santa
Someone's getting coal in his stocking this year.
News and Events
News and Events
Stay up to date on the latest outdoor news, events, and trail and conservation updates, thoroughly researched for you by the experts at Backpacker Magazine.
Stay up to date on the latest outdoor news, events, and trail and conservation updates, thoroughly researched for you by the experts at Backpacker Magazine.
The 2015 Hiker's Life List
101 places to go, skills to learn, and things to do right now.
Congress Approves National Park Expansion
The latest defense bill gives the park system its largest expansion in decades.
Watch an Awesome Grand Canyon Cloud Inversion
It's not every day that the Grand Canyon gets filled up with clouds.
Antelope Canyon Photo Sells for Record Price of $6.5 Million
It's now the most expensive photograph in the world.
Watch These Hikers (Sort Of) Walk on Water
The ice on this Slovakian lake is as clear as glass.
This Zion Documentary is Beautiful and Terrifying
Zion's slot canyons offer endless adventure, but beware of sudden rain.
Natural Bridges Fees Set to Double; Other Parks Seek Increases
Natural Bridges is one of 115 national parks and monuments seeking admission hikes in 2015.
5 Questions For: Ueli Steck
The renowned Swiss alpinist on risk, training regimens, and the recent tragedies in the Himalayas.
PCT MVP: An Interview With Cheryl Strayed
Thru-hiking hits the big screen this month with the release of Wild, the adaptation of Cheryl Strayed’s bestselling memoir.
Q&A: Polar Bears on the Brink
A new e-book explores a vicious polar bear attack and the uncertain fate of the species in a changing Arctic.
UPDATE: Hiker's Body Recovered in Rocky Mountain National Park
The 25-year-old was reportedly attempting to climb Longs Peak.
Alaskan Polar Bear Population Drops 40 Percent in 10 Years
A study links the decline to a loss of sea ice in the Beaufort Sea.
November 2014 – Table of Contents
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
Missing Hikers Found Safe Near Eaton Canyon
The group spent an unexpected night out after failing to return from a day hike.
Fall/Winter Gear Guide 2014 – Table of Contents
223 field-tested products and skills to fuel your adventures this winter.
Yellowstone Considers Expanding Wireless Coverage
The park is considering a $34 million fiber-optic line to improve bandwidth.
Backpacking Toddler Puts Rest of Us to Shame
This 2-year-old has hiked more than 300 miles.
Lake Tahoe Warns Visitors to Stop Talking Selfies with Bears
Photo ops with black bears are becoming all too common.
Vandalism Being Investigated in 10 National Parks
Images of the graffiti surfaced on Instagram.
Yosemite to Increase Entrance Fees by 50%
It's the park's first fee increase since 1997.
Nepal Blizzard Death Toll Rises to 39
Rescue workers continue efforts to locate missing locals, trekkers and climbers in the Himalayas.
New Wilderness Board Game Appeals to Backpackers
Perfect for rainy days in the tent.
Climb the Grand Teton with BACKPACKER editors
Enjoy an alpine adventure, raise money for a great cause, and score free gear.
Man Attacked By Grizzly, Shot By Hiking Partner
The victim is in critical condition.
San Gabriel Mountains to Become National Monument
President Obama will designate nearly half of the range on Friday.
'Hidden' Smokies Town Not Actually Hidden
A viral news story about Elkmont gets debunked.
Washington Offers Hikers Chance to Name Wolf Packs
If you find them first, that is.
'Blood Moon' Lunar Eclipse To Occur Wednesday
The second and final lunar eclipse of the year takes place on October 8.
Watch a Moose Defend Her Calf From Wolves
The mother fought back valiantly.
October 2014 – Table of Contents
Quick Weekend Getaways; No-Mess Meals
NPS Announces Free Admission Dates For 2015
Mark your calendar accordingly.
35,000 Walruses Invade Alaskan Beach
A shortage of sea ice is forcing them ashore.
Death Valley's Wandering Rocks Explained
The rocks at Racetrack Playa move on their own. Now scientists know why.
Watch This Couple's Awesome Multisport Wedding
They climbed, biked, and hiked to say 'I do.'
Hiker Dies in Zion Narrows
Flash flooding trapped the 34-year-old man in a canyon.
Disaster on Mt. Ontake
Over 30 hikers are feared dead after the Japanese volcano erupted Saturday.
Barbara Polk Washburn, First Woman to Ascend Denali, Dies at 99
A noted climber, Washburn also made significant contributions to cartography.
U.S. Forest Service Aims to Restrict Wilderness Photography
A snapshot could cost up to $1,500 under new permit requirements.
Wolves Back Under Federal Protection in Wyoming
The tug-of-war over the iconic species continues.
Black Bear Kills Rutgers Student in New Jersey
It's New Jersey's first fatal bear attack in over 150 years.
Hikers Fight Off Mountain Lion
The big cat charged the group on a trail near Steamboat Springs, CO.
Matterhorn Lit Up Ahead of 150th Anniversary of First Ascent
Guides used headlamps to illuminate the historic route.
And Now, an Insane Music Video About Knot Tying
What does the knot say?
Fire Targets Invasive Fern in the Everglades
The controlled burn will cover 10,000 acres.
Rabid Bat Breaks Up Campground Jam Session
The winged creature took a bite out of the guitarist.
September 2014 – Table of Contents
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
Buzz for 'Wild' Builds at Telluride Film Festival
Reese Witherspoon hits the trail in the adaptation of Cheryl Strayed's PCT memoir. Our man gives his early review.
New Yosemite Wildfire Prompts Evacuations
The Meadow Fire has burned more than 2,500 acres.
Grizzly Bears Can Use Tools, Apparently
Rise of the Planet of the Grizzlies.
Grand Canyon R2R Groups Will Now Need Permits
The popular route sees nearly 800 hikers per day on peak weekends.
Hiker, Grizzly Have Near-Miss on Highline Trail
The hiker scrambled down a ledge to hide from the bear.
Q&A: Parks Project
A new apparel company puts its focus on trail work.
Marmot Nuzzles GoPro
Awwwww.
'Bear Scare' Robot May Scare More Humans Than Bears
The "bear-crow" comes armed with 25,000 volts of electricity.
The Best Yelp Reviews of National Parks
Everyone's a critic, it seems—especially when it comes to national parks. Our man scoured Yelp to find out what some Americans really think about America's Best Idea.
The 8 Coolest Things I Found at Outdoor Retailer
Our reader reporter rounds up her favorite new products from the show floor.
Hunter Indicted Over 2013 Rim Fire
Keith Matthew Emerald was charged with two felonies and two misdemeanors.
Bear Walks Upright in New Jersey
Experts are pretty sure it's not a man in a bear suit.
August 2014
Check out Backpacker Editors's author page.
Bear Saves Crow From Drowning
A new interspecies alliance is born.
U.S. Killed 4 Million Animals in 2013
Critics are not happy.
Wyoming Governor Pushes For Grizzly Bear Delisting
Yellowstone's brown bears could lose their federally protected status.
Rope-Swinging Could be Banned from Corona Arch, Utah
Daredevils may no longer be welcome.
NBC Orders Bear Grylls Celebrity Survival Show
Channing Tatum, Zac Efron, and Ben Stiller will accompany Bear into the wild.
Hiker Stranded on Rock Face for Two Days
He climbed 300 feet up a rock wall, but couldn't descend.
Grizzly Tries to Eat GoPro
This is becoming its own mini-genre.
Hiker Survives 6 Days on Bugs & Snow
A broken leg left Gregg Hein stranded on 13,563-ft Mount Goddard.
Pacific Northwest Fighting Severe Wildfires
Washington is fighting 50 separate blazes.
Reese Witherspoon Goes 'Wild'
The first trailer for the Cheryl Strayed adaptation is out.
Study: Yellowstone Visitors Would Pay Nearly Triple to See Bears
Grizzlies = $$$$$
Gear Guide 2014
327 trail-tested products from 2014
March 2014
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
WATCH: Helicopter Rescues Hiker from Cliff
He was stranded on a sheer rock face near Washington's Snoqualmie Pass.
Yellowstone Bison…in Iowa?
Some of the park's buffalo herd could be relocated.
Robert Redford to Adapt WWII Mountaineering Film
It's an adaptation of the 2003 book 'Climb to Conquer.'
Hiker Rescued in Rocky Mountain National Park
The 21-year-old man was evacuated after falling near Thatchtop Mountain.
Rescuer Sues Hiker Who He Helped Rescue
Nick Papageorge is seeking damages for injuries sustained during the search.
Alaska Volcano Begins Erupting
The 8,362-foot Pavlof volcano is one of Alaska's most active.
Deadly Trail Closed Near Los Angeles
Five people have died in a particular section of Eaton Canyon since 2011.