Cal “Starburst“ Dobbs Becomes the First Reported Publicly Trans Triple Crowner
On Thursday, they finished the last leg of the triple crown, but they’re not done yet
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The Ultimate Gorp: 14 Hikers Share Their Recipes
From "good old raisins and peanuts" to trail mixes spiced with hot peppers, Michigan cherries, beer nuts, and dried carrots, the ultimate backwoods snack comes your way, courtesy of Backpacker readers.
Starting Today, Hikers Will Need to Carry Bear Canisters in the Desolation Wilderness
Area bears have reportedly become more aggressive in seeking human food in recent years.
A “New” Name for Clingmans Dome? Cherokee Tribal Council Votes to Restore Native Moniker
Tribe will submit petition for renaming to the U.S. Board on Geographic Names.
The Forest Service May Extend Max Patch’s Camping Ban
A two-year ban bars campers from overnighting on the famous peak—and officials may push it even further.
The Ethics of Thru-Hiking with Kids
Each year, more families seem to earn attention by taking to long trails with small children. What are their motivations, and is it bad for the kids?
Forest Service Warns Hikers About Rising Bear Encounters in North Carolina
Hikers in the Pisgah and Nantahala National Forest Asked to keep a lookout for bold bruins.
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Your Guide to Vermont’s Best Bike Rides
From rolling road rides and family-friendly singletrack to downhill bike parks, Vermont has world-class routes for cyclists of every kind
The Best Shells of 2022
Fend off water and wind with these breathable, packable jackets
Editor’s Choice: Alpine Parrot Ponderosa Pants
Pants made by—and for—plus-size female hikers
Five Ultralight Backpacking Habits That Will Save You Time and Weight
Gram-counters can seem obsessive, but these quirks are rooted in practicality.
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Why You Shouldn’t Wait to Book Your Next Trip
Unbelievable adventures are waiting for you right here, right now
The Fine Art of Quitting Your Thru-Hike
Most people who start a long trail won’t finish it. But when you’ve built your identity around perseverance, what does it mean to throw in the towel?
How Long Does it Take to Hike the AT?
Completing America's most popular long trail is a major time commitment.
The 4 Ways to Feed Yourself on a Thru-Hike: Gas Stations, Mail Drops, Dehydrators, and Dealer’s Choice
Whether you're a Mountain House fanatic or dehydrate your entire menu yourself—here's how to keep your energy levels stable on trail.
Ask a Thru-Hiker: How to Hitchhike Safely
We've been warned against hitchhiking our entire lives—but on a long trail, sometimes it's the best option.
Leave No Trace Confessional: Hikers (Anonymously) Admit Their Worst Outdoor Sins
Several hikes share a confession, and we're here to dole out penance—and advice.
Backpacking Tents: How to Pick the Perfect One for You
Home is where you stake it out. Understand the ins and outs, pick the right shelter, and treat it like you would your bedroom.
The Best First Backpacking Trips in the US
Take your first steps into the world of backpacking with these one-night trips, full of mountain views, wildlife, and even glaciers.
How to Prepare Your Mind for Your First Solo Backpacking Trip
Being alone in the wilderness doesn't have to be frightening. With these tips, you can fine-tune your mind for an empowering solo journey.
What Is Thru-Hiking?
We dive deep into this backpacking cultural phenomenon.
Top 10 Pieces of Advice for Beginner Thru-Hikers
Water weighs a lot, audiobooks weigh nothing, and more semi-philosophical tips to guide rookie trekkers to a strong finish
This Is a Record-Setting Thru-Hiker’s Best Advice for Beginners
Get ready for the adventure of a lifetime with the most popular columns from thru-hiker Liz "Snorkel" Thomas.
THRU: A Hike Across the Pacific Northwest in Photos
In THRU, a team of strangers take on a 1,200-mile journey across America’s wildest long trail and document their adventures through the Pacific Northwest. Here, the co-creators share a behind-the-scenes glimpse through photos they took along the way.
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Hike Farther, Feel Better: Thru-Hiker Tips for Hydration
Are you drinking enough? Filter faster and hydrate smarter with these pro tips.
How to Get in Shape for Hiking
Hiking isn’t just walking in the woods. It requires strength and balance. Here’s how to get ready for trekking, from easy day hikes to the longest thru-hikes in the world.
9 Spectacular Early Spring Backpacking Trips You Can Do Right Now
Already itching to head into the backcountry? These overnights are accessible way earlier than the high country classics, with views just as good.
Large Rockslide Closes Part of the Blue Ridge Parkway
Officials say boulders could take days to clean up.
Ultimate Ultralight: Can You Go Backpacking With No Gear At All?
Just how much pack weight can one hiker cut? Our editor performs a far-out experiment in minimalism.
The Best Backpacking Food of 2022
These dehydrated meals, energy bars, and drinks will help you power through long miles in the backcountry.
The 22 Best Hard Hikes in America
Whether it’s big elevation changes, big miles, or big moves, these 23 routes prove that the best hikes are often the hardest. There’s a world of adventure out there—if you’re strong enough to seize it.
15 Ledge Hikes That Will Make Your Palms Sweat
Get on a high ledge, a crumbly cliff, or a knife-edge ridge and your body will recognize the feeling before your brain catches on.
Take a Stroll Across the Sky on These 10 Perfect Ridgeline Hikes
Embrace the exposure when you take your summer adventures to the crest of the high country.
Ultralighters Need First Aid Kits Too. Here’s How to Build One.
Staying safe in the backcountry doesn't have to weigh you down.
The Best Hikes in the White Mountains
Some of the wildest terrain in the East—loaded with rocky summits, waterfalls, and alpine ponds—is only a couple hour drive from Boston.
The 25 Best Hikes to Hot Springs in the U.S.
Cap off a day on the trail with a soak in a steamy mineral pool. We found the best from Alaska to North Carolina.
10 Frozen Waterfall Hikes That Will Leave You Marveling This Winter
Waterfalls aren't summer-only destinations—these cascades are even cooler when frozen in the winter.
Ask a Thru-Hiker: What Do GAME, MEGA, NoBo, and SoBo Mean?
Like many other subcultures, long-distance hiking has its own language.
Pack Big Adventures Into Short Trips On These 14 Perfect Overnights
Make the most of your precious weekend freedom. These hikes deliver epic views and fun to all types of time-crunched hikers.
Ask a Thru-Hiker: What Is a “Tramily” and Why Are They So Important?
Through thick and thin, health and injury, long slogs and zero days, your trail family will be there for you.
How to Toughen Up For a Thru-Hike
No workout can mimic the challenge of a thru-hike, but you can minimize initial soreness—and the risk of injury—by smart training. Start a fitness program at least eight weeks before your hike.
What’s it Like to Survive a Lightning Strike?
A heart-stopping bolt hits one hiker and levels a group of his friends who then fight to resuscitate him.
Could You Hike 8,000 Miles in a Year? These Two College Students Did.
Hear the story of the youngest adventurers ever to complete the Triple Crown in a calendar year, straight from the source.
The 5 Best New Thru-Hikes to Start Planning Now
Start planning to hike these in-progress U.S. trails in 2022.
The 50 Best Hikes in the U.S.
With the help of our friends and readers, we set out to find the best trail in all 50 states. From epic thru-hikes to short jaunts, these were the ones that rose to the top.
Impossible Odds Episode 8: One Last Hurrah
As they wrap up the PCT, Sammy shares how the trails changed him, and he reads his post-hike bucket list. Hint: Eating a lot of ice cream and donuts.
Explore Soaring Ridges and Deep Forest on the Northeast’s Best Dayhikes
From blueberry picking in New York and New Hampshire to pure solitude in New Hampshire and Maine, moose sitings in Vermont, and peaks in New York, these the hikes feature the best of the Northeast.
Stay Warm Longer With These Layering Tricks
It's like the old saying goes: there's no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing. Get ready for whatever nature throws at you with this guide to layering strategy.
These 7 Magnificent Mountains Are the Best Summit Hikes in America
No, they aren't Everest, but these soaring summit hikes will make you feel like you're standing on top of the world.
I Counted Every Bit of My Trash for One Month on the PCT
I tallied the waste I created for a month of my thru-hike. It was embarrassing. Now I know how to begin fixing it.
Impossible Odds Episode 5: Going it Alone
Sammy and Jackson decide to split up embark on 200 miles of solo hiking. Then, Sammy finds himself in the most dangerous situation yet on the Triple Crown.
Impossible Odds Episode 4: Chill Hiking Never Lasts Long
Sammy and Jackson complete their first trail, but not without solving logistical challenges, rehabbing injuries, and outrunning snowstorms.
The 12 Best Huts in America
Leave the tent at home: At these 12 perfect backcountry huts, you'll find an entirely new way to experience the trail
Episode 3: Desert Tribulations
Sammy and Jackson face their first medical problem on the trail after hiking in worn boots for too long, and they have to decide whether to push through or rest.
Episode 2: Hiking Toward Winter
Sammy Potter and Jackson Parell have to hike through multiple feet of snow on the AT. Are conditions bad enough to bail and transition to the CDT early?
Fail: We Ran Out of Food—Except for Mustard
Backpacking rule number one: Pack enough to eat.
Ticks Are Changing the Way We Hike
Thanks to the warming world, Lyme infections are on the rise in the Northeast—and hiking there might never be the same again.
The 10 Most Memorable 10-Mile Hikes in North America
Ten trails. Ten unmatched miles each. Get maximum bang for each boot step on hikes that our most-traveled contributors call their all-time favorites.
Episode 1: How Do You Prep to Walk 8,000 Miles in a Calendar Year?
Sammy Potter and Jackson Parell explain their thru-hike motives, check their packing lists, and say goodbye to their families on the first episode of Impossible Odds.
Weekly Obsession: This Compact Flask Could Save Your Life (and Not Just Metaphorically)
Because whiskey and safe hiking go hand-in-hand.
5 Rejected Leave No Trace Principles We Bet You’ve Never Heard Of
You only think you know Leave No Trace's guidelines. See the ones that didn't make the cut.
These 21-Year-Olds Just Became the Youngest Calendar-Year Triple Crowners
Sammy Potter and Jackson Parell finished their record-setting hike on October 22, 2021.
The 4 Best First Aid Kits for Every Adventure
There's no substitute for safety in the outdoors.
How to Find the Perfect Hiking Partner
Companions can make or break a trip. Here’s how to choose one wisely.
The Case for Section Hiking
Thru-hiking is a wonderful experience, but it’s not the only way to see a long trail. And for a lot of people, it might not even be the best.
Sometimes You’ll Hate Your Hike—and That’s OK
It doesn’t matter how beautiful the scenery is, or how lucky you are to be out there: Hike for long enough, and you’ll have bad days. And guess what? There’s nothing wrong with that.
Introducing Impossible Odds
Two friends, 8,000 trail miles, one year. This is Impossible Odds.
Preview: Here’s What It’s Like to Hike the Triple Crown In One Year
Two-thirds of the way through a monumental hiking challenge, there's still so much left to learn.
Our Goal Was to Hike the Entire Triple Crown in One Year. We’re Almost Done.
Two-thirds of the way through a monumental hiking challenge, there's still so much left to learn.
Here’s What’s in a Calendar-Year Triple Crowner’s Pack
When you’re hiking 8,000 miles in a single year, your gear needs to work. This is what Sammy Potter and Jackson Parell, the youngest hikers ever to finish the Triple Crown in a calendar year, brought.
Ask a Thru-Hiker: What to Do When You Want to Quit Your Thru-Hike
Is your motivation running dry? Try one of these strategies to recharge it.
Going on Your First Backpacking Trip? Don’t Make These 5 Common Mistakes.
If first trips have something in common, it’s that they go sideways pretty often. Here are a few important lessons readers and editors have learned along the way.
Meet 11 Heroes Who Are Saving Hiking’s Future
Without a healthy world, there's no backpacking. These 11 backpackers and advocates are fighting for a better Earth.
Timothy Olson (Probably) Just Nabbed the FKT on the PCT
After 2,652 miles, 400,000 feet in elevation gain, and more than 51 days, the ultrarunner finished his PCT thru-hike.
Is It Legal to Hike Naked?
Whether you're participating in Naked Hiking Day or just want to feel the breeze on your skin, there are a few things you need to know about nude hiking if you want to make sure you don’t end up ticketed or in cuffs.
These BIPOC And LGBTQ+ Ultralighters Are Pushing Hiking Further
The thru-hiking community is getting a much-needed diversity boost.
Where to Hike with your Dad for Father’s Day
These ten hikes are the perfect Father's Day getaways.
Aggressive Bears Wreak Havoc on Hikers’ Plans for Parts of the AT
Forest Service shutters campsites and shelters over a 13-mile stretch after receiving reports of multiple aggressive bruins.
The Internet-Age Struggle: How Can We Protect the Outdoors Without Gatekeeping?
With information about “secret” trails and campsites all over the internet, finding a balance between conserving the wilderness and welcoming people to it has never been more important—or more challenging.
Your Next Thru-Hike Could Be in Alaska
The Alaska Senate just passed a budget to start construction on a 500-mile segment of the Alaska Long Trail.