Mud Season Is Coming. Are You Ready to Survive It?
First step: Accept that mud is inevitable on any trail.
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First step: Accept that mud is inevitable on any trail.
Need a hiking resolution for 2025? Pick one of these lists.
From unforgettable dayhikes to crowd-free international treks, these were the best trips we wrote about this year.
Made the butt of jokes and relegated to the discount aisle post-holiday, fruitcake may be the most disrespected confection of the Christmas season. But backpackers in the know understand this treat’s true power.
The most dominant group in hiking history is fading to gray. But they’re not disappearing just yet.
The Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy just purchased a parcel of land to permanently protect a small region south of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail.
Can’t take it anymore? We can't either. Step up to the void and scream it out on these six trails.
Getting carried or helicoptered off a mountain is already stressful, but the idea of paying for the privilege is enough to set any hiker’s teeth on edge. And while most subjects of a wilderness rescue will never face a bill or a fine, there are a few exceptions.
The Easy Fire closed the section of trail leading to Hart’s Pass in late July, threatening to block hikers' route to the finish.
These trails are currently laden with ripe fruit, but the foraging season won't last long.
The bear came in through the window, cracked open the kids' earthquake emergency kits, and started devouring granola bars.
After spending her infant years ascending all of New Hampshire’s 4,000-foot peaks in a carrier, Lydia Pearson recently accomplished the challenge on her own two feet—summiting all 48 of them
Revolutionize the way you hike with these 7 affordable must-haves.
This odiferous allium pops up annually in Appalachia throughout April and May and its allure is as palpable as its taste is polarizing.
Would you rather be stuck in the woods with a man or a bear? Here's what our resident bruin would prefer.
Nine testers donned dozens of tops to find the best shirts, midlayers, and wind shells for hiking.
Eight testers ran, trekked, and squatted in dozens of products to find the best bottoms for hiking.
Mystery Ranch’s Radix carries serious cargo without a weight penalty.
Our etiquette columnist weighs in on a contentious but common trail occurrence.
Self-described Luddite Michael Engelhard preferred to ditch the gadgets and improvise what he required instead. Would a super-size adventure change how he packed?
Their idea of a nice dinner is buying the expensive dehydrated meal, cuddling on a sleeping pad is awkward, and don’t get us started on their feet: There are a lot of great reasons to date a hiker, but there are also a lot of reasons not to.
America’s national parks boast thousands of stunning trail miles, but some are just a hair more amazing. Find the top 101 miles in the entire system on these 16 hikes.
New year, new us? Not quite. From hiking crowded trails to carrying gear we know we will never use, here are all the bad habits we plan to keep nursing this year.
Want to hike in Middle Earth? Turns out you just need to go to this park in Ohio. Plus: What we think could be the new Triple Crown trails.
Sure, you could send the hiker on your list cash—but these digital gift cards will show them you know what they’re about.
In 1982, a daring rescue mission changed Joe Lentini's life forever. What began as a noble effort by Mountain Rescue Service volunteers took an unforeseen turn, leaving profound and lasting echoes in the lives of all involved.
A searching mother, a headless gunslinger, a mysterious light to show you the way: these national parks are home to hair-raising tales
The top nonprofits win a customized Land Rover Defender 130 and a pile of cash. Cast your vote starting on September 15 to help choose this year’s winners.
From a bulletproof pair of rain pants to a sunscreen stick that helped us stay scorch-free, this was the gear we depended on in summer's final stretch.
Our national forests are brilliant, underappreciated, and uncrowded compared to most national parks. Here’s the intel on where to hike in these stunning landscapes.
The cause of death has not yet been released.
Winners of the Defender Service Awards save bears, train service dogs, feed people in need, and more. Meet last year’s honorees—and learn how to enter the 2023 contest now!
It's been 50 years since we published the first issue of Backpacker. What will the backcountry look like in another half-century? Our editor speculates.
New Hampshire is one of the only states in the nation that regularly makes hikers it deems negligent pay for their own rescue. Now, legislators are considering suspending their driver's licenses if they don't pay. It's a dangerous policy, our editor says.
Faced with risk and loss in the mountains, our writer grapples with what it means to lead a life well-lived.
“Conditions are amazing right now,” says Cory Goehring, lead naturalist for the Yosemite Conservancy, the park’s nonprofit partner. “Yosemite has transformed into a winter wonderland.”
Outdoorsy folks get stoked on gear year-round, but the holidays are a chance to surprise your favorite trailblazer with the latest and greatest items for their gear closet.
Nick “Chezwick” Gagnon became the fastest person to circumnavigate the enormous route, which takes in sections of five major thru-hikes
Forget a new tent: Backpacker's editors sound off on the trips they'd like someone to buy them in 2023.
Humans, like trees, grow best in damp soil.
The body does weird stuff on the trail. We rounded up the experts to answer our burning questions about hiker physiology.
Is a hiking resume complete without a long-distance thru-hike?
While the park still doesn’t have an entrance fee, it’s going to get a little more expensive soon.
On Sunday night, British hiker Josh Perry decimated the trail’s long-standing self-supported records after chasing Timothy Olson’s 2021 time
Check out Elizabeth Kwak-Hefferan's author page.
If you haven’t snagged a reservation to the growing list of timed-entry parks, it might seem like a trip there this summer is out of the cards. But fret not—we found some legal ways to visit.
Hiking a long trail is a challenge no matter who you are. But not everyone is equally able to make the compromises it requires.
At these creekside, shorefront, and mountaintop spots, the views are so gorgeous that you may never want to go to sleep.
True tales from the front lines—and behind the scenes—of America's national parks.
These hiking mistakes are as common as can be—but there's no excuse for making them.
Hit up one of these 7 hikes for a late-season color show.
Stay cool: These 20 backcountry tarns, lakes, ponds, and other assorted bodies of water are perfect year-round, but come into their own as temperatures heat up.
On a budget or looking for that last little item to finish off your shopping list? These inexpensive gifts punch far above their price.
From freeze dryers to dog vests to waterproof packable backpacks and everything in between, we gathered the gifts that will make the 2021 holiday season the best yet.
Ghosts, serial killers, and abandoned towns: These spooky-season hikes hit harder than your average Halloween attraction.
We've made the mistakes so you don't have to.
There's nothing wrong with a leisurely hike. But when hikers sneer at people who choose to go fast, they prove that they don't get it.
Why this lesser-known trail in northern Arkansas should be your next thru-hike.
One of the windiest hikes in the world is no slouch on views, either.
These products will keep you protected and prepared on high-alpine treks.
Forget Yellowstone or Yosemite: One of the highest concentrations of bears in the U.S. lives right here in the Appalachians.
More miles means there's more to see when you go bikepacking off the grid.
With more than 100 miles of hiking trails, there’s no shortage of exploring to be done in this West Virginia getaway, which became America’s 63rd national park in December 2020. A local shows you how it’s done.
Hiking isn’t all gorgeous sunsets and glowing campfires, but you wouldn’t know that from looking at Instagram. And for people just getting into backpacking, that matters.
You don’t need to renew your passport to make memories this year: Get out and get hiking with these phenomenal, uncrowded destinations.
The trail is for all shapes and sizes, and these designers know it.
Help the gram-counter on your list go lighter and faster.
What does it take to plan a for a record-setting thru-hike attempt? A Calendar-Year Triple Crown hopeful spills.
We used to have to choose between supportive boots and light ones. No more. These six models are agile enough for day missions and casual outings, but will keep your feet happy as the miles pile up.
Best Fit
Want to go really, really light? Take a hint from a guy who finished the Long Trail in less than 5 days.
Hiking a long path is hard. As Patricia Cameron discovered while getting ready for the Colorado Trail, doing it in the era of COVID-19 adds a whole new level of difficulty to the process.
Spy animals and one beautiful dawn by carefully timing your hike along the Grandview Rim Trail.
Where to get out now
Check out Backpacker Magazine's author page.
Most breathable shell
This is your year. Start planning one of these life-list hikes and create memories that will last a lifetime.
Help the hardcore backpacker on your list make their gear lighter, better, or just more fun with these 11 trail-ready gifts.
Best value
Pisgah National Forest blankets the southern Appalachians, and at the heart of all that greenery there’s a backwoods gem—a forest within a forest. The 18,479-acre Shining Rock Wilderness protects an East Coast paradise of waterfalls, mountaintop views, and remote trails.