Take these 21 trail tips to heart, and you're virtually guaranteed a good hike.

We've created a plan to help you upgrade your trail time in all the ways that matter: bigger views, more solitude, easier miles, and more. Don't hang up your boots until you've mastered this definitive list of 10 skills and life-altering experiences.

Any suggestions for making my 5-year-old's first backpacking trip a success?

If you don't know what triangulation is, read this article.

Once you've been to the mountaintop, few other experiences will compare. For soul-cleansing, skill-building, life-affirming thrills, put a big one on your bucket list.