Skills

Backpacking is some of the best medicine for stress. Learning self-massage will give you an extra tool to help you leave your worries behind.

Turn the relaxation up with these activities to help you make the most of downtime in camp.

Animal attacks are rare, but they do happen. Learning what to do after a run-in with wildlife could teach you a few things about how to handle any wilderness emergency

Lower your garbage output on your next long trip with a few simple steps.

The trail is calling. Pack these essential items and go.

We already know that backpacking is better for the planet than other forms of travel. But how much better, exactly? And can we make hiking even greener?

Clear nights in the backcountry offer prime views of the heavens. Catch the best show with these stargazing tips.

Deliberate exercise can help you recover from an injury faster and come back stronger than ever once you’re healed.

Carboload for a full day of hiking with these delicious pasta recipes.

Some destinations may still be closed to US travelers, but that just means you have more time to plot out the perfect trek. Start planning now for the hike of a lifetime.

How to keep hiking when your ankle takes a turn for the worse. Plus, keeping them strong and trail-ready.

To see the best of this Ohio park, you're going to have to work a little harder than usual. Shape up with this off-trail hiking advice from a national park ranger.

Chewing is overrated. Meet your new favorite, slurpable hiking snacks.

Can't decide on just one cocktail for your adventure? Put together a mobile backcountry bar kit.

In a pinch, they can can keep you going—but only if we all do our part.

A new kind of adventure starts where the maintained trail ends. Advance your hiking game and take on the unknown with these tips for route-planning and navigation. Then, practice footwork skills for safer, more efficient mountain travel.

Prep your joints for long miles and big descents with these injury-prevention workouts.

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.

Warm weather + short trip = a perfect chance to save time and hassle by leaving your cooking gear at home.

No need to skip your coffee just because you didn't bring your stove.

Buy, ship, or check hiker boxes and just hope for the best? Here's how to keep your stove running on your thru-hike.

Hike faster, stronger, and farther with our favorite leg workouts.

Hyponatremia, or water intoxication, isn’t a well-known hazard in the outdoors. But it’s more common than you think.

These crunchy, easy-to-prepare side dishes will make your hiking buddies green with envy.

Cooling down an overheating patient in the backcountry is often an insurmountable challenge. Now, researchers are testing a strategy from the endurance sports world for use on the trail.

So you’re not into hiking-specific workouts. How much do your other activities really help when it comes time to hit the trail?

No one knows the ins and outs of the trail like professional guides. Learn a few of their secrets to take your trips to the next level.

Ease your muscles after a long day of hiking with these simple yoga poses.

Your hips keep you hiking. Treat them right with this workout.

Trading in your tent for a hammock is perfect for warm summer nights and making camp on uneven ground. Here's how to enjoy the high life safely and comfortably.

Use this strategy to escape the crowds, without reservations.

For hikers on the western U.S.'s long-distance paths, large wildfires are part of the new normal.

Warm summer nights were made for grilling. Ditch the backyard for the backcountry with this gear and advice.

When we're burned out on sugary bars and jonesing for some quick calories to help us replenish our stores and re-up our motivation, we reach for one food above all others. Get your daily allotment with Backpacker's favorite cheesy recipes for everything from breakfast through dessert.

These disease-ridden creepy crawlies are everywhere these days. Fortunately, there are ways to avoid ticks—and prevent adverse side effects if you do get bitten.

Spending too much time in a seated position (hello, desk job) can tighten your hip flexors and lengthen your glutes, robbing them of their power. A weak butt is bad for your performance on the trail and even worse for your ankles, knees, and back. Do this ass-kicking workout from Pete McCall once a week, along with your cardio and strength routine, to train all three glute muscles.

Irresponsible campers put forests, people, and hiking seasons at risk. Do your part by making sure your blaze is dead out.

No one likes getting belly troubles from drinking dirty water. Ward them off with these simple strategies.

Periodical cicada hatches like this year’s are an underrated wildlife experience. See the swarm up close—and maybe eat a few of them—on these hikes.

Backcountry meals can be boring. Spice them up—literally—with these handy add-ins.

A solo hiking or backpacking trip can either be a freeing or terrifying experience. Learn how to prepare and tame your imagination in the backcountry.

Before you head out on a thru-hike, set expectations at home and at work, and make sure that everyone knows what to do when trouble arises.

This remixed pancake recipe is the breakfast of your dreams.

Finding time to train is hard. Get trail-ready while you go about your day with these do-anywhere exercises.

Skip the resupply box: There are better uses for your time.

Become a trail botanist. Learn to identify ten of our country's most common wildflowers

Is lighter really always better?

Say goodbye to mildew when you give your water bottle proper care.

Getting pine sap on your apparel can put you in a sticky situation. Get yourself out of it with a little bit of elbow grease and know-how.

From trying to make a bivy sack out of Tyvek to tarping it in mosquito country, going too light can land hikers in a lot of trouble.

What does mountain guide Charlotte Austin keep in her pack? Baling wire, some important information, and a home remedy for nausea.

From training to planning, prep right to maximize your chances of going the distance.

Create a foraged spread worthy of the most sophisticated garden party with this fragrant wildflower.

How focused exercise helped one hiker return to the trails without going under the knife.

Firestarting gets the-step-by-step treatment in Nate Summers’s compelling new treatise.

Whether you’re trekking along a ridge or standing on top of a summit, a fear of heights can cause you to freeze up. Don’t let it ruin your hike.

Hiking muscles feeling rusty? Give them the love they deserve.

Preparing for the Big E took every ounce of dedication I had—but the lessons I learned didn’t stop there.

Recover better with these tips to use a foam roller and give your muscles some TLC.

Little-known fact: The symptoms of chronic giardiasis can mimic gluten intolerance. How can hikers tell the difference?

My first thru-hike attempt didn’t end the way I wanted. Here are the lessons I’ll bring to my next one.

Bringing your little nugget into the woods for the first time can be intimidating. Follow these tips for a safer, less stressful family adventure.

Cryptobiotic soil is essential to arid ecosystems. Here’s how to protect it.

Suffering a major injury can keep us from fully committing to the things we enjoy. Taking the time to care for yourself pays off.

What happens when you introduce condiments to your dehydrator? We head to the kitchen to see if molecular gastronomy can work for hikers, too.

Don't be fooled: Hypothermia can happen in the summer or the winter. Learn how to prevent and treat a dropping core body temp.

Forget bears and lightning: The most common and dangerous backcountry hazard is a river crossing—especially during the spring melt, when backcountry waterways run high and rough. Follow these tips to learn to do it safely.

See the trail in a new light when you bring a pad and pencil.

Gymnasts can land backflips on balance beams four inches wide. Their secret: training barefoot.

Optimize your diet and nutrition and you'll feel fresh, hike strong—and leave the Hiker Hobble behind for good.

One of our favorite backpacking snacks gets a bagel-themed makeover.

Too cold to catch some rest? This simple hack provides a long-lasting boost of warmth—and works as well at home as it does on the trail.

Use these proven methods to make sure your first romantic camping foray into the wilderness isn't your last.

Take back winter fun—no matter the weather—by learning how to keep your feet warm.

The longer you stay out, the more likely you are to see significant precip. You can get by with less protection in warmer weather, but in temps below about 65°F, you’ll need to suit up to stay safe. Here’s how to dress for the occasion.

Go further—and hurt less—with the right preparation for a big trip.

Coming out of the woods tired and dirty is a rejuvenating experience. But it's possible to overdo a good thing. Take care of yourself on your next hike with these five simple quality-of-life hacks, and you'll reap the benefits.

Spending a day on the trail is one thing, but for those who have never camped before—or don't do it often—letting their guard down and snoozing in the great outdoors is a big leap. Make it a little easier with these tips.

Put a backcountry spin on a fast food cult favorite.

Seek out splashes of color amid pale winter landscapes with these five cold-loving birds.