Skills

Ward off the chill of fall backpacking with a cup of steamy, savory soup.

It may be taboo in daily life, but talking about poop is inevitable for any overnight hiker.

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.

Low impact does not mean low intensity. Try these exercises to stop huffing and puffing on the trail.

Knowing how to identify these five common venomous snakes, found across the United States, can save you stress on the trail. 

Insomnia can stop you from enjoying a trip to the fullest. Fight it with this advice.

Get a hearty dose of fruit and vegetables right on the trail.

Learn to identify, treat, and avoid shin splints for happier hiking.

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.

Taking your first unguided step onto a big mountain is a leap of faith. Backpacker editor (and retired guide) Shannon Davis tells you how to do it right.

You don’t need a rope and harness to explore nature’s labyrinths. Fall is prime time in canyon country—take advantage of the dry weather and take your hiking to a new level.

Bring a little autumn flavor right to the trail with this easy backcountry pie recipe.

Ready to spend your first night out but don’t know where to start? We've got you covered.

Toilet paper is one of those modern conveniences that most people shudder to think of living without. But in the backcountry, you don't need it.

A recent study suggests that chest compressions may be the most important skill for rescuers to deploy after a drowning.

What's better than apple pie? Apple pie baked over a campfire, of course.

There's sleeping outside, and then there's sleeping outside. Learn to camp without a tent or tarp using these easy tips.

Save time, money, and the planet with these 16 simple gear fixes you can do at home.

Those instructions on the brownie box? Feel free to ignore them. This simple technique will get you a gooey, chocolatey dessert in just a few minutes.

A charging grizzly bear is NOT the same thing as a mugger on a street corner, or even a charging pit bull. Get a bear spray deterrent that's up to the job.

Prep your trail legs with this hiking-specific training plan.

You might be ready for the trail, but your shiny new boots probably aren’t. Here’s how to get them prepped for adventure.

Your body may have changed during a year of staying home. And even if your physical fitness has remained constant, your neurological connections may have weakened from a lack of stimuli. It’s time to shake off the sluggishness with this workout designed to get your body moving. Include it in your exercise routine every other week.

These facts about America's parks will blow your mind.

Your legs are only as strong as your hips when it comes to your comfort on the trails and your form on the slopes.

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.