From long-trail heroes to quirky characters to nail-biting tales of danger, these stories are some of the best pieces of hiking writing ever composed.

In the Darién Gap, cheap boots from Colombia are tools for survival, not recreation. After a reporting trip to the notorious migration route, backpacker and journalist James Stout reflects on what it means when hiking is a path to a better life.

Pet owners have long been able to vaccinate their dogs against Lyme disease. Soon, a promising vaccine could give hikers the same protection.

Pulling a sled of gear across a frozen lake in Minnesota, a mountaineer discovers just how challenging and deeply rewarding polar exploration is.

Rich Moore and his dog Finney disappeared on a hike in Colorado in August. Ten weeks later, crews found the dog alive. Now, friends and family are trying to understand what happened.

Hitting the trail with someone may be the best way to get to know them. But what if that "someone" is your new hubby?

Philip Carcia trekked nearly 2,000 miles over 90 days—all in his backyard mountain range.

An affidavit filed as part of an ongoing lawsuit confirms that the treasure was buried inside an iconic American landmark, and now officials are scrambling to keep the exact location secret

Watch as the Moon family sets out on a camping adventure in the all-new Toyota Tundra

Watch as the Moon family sets out on a camping adventure in the all-new Toyota Tundra

Watch the new documentary from Athletic Brewing Company that chronicles Hardrath’s record-breaking feat

As he hiked through this UNESCO World Heritage Site, Jake Maynard found that the people who made the canyon home challenged his American idea of "wilderness".

Animals can't talk. But Ed Newcomer can. As an elite U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service detective, he goes undercover to protect threatened raptors, bears, even butterflies—and bring poachers and smugglers to court. Inside the agency's latest covert operation.

“I love skiing because for me it’s turned into this equalizer,” Sojitra says in the film.

One hiker finds his limits in Mexico's Tararecua Canyon.

A pilgrim seeking peace and purpose on Spain’s famed Camino de Santiago finds much more.

Georgia’s most infamous bruin—and the true-crime saga around him—is getting the Hollywood treatment in a new Elizabeth Banks-produced film. But the real tale is almost too wild to believe.

Travel postponed? Live vicariously through these adventurous sagas instead.

Hike the desert or sail the Indian Ocean with these great (but sometimes cringe-inducing) flicks.

Need a boost up the mountain? Your pooch has stoke to spare.

Catalans are famously good hosts. I'll drink to that.

An obscure peak in the High Sierra preserves the legacy of a beloved ranger and beckons more to its granite summit.

Ryan, Rebecca, and Skyla Means's quest for solitude turns into a decade-long effort to visit the most remote location in every state—and learn if true quiet still exists.

South Koreans hike in droves. And they like it that way. An American who craves solitude joins the party.

On California’s Mt. Baldy, Sam Kim found spirit, grace, and fulfillment summit after summit after summit.

It’s called high-altitude flatus expulsion, and yes, it’s a real thing.

More people have climbed Mt. Everest than have highpointed every state in the U.S. But does that mean it's really hard or really crazy—or both?

Every year, scores of hikers go missing in the wilderness. What happens when one of them is someone you love? Robert Woodie joins the hunt for his father in the Sierra Nevada.

In this classic story from a 1977 issue of Backpacker, Abbey describes days of solitude in Mexico.