Opinion

Backpacking’s changed a lot over the years. Is its heyday behind us, or is it yet to come?

After a group of campers left one of the Appalachian Trail's most beautiful sites covered in trash, the Forest Service banned camping there. But did it go too far? One local argues for a course correction.

Can the East's small but rugged mountains unseat the Rockies' biggest peaks?

Our soft-drink warriors both believe this sugary, caffeine-packed soda is the perfect refreshment after exercise or adventure. (Hmm. OK.) They disagree about flavors, and be warned: it might get loud.

People keep falling into outdoor latrines while rescuing lost phones. Our editors list the belongings they would fish out of an outdoor crapper—and which ones they’d leave behind.

From the Wonderland Trail to the Wave, many of the most spectacular places in the United States are only available to people willing to go through a permit lottery. For Maggie Slepian, it’s just not worth the hassle.

Backpackers often turn their noses up at the Havasu Falls and Horseshoe Bends of the world. But that’s elitist, and it ignores one important fact besides: these places are gorgeous.

Hiking a long trail is a challenge no matter who you are. But not everyone is equally able to make the compromises it requires.

Hikers need to stop trampling trailside flora in pursuit of “the shot.”

Overcrowding is destroying our parks. Timed entry systems can save them.

In the wilderness, it isn't cheap, paracord-wrapped hatchets and trenching tools that we need to survive. It's each other.

In the wilderness, it isn't cheap, paracord-wrapped hatchets and trenching tools that we need to survive. It's each other.

Cairns—navigational aids made out of piled or stacked rocks—get a lot of hate nowadays. That's not justified.

From unleashed dogs to unsecured food, it's time to change the culture around bear conservation.

After a two decade deadlock, now is the time to take a stand around plane and helicopter tourism.

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.

Hiking is about living in the moment, not speed.

Featherweight gear takes a lot of the pain out of carrying a load. But when it breaks in the middle of a long hike, it puts that pain right back in again.

In the 1970s, crews finished carving a tribute to the Confederacy into Stone Mountain. Fifty years later, it's time to scrape it off.

Every woman who hikes has been the target of mansplaining—and Backpacker editors are no exception.

There are more hikers on the trail than ever—and that means more wear and tear. It's up to all of us to help fix it.

A recent court decision struck down permit requirements for commercial filming and photography in the national parks. One land manager considers just how bad it could get.

It’s time to extend the same respect we have for the land to all the people who use it.

Why do we still run our public lands like it’s 1920?

The results of this fall’s election could change the outdoors for a long time. Make a plan and make your voice heard.

Is natural beauty always in the eye of the beholder?

When companies don't offer plus sizes, that sends a message about who is and isn't welcome in the outdoors.

The Western U.S. is rife with forests and deserts that you can't visit. A new law could fix that—if we're willing to fight for it.

There are a lot of good reasons to fight racism. Let’s add one more: We can’t protect the climate without ending it.

We can do better for the environment.

Supportive social media posts are a start. But as the country protests yet another Black man’s murder, the outdoor industry has to take a stronger position against structural racism.

With even local trails getting clogged, our editor has some advice for you that he hoped he’d never have to give.

Goodbye, spring, summer, fall, and winter. Backpackers need new seasons that help us understand what actually matters: daylight.

Online bullying isn’t going to make our public lands better, says writer Morgan Sjogren.

We do need to prioritize the parks, but not among each other, writes former National Park Service Director Jonathan Jarvis.

National Parks may be America’s best idea, but we’ve created more preserves than we can take care of. It’s time to rightsize the system.

Hunters fund conservation through taxes and tag fees. As their numbers decline, it’s time for hikers to step up.

Use some elbow grease to give back to the land you love.

A new report from a UN committee says that one million species worldwide are threatened with extinction by humans. What does that mean for the wilderness experience?

The longest government shutdown in history reminded us how we can be better stewards of our national parks—and each other.

Cutting off of a muddy trail may seem harmless, but it has real consequences.

One reason we love backpacking is because it’s hard—but those lessons shouldn't end when we get back to the car.

Whatever you celebrate, do it up different.

Should we have trail markers where they're not needed or wanted?

We all slip, trip, and fall. So what's with all the embarrassment?

Sharing is caring—but not when it comes to your tunes.

Do our wild places really need so much infrastructure?

Can you have too much of a good thing? Let’s pressure our pols to designate new parks.

Eliminating entrance fees probably won’t change the economics behind a park visit—but it just might change how we think and feel about the experience.

More than 600 million acres. Mountains, forests, and plains. Canyons, coasts, and deserts. It’s the American birthright. And it’s at risk.

Eight instructors, guides, and pros share the wildest things they’ve seen on the route less traveled.

Hiking in the Instagram era gives your followers great memories, but can rob you of your own. Our scout takes a break from the social hamster wheel—and likes it.

Wild places can be a space for reflection and healing. By shrinking protected lands, writes Rob Vessels, Secretary Ryan Zinke is taking that from us.

The best way to leaf-peep is by boat—as long as you don't end up in court.