Outside

Stories

Spend your life on the trail, and one thing’s for sure: You’ll come away with plenty of hiking stories. From survival stories to personal essays to stories to adventure tales from the Pacific Crest Trail and Appalachian Trail, this is where you’ll find backpacker’s favorite yarns.

Stories

After My Son Died, the Mountains Helped Me See a Brighter Future

Richard Defino

Environment

Preview: Should a River Have the Same Rights as a Person?

Elizabeth Miller

Interviews

How a Hike Drew Mike Clelland Into a World of UFOs and “Owl Synchronicities”

BACKPACKER Editors

Environment

Should a River Have the Same Rights as a Person?

Elizabeth Miller

Environment

Bears Ears is Still in Limbo—and Oil and Mining Companies are Circling

Corey Buhay

Opinion

Opinion: Ban Aerial Tours in the National Parks

Benjamin Tepler

Profiles

Preview: Was the First Appalachian Trail Thru-Hiker a Fraud?

Bill Donahue

Profiles

Was the First Appalachian Trail Thru-Hiker a Fraud?

Bill Donahue

Opinion

No, Speed Hikers Aren’t “Missing the Point”

Maggie Slepian

Environment

Why Hikers Should Kill Invasive Plants

Casey Lyons

Essays

Ask a Thru-Hiker: What to Do When You Want to Quit Your Thru-Hike

Liz "Snorkel" Thomas

Thru-Hikes

App Intervention: Are We Too Reliant on Technology in the Backcountry?

Maggie Slepian

Issues

Is It Finally Time for the Backpack Tax?

Christine Peterson

Profiles

Jenny Jurek Comes Full Circle On The Appalachian Trail

Emma Zimmerman

Stories

Why Cowboy Camping is the Ultimate Way to Celebrate Summer

Dennis Lewon

Interviews

Here’s What It’s Like to Hike the Triple Crown as a Couple

Andy Cochrane

Thru-Hikes

Want to Have a Better Hike? Plan Less.

Maggie Slepian

Adventures

On an Epic Trip Through Mexico’s Copper Canyon, I Discovered My Limits the Hard Way

M. John Fayhee

Profiles

Meet 11 Heroes Who Are Saving Hiking’s Future

Steve Johnson

Profiles

This Hiker Hero Cleaned Up Literally All of the Trash on One of LA’s Most Popular Trails

BACKPACKER Editors

Essays

How a Mountain—and a Soccer Ball—Helped Me Deal With Grief

Stephanie Vermillion

Environment

On the Front Lines With the Wildland Firefighters Protecting the West

Lance Garland

Essays

Can Thru-Hiking Survive in the Age of Megafires?

Maggie Slepian

Environment

Colorado’s Fire Seasons Are Worse Than Ever. But There’s Reason for Hope.

Peter Moore

Thru Hikers

My Colorado Trail Thru-Hike Was a Journey Back to Myself

Patricia "Blackpacker" Cameron

Opinion

Speed Hikers Are Missing the Point (and So Much More)

Kristin Smith

Opinion

Going Ultralight? Make Sure Your Gear Can Survive the Trip.

Maggie Slepian

Nature

The Adventurous Life of a Professional Mushroom Hunter

Rachel Hellman

Essays

A Father, His Sons, And The Trail

Eli Bernstein

Trail Stories

My Boyfriend Had Never Backpacked—Until We Hiked the Appalachian Trail Together

Maggie Slepian

Issues

If We Want the Outdoors to Be Inclusive, We Need Inclusive Gear Too

Gabaccia Moreno

Essays

5 Photos That Prove Bad Weather Can Be Beautiful

Kristin Smith

Stories

Mix Wilderness Solitude and Frontcountry Luxury in Colorado

Steve Friedman

Stories

Traverse an Alpine Pass Between Glacier National Park’s Iconic Lakes

Kelly Bastone

Stories

Get All the Backcountry Glory With None of the Crowds at Lassen Volcanic National Park

BACKPACKER Editors, Dave Pidgeon

Interviews

Thru-Hiker Emily Ford Wants You to Know the Trail is for Everybody

BACKPACKER Editors

Essays

The Internet-Age Struggle: How Can We Protect the Outdoors Without Gatekeeping?

Maggie Slepian

Essays

The Most Important Skill I Learned on the Trail: How to Live as an Openly Gay Man

Lance Garland

Profiles

8 Diverse Backpackers You Need to Follow on Instagram

Gabaccia Moreno

Nature

Escape Into Nature With Our Favorite Livestreams

Kristin Smith

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