Stories

When the White Mountains' hot spots get too hot, there's always the Pilot Range.

Think slickrock in July and your throat clenches, your skin shrivels, and parched bones rattle in your subconscious. But in winter, the snow sends the tourists and dry desert demons packing, and the frosted wonderland is all yours.

The Ouachita Mountains sheltered outlaws and gave John Wayne something to crow about. But it's not until you hike the 223-mile Ouachita Trail that you realize this country is the stuff of legend.

An Ohio trail that reclaimed land from the ore era.

For some, reaching Maine's Mt. Katahdin is the end of a life-altering 2,100-mile pilgrimage. For others it's a lark. We captured the extremes, and a little bit of everything in between, one day atop Maine's "greatest mountain."

Deseret Peak Wilderness has everything the popular Wasatch Range does, except the crowds.

Hiking through Oregon's Jefferson Park puts you in the heart of what was once some pretty hot country.

Panoramic ridge-hiking through New England.

Drop off the lip of Linville Gorge into a world of rock escarpments, deep forests, and whitewater.

There are plenty of Bambi's brethren along the Quehanna Trail-if you know where to look.

Thank the Ice Age for the challenging hiking and incredible views you'll find in the Blue Hills.

Redwood Meadow's massive trees and wild countryside have changed little since Muir passed through 100 years ago.

Hike like a conquistador through Colorado's Sangre de Cristo Mountains.

They paw, prance, bang heads, and curl lips. The rut is on, and there's no better time to observe the wild kingdom.

The Middle Fork of the Salmon River Trail is a 100-mile-long backpacker's dream that comes complete with muscle-soothing waters and the occasional glass of wine with your four-course dinner.

Theodore Roosevelt ventured into the North Dakota Badlands an East Coast city Boy. After the land got through with him, he had the fortitude to run a nation and the insight to preserve more wildlands than anyone in history.

We love watching wildlife, but follow these tips to stay safe.

Sometimes you have to go where the guidebooks haven't been, but watch your step.

Baldface Range's icy swimming holes and heights will get any hiker worked up.

You'll find North Cascades beauty minus the rain in Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness.

Keep your cool on Nevada's Mt. Charleston Loop Trail.

Forget what CNN and Your Daily News say about Yosemite's crowds and crime and traffic. the "treasure of the Sierra" is still a golden place for backpackers to escape.

Tune up your senses and turn off the lights for a wild walk on the dark side.

Birds and deer are your only companions on this stretch of the Allegheny Trail.

The 76-mile Foothills Trail takes in all of the Blue Ridge's scenic wonders.

Two trails, same river, two different worlds.

The Continental Divide in Rocky Mountain National Park is a place of reckoning and, given its trackless nature, a place of choices. To a young man who came of age here, it offers perspective on paths not taken.

A small taste of Washington's mighty mountain.

The trails are lonely and the trout are always biting in this Inyo National Forest hideaway.

Tundra hiking in the shadow of Washington's ice-cloaked behemoth.

Waterfalls and old growth in this gorge-ous Oregon hideaway.

A roadless wonder in California's Los Padres Wilderness.

Head south to find the quiet side of the King.

There's elbow room to spare in this lofty hiker's haven.

If the beauty of the Colorado Sangres doesn't leave you breathless, the altitude will.

Plus 24 other round-the-campfire brain stumpers every nature buff should know.

Washington's rocky, log-strewn shore is no place for beach bums.

A high country stunner that defines Colorado wilderness.

The best wildlife stronghold in California.

Great lake views in Minnesota's land of moose and wolves.

All the park is a stage for nature's steamy performance in Lassen Volcanic National Park.

Hiking Wisconsin's glacier-carved trail will set you back 12,000 years.

Nine hikes as big as the hearts of their namesake wilderness visionaries.

Wondrous lava formations in the Sierra's granite kingdom.

Look on the south sides of mountains to catch animals coming out in spring.

A 42-mile loop through America's version of the Black Forest.

The East Cactus Plain Wilderness brims with life and solitude. Just don't forget the water.

Harriman/Bear Mountain State Park is only an hour from Manhattan, but you'll feel like you're worlds away.

The ancient Uwharries have baffled geologists, but hikers know a good thing when they see it.

Smooth and easy hiking deep in the heart of Texas.

On its way from the Ohio to the Mississippi, Illinois' new River to River Trail takes you through a surprisingly wild side of the Corn Belt.

If the redwoods don't wow you, there's always the world-class California coastline.

Thirteen miles in the spectacular Sangre De Cristos.

Wilderness doesn't get much better, or higher, than Holy Cross.

Thrills and views by the minute on the Kinsman Ridge Trail.

South Carolina: A wealth of waterfalls and world-class swimming.

In a land with few trails, Alaska's Resurrection Pass stands above them all.

Quirky geology leads to even quirkier residents at Missouri's Hercules Glades.

A well-intentioned handout today could mean disaster for panhandling wildlife tomorrow.

A mysterious ravine, old-growth forest, and big climbs -- only at Mt. Greylock Reservation.

While the desert sizzles, Arizona's Kachina Peaks are cool and comfortable.

Exploring the wilder, uncrowded reaches of our highest national park.

Explore Washington's storied old-growth forests plus an authentic ghost town.

Sierra scenery at L.A.'s backdoor.

Fifteen trails that'll take you from flaming maples to towering redwoods, with plenty of shimmering aspen in between.

Tackling the High Uintas Wilderness from the east offers big paybacks.

Challenge and a hint of risk are part and parcel in Ramseys Draft Wilderness.

A trek through the blast zone of a restless volcano raises questions about a father's legacy and a child's future.

What makes those golf-ball-size lumps on trees? A tiny wasp with a lot of nerve.

Go out at night for a whole new look into wilderness.

Even though they eat boots and pack straps, there's newfound appreciation for porcupines.

The mountain lion is the only North American predator that occasionally stalks humans. Do you have anything to fear?

Big South Fork provides Utah-quality arches in Tennessee.

On their own and with help from the government, wolves are reclaiming their former range. Should you worry?

Hiking in grizzly territory requires preparation, respect, and a clear head. A little luck doesn't hurt, either.

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