Stories

After becoming the oldest person to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail at age 83, M.J. “Nimblewill Nomad” Eberhart reflects on the trip that got him there.

The Ten Essentials could save your life on a hike. Craig calls coffee his “lifesaver,” and honestly, it was funnier the first time.

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.

Join us on a trek in Nepal, and let’s show how hiking and helping go hand in hand.

Thanks to the warming world, Lyme infections are on the rise in the Northeast—and hiking there might never be the same again.

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

You only think you know Leave No Trace's guidelines. See the ones that didn't make the cut.

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

Check out James Dziezynski's author page.

If you're thinking of bringing a firearm on a long trail, there are a few things you need to be aware of first.

Surviving in the wilderness is easier than you think. How easy is it? I made up these survival strategies off the top of my head. Take that, “experts”!

The natural world has a lot to say, if we’re willing to listen.

Campfires used to be a ubiquitous part of the outdoors; thanks to wildfire risk, they’re getting rarer and rarer. Could we see the day where they’re a thing of the past?

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

With tents getting lighter and lighter, do tarps still have a place in hikers’ packs? We say: sure, maybe? Whatever.

For one hiker, nature is the best place to confront her past and consider her future.

It doesn’t matter how beautiful the scenery is, or how lucky you are to be out there: Hike for long enough, and you’ll have bad days. And guess what? There’s nothing wrong with that.

Get a picturesque lake in Glacier National Park all to yourself.

Two-thirds of the way through a monumental hiking challenge, there's still so much left to learn.

Two-thirds of the way through a monumental hiking challenge, there's still so much left to learn.

A father confronts his grief in the Adirondacks.

Environmental activists are pursuing legal steps that would allow natural entities to sue in their own defense through a human spokesperson. But maybe it’s the conversation, and not the law, that matters most.

When a normal trip turned strange, one hiker found himself transfixed by the paranormal.

Environmental activists are pursuing legal steps that would allow natural entities to sue in their own defense through a human spokesperson. But maybe it’s the conversation, and not the law, that matters most.

With Biden’s oil and gas moratorium derailed, Bears Ears is back on the chopping block. Here’s the latest.

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

The hiking community has long praised Earl Shaffer for being the first person to complete the iconic trail in a single push. But one man wants us to take a closer look at Shaffer’s claims.

The hiking community has long praised Earl Shaffer for being the first person to complete the iconic trail in a single push. But one man wants us to take a closer look at Shaffer’s claims.

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.

Humans have unmatched power to alter natural landscapes. Let’s use it for good

Is your motivation running dry? Try one of these strategies to recharge it.

Electronics can make our hikes easier and more safe. But we may have gone too far.

Hunters and anglers say other outdoor users need to step up as the costs of conservation skyrocket

In 2015, while crewing for her husband, Scott’s, successful Appalachian Trail speed record, Jenny Jurek began healing from the grief of two traumatic miscarriages. In 2021, she returned to the trail with their two young children in tow.

Tear down the walls: Sleeping without a tent gives a true backcountry experience.

Liz and Collin Blunk already checked off the Pacific Crest Trail and the Appalachian Trail. Now they're on-route to complete their Triple Crown with this summer's hike of the Continental Divide. They share the wisdom they've won over nearly 8,000 miles together.

Plot out a long hike too much, and it starts to feel like work. But there’s a better way.

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

Without a healthy world, there's no backpacking. These 11 backpackers and advocates are fighting for a better Earth.

When Edgar McGregor decided to clean up Eaton Canyon, he started a quest that spanned 2 years and thousands of pounds of trash.

Our writer sought meditation on Africa’s tallest peak. What she found was something even more meaningful: fun.

The new era of wildland firefighting is a war with no end in sight.

Long-distance hikers face a short window to finish their treks. Climate change could close it even further.

Just outside of Rocky Mountain National Park, a fire ecologist reckons with damage and recovery after last year’s calamitous wildfires.

Patricia Cameron set out to hike the 486-mile Colorado Trail to raise awareness for her nonprofit. She ended up finding out even more about her personal strengths.

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.

For a professional forager, the woods offer peace and sustenance.

I quit hiking when I was a teenager. Years later, an unfinished pact with my dad brought me back.

Some hikers prepare for years to thru-hike the AT. Others do it on a whim.

From plus-size packs to shoes for people who have undergone amputations, outdoor brands are starting to recognize the importance of catering to customers who don’t fit traditional outdoor norms.

Foul-weather backcountry days have an allure all their own.

Hike from a high-end resort to a remote alpine lake in the Rockies.

Hike from St. Mary Lake to McDonald Lake through some of the Lower 48's best bear country.

Backpack a knee-trembling route through an active geothermal zone.

Late last December, Emily Ford, 28, of Duluth, Minnesota, took her first steps on Wisconsin’s 1,200-mile Ice Age Trail with a borrowed sled dog named Diggins. “I was laid off from my job as head gardener at the Glensheen Mansion, and I took full advantage,” she says. Ten weeks later, she became the first woman and second person ever to thru-hike the IAT in winter.

With information about “secret” trails and campsites all over the internet, finding a balance between conserving the wilderness and welcoming people to it has never been more important—or more challenging.

In one of America’s least visited national parks, I find my authentic self.

Hiking is for everyone, not just the kind of people you're used to seeing in magazines. See the trail from a different perspective with these 8 fantastic Instagram creators.

Even when you're stuck indoors, you can get a taste of the wild with one of these video feeds. Pick your favorite and embrace the chillout.

There's nothing quite like kicking back at camp with a good book. These eight are light both literally and figuratively, making for perfect campfire companions.

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

Hiking is for everyone—but as Kara Richardson Whitely, a.k.a. Mama Kubwa, discovered, not everyone has gotten the memo.

Trees are remarkable. Wow your hiking partners with these fun facts.

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

A footbridge on this San Diego Trail would prevent more hikers from befalling a similar fate, and honor their son.

Nature is wild. Wow your hiking partners with these fun facts.

Researchers tracking bears resettling in the southeast watch and learn their habits to help humans adjust to their new neighbors.

As a small-town newspaper reporter, I’ve had a front-row seat to what happens when people’s and bears’ paths cross.

There are hundreds of thousands of black bears in America, and we know precious little about what they do with their time. The researchers of the #BearsEyeView project are trying to change that.

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.

Jobs, trips, moves: Every time I tried to hit the trail with my dad, life got in the way. Then something happened that made me realize just how much time I had wasted.

From non-profits to trail builders, organizations around the outdoors are working to make the simple pleasure of a day in the woods available to everyone. And they need your help.

What does hiking 800 miles in less than two weeks do to your body? Ultrarunner and FKT holder Joe McConaughy hit the Arizona Trail to find out.

Once you leave the trailhead, your safety is in your own hands.

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.

Look up, be prepared, and don’t forget the snacks.

When the rigors of warfare prove too much for standard-issue gear, the military turns to the outdoor industry. But the flow of innovation, equipment, and profit is anything but leakproof.