Stories

Skip the dog pictures: these nine ‘grammers focus on women-led outdoor adventure.

Are hiking dresses, skirts, and kilts more than a novelty? I freed my legs to find out.

It’s the perfect time for the Big Hairy One to consider rebranding.

In the six months since Boy Scouts of America announced they would allow young women to join their ranks, the Girl Scouts of the USA have become some of its fiercest critics. Does the BSA have what it takes to serve its newest members?

These explorers’ exploits go beyond just summiting a mountain: They're using the outdoors to preserve Native culture, protect the environment, and more.

This week, BACKPACKER is putting the focus on the women of hiking. Guest editor Kassondra Cloos explains why that matters.

They go above and beyond for the love of the trail. Now, BACKPACKER is shining the spotlight on them. Tell us who we should feature next.

This duo melds their passion for music and the outdoors by bringing their instruments into the backcountry.

Ever since she started snowboarding in high school, CLAIRE GIBSON knew she’d do whatever it’d take to get a foot into the outdoor industry. But she’s not just in it for the powder days. This twentysomething is out to change the world.

A childhood Outward Bound trip inspired Perry Cohen to create one of America’s first queer and transgender guiding services. Now, he wants to change the outdoor industry.

You may not be able to ski jump or drive a bobsled, but you're a master at hanging bear bags, gorging on ramen, and smelling really, really bad. Win a medal at one of these 11 events.

When we ran a story about the beauty of trail-less hiking, some of our readers objected. BACKPACKER Editor-in-Chief Dennis Lewon responds.

Whether you’re up for a two-minute phone call or a two-hour meeting, follow these tips to save the lands you love.

Being American makes you part owner of some of the finest terrain in the world. Better get a handle on your portfolio.

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

Protecting land is only the first step. Hikers need trails, and trails don’t build themselves. Grab a Pulaski and create new paths and restore lost routes on these 10 trips.

New science seeks to quantify how wild spaces can treat widespread mental health issues. In the wake of a personal struggle, writer Annette McGivney gets a firsthand look.

Can a trail-loving conservative use public land to bridge the partisan divide? M. John Fayhee joins Representative Martha McSally on the Arizona Trail to find out.

In Arizona, the National Park Service and the Navajo government are building a better way to run a park.

When three parks in America's biggest state were on the brink of closure, Valdez Adventure Alliance stepped in to help.

The U.S. may have pioneered land protection, but Scotland leads the charge when it comes to accessing wild terrain. Can we learn from one of the most hikeable countries on Earth?

Not since the days of the Wild West has the public land picture seemed so unsettled.

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.

The Navajo Nation and four other tribes are going to court to restore Bears Ears National Monument's original boundaries. If they fail, it could change American public lands forever.

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.

Can a couples backpacking trip help a pair of newlyweds work out their differences?

Looking to curl up with a good read? We've got you covered with these essential outdoor books from the editors of BACKPACKER.

Is it always rude to dash off as soon as slower hikers catch up? Maybe the slinky stop has its place.

Bear rehabber Kathleen Ramsay has rehabilitated hundreds of bears—orphaned, sick, hit by cars. Under her care, they get another shot at growing up.

When five-year-old Christian Thomas set out with his family to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail, some skeptics said he couldn’t—and shouldn’t. But like a lot of kids, he wasn’t listening.

A warming climate is transforming grizzlies' diets. Will it endanger their future?

Too little time and too much to see? Go faster.

You can never step in the same river twice. Stepping into the same forest, though? That's a different story.

Though certain places are more famous for fall foliage, you can find fiery color all over the Lower 48. Use this map to see when each region typically peaks and what leaves you can expect.

A fight is brewing over the country's most endangered bruin.

Can a rare breed of highly trained, Russian-bred dogs help keep hikers—and bears—safer? Land managers around the country are betting on it.

Has the AT’s party culture gone too far? Bill Donahue joins the trail’s biggest blowout to find out.

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.

Our resident bruin expert answers all your questions in our 'Ask A Bear' column.

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

As more and more outdoor brands adopt give-back programs, it’s time to wonder: What does my purchase accomplish? Can good gear really do good? On a trip with LifeStraw’s clean-water campaign in Kenya, Dennis Lewon investigates.

Fifty miles a day for 45 days. No crew. Joe McConaughy’s AT thru-hike was one for the record (and history) books.

Terminal cancer. What would you do if your doctor delivered the scariest two words in the English language? Andy Lyon went for a hike.

Smokejumpers drop into some of the purest, most isolated wilderness in the country to fight summer wildfires. During four years on the front lines, Thomas Haney used his camera and words to capture the essence of the job, the vastness of its reach, and the moments and places that make it unlike any other.

Literally. Let’s try a new system when it comes to managing poop in the mountains.

What if urban parks are better than distant wilds at turning city kids onto nature? Ted Alvarez heads to Baltimore to investigate a new movement in the effort to connect kids to the land—and save the city’s soul.

In "A Field Guide to Losing Your Friends," a writer recalls how the national parks helped him heal from a tragedy.

When you’re swallowed by night, the celestial show begins.

Sacred paths the world over help hikers discover deeper truths about the world and themselves. But what truly makes a path transformative? Elisabeth Kwak-Hefferan treks a new 170-mile loop in Montana in search of the pilgrimage she needs.

When one of the winningest ultrarunners in the sport set out to break the AT's supported record, the path's elder statesmen gave him one piece of advice: respect the trail. Eight years later, a new documentary shows why.

Spend enough time adventuring and chances are you'll require some assistance.

Hangovers are bad enough in the frontcountry, but one reader must finish his hike anyway.

Most thru-hikers use blogs and Facebook to stay in touch with home. Miyagi used watercolors.

You don’t need to be an English major to make poetry part of your next hike.

Silver Falls, Oregon

Sinks Canyon, Wyoming

Roan Mountain, Tennessee

Antelope Island, Utah

What’s better than climbing one peak? Climbing two. Or three—or five. Head to one of these summit-blessed basecamps and go up until your legs give out.

Because you need to catch it at least once before you die.

Venture deep into the heart of this paddler’s paradise for the best fish-and-foliage adventure in the Lower 48.

With mountains, being the highest doesn’t always mean being the best. This fall, raise a trekking pole to America’s best dayhikeable penultimate peaks.

Education and recreation meet on these campuses, with thriving outdoor programs and nearby trails and mountains.

We delight in revealing your favorite trail, lake, or campsite—and your hidden place is better off for it.

Concentrated beauty

Acadia National Park

Yosemite National Park

Yellowstone National Park

Pinnacles National Park

Congaree National Park

Olympic National Park

Glacier National Park

The World Bank has invested $2 million in creating a long path in the West Bank. Can hiking help where politics have failed?

A personal perspective on camping in all 50 U.S. states

The Department of the Interior wants to update a successful conservation model for the modern era.

There are more than just 59 beautiful wild lands in the States. But which areas have the best shot at earning coveted national park status?

For millions of visitors each year, the national parks are a playground and a sanctuary. For a few, they’re a final stop.

Nepal has fueled hiker dreams for more than four decades. It’s time for hikers to return the favor—but be prepared for an experience that goes beyond great treks.

Thinking of hiking a long trail or just love dreaming about it? Curl up with one of these dozen stories.