What Are the Most Dangerous National Parks? One Study Got it Wrong.
A widely-circulated article ranks parks by the total deaths they saw in a ten-year period. But those numbers don’t tell the real story.
Master essential wilderness survival skills with tips and advice from the experts at Backpacker Magazine. Our experts teach you how to build fires, forage for food, find shelter, survive animal attacks, and get the most out of every piece of gear you bring into the wilderness.
A widely-circulated article ranks parks by the total deaths they saw in a ten-year period. But those numbers don’t tell the real story.
When campfires are allowed, it's important to know how to light them—and how to put them out.
Amber Kohnhorst was hundreds of miles from her nearest friend when she fell down a cliff and broke her back.
Floods, falls, ornery wildlife: Find out if you have what it takes to survive a desert dayhike gone wrong.
Humans have been starting fires without matches longer than with them. Can our modern man measure up?
Stay safe and move efficiently on loose, steep terrain.
'Marking your territory' to keep bears away from your tent may seem like a smart idea. The reality: It does more harm than good.
A heart-stopping bolt hits one hiker and levels a group of his friends who then fight to resuscitate him.
From a leaky tent to a bout of hypothermia, these misadventures left us wiser in the end.
Did ranger Randy Morgenson succumb to disaster or despair?
A survey of more than 700 John Muir Trail thru-hikers gave researchers insight into what makes a hiker more likely to get injured or ill while backpacking.
If you get lost while hiking, you need to how to find your footing and reconnect with your group up the trail.
Running into danger to save others is a noble urge. But curb it: A hurt rescuer is worse than no rescuer at all.
They survived and celebrate their "second birthday" every year.
A post making its way through several social media channels has misleading advice, according to SAR officials.
And what to do when you see an injured hiker on the trail.
When his brother turned back a few miles into their overnight hike, Jacob Velarde decided to continue solo. It was a mistake.
When his brother turned back a few miles into their overnight hike, Jacob Velarde decided to continue solo. Then, he fell.
Warm summers mean more snakes, and more people outside mean more encounters. Here's what to do if you get bitten,
For decades, hikers have debated the benefits of filters. Here's where we land.