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Over 200 of California's state parks are open for free on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Looking for one to visit? Start with these five.

Where we live, temps are dropping fast. Skip the cold-season slog and chase warm trails and long days below the equator.

Don't hang up your boots for winter yet. Spend the fourth season LASH-ing your way through the most scenic parts of the Pacific Crest Trail.

Thaw out this winter on these easy, breezy coastal hikes.

Never split up on the trail. And if you do, never take all the gear with you.

We have her outnumbered three to one; what could go wrong?

Hike along turquoise waters and old-growth forests on the Diablo Lake Trail.

Fall is here. Watch the leaves transform from the comfort of these backcountry huts.

Nestled in the heart of the North Cascades, the Goat Lake Trail is a perfect dayhike to see waterfalls, dense old-growth trees, and some snippets of an old mining settlement.

A 29-year-old solo hiker suffered "significant but non-life-threatening" wounds after the attack on the Turbid Lake Trail.

North Carolina's Mount Mitchell State Park had been closed since Hurricane Helene wrecked part of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Whether you’d prefer to summit a craggy peak or go for a riverside ramble, these are the most stunning trails in the National Park System.

From rugged Upper Midwest forests to sweeping Appalachian ridgelines, the North Country Trail spans 4,800 miles across eight states.

Take a ferry or kayak to these campsites only accessible via water.

These adventures are perfect for class 2 and 3 first-timers.

Plus tips on how to spend your golden years on the trail.

This family-friendly hike packs a visual punch. In less than an hour, you'll pass shaded forest paths, expansive overlooks over the lakeshore, and much more.

Colorado's highest peaks saw an estimated 265,000 hiker-days in 2024, far short of the pandemic-era record, but a gain over 2023.

No TSA fuss, no parking lot madness. Take the rail to these four hiking towns flush with beautiful trails.

These multiday trails offer scenic nature in a convenient package.

These shorter Adirondack trails near popular towns and lakes all offer stunning views and some fun, punchy climbs. 

A father of three is dead shortly after attempting the 29,032-foot "Everesting" challenge in Wyoming.

Because her injuries prevented her from getting off-trail herself, officials used a high-tech drone to help track her down.

Jasper, Alberta, turned wildfire into a tourist opportunity for hikers. Here's what happened when our writer took a trip up north.

The child was hiking on a popular trail with their family when the mountain lion attacked. 

There are so many amazing hikes to choose from in the Green Mountain State. Here are our favorites—ranging from quick dayhikes to multi-week backpacking trips.

Sure, the Mighty Five are great. But they're also crowded. These trails outside those parks have a little more breathing room.

There's no better time than the summer to embark on this classic Californian road trip.

A near-miss on a popular Utah trail serves as a reminder to stay alert in the area.

Parent of a tiny trailblazer? These short yet stunning national park trails are perfect for families with kids—including infants.

Hike out of your cabin at one of these new and upgraded nature retreats.

I backpacked a segment of New Mexico’s in-the-works Rio Grande Trail. Here’s what it was like.

Hike Cathedral Rock Trail in Sedona for epic views and steep scrambles. Learn what to bring, which route to take, and how to navigate the shuttle system.

Climb coastal summits, rock-hop rugged coastline, and explore historic carriage roads in the oldest national park east of the Mississippi.

Even after preparing and training for months, I made mistakes. Here's what I'll do differently on my next Mt. Whitney summit.

Hike the Lost Coast Trail safely with this complete guide to permits, tides, gear, and a three-day itinerary through coastal wilderness.

Montaña de Oro is one of California’s biggest state parks, but it receives a fraction of Yosemite National Park’s visitation.

In a park like this, there's a lot of competition for the 'best trail' title. These are the best hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park.

Sometimes you travel without a rental car, and sometimes trailhead parking lots fill up quick. Whatever the reason, you can access these trails via local public transit.

You won't have to sacrifice beauty for solitude on these crowd-free national park hikes.

Lottery losers can still have a great trip to Zion National Park on these five trails.

Hike alongside basalt cliffs, through lush meadows, and between tiny towns in this lesser-traveled region of Ireland.

You'll find wildlife, rugged trail miles, and scenery for days on this remote, point-to-point hike.

When one mom took her family on the nocturnal trail less traveled, could nature help her daughter overcome a fear of the dark?

This year, National Park Week runs from April 19 to 27.

I sort of failed on my quest to hike one of the southwest's less-backpacked parks. Learn from my mistakes.

Some are blooming now, and others don't reach their peak until early fall.

Looking for luxe hot springs, private via ferratas, and backcountry mountaineering? Find them at the eight best wilderness retreats in North America.

Olympic National Park’s Enchanted Valley transports hikers to another world via the East Fork Quinault River Trail.

Everyone has a favorite national park. But when it comes to hiking, some just do it better than others.

On your next adventure, go deep, not just high.

Solitude is nice, but let's face it: Often the best part of a long trail is the company. Meet a new group of hiking pals and explore your new favorite landscapes on these guided hikes.

After a devastating breakup, one writer returns to Alaska to challenge herself and get closure.

Death is, in fact, a good hiking buddy. Here's how risk management can help you forge ahead in scary terrain.

After a Chinese-based tech company released robotic exoskeletons last month, hikers got the chance to test them on a hike up the steep Mt. Tai.

Don't fight light pollution to see the best shows our universe can produce. Feel the awe of the night on these dark sky backpacking trails.

Seeing Balto, a dog from my local animal shelter, experience true joy on the trail helped me process an unexpected future.

Four legendary thru-hikers share their favorite spots to train for long trails.

Want to add some heat to your hikes? These six trails scale active volcanoes, from Japan to Italy to Guatemala and everywhere in between.

Usually, America's southernmost long trail is a safe haven from winter weather. But this week, Florida Trail hikers along the Panhandle woke up to a once-in-a-lifetime sight: several inches of snow.

On these trails, you can have complete post-hike relaxation just steps from your campsite.

It has cypress swamps, shorelines, and an offbeat character all its own. What the Florida Trail doesn't have is crowds, or many thru-hikers at all. Could it be the winter adventure for you?

Chuckwalla and Sáttítla Highlands are our country's two newest national monuments. Here's where you should explore them.

On January 7, Kai Cranmore was on a dayhike near Pacific Palisades with a group of his friends when one of them smelled smoke. Minutes later, they were fleeing as a wildfire spread through the canyon around them.

Here’s to a new year of adventure. Fill your 2025 calendar with day trips and thru-hikes to summit peaks, remote forests, and urban escapes with our picks for the best destinations of the year.

From dropping egos to taking a first-ever overnight trip, experienced hikers share their hopes and dreams for the new year ahead.

From unforgettable dayhikes to crowd-free international treks, these were the best trips we wrote about this year.

From a spin around a local trail to a hike toward a Wonder of the World, these were our editors' favorite treks this year.

Eight years after the White House slashed its size by more than 85%, the recently-restored Bears Ears National Monument may be back on the chopping block—and legal experts say the entire national monument system could be in jeopardy alongside it.

Could your worst miles create your best memories? After a hike on a rocky Pennsylvania segment of the Appalachian Trail, our editor ponders.

An autumnal section hike of the 4,800-mile North Country Trail brought our writer closer to his ancestry, his home state, and himself. Here's how to hike it yourself.

November is the prime hiking season on these trails. Here are four hikes to spend your holiday weekend in complete bliss.

In a park where black bear sightings were rare, Zion visitors saw more bears in 2024, specifically between May and June.

Weaving nearly 70 miles through the Sekida Mountains, the Shinetsu Trail has become a crown jewel of Japanese hiking. And if it hadn't been for two backpackers' visit to the Appalachian Trail more than 20 years ago, it might never have happened.

Election day is next Tuesday, and we're all feeling the heat. Take a breather on these trails, but only after you've turned in your ballot.

The Lakeshore Trail offers 4 days of stunning views along Lake Superior.

Can’t take it anymore? We can't either. Step up to the void and scream it out on these six trails. 

Two born-and-raised Alaskans think the Bomber Traverse might be one of the best wilderness backpacking trips in the U.S. However, even experienced backpackers must be prepared for challenging conditions, including glacier travel, scrambling through boulder fields, and even midsummer snowfall.

I brought my new-to-backpacking friend to Wrangell-St. Elias National Park for an overnighter. Here's what I got right and what I'd do differently next time.

After our editor encountered a hiker in a concerning state on Mt. Whitney, she knew she had to step up.