5 Hiker Gifts for Less than $20
Our hiking columnist knows firsthand that buying gifts for the hiker in your life can induce anxiety. These affordable finds from independent companies can’t miss.
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Sponsored Content
The New Science of Hiking
The North Face VECTIV™ line of footwear helps you move with confidence and power further no matter the trail.
The 5 Best Baja Trips for Backpackers
Click your way through our adventure guide to Baja California, Mexico.
Even the Best Hikers Trip
We all slip, trip, and fall. So what's with all the embarrassment?
How to Hike in a Heat Wave
When it comes to summer test labs, Arizona’s Big Ditch takes the prize. Dr. Tom Myers, a guide and medical advisor for the Grand Canyon Association Field Institute, faces triple-digit temps every season. Follow his advice to keep cool.
25 National Park Adventures You Need to Have
For more than 100 years, our national parks have provided life-list experiences, adventures, and stop-in-your-tracks views. But not all parks—or hikes—are equal. So what’s a trekker to do? Start with these 25 trips, the new classics of the system. Consider them the merit badges of a very well-traveled backpacker.
4 Incredible Kaua’i Hikes (That Aren’t the Kalalau Trail)
There’s more to this Hawaiian island than its most famous trail—and with Na Pali Coast State Park closed indefinitely, there’s never been a better time to sample the best hikes Kaua’i has to offer.
Grizzly Bears Follow Hiker on Alaska Trail
Avoiding grizzlies with cubs is the easiest way to stay out of trouble. But what to do when they won't stop following you?
Grizzly Bears Follow Hiker on Alaska Trail
Avoiding grizzlies with cubs is the easiest way to stay out of trouble. But what to do when they won't stop following you?
Editors' Choice Spring 2016: Vasque Skywalk GTX
One of our all-time favorite boots is back.
Video: Why All Women Should Try Solo Backpacking
Professional adventurer Kalen Thorien explains how solo backpacking changed her life, and how it could change yours too.
Video: Why All Women Should Try Solo Backpacking
Professional adventurer Kalen Thorien explains how solo backpacking changed her life, and how it could change yours too.
Kindergarten Can Wait: The Story of Buddy Backpacker
Christian Thomas, a.k.a. "Buddy Backpacker" thru-hiked the AT with his family at the tender age of five, then conquered the PCT. And he's not finished yet.
Kindergarten Can Wait: The Story of Buddy Backpacker
Christian Thomas, a.k.a. "Buddy Backpacker" thru-hiked the AT with his family at the tender age of five, then conquered the PCT. And he's not finished yet.
2015 Editors' Choice Awards: Osprey Atmos AG / Aura AG
This pack raises the bar for big-load ventilation.
2015 Editors' Choice Awards: Osprey Atmos AG / Aura AG
This pack raises the bar for big-load ventilation.
Exploring California's Palisades
Watch our dispatch from the 2015 Editors' Choice Awards gear testing trip.
Fix It: Repair a Hiking Boot
Don't go boot shopping just because of a worn-out heel. Repair a hiking boot fast with this at-home fix.
Fix It: Repair a Hiking Boot
Don't go boot shopping just because of a worn-out heel. Repair a hiking boot fast with this at-home fix.
Survival School: How To Eat Your Hiking Partner
Would you resort to cannibalism if your life depended on it? A shocking number of our readers said "yes." Our expert shows you how to do the unthinkable.
Out Alive: Swept Away
As water crashes through a 70-foot-high slot canyon, three hikers have to make the ultimate choice to survive.
Tasmanian Adventure: Hiking Walls of Jerusalem National Park
Join the BACKPACKER editors on a trek through Tasmania.
Hiking Skills: Learn the Rest Step
Use this technique to conserve energy and hike for hours on end.
Gear Review: North Face Vibera Boot
Our tester breaks down this versatile boot from The North Face.
Grand 2 Grand Ultra Race
Watch as two BACKPACKER staffers toil through this grueling ultra hike.
Los Angeles: Parker Mesa
Hike, run, or bike this moderate 6.2-mile out-and-back, which follows a scenic, rolling ridgeline to a boot-shaped mesa with a stunning ocean vista.
Los Angeles: Hollywood Hills Loop
Hike 4.5 miles along Griffith Park's ridge for commanding views of the Hollywood sign and downtown.
Redding: Papoose Lake
Earmark a long weekend for this 31-miler linking tree-shaded lowlands, old mining homesteads, waterfalls, and a beautiful alpine lake.
Los Angeles, CA: Strawberry Peak
Ascend razor-thin ridgelines and scramble up sheer rock faces on this 10.7-mile loop to Strawberry Peak, one of the most challenging summits in the San Gabriel frontcountry.
Los Angeles, CA: San Gabriel River
Find solitude less than an hour from 20 million Angelenos on a 14-mile out-and-back peppered with fishing spots, waterfalls and rock pools.
Redding, CA: Stuart Fork to Alpine Lake
This 17-mile out-and-back in the Trinity Alps features pristine mountain lakes, stunning views and an easy, off-trail scramble.
Crater Lake Trail, Aspen, CO
A gentle 1.8 mile climb to an intimate view of the popular Maroon Bells from the lapping shores of Crater Lake.
Gear Review: Asolo Drifter GV Boot
These sturdy boots are nimble enough for short trail runs.
Profiles in (Dis)courage: Brenna Fisch
A profile of Brenna Fisch, who fell and broke her skull while hiking.
Editors' Choice 2012: Salomon Synapse Mid
Running-shoe comfort with hiking-boot stability.
Editors' Choice 2012: Boreas Buttermilks 55 & Lost Coast 60
Two ultralight, ultracomfortable backpacks - one with a top lid and one without.
Go Higher with Tips from Senior Editor and Professional Mountain Guide Shannon Davis
Tackle that big mountain with tips from our in-house mountain guide Tackle that big mountain with tips from our in-house mountain guide
Editors' Choice 2011: Black Diamond Ultra Distance Z-Poles
The best carbon poles we've ever tested.
Editors' Choice 2011: TrekSta Evolution Mid GTX
Ultralight, waterproof hikers that have all-day comfort and superb traction.
Editors' Choice 2011: Granite Gear Blaze AC 60
A lightweight pack with best-in-class suspension for heavy loads.
Editors' Choice 2010 Switzerland Team 1: Lenk to Lauterbrunnen
Get ready for the hike of a lifetime as our editors take you up the best trail in the Alps. Get ready for the hike of a lifetime as our editors take you up the best trail in the Alps. (Download the tracklog for this hike here!)
Layering 101: The Basics of Upper Body Layering
Gear Editor Kristin Hostetter demonstrates the basic clothing to wear on top to stay comfortable in any conditions.
Editors' Choice Trip 2009: Climbing Mount Snowdon
Rocky Mountain Editor Steve Howe tackles a different kind of mountain in this video. Join him as he battles howling winds on the highest peak in Wales.
Editors' Choice Trip 2009: Brecon Beacons, Wales
Follow BACKPACKER editors on a misty mountain hop through steep slopes, huge waterfalls, and fog-shrouded vistas in Wales' Brecon Beacons National Park.
Lake Superior Caribou
Track caribou on Lake Superior's Slate Islands with our writer and photographer.
AT Interview: Correspondent Jeff Chow
Jeff Chow spent 10 months mapping every mile of the AT for BACKPACKER. Learn about his favorite spots and hard-earned tips here.
Boulder's Gregory Canyon Trail
Take an abandoned wagon road near Boulder's Flatirons with Backpacker editors Jon Dorn and Anthony Cerretani in this trail profile.
Channel Islands Adventure
Join associate editor Shannon Davis as he hikes and paddles through Channel Islands.
Preview: Alone Across Alaska
If there were an Oscar for indie adventure films, Bruce "Buck" Nelson would be a runaway winner
Editors' Choice Award Winner: Mountainsmith Phoenix Backpack
Dennis Lewon shows you why the Mountainsmith Phoenix won this year's Green Award at the Outdoor Retailer Show in Salt Lake City. See why this pack from Mountainsmith went home with our Editors' Choice Award.
Editors' Choice Award Winner: Scarpa Kailash Boot
Editor in Chief Jon Dorn showcases this award winner at the 2008 Outdoor Retailer Show.