As kids across the country head back to class, Lisa Jhung reflects on the joys of being a student of nature.

Lake Tahoe is 122,200 acres of cobalt blue water, and reflections of the Sierra. The best way to get to know it: The Tahoe Rim Trail. Get ready to hike with our guide to preparing, buying gear, and travelling the 165-mile loop.

The Centennial State's namesake route offers a tour of some of the country's best high alpine scenery in one monthlong hike. We break down the prep, practice, and travel you'll need to bag it.

We’re all for tagging summits, but the best way to experience a peak? Hike around it. You’ll see a mountain’s many faces on a single, peak-circling loop. These 14 trips circumnavigate the best of the best.

It's one of the classic day hikes of the United States—and with views like this, it's easy to see why.

Camping in bruin country can bring out any parent's inner grizzly.

Last month, Lisa Jhung hit the road with her husband and two sons. Their mission: go on the most epic national parks road trip that they could in two weeks.

And why you should keep hiking them

Venture into the bush to see Africa’s wildlife the wild way.

Savor summer’s bounty on these four treks to berry havens.

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. Start with these 25 trips, the new classics of the system.

Once is not enough for some national park experiences. Some places touch something deep inside, and you want to see them again, feel them again, share them with others.

Hundreds of millions of people visit the national parks every year. Lucky for backpackers, you just have to know where they go to avoid them.

For hikers who want to explore trails in places that don’t start with “Runyon,” the options are as sprawling as the city.

Mild temperatures year-round make San Francisco a four-season hiking city.

Before decision paralysis sets in, try one of these can’t-miss picks.

This desert kingdom claims some of the most diverse terrain of any urban center in the country.

From the sheer granite faces of Rocky Mountain National Park to the underrated Tenmile Range to the high lakes in the Indian Peaks, there’s an embarrassment of riches within a few hour’s drive of the state’s capital.

While known for its lake views, modern architecture, deep-dish pizza, and those World Series champion Cubs, the Windy City is also close to some of the Midwest’s best hiking trails.

Atlanta has plenty of nicknames, but the best one is The City in a Forest.

New York City may be the height of American urbanism, but that doesn’t mean you have to drive for hours to get your wilderness fix.

Hub hikers can easily go from Government Center to New England summits for the day, with hike options ranging from waterfalls to lakes to peakbagging missions

A mother-and-son road trip through all five of Utah’s national parks in one week is the perfect way to make up for lost time—or court disaster.

From the Thorofare to the Yellowstone’s East Entrance, Cody has something for everyone.