Trips

At these creekside, shorefront, and mountaintop spots, the views are so gorgeous that you may never want to go to sleep.

There's plenty of options when summiting the highest point on the country's eastern seaboard, from multi-peak loops to quick out-and-backs.

Everything changes—even the Pacific Crest Trail. One of the trail's early thru-hikers shares snapshots from his trip up the path in 1985

There's a whole wilderness of green valleys, rocky mountaintops, and hidden waterfalls ready to explore in West Virginia's Dolly Sods. Here are our favorite ways to enjoy it.

Over a 30-mile hike through the High Sierra, a father and son reflect on belonging in the wilderness.

Rainforest, volcanic summits, and lush bamboo groves; this island has everything a hiker could want.

Michigan’s idyllic national park promises rocky shorelines, aromatic pine forests, beautiful lighthouses, and more moose than humans.

Find the best of Maine's unbeatable seashore on these hikes through Acadia National Park.

Combine the best of touring and resort skiing on the runs of these abandoned ski areas.

Take it easy in these 15 accessible, mellow areas for some of the best backcountry skiing in the Lower 48.

Stop dreaming, start hiking: From desert treks to waterfalls to heroic alpine ridges, we've picked the best hikes for every month.

While the summer crowds hibernate, you can cure your cabin fever. Here are the 9 best national park hikes to do during the fourth season.

Hit up one of these 7 hikes for a late-season color show.

Whether it’s big elevation changes, big miles, or big moves, these 23 routes prove that the best hikes are often the hardest. There’s a world of adventure out there—if you’re strong enough to seize it.

Get on a high ledge, a crumbly cliff, or a knife-edge ridge and your body will recognize the feeling before your brain catches on.

Stay cool: These 20 backcountry tarns, lakes, ponds, and other assorted bodies of water are perfect year-round, but come into their own as temperatures heat up.

Embrace the exposure when you take your summer adventures to the crest of the high country.

No one likes hiking in a crowd. Get all of the scenery and less of the lines with these alternatives to the big parks.

Catch the best of the early season show on these routes across the U.S.

Bask in the spray of these cascades at the end of a long day's hike.

Beat the heat by hitting these desert trails early in the year.

Marvel at tall trees, flooded forest, and rare birds at one of the nation’s lesser-known destinations.

The 9.5-mile Bright Angel Trail drops from the rim of the Grand Canyon to the Colorado River through some of the continent's most iconic terrain.

Whether you have a day or a week, these hikes will bring you to some of the best of this iconic national park.

Some of the wildest terrain in the East—loaded with rocky summits, waterfalls, and alpine ponds—is only a couple hour drive from Boston.

There's more than gators and beaches here: Florida has one of the best all-season thru-hikes around.

Cap off a day on the trail with a soak in a steamy mineral pool. We found the best from Alaska to North Carolina.

Ready to cross one of the most scenic canyons on Earth? We've got you covered.

Waterfalls aren't summer-only destinations—these cascades are even cooler when frozen in the winter.

Get ready to trek around Washington's most iconic mountain, through some of the best scenery in the lower 48.

From the heart of the Ozarks to the edge of the Ouachita National Forest, Amber Straughn—one of the minds behind the James Webb Space Telescope—reflects on her explorations along Arkansas’ best local trails.

Make the most of your precious weekend freedom. These hikes deliver epic views and fun to all types of time-crunched hikers.

Looking for a great dayhike, weekend trip, or multiday expedition near Seattle? We've got you covered.

Explore a geothermal wonderland with the help of Backpacker's experts.

The Narrows at Zion National Park offers an incredible adventure in America's most amazing slot canyons. Here's how to safely explore them.

A winter trip through Crater Lake National Park nets a once-in-a-lifetime photo.

On Washington's west coast, you can backpack through any landscape you can dream of—and you can do it all on the same trip.

A hiker pulls confidence from an unsolicited gear critique in the Catskills.

Start planning a far-flung adventure with these 10 classic and soon-to-be-classic hikes.

From climate change to drilling and mining, various threats promise to wipe out what’s best about America’s 12 most endangered trails. Hike them now to admire ancient glacial ice, hear howling wolves, splash at pristine beaches, and admire ancient art galleries.

Two thru-hikers find unexpected trail magic on one of America's lesser-known thru-hikes.

With plenty of good food and drinks, events, and nightlife, there’s a lot more to Reno-Tahoe than its phenomenal skiing

You won’t need to break a sweat or own a 4WD vehicle to soak up the scenery at these stunning sites

When it's finished, this in-progress long trail will let hikers take a stroll up the Appalachians without battling the AT's crowds.

After pandemic restrictions forced Sharon Wu and her fiancé to reschedule their wedding, they set their eyes on a consolation prize: the rugged Trans-Catalina Trail.

Start planning to hike these in-progress U.S. trails in 2022.

With the help of our friends and readers, we set out to find the best trail in all 50 states. From epic thru-hikes to short jaunts, these were the ones that rose to the top.

These difficult hikes will challenge you no matter who you are.

Where did our readers want to go this year? Turns out, a bit of everywhere.

The trails of Shenandoah National Park have it all, from mountain ridgelines to forested waterfalls to a whole range of thriving wildlife.

Plan your next big hike with this map of America's most-loved long trails.

No, they aren't Everest, but these soaring summit hikes will make you feel like you're standing on top of the world.

With an average of 43 feet of snow per year, Crater Lake is one of the best places to sample winter.

Make the most of the fourth season with these perfect national park hikes.

Grizzlies vanished from North Cascades National Park five decades ago. Or did they?

Whether you're after deep powder, dusty singletrack, lively après, or all of the above, the Biggest Little City in the World delivers.

With over 30 years of thru-hiking and section-hiking long trails all over the country (but never the PCT), Andy Niekamp is definitely the voice of experience. Backpacker sat down with him to find out his tips, tricks, and favorite gear.

With over 30 years of thru-hiking and section-hiking long trails all over the country (but never the PCT), Andy Niekamp is definitely the voice of experience. Backpacker sat down with him to find out his tips, tricks, and favorite gear.

On a ski trip to the Pacific Northwest, Backpacker's editors found beauty, snow, and solitude.

Leave the tent at home: At these 12 perfect backcountry huts, you'll find an entirely new way to experience the trail

Circle an upland swamp rich with views, solitude, and wild edibles.

Want to do some good on your next big trip? Join us in Nepal in spring 2022. On this special adventure, we'll volunteer on a post-pandemic recovery effort, then go on a life-list trek.

Ten trails. Ten unmatched miles each. Get maximum bang for each boot step on hikes that our most-traveled contributors call their all-time favorites.

Ghosts, serial killers, and abandoned towns: These spooky-season hikes hit harder than your average Halloween attraction.

Deep in the wilds of Northern British Columbia's Spatsizi Wilderness Provincial Park, our scout proves there’s no joy like misery.

If you’re operating on a three-season schedule, you’re missing out. Here are a dozen reasons to keep your boots at the ready.

Bering Land Bridge National Preserve is a pathless autumn paradise.

Make like a goat and hoof it to the trail: just a hop, skip, and a jump from D.C.

When most people think of fall colors, the first thing that comes to mind is leaves dropping from maples and aspens--but there's a whole rainbow to be found beyond that.

Every fall, male spiders in search of mates crowd the rocks of the 5.7-mile Condor Gulch to High Peaks Loop.

Sometimes the best trails are the ones you can easily access.

This is one hike that's worth getting up early for.

These peaks, passes and beaches are the perfect place to spot the first rays of the day.

From tiny foxes to giant sea cliffs, Channel Islands is a world all its own.

From 100-feet-deep slot canyons to towering mesas, Zion National Park has it all.

Picture the Alps without the crowds, and you have Island Lake.

This 12.1-mile overnight bags a Catskills Peak on the way to your lean-to camp spot.

You'll need to know your way around a tide chart—and be comfortable with rugged terrain. But a hike down California's Lost Coast Trail is worth the trouble.