Trips

From an ostrich farm on the Pacific Crest to a lakeside oasis on the Colorado Trail, these off-trail adventures, chosen by thru-hikers, are well worth an extra hitch or a few more miles.

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

Every season in Marquette is the best. Here’s how to explore them all, according to the locals.

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.

Timed-entry reservations are back. Our national parks columnist reveals how to get into these popular parks.

Get your fill of “Awe and then Some”

Peakbagging not your thing? These hiking lists offer plenty of goals for the new year.

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.

Need a hiking resolution for 2025? Pick one of these lists.

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.

The 36.5-mile one-way hike lets you enjoy the park in near-complete solitude.

See the usual sights in a completely new way on these wintertime national park hikes, via foot, ski, or guided snowmobile.

No need to freeze until spring. These trails will keep you warm all winter long.

Deep in the arctic tundra, our writer gets a lesson in what it means to go truly off-grid.

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.

The xTx trail will cover 1,500 miles in the Lone Star State.

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

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.

These are the creatures that keep our national parks expert up at night.

Need a break from the world? Take a (virtual) hike with Backpacker’s editors to the North Island of New Zealand.

There are plenty of resources at your fingertips, as long as you know where to look.

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.

There are lots of trails to pick from in Joshua Tree. Here are three local's favorites.

Rocky Mountain National Park isn’t known for its secluded trails. Head to the west side, however, and you can have these nearby trails all to yourself.

With its new Campfield campground in Washington, Japanese gear brand Snow Peak is hoping to introduce visitors to a more elegant and immersive philosophy of sleeping outside. Will Americans bite?

Yosemite Valley is one of the most popular outdoor destinations in the country. Hike in peace on these trails just a short drive away from the park's crowds.

It's undeniably the best time of the year. Don't miss the season's beauty on these fall leaf hikes all around the country.

Lake Tahoe—the largest alpine lake in North America—has hundreds of miles to hike. Here are the best of them for the whole family.

These trails are currently laden with ripe fruit, but the foraging season won't last long.

Cross the whole length of New Zealand's two main islands on this 1,900-mile thru-hike.

Want in on one of the Midwest’s best-kept secrets for urban hiking? Head to Minneapolis.

NoSo Patches simplify DIY fabric repair with a stick-on application that extends the life of your favorite gear and apparel while adding personal flair

Escape the beach-bound tourists on a local's favorite trails.

A safe place to sleep, a good library with air-conditioning, and a bar that feels familiar? These are just some things that make a town on trail feel ideal. 

Take this trip through the Mountain State for hiker-approved trails, adventure towns, and restaurants.

Olympic paddling got you stoked? Plan your own trip somewhere more stunning than Paris.

Only have a couple days to explore in Alaska? These frontcountry campgrounds offer backcountry views—but without the long hike in.

Plan your next summer escape around these parks, where high latitudes and high altitudes are still keeping temps cool.

French hiking has a lot more to offer than the Alps.

Explore the state like you’ve never seen it before on these four adventure road trips

Itching to thru-hike, but not sure where to go? We’ll help you decide.

Watch shooting stars all night long from these four backpacking trails.

Cranky joints are no reason to take big peaks off the menu. These chairlift-accessed hikes put big-mountain terrain right at your fingertips.

The Grand Canyon isn't the only one worth visiting.

Explore the Golden State on a journey from San Francisco to Kings Canyon

A serial thru-hiker shares lessons learned from countless hikes of John Muir Trail.

Summer means beach vacations. Spend yours at these campsites, just a few steps from shorelines, trails, and more.

On the edge of Rocky Mountain National Park, I found plenty of trails that were easy on my knees and joints.

Stretching from the tip of Florida to the western panhandle, this 1,500-mile haul is full of swamps and swamp creatures, snakes and snack foods. It is wild and wildly fun.

You don't need climbing experience (or a flight to Europe) to climb these four via ferratas.

Even for thru-hikers with a wealth of long trail experience, the Colorado Trail offers challenges all its own.

Immerse yourself in awe-inspiring landscapes, geological wonders, and cultural experiences closely tied to the land in The Great Wilderness of northern British Columbia

These four trails deliver bountiful backcountry blooms.

Feel the burn on these quad-busting inclines. 

The midwestern states are some of the most geographically diverse landscapes in America. Shaped by ancient glaciers, rivers and lakes are abundant among deep forests and rolling hills. Here are some of the best hikes to explore this diverse region.

These three Indigenous-led hiking tours around Canada offer wholistic outdoor adventures.

Need a verdant excursion from Portland? Got a day or two to spend in Hood River, Oregon? Take these trails for a spin.

Celebrate the summer solstice on any of these long dayhikes.

These trails aren't tourist traps, so you can experience the new culture and terrain all by yourself.

You don't need a long trip to have a summer full of adventure. Spend a 3-day weekend tackling any of these trails.

The 400-mile trail has the potential to be a popular thru-hike. Will it ever live up to the hype?

Texas is way more than flat, barren land. Try these three hikes in Hill Country.

Our trails columnist has hiked thousands of miles. These are the routes at the top of his bucket list. Thrill yourself with a trip to an amazing trail this year.

Our writer has spent decades trekking toward the endangered. On these trips, he's seen firsthand what happens if a keystone species goes missing from its habitat.

Why this beautiful country belongs on your bucket list, according to a traveler who has been there 20 times

What's better than hiking? Hiking to BBQ. Celebrate summer with a hike-and-feast combo on one of these seven trails.

Call it the bugpocalypse: Between now and the end of June, two different broods of cicadas will appear in the midwest from the first time since 1803. Here's how hikers can get a front-row seat.

These trips include gourmet food prepared each night, charity work, local expert advice, and more. You can't get that on your own.

Touch the sky and test your mettle on these hair-raising hikes.

A great trail is eternal. See if you can pick out some of America’s best hikes in these photos from the National Park Service’s archives.

In pursuit of the Triple Crown, many hikers save this high route through the Rocky Mountains and New Mexico desert for last. It’s not so scary—as long as you’re prepared.

Here’s a little-known secret: the Cornhusker State is full of untapped adventure

A local expert shares her secrets on finding the state's best waterfalls—from easy walks to more adventurous tours deep in the mountains.

Break trail (not the bank) at these budget-friendly life-list hiking destinations.

Sandra Aguirre started hiking for her own sake and ended up helping others do the same. Now she wants to help you.