Paddling and Hiking North Carolina's Nantahala National Forest
Looking for a multisport trip? You couldn't do better than this stretch of wilderness on the east coast.
Trips
Trips
Your dream backpacking trips are waiting for you. Find and explore new hiking trails and backpacking routes across the country with advice, adventure travel stories, topo maps, photography, and more from the experts at Backpacker.
Your dream backpacking trips are waiting for you. Find and explore new hiking trails and backpacking routes across the country with advice, adventure travel stories, topo maps, photography, and more from the experts at Backpacker.
Playing Bear Canister Tetris in the Sierra
Fitting a hike's worth of supplies in a bruin-proof container is an art.
The Best National Park Campsites: Cottonwood Creek
Yellowstone National Park, Montana
The Best National Park Campsites: Sahale Glacier Camp
North Cascades National Park, Washington
Balancing Speed and Altitude Sickness on the Pacific Crest Trail
PCT correspondent Amanda Jameson busts out some major miles to get back to her trail family.
Trekking In Gates of the Arctic, Where Time Stops
Cross 70 miles of one of Alaska's loneliest wilderness areas to peek into North America's past.
The Best National Park Campsites: Bear Glacier Lake
Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska
Fighting Desert Fatigue on the Pacific Crest Trail
After 650 miles of desert, our correspondent is ready for the hills.
Fighting the Wind on the Pacific Crest Trail
The Los Angeles Aquaduct gifts hikers one of the PCT's first flat stretches—but some of its worst wind, too.
Ask a Thru-Hiker: What Injuries and Diseases Do Thru-Hikers Face?
Keep a look out for these ailments on the trail.
Taking a Break at Casa de Luna on the Pacific Crest Trail
For weary PCT hikers, a trail angel couple's house in Green Valley is the perfect place to recharge.
Rapid City Blog: Hiking Harney Peak
Check out Stephen Sebestyen's author page.
Rapid City Blog: The Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway
Check out Stephen Sebestyen's author page.
Rapid City Blog: Microbreweries
Check out Stephen Sebestyen's author page.
Rapid City Blog: Mount Rushmore
Check out Stephen Sebestyen's author page.
Rapid City Blog: Mountain Biking
Check out Stephen Sebestyen's author page.
Rapid City Blog: Cycling Downtown
Check out Stephen Sebestyen's author page.
Rapid City Blog: South Dakota Air and Space Museum
Check out Stephen Sebestyen's author page.
Rapid City Blog: George Mickelson Trail
Check out Stephen Sebestyen's author page.
Ask a Thru-Hiker: What’s the Triple Crown of Hiking?
Ticking these three prestigious trails off your list is worth the time—but it'll take a lot of it.
A Night in Hiker Heaven
Our Pacific Crest Trail correspondent visits two of the route's most legendary trail angels.
How to Cope When You're Hiking Slowly
When the going gets tough, the tough start singing—and taking lots of snack breaks.
Making and Losing Friends on the Pacific Crest Trail
It's easy to meet people on the PCT—but not all of them stick around.
Rapid City Blog: Custer State Park Safari
Check out Lisa Jhung's author page.
Rapid City Blog: Family Shenanigans
Check out Lisa Jhung's author page.
Rapid City Blog: Downtown Trails and Recreation
Check out Lisa Jhung's author page.
Rapid City Blog: Impressive Learning Center
Check out Lisa Jhung's author page.
Rapid City Blog: Jewels Above and Below Ground
Check out Lisa Jhung's author page.
Rapid City Blog: Crazy Horse Memorial
Check out Lisa Jhung's author page.
Rapid City Blog: The Opposite of Camping Can be Fun
Check out Lisa Jhung's author page.
Rapid City Blog: Oh, the Granite
Check out Lisa Jhung's author page.
In Praise of Mountain Monogamy
By returning to the same place again and again, the old slowly becomes new again.
Braving Weather in the California Mountains
Mt. San Jacinto is a gorgeous hike. Just watch the weather.
When the Trail is Closed
What are thru-hikers to do when fire scars block their path?
The Best Views in the National Parks: Toroweap Overlook
Grand Canyon National Park, AZ
The Best Views in the National Parks: Jordan Pond
Acadia National Park, ME
The Best Views in the National Parks: Forbidden Peak
North Cascades National Park, WA
The Best Views in the National Parks: The Dunes
Great Sand Dunes National Park, CO
The Best Views in the National Parks: Johns Hopkins Inlet
Glacier Bay National Park, AK
The Best Views in the National Parks: Hickman Bridge
Capitol Reef National Park, UT
The Best Views in the National Parks: Point of Arches
Olympic National Park, WA
The Best Views in the National Parks: Tall Trees Grove
Redwood National Park, CA
The Best Views in the National Parks: Taft Point
Yosemite National Park, CA
The Best Views in the National Parks: Thunder Lake
Rocky Mountain National Park, CO
The Importance of Doing Nothing
On the PCT, sometimes the laziest days are the most valuable.
Rapid City Blog: Mount Rushmore & Crazy Horse
Check out Madison Perrins and Aidan Lynn-Klimenko's author page.
Rapid City Blog: Nightlife
Check out Madison Perrins and Aidan Lynn-Klimenko's author page.
Rapid City Blog: Downtown, Rapid City
Check out Madison Perrins and Aidan Lynn-Klimenko's author page.
Sponsor Content: The South Carolina Scavenger Hunt
Enter the South Carolina Scavenger Hunt for a chance to win Editor’s Choice Gear!
Rapid City Blog: Badlands
Check out Madison Perrins and Aidan Lynn-Klimenko's author page.
Rapid City Blog: Custer State Park
Check out Madison Perrins and Aidan Lynn-Klimenko's author page.
Rapid City Blog: Spearfish Canyon
Check out Madison Perrins and Aidan Lynn-Klimenko's author page.
Indianapolis, IN: Primo Lakeside Camping (Charles C. Deam Wilderness)
Camp on the tip of this peninsula on a quick overnight in the Charles C. Deam Wilderness. BY STUART PECK
Asheville, NC: Hike with Elk (Cataloochee Divide Loop, Great Smoky Mountains National Park)
While Great Smoky Mountains might be the most visited park in the system, Cataloochee is far from the crowds—with a bit of luck, you can see as many elk as people.
See Out-of-This-World Scenery at Craters of the Moon National Monument.
Explore the moonscape of Idaho—lava tubes, cinder cones, caves, and tunnels— on this weekend trip.
Baltimore, MD: Harpers Ferry to Weverton Cliffs
Follow the white blazes at the symbolic halfway point of the Appalachian Trail and soak in some history.
Portland, Maine: Mount Jefferson and Mount Adams via the Great Gulf Trail and Six Husbands Trail
Test out one of the most notoriously difficult trails in New Hampshire's White Mountains.
Portland, Maine: Mount Katahdin via Hunt Trail
Hike, climb, and scramble your way up the final five miles of the Appalachian Trail and be rewarded with the best views in Maine.
Rapid City Blog: Trail System
Check out Madison Perrins and Aidan Lynn-Klimenko's author page.
Rapid City Blog: The Journey Museum & Learning Center
Check out Madison Perrins and Aidan Lynn-Klimenko's author page.
Grand Junction, CO: Quick-and-Easy Canyon Getaway (Jones Hole Creek, Dinosaur National Monument)
Swimming holes, waterfalls, petroglyphs, and an idyllic campsite—all just a few miles deep in Dinosaur National Monument. BY ROSE CONRY
St. Louis, MO: A River Runs Through It (Eleven Point Section of the Ozark Trail)
Notch the prettiest section of the Ozark Trail on this overnight along the Eleven Point River. BY SAVANNAH WASZCZUK
National Parks to Offer Free Admission April 16-24
In honor of National Parks Week
Is The Trans-Alaska Trail America’s Next Great Long Trail?
A group of determined Alaskans hopes to create an 800-mile trail that will trace the state’s famous pipeline from Arctic Sea to Pacific tidewater.
Brave the "World's Worst Weather" on the Crawford Path
East Coast Alps, White Mountain National Forest, New Hampshire
The Ultimate 64-Hour Weekend: Trek The Catskills Most Punishing Trail
Shake off the New York hustle and bustle for this soul-cleansing weekend out-and-back.
The Ultimate 64-Hour Getaway: Hike the Oases of Joshua Tree National Park
Get to know the rare plants of the Mojave Desert in one packed weekend from Los Angeles.
The Ultimate 64-Hour Weekend: Take a Dip in Marmot and Jade Lakes
Call in sick if you can for this long weekend jaunt from Seattle to two of the Cascades’ prettiest lakes.
The Ultimate 64-Hour Weekend: Blitz the Border of the Carolinas
Three parks, two state, one weekend: You’ll accomplish a lot in this Charlotte-based weekend mission.
The Ultimate 64-Hour Weekend: Hike the Desert Southwest in Illinois
Sand Ridge State Forest looks like a slice of Arizona – but it’s only a short drive from Chicago.
The Ultimate 64-Hour Weekend: Climb Shelf Road
Trade snowy trails for sunny rock on three day adventure from Denver.
The Ultimate 64-Hour Weekend: Kick off Spring at Jay Cooke State Park
Just two hours north of Minneapolis, this trekker’s paradise is a good bet for early-season miles.
Your Chance To Blog With Backpacker.com
Check out jsrashkin's author page.
Ice Biking: Adventure's (Questionable) New Frontier
Is ice-bikepacking the cutting edge of adventure? Probably not. But being first is always worth the effort.
Ride it: Phoenix Area Trails
Mountain biking, Arizona style [Sponsored]
Orange Beach, AL: Beach hikes, river kayaking, country bars, oysters
Our field scout explores Orange Beach, Alabama.
Seattle, WA: Umtanum Ridge Walk (Early Season in the High Desert)
Explore the Pacific Northwest’s high desert steppe on this trip through the foothills of the Cascades. BY PAUL CHISHOLM
Boston, MA: Mt. Washington in Winter
Get the closest to the Alps without leaving the States—by traversing the Presidentials, including Mt. Washington, in winter. BY RYAN WICHELNS
Come Hike With the Backpacker Magazine Crew
Join our staff for a Colorado adventure.
See the View That Greeted Lewis and Clark
Prairie Fire-Palmer Creek Loop, Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, Kansas