Trips

Enjoy lake views and isolated woods on this easy trail along Badin Lake in Uwharrie National Forest.

Wander the famed Scottish Highlands by day and enjoy refined, trailside B&Bs by night on the West Highland Way in the British Isles.

Sometimes you just need a dose of nature to get you through the day. Let these mountain landscape photos inspire you.

Our planet is an amazing place. These incredible photos, excerpted from the book "The Art of Adventure," celebrate all kinds of ways to enjoy it.

Climb the peak with the infamous moniker "Home of the World's Weather" in winter.

Here are the stories behind 10 of North America’s most impressive trail-building feats—and how to see them yourself.

These backcountry wildflower photos will make you want to go all Sound of Music and romp through these meadows and prairies.

Petrified Forest National Park's trailless backcountry is the setting for a trip that will test both your navigation skills and your desert sense.

By Stuart Peck

Explore Badlands National Park's trailless interior on a backpacking trip along Spring Draw Creek.

Our contributor checks off the Georgia section of the Appalachian Trail—69.6 miles in.

Hike past expansive beaver ponds and prime elk habitat on this loop through Yellowstone’s scenic northwest corner.

Explore well-preserved Living History Farm on this short hike near Charlotte.

Visit Little Zion in Red Rock Canyon for sandstone canyons, springs, waterfalls, and massive ponderosa pine trees.

Enjoy a short hike to 200-year-old ruins along Reedy Creek on the Robinson Rockhouse Trail in Charlotte.

When you're in need of some amazing views, and willing to drive for them, hit the Grindstone Trail on Pilot Mountain outside Charlotte.

If this trail wasn’t already on your bucket list, we guarantee it will be now.

What everyone asks about the Pacific Crest Trail, and what I want to know.

Leave the desert scenery behind as you hike beneath twisted rock spires and towering ponderosa pines en route to the Hidden Forest Cabin. This hike can be done in a day or as an overnighter.

Trace the path of the Palouse River through a basalt canyon on the 3.1-mile Colfax Trail south of Spokane.

This close-to-Charlotte hike takes you along McMullen Creek via fun, bike-friendly boardwalks.

Weave through a maze of rock formations on this 2.6-mile loop in the Dishman Hills on the outskirts of Spokane, Washington.

Stroll 4.8 miles along Lake Norman on the Lake Shore Trail about an hour from Charlotte.

Yes, you should visit Arches, but don't pass up stunning Corona Arch outside Moab. Bonus: You'll get views of the Colorado River and Bootlegger Canyon.

It's spring! The high country trails may still be covered in snow, but drop down into one of the Inland Northwest's many scenic canyons and you'll find warmer temps, blooming wildflowers, and abundant wildlife.

Trails and Ales provides a fun, informal opportunity to meet other hikers and learn about opportunities for outdoor volunteering in Spokane.

Take in breathtaking views, stunning rock formations, and historical ruins on this 5-night itinerary.

Expansive views of Latah Creek and the city of Spokane, Washington await hikers who tackle the trails of the High Drive Parkway.

Mount Rogers via Massie Gap: A state high point, the Appalachian Trail, and wild ponies all in one hike—jackpot!

Wander through an ornithologist’s dream on this 1.3-mile loop through a secluded wetland south of Spokane, Washington.

Our contributor prepares to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail.

People expected less of me on the Appalachian Trail because I was a woman.

Ski through a peaceful pine forest on this 3.1-mile loop east of Spokane, Washington.

Looking to escape the Las Vegas crowds? You better work! The trail up to Turtlehead Peak is strenuous—but the payoff is 360-degree views that you’ll likely have to yourself.

Discover basalt rock formations and blooming desert plants on this 3.8-mile hike in Nisqually John Canyon south of Spokane, Washington.

Get a quick dose of nature on a family-friendly hike that is surprisingly colorful.

Ooo, la la! Couples are swooning in each other’s eyes, cheap chocolates are selling like hotcakes, and single people are writing ironic posts on Facebook. Whether it’s your first date or your 50th anniversary, these hikes will make the fire burn brighter.

People come from all over the world to see Fire Wave, an unusual wave shaped rock that rises out from the sandstone.

Take the lesser-traveled route up one of Shenandoah National Park's most storied peaks.

Be a "birder" for a day on the easy Shady Trail in Latta Plantation.

Alpine meets Caribbean on this Idaho gem.

Test yourself in the Ouachita Mountains.

Hike to the best views in the Ansel Adams Wilderness.

Find solitude in Yellowstone's mountainous northwest corner.

Explore redrock canyons and ancient ruins.

See colorful wildflowers and big views on the Appalachian Trail.

Summit nine peaks and graze on trailside blueberries in Maine.

Circle the Rockies on this high-alpine route.

Score Swiss-Alps scenery without the trans-Atlantic flight.

Take an up-and-down tour of Ontario's lake district.

23 places to hike now.

Let you mind go free while you wander along a pretty lake on the uncomplicated Seven Oaks Preserve Trail.

Climb Browns Mountain, hike a narrated battlefield trail, watch a reenacted revolutionary war encampment, see war muskets—Kings Mountain has it all!

Earth is the first and best architect. See Ma Nature’s oeuvre of natural arches on these dayhikes.

Why visit iconic Glacier Point with the rest of the tourists when you can ski there—and have it all to yourself?

Machu Picchu + mountains = Peru's most gorgeous alpine route.

Solitude lovers, rejoice: Peru's Choquequirao Trek offers all the Incan wonders of Machu Picchu with none of the crowds.

Winter 2015 in the Inland Northwest has been disappointing for many ski and snowshoe enthusiasts.

Perfect in the winter, this desert hike snakes through ancient and colorful canyons to the hidden Arizona Hot Springs.

Take a stroll through wide-open Palouse prairie on this loop in Rose Creek Nature Preserve south of Spokane, Washington.

Visit Corn Creek, one of Nevada's best birding sites and a desert oasis.

Choose your own adventure in this trailless, dune-covered wilderness.

Wander through three-season wildflowers on this overnight.

Follow Panther Creek through nature's zoo on General Andrew Jackson's Red Ground Trail and the Florida Trail.

Low elevation and an arid climate guarantee year-round access to this secluded riverine gem in the Nez Perce.

Explore wild Louisiana on this Ozark-like overnight tour.

Avoid winter a little longer on this fall hike through an Appalachian region.

Find easy-access powder stashes on this beginner-friendly backcountry ski trip to the Nokhu Hut.

Check out the Calico Tanks Trail in Red Rock Canyon and you'll be face-to-face with interesting geology, cultural history, and diverse life.

Our expert's top tips for hiking Big Bend National Park in spring

Start on the 1,000 Steps Trail and then continue up Jacks Mountain to Shorb's Summit for a grand vista.

These loops set the gold standard for circular hikes. Yes, they’re popular, but with very, very good reason.

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

Look for bighorn sheep browsing in the cliffs above the North Fork Asotin Creek Trail south of Spokane, Washington.

Charge up the most famous peak outside Charlotte for views of the surrounding forests via the Crowders Trail.

Wander through a secluded forest on this east loop in the Reedy Creek Preserve outside Charlotte, North Carolina.

What happens when you put four of the world's most talented skiers in lightsuits and deposit them on Alaskan spines at night? Now we know. Stoke = high.

New Zealand’s Ivory Lake Hut is a true gem. All you have to do is get there.

Colorado's Mt. of the Holy Cross gets our nod as the best 14,000-foot peak.

Three backcountry ruins cool enough to make Indiana Jones reach for his boots. But remember: Look, don’t touch.