Trips

Get the story behind the Appalachian Trail in Bear Mountain State Park, New York—and how to see it yourself.

Get the story behind the High Peaks–Balconies Caves Loop, Pinnacles National Park, California—and how to see it yourself.

Get the story behind the Lake Oesa-Opabin Lake Loop, Yoho National Park, British Columbia—and how to see it yourself.

Get the story behind Boone Fork Trail, Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina—and how to see it yourself.

Get the story behind the Krogerata, Uncompahgre National Forest, Colorado—and how to see it yourself.

Get the story behind Mt. Islip Loop, Angeles National Forest, California—and how to see it yourself.

Get the story behind the Kendall Katwalk, Pacific Crest Trail, Washington—and how to see it yourself.

Get the story behind Angels Landing, Zion National Park, Utah—and how to see it yourself.

Get the story behind the Edmands Tour, Presidential Range, White Mountains, New Hampshire—and how to see it yourself.

Tips from our expert on exploring New England’s biggest alpine zone.

Get a front row seat of retreating glaciers on this challenging 8-mile out-and-back to the Harding Icefield. No crampons or ice axes are needed during the summer hiking months.

Squeeze this 4.3-mile dayhike in before the ferry departs for the mainland. Highlights: super rare pine trees and breezy views of the mighty Pacific.

One woman's journey to the brink of what's possible on the Pacific Crest Trail.

Expert advice and inside scoops on your favorite national parks and premier destinations.

A local expert picks his favorite books for this classic New England region.

An expert's reading list for Minnesota's premier hiking-and-paddling destination.

Yes, you could hike the PCT twice for the cost of a two-week trip to the roof of Africa. But you won’t see any monkeys in the Sierra.

One great thing about being out on the trail is allowing your schedule to be ruled by the rising and setting sun. Here are the best sunrises and sunsets you photographed and submitted to our photo contest this year.

The Haute Route—a famed mountaineering trek from Chamonix, France, to Zermatt, Switzerland—offers towering glaciers and soaring panoramas.

After running 150 miles of the high-alpine Colorado Trail while filming his recent documentary film, Running the Edge, ultrarunner, filmmaker, and photographer Matt Trappe told us his favorite Colorado trail runs. Check out these high-altitude trails.

Take a hike along the breathtaking Wales Coast Path.

An expert's reading list for two must-see California parks.

As the water level in this reservoir dropped by as much as 150 feet over a period of 5 years, the legendary canyons of Glen Canyon began to emerge for the first time in nearly 40 years.

The San Juan Mountains in southwest Colorado are a patchwork of wildly varied sub-ranges, many tucked away in vast wilderness areas. Of Colorado’s 54 fourteeners (peaks that rise over 14,000 feet in elevation), 13 call the San Juans home, including Uncomp

A goatpacking adventure in Utah’s High Uinta Mountains.

See the best the Big Ditch has to offer with these stunning photos from Matt & Agnes Hage.

The Haute Route—a famed mountaineering route from Chamonix, France, to Zermatt, Switzerland—offers towering glaciers and soaring panoramas.  Photographer <a href="http://patitucciphoto.com">Dan Patitucci</a> shared his favorite images from the famed alpine trek.

An interview with thru-hiking phenom Kristin Gates

The roof of Africa has it all: monkeys, sunsets, wildflowers, and yes, a spectacular summit. Here are just a few of the highlights from the Kili Family Climb.

Head above the Arctic Circle for non-stop adventure.

Located in northeaster Alaska, ANWR is the largest wildlife refuge in North America with over 19 million acres. Photographer Chuck Graham explored the beauty of the refuge during a two-week, 160-mile excursion<b>. </b>Here, he shares his photos of the landscape, rivers, and wildlife.

Adventures abound, both above and below ground.

Our trail scouts' top local hikes as the seasons change.

John Donovan disappeared in a high-elevation blizzard, leaving rescuers and friends stumped. But his backpack contained a miracle clue.

Trek along a series of High Sierra lakes nestled in sculpted granite basins below towering alpine peaks on this 11.6-mile out-and-back.

Stunning images from the ice caves off the coast of Wisconsin's Apostle Islands.

Like many hikers, Aubrey Sacco walked into the Himalayas with joyful excitement. But she encountered a dark side of Nepal all trekkers should know about.

You can get a Street View of the South Pole.

In America's most celebrated park, adventure doesn't begin at the trailhead; it begins at trail's end.

Fairbanks man wards off a tent-invading bear with his fist.

More like “Twin Phallic.”

Journey through a tropical jungle to discover exotic wildlife and ancient ruins.

We asked guidebook writers, backpacker field scouts, landscape photographers, and other local experts nationwide to rule on the sweetest backcountry vista in their corner of the union.

Check out Dan Koeppel's author page.

See our photo gallery of some of the best views in the country.

Check out Katie Herrel's author page.

Get a sneak peak of fall on this overnight in the northern Whites, where the leaves change early.

Check out our top fall hikes from Texas to Michigan.

See across the Prairie State from 320-million-year-old sandstone outcrops.

Check out Katie Herrel's author page.

Explore a pristine wilderness of soaring peaks and quiet valleys just three hours from New York City.

Hot weather + cool water = late-summer heaven. Add a dose of backcountry solitude and scenic camping, and you might never leave.

This beautiful 4.3-mile loop adjacent to the Illinois River adds welcome relief--waterfalls, sculpted sandstone canyons, and impressive overlooks--to the usually pancake-flat landscape.

This short hike threads through a hoodoo-filled climbing mecca with outrageous scenery and countless sidetrip options.

Thanks to only a little elevation gain, this 7-mile loop offers flatlanders great rewards (big views, wildlife, solitude) without much suffering. Pack plenty of water and sunscreen.

Hike along a renowned Salmon River on this 5-mile trip through a moss-covered virgin forest to salmon spawning pools, whitewater drops, and hollowed out Douglas firs large enough to resemble caves.

This 12.2-mile loop rambles through some of the wildest hardwood forest in the northeast and climbs three rugged peaks taller than 3,500 feet in Catskill Forest Preserve.

Retreat into the thick, quiet woods of Washington Park for superb views of Mt. Hood and the Portland skyline on this easy 3-mile hike. Don't miss the Japanese garden.

This 8.4-mile, out-and-back climbs steady through giant Douglas fir stands and rhododendron fields to a treeless summit yielding drop-dead gorgeous views of five distinct volcanic peaks.

Explore 4.4 miles through old growth timber to a glacier-carved lake on this family-friendly hike in the Cascade Mountains.

Only minutes from downtown, this easy 4-mile hike into the Issaquah Alps passes near a charming waterfall en route to a memorable view of greater Seattle and the Olympics.

Trace the abandoned Great Northern Railroad to remarkable stone tunnels, collapsed avalanche sheds, and super views of the Cascades on this 12.2-mile, out-and-back historical hike.

This 6.6-mile loop features a coastal bluff with dazzling wildflower displays and a wild beach with exceptional views of the Olympic Mountains and the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

This remote valley in Mark Twain National Forest is often overlooked, but it's a great escape for hikers willing to bushwhack along and through its streams to huge granite walls.

Cut through the towering pines of Holson Valley to the rocky shelf of Winding Stair Mountain on this 12.8-mile dayhike or overnight in the Ouachitas. Primitive camping allowed.

Climb up a steep canyon draped in a mix of fir and aspen forest to a craggy overlook of the Salt Lake Valley on this moderate 5.2-mile loop in the Mt. Olympus Wilderness.

This 5.3-mile out-and-back threads through a pristine alpine landscape with abundant streams, lakes, and wildlife on its way to a 10,650-foot peak in Wasatch National Forest.

This 4.2-mile out-and-back hike is a local's favorite, climbing gently from the flood-torn banks of the Moormans River to one of the most impressive waterfalls in the park.

Stroll along the shores of Salem Lake on this 7-mile loop over rolling hills and under tall pine and poplar trees.

Take this 8.8-mile out-and-back dayhike or overnight to escape high-season crowds; it stitches together a lesser-known route leading to a photo-worthy waterfall.

This easy 6.2-mile loop links lush marshland with ancient mountains--now small weathered hills--that were once islands before river sediment filled in the channel.

This hilly 6.8-mile circuit visits the best vistas in southern Harriman State Park, including views of the NYC skyline, after a fine start along one of the area's prettiest streams.

This 14-mile shuttle hike winds tranquil wooded slopes to five peaks over 3,400 feet in a remote section of the Catskills. Off-trail experience and navigation skills required.

Escape the crowds on the Catskill High Peaks with this 5.6-mile bushwhack to the range's highest trail-less summit. Compass skills required; hiking poles recommended.

Passing through a mature hardwood forest, this 6.2-mile out-and-back contours gradually up Mt. Moosalamoo for fine views of the Green Mountains, Adirondacks, and Lake Dunmore.

Enjoy a quiet escape, plus fine lake and forest views, when you travel along the scenic Winnebago River on this 6.3-mile loop to an old brewery site and rock quarry.

Most of this easy 7-mile hike passes under a tree-shaded ridgeline that insulates dayhikers from the outside world.

Escape the glitter and gridlock of the Strip on this 11.7-mile loop, which cuts across open desert to explore contorted rock figures and massive red-rock cliffs.

This 4.4-mile hike leads to splendid red rock formations, a beautiful mesa overlooking the Colorado River, and a dose of gold-mining history.

This little-used trail plunges 1,700 feet through wildflower country to a cool reward by West Clear Creek. Watch for cairns on this 6.8-mile hike to avoid involuntary bushwhacks.