Share Your Trail with Tarantulas at Pinnacles National Park
Every fall, male spiders in search of mates crowd the rocks of the 5.7-mile Condor Gulch to High Peaks Loop.
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.
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Reimagining Trails
Sometimes the best trails are the ones you can easily access.
Catch an Endless Sunrise on this Perfect Yellowstone Hike
This is one hike that's worth getting up early for.
Catch the Best Sunrise of Your Life on These 5 Hikes
These peaks, passes and beaches are the perfect place to spot the first rays of the day.
Channel Islands National Park Is a Window Into California’s Wild Past
From tiny foxes to giant sea cliffs, Channel Islands is a world all its own.
Explore the Desert on Zion National Park’s Best Hiking Trails
From 100-feet-deep slot canyons to towering mesas, Zion National Park has it all.
Hike Through an Autumn Rainbow at San Juan National Forest’s Island Lake
Picture the Alps without the crowds, and you have Island Lake.
See the Country’s Finest Fall Colors on this Catskills Overnight
This 12.1-mile overnight bags a Catskills Peak on the way to your lean-to camp spot.
Step Into California’s Wild Past on the Lost Coast Trail
Check out Kristin Smith's author page.
Step Aside Presi Traverse, This Hike is the East’s Toughest Challenge
With more than 17,000 feet of elevation change in 25 miles, this hike will push you to your limit.
Hike the Endless Sea on These 5 Top-Tier Coastal Trails
These waterside trails are the perfect way to wrap up your summer.
A New Paved Trail Will Let Hikers and Bikers Zip Through Zion’s Entry Lines
An 18-mile paved trail will run from St. George to Zion National Park and offer parking lots, bathrooms, benches, and more. But you'll be waiting for a while.
Hiker Falls to His Death in the Grand Canyon as a Deadly Year Continues at the Park
Cliff falls are the second most common ways people die in one of America’s most dangerous national parks.
Nothing to Prove
On a trip up Mt. Rainier's Disappointment Cleaver route, Cherlyn Eliza remembers that only your skills and your heart matter to the mountain.
While the Rest of Us Talk About Thru Hiking the Appalachian Trail, a 5-Year-Old Just Did It
He averaged about 10 miles every day, but still had the energy to play freeze tag at night.
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Minnesota’s Most Spectacular Hikes
Experience the beauty of fall foliage in Minnesota with these bucket list hikes
This Badlands Overnight is the Perfect Stargazing Hike for Beginners
Take in the stars from an easy-to-reach backcountry campsite in Badlands National Park.
These 3 Olympic National Park Dayhikes Take You From the Peaks to the Sea
These hikes will take you from sandy beaches and sea stacks to glaciated mountain summits in just one day.
Hiking Angels Landing in Zion National Park: Everything You Need to Know
It's one of the classic day hikes of the United States—and with views like this, it's easy to see why.
Explore an Otherworldly Dune Field in White Sands National Park
The world's largest gypsum dune field isn't just a wonder of the natural world—it's a great place to hike, too.