Trips

Explore spectacular places by air, land, and sea.

Take your pick of adventures from this major ferry stop about three hours from Natales: Beach camp next to a private glacier or paddle to a gem lake.

Escape to trekking and horseback riding nirvana on Patagonia's high plains.

Explore peak-lined Chilean waters by boat or by foot—in solitude.

Explore Chile's mind-bending terrain without joining the throngs on the popular trekker circuit. On this paddle/hike/horse adventure, you'll have glacier-chiseled fjords, sky-piercing mountains, and best-ever camping all to yourself.

Want to set a big goal to give your training more focus and direction? Sign up for one of these mettle-testing trail events.

If you've hiked the park's established paths, it's time to raise your game. Explore the South Rim's wilder side with this 41.1-mile, off-trail trek. The challenges: routefinding, exposure, class 3 scrambling. The rewards: riverside beach camps, big views, solitude.

Scramble through remote ravines, soak up private riverside vistas, and tour from rim to river on this stout, 25.1-mile circuit.

Start early for sunrise in the canyon and crowd-free hiking on this 13.4-miler that descends to the gorge's mezzanine level.

Find world-class scenery and challenges (no passport required) with our scouts' top day, weekend, and weeklong routes in the Big Ditch. Whether you're a canyon-country pro or a first-timer, we guarantee you'll find terrain that tests your boundaries.

See more wildlife--and capture it better on film.

Read these tips to make your kids more comfortable on the trail.

Tips for overcoming jetlag, gathering beta, and getting your summit gear to foreign peaks in one piece.

Always looking for a way to go farther and faster? Get ready with these tips to take your hiking to the next level.

Learn these skills for trips that involve more than just hiking.

You don't have to travel across the world to get off the map. British Columbia's Haida Gwaii boasts uncharted coastline, seaside hot springs, and more sea lions, whales, and bears than you can count.

Norway's Jotunheimen National Park bristles with glacier-clad peaks amid northern Europe's highest mountains, but a five-star hut system makes it a place you can bring your kids. And mom.

Leave it to our seasoned map contributors to find solitude in America's most-visited park. This exclusive trip planner serves up routes guaranteed to get you off the tourist trail and into deep wilderness.

Snake along hidden inlets as you follow the shore of America's largest inland peninsula.

Hike through old-growth forest to ridgetop views of Arkansas's largest lake.

Go high and wild in Europe's other Alps.

See newts on the move in California, bears heading out of the alpine in Montana, and 360-degree mountain views in Arizona.

Whether you want an uncrowded hike in Zion National Park or a five-miler through a gypsum dune field in New Mexico, our scouts have paved the way.

Dine lavishly in the homeland of huts.

Score iconic Kiwi scenery without lining up.

Explore the best of Yoho National Park.

Climb to a view over all of the Dolomites.

Carry a small pack, eat like a king, and get the best sleep of your life on the world's top11 hut treks.

Trek to the Peruvian high spot where the planet's most powerful river is born.

Norway's Jotunheimen National Park bristles with glacier-clad peaks amid northern Europe's highest mountains, but a five-star hut system makes it a place you can bring your kids. And mom.

Beachside trek meets pub crawl meets castle tour on Europe's newest long trail, the 870-mile Wales Coast Path, officially opened last May. Want to be among the first to hike it all--or its highlights? We sent our scout to find the best sections before the guidebook even hit the shelves. He returned with beta on two 100-mile routes that each fit neatly in a week's vacation, plus a few surprising lessons about backpacking in King Arthur's homeland.

Pass waterfalls, cross empty peaks, and visit monster-size trees.

For BACKPACKER'S Fall/Winter Gear Guide 2012, Kristin tested tons of gear. Here are a few of her special favorites.

Descend from a cliff-rimmed mesa to a trout-filled lake.

A bomber traction device that's durable and versatile.

Ultralight, oblong, zippered sacks to help you keep all your traveling gear organized.

A lightweight, rolling duffel bag with plenty of compartments to keep you organized.

A perfect pack for the world traveler.

You won't get far in the backcountry without pushing through challenging conditions and terrain. But perseverance can be your worst enemy, and turning around the only way to succeed. Mark Jenkins explores the fine line between daring and doom.

Escape into wild forest just a short train ride from Manhattan.

Climb to bluff-top views of hardwood forest and rolling farmland.

When Karl Bushby set out to hike 36,000 miles across four continents, he vowed he would only return to his native England on foot. Which could be a real problem if he ever wants to get there.

Orbit an alpine lake on the edge of North Cascades National Park.

Raise a glass to the fall colors and comfortable weather of harvest season.

Trek among giraffes, rhinos, lions, and elephants in one of the world's premier wildlife parks.

Wolf howls have echoed across Isle Royale National Park for decades. But with the once-widespread predators down to a single pack, the time to go hear--and maybe spot--them is now.

Explore Albuquerque's backyard mountain range.

Wind through an isolated gorge with ancient art.

Circle through giant gorges and sleep at a riverfront campsite.

Hit up the park's highlights--slickrock scrambles, mesa-top views, and hoodoo-dotted canyons--on this seven-day trek.

Our field scouts scrambled up airy ledges, trekked to giant arches, and dropped into deep gorges to bring you the best dozen trips in this slickrock paradise.

Your region's go-now guide.

BACKPACKER editors start training for the 160-mile Grand-to-Grand Ultra, the first backpacking stage race in North America.

Bookmark this page for ongoing updates about our 2013 expedition benefiting at-risk urban teens.

This culture activist is bringing diversity to the outdoors.

Follow a winding New Jersey river, see fawns in Shenandoah, speed-hike 100 Pennsylvania miles, and other must-dos.

Nab an instant weekend in Ohio”s Zaleski State Forest, find solitude in Indiana”s Deam Wilderness, escape Chicago”s summer on a cool dayhike, and more.

Explore Idaho’s high country, snag an easy-access view near Seattle, climb Half Dome the right way, plus 10 other hikes.

Plunge deep into quiet Appalachian hollows and traverse narrow ridgelines with views across row upon row of forested peaks.

Wander through maple-birch-pine forest with pace-slowing views of the world's largest freshwater lake.

Climb out of the desert heat to breezy alpine solitude.

Hike to life-list hot spots without waiting in life-list lines. These under-the-radar trails deliver everything but the crowds.

Explore peaks and forests in this coastal range.

Yes, all wilderness is sacred. But this mystically beautiful slot canyon is holier than most.

Circle a glacial lake, see a waterfall, and explore a forgotten trail.

Sleep in a lake-dotted basin and scale an 11,000-foot peak.

Take a grand tour of the Tetons on a six-day trek past pinnacled peaks, wildflower meadows, and secluded lakes.

Our map scouts scaled 13,000-foot peaks, trekked to hidden lakes, and explored glacier-carved canyons to bring you our 21 favorite routes in America's most vertiginous range.

Experience the east in a new way this summer with hikes that each offer a special glimpse of what the east coast has to offer.

Looking to relax this summer? These central hikes offer beautiful lakes, great views, and a breath of fresh air.

The following is adapted from Northwest editor Michael Lanzas new book, Before Theyre Gone: A Familys Year-Long Quest to Explore Americas Most Endangered National Parks ($24.95, beacon.org, TheBigOutside.com).

Get a field-scouted tour of the High Peaks.

Nearly 150 years after John Wesley Powell's pioneering trip through the Grand Canyon, the park still conceals remarkable places no humans have ever seen. Contributing editor John Harlin joins a crew of explorers on a journey of discovery.

No early bedtimes on these overnights; you'll want to stay up and enjoy unusually dark skies with clear views of summer's showiest celestial fireworks.

Get a Denali-size adventure with Lower 48 effort.

Escape into tranquil, rolling woods in the foothills of the Appalachians.

Follow a river through the surprisingly wild Pine Barrens.

Explore a seldom-visited stretch of the Continental Divide with hidden lakes, world-class trout fishing, and abundant wildlife.

Tour glacial valleys and navigate to off-trail lakes and waterfalls on this six-day circuit.

Hike cross-country to explore this secluded chain of hanging lakes.