Trips

The best hikes within two hours of California's major cities.

Reach great granite heights on Katahdin's next-door neighbor.

Have rocky ridges and sparkling alpine lakes all to yourself.

Marvel at America's first national monument.

Discover the inner sanctum of California's second largest wilderness.

Pass between waterfalls and mossy boulders for this long, gentle slide.

Hike through a winding canyon, then cool off in a whitewater spa.

Climb high and then plunge deep on this hike in Southern California.

Slip and slide into refreshing pools at these backcountry swimming holes.

Want to vanish into the quietest, wildest corners of the Boundary Waters? Say these magic words: Primitive Management Area.

My hike, like a million other trips each day in Los Angeles, starts with a ride on a rumbling bus.In the heart of Los Angeles, a band of hikers starts a local-trails revolution--one step at a time.

Take advantage of dark skies by hiking away from city lights to starry skyscapes that'd make van Gogh weep. Here's links to six of our favorites.

Traverse the eastern flanks of the most active volcano in the Cascades on this 11.3-mile (round-trip) dayhike in Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. You'll encounter tufts of vibrant wildflowers and postcard views of Mt. Rainier and Mt. Adams.

Experience the rugged side of Yellowstone on this two-day, 23.1-mile backpack. You'll track past steaming creeks and old-growth lodgepole on the way to a campsite near Heart Lake's rocky shoreline. On day two, rise early for the 2,800-foot climb to Mt. Sheridan's 10,308-foot crown.

Circumnavigate a 425-foot-tall pink granite monolith on this 4.9-miler, which crosses a sandy creek and cruises classic Texas Hill Country west of Austin. Spur trails to Moss Lake (backcountry campsites available) and the summit are short and worthwhile.

Pack a camera for this lollipop loop to one of the best mountain views in the park: a sit-awhile panorama, atop a 5,565-foot knob with thousand foot drop-offs on three sides, that stretches from Mt. LeConte to the jagged peaks of the Sawteeth Range.

Free Print & Go PDFs give you turn-by-turn trail instructions and photos embedded on a usable topo map. Also: Gear checklists, driving directions, and geo-references for finding the nearest campground, restaurant, gas station, and grocery store.

Explore quiet forests where George Washington wintered his troops.

Explore pure wilderness on this two-day circuit in the Alaska Range.

For 20 years, Harvey Locke has fought to protect the park's Flathead River.

Feast your eyes on this photo of Alaska's North Slope, along the Arctic's Sagavanirktok River.

No one stays young forever, of course. Just don't tell the hut keepers in New Hampshire's White Mountains.

What makes a backpacker a backpacker? It's not the garage full of gear or piles of guidebooks--it's the experiences, from thru-hiking a long trail to pushing your personal envelope to inspiring a child's love of wilderness. Here we present BACKPACKER's ne

Experience the thrill of being a pioneer: Trek to a remote corner of the globe.

The roof of the world is open to everyone, and your personal Mt. Everest is waiting.

Need instant inspiration? Download these BACKPACKER destination photos–Switzerland, Grand Canyon, & John Muir Wilderness–and get lost.

Don't try this at home: Our editor-in-chief tackles a gonzo 21-hour rim-to- rim-to-rim hike in the Grand Canyon with friend Shelli Johnson.

See snaggly summits and hook trout galore on a high-alpine trek.

Cross a rugged coastline on the edge of Washington's Hoh Rainforest.

Use our guide to make your Wales hiking adventure a reality.

Cross a sprawling preserve of broad mountains, lonely ridgelines, and lush river valleys.

Follow a long-distance trail along the once-violent, now-bucolic border between England and Wales.

The highest peak. The wildest ridges. The largest lake. Find them all in Wales's alpine heart.

Tiptoe along oceanside bluffs with views across the Irish Sea.

Join The Alarm, Squeeze, Gin Blossoms, The Fix, and Stay Cats at the top of Mount Kilimanjaro in the name of the Love, Hope, Strength Foundation. Photos by Owen Fegan.

Blind climber Erik Weihenmayer has a new hobby: photography.

The last lonely stretch of the AT beckons from the mountains of western Maine.

Don't be fooled by the cozy pubs and low elevations. The birthplace of mountaineering overflows with challenges, from rugged peaks to history-laden coastal treks.

The next best thing to hiking Glacier National Park's Flathead River Valley? Seeing the movie! Watch a trailer for Flathead Wild by the Epicocity Project.

Devour the world's best scenery, chocolate, and cheese on the Via Alpina.

Check out these city hikes in Walt Disney World, Las Vegas, and Manhattan.

Hug the coastline in these Michigan, California, and British Columbia hikes.

Hike Canada's Pacific Coast harbor on this British Columbia trail.

Turn-by-turn beta for highlights on its best 10 miles.

Check out Katie Herrel's author page.

In November 2009, blind climber Erik Weihenmayer traveled to Mexico and climbed the volcano Iztaccihuatl with a group of blind children.

A Selection of Backpacker Reader Photos

A wrecked alpine village from Colorado's mining history awaits you at the end of this dayhike.

Photos by Mike J. Donley

Don't let a bike commute cramp your style.

Join the American Hiking Society.

The upside to being downsized? Having time to hit the nation's long trails.

Hike to an historic fire tower and camp beside secluded ponds.

Explore an unknown Nebraska wilderness for a surprising dose of rolling hills, wildlife, and solitude.

Discover the rewards of winter camping on this easy snowshoe trek.

Scramble to a remote refuge on this peak's secret side.

Hike Switzerland's Via Alpina route with the Backpacker editors in our video series.

View stunning vistas and snowy passes in these photos of Switzerland's Via Alpina route. Included: the Eiger, the Wetterhorn, and Jungfrau Glacier.

Hike from Trubsee lake and Jochpass and down to Engstlensee lake for stunning views of the Wetterhorn.

Get ready for a ten-mile day, 4,265 feet of elevation gain, and the Bunderchrinde, the third highest pass on the Via Alpina.

The Eiger is made up of the stuff of legend. Here, an up close and personal look at the mountain.

The Editors' Choice testing crew finishes their final day under the base of the mighty Eiger.

After 100 miles hiking in the Swiss Alps, the Backpacker editors couldn't resist a summit of one of Europe's most famous peaks, the Monch.

The Editors' Choice testing crew tackles the highest passes in the Swiss Alps.

Starting in the town of Altdorf, the Editors' Choice team gains over 6,000 feet of elevation in 17 miles on its way to Surenenpass.

Check out Katie Herrel's author page.

Check out Katie Herrel's author page.

Check out Katie Herrel's author page.

Take a lightly trafficked trail into the word's biggest grove.

Check out Katie Herrel's author page.

Barrie Imhoff tempts fate in Glacier National Park.

Forty years after his own adolescent ascent of Mt. Chamberlin, John Harlin III returns with his 13-year-old daughter Siena. Photos and captions by John Harlin.

Think you know all there is to know about these famous peaks? Get an insider's guide right here.

Lose the leaf-peeping crowds on this quiet ramble above Virginia's loftiest canopies of color.

Don't waste winter: Tackle this cross-country canyon trek in the Lower 48's largest national park.

No one knows the national parks better than the rangers who patrol them. We polled a bunch of insiders on their favorite national park sights, sounds, and tastes.

The editors are back from their annual Editors' Choice trip. Get a preview of the testing ground in this tour of Switzerland. All photos by Steve Howe.

NNN-compatible with exceptional side-to-side stability.

These bindings are surprisingly sturdy, great for cruising on sturdy terrain.

Calling all equipment designers: Everest summiteer and Rainier veteran Peter Whittaker has some advice.