Trips

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.

Colorful fall photos from around the country taken entirely by BACKPACKER readers.

Never let your guard down on this deadly peak, where the weather–and spirits–are unpredictable.

Online or via your cellphone these trips are ready to be downloaded and explored.

Cross the Stillwater Plateau to trout-rich ponds at the foot of Montana's second highest peak.

Tackle a challenging, rocky route in the shadow of America's most famous volcano.

Not even 10 days of constant rain can obscure the beauty of the Rockwall Trail in British Columbia's Kootenay National Park.

Trek 18.2 miles from the South's best view to its most famous mountain.

Connect alpine lakes and tag three summits on this wildflower- and wildlife-packed loop.

Explore a supersized wilderness that's home to Idaho's densest population of gray wolves.

Join Justin "Trauma" Lichter on a tour of the wilds of Africa.

From the deep wooded hollows to the lofty Appalachian summits prepare for rain (Clingmans Dome, the park's high point, averages 85 inches each year), humidity, rapidly varying weather conditions, and lots of creek crossings. Here's what you'll need.

Our editor in chief digs through his years of trips, trails, and tales to share some of his adventures in the wild, from the Grand Canyon to Mount Rainier.

Backpacker.com assistant editor Ted Alvarez hits the west side of the Tetons in this photo gallery report.

Sharing is for kindergarten. Try one of these hikes to have the wilderness all to yourself.

Alternative routes, where to find solitude in the Lower 48, and avoiding the crowds in America's most crowded park

You won't find bottlenecks on these untrammeled peaks.

Find real solitude amid the crowds at these secret stashes.

Lose yourself in a private paradise the crowds have overlooked.

Trek to the trail-free summits of Macomb, Hough, and The Dixes

Climb through bear country to a campsite with views of The Grand.

Stroll through wildflower-filled meadows to a frozen slice of the Cascade Range.

Three treks to life-list phenomena

Ten perfect summits for your next group hike

Get big views and rack up long miles with these close-to-home adventures.

A quick guide to the best acres, trails, and views.

The threat to this 1.2 million acre wilderness? Oil Drilling. Hike to the top of 6,660-foot Alamo Mountain to see what's at stake.

Trek to the New Jersey border along PA's finest section of the AT.

Climb riverside bluffs in the South's oldest national forest.

Dupe the daytrippers on this rugged trail to brilliantly colored backcountry cliffs and hoodoos.

Explore South Dakota's 7,242-foot high point in a weekend or a day.

Check out the world's hottest hydrothermal fumarole, Glacier's grizzlies, and a venus flytryp in North Carolina.

Trek through a trio of wilderness playgrounds on shape-shifting mountains of sand.

With these top day, weekend, and week-long hikes, you'll see more than your fair share of Yosemite's wonders.

Yosemite Valley may be popular–rightfully so–but it still holds secrets. Hike this long-forgotten trail on the North Rim, and you'll have the granite icons to yourself.

Three generations of American mountaineering royalty discuss their sport, their fears, and their new mission: design great gear.

Does your kid want to be an ice climber? How about a thru-hiker, or paddler? These cities have just what you need.

Which towns offer the ideal mix of accessible trails, inspiring teachers, and great recreational resources? We worked with The Outdoor Foundation to identify America's top 25 places to beat nature deficit disorder.

From Boulder to Juneau to Bozeman, see which cities made the cut for the best place to raise an outdoor kid, and why.

Time to cool down. Hike to these refreshing swimming holes and settle right into summer.

Fly the Rockies with our 3D video, then download the GPS track to do the route yourself.

Pick the gear I can carry on a trip to determine how low one man can go.

Hike across forested hills to gape at ocean vistas just one hour north of San Francisco.

Get national park scenery without the crowds on an alpine overnight with lakeside camping.

Disappear into the largest–and probably the wettest–wilderness east of the Mississippi.

Undeterred by injuries that would cripple most men, a Colorado hiker nears the halfway point in a pioneering attempt to thru-hike the true crest of the Continental Divide.

Discover the world's oldest tree, America's biggest cavern, and Florida's largest herd of wild horses on these three treks.

See glowing plankton, mushrooms, and bugs on these brilliant adventures.

Check out Katie Herrel's author page.

Ed Viesturs, Peter Whittaker, Dave Hahn, and young guns Seth Waterfall and Melissa Arnot are joining forces to create a new line of gear and attack Mount Everest.

First, check out our tips for healthy hiking on steep terrain in the May 2009 issue then, put them to the test on one of our favorite high-angle trails from California to North Carolina.

Veteran Grand Canyon photographer and explorer Elias Butler did double duty on his visit to Royal Arch by capturing the beauty on video and in photographs.