On a backpacking trip in Alaska’s ultra-remote Gates of the Arctic, one writer learns to embrace discomfort, even if it means soggy feet for eight straight days.

Work up a thirst—and then toast the outdoors—on the Smokies’ top hikes, rides, and more

Discover the best adventures—and places to celebrate them—in this remote and wild Texas park

The best hikes to work up a thirst—and where to toast your adventures—in the granite wonderland

Where to work up a thirst—and toast your adventures—in America’s first national park

Located in the Yellowstone’s Porcelain Basin, the new thermal feature is believed to have appeared on Christmas Day

Parent of a tiny trailblazer? These short yet stunning national park trails are perfect for families with kids—including infants.

Climb coastal summits, rock-hop rugged coastline, and explore historic carriage roads in the oldest national park east of the Mississippi.

From half-mile jaunts to long backcountry routes, these hikes are a quick way to get to know Utah’s largest national park.

In a park like this, there's a lot of competition for the 'best trail' title. These are the best hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park.

Lottery losers can still have a great trip to Zion National Park on these five trails.

The Maze District of Canyonlands National Park is around 30-square miles of rugged, remote red-rock canyon, twisted into a nearly impenetrable labyrinth. Writer David Sumner dives in feet-first in this 1982 story from the Backpacker archives.

Tip #1: Stage your trip in Mariposa County, home to the iconic national park and a hiking destination and multisport paradise in its own right

After a devastating breakup, one writer returns to Alaska to challenge herself and get closure.

The 36.5-mile one-way hike lets you enjoy the park in near-complete solitude.

These are the creatures that keep our national parks expert up at night.

There are lots of trails to pick from in Joshua Tree. Here are three local's favorites.

On the edge of Rocky Mountain National Park, I found plenty of trails that were easy on my knees and joints.

A great trail is eternal. See if you can pick out some of America’s best hikes in these photos from the National Park Service’s archives.

It's hard to find an ugly spot in the national parks. But these eight hikes take it to the next level, with gorgeous scenery and wildlife. Go for a walk.

America’s national parks boast thousands of stunning trail miles, but some are just a hair more amazing. Find the top 101 miles in the entire system on these 16 hikes.

This International Dark Sky Park has some of the best astral views in the country. Here's where to find them.

Want a national park to visit while the weather is yucky everywhere else? This is your place. Download this playlist for maximum vibes.

Washington's Hoh Rainforest is one of the few remaining landscapes in the world that's free of human noise—if you don't count the Navy jets tearing above it, that is. Hiker and veteran Chris Marvin goes on a pilgrimage in search of silence.

While California’s storms were devastating in many parts of the state, they blew epic snow and adventure opportunities into the park. Waterfall viewings are off the charts, there are fewer crowds, and conditions are primo for backcountry exploring.

As the sun transitions to “solar maximum” in the next three years, it is prime time to spot the aurora borealis—even in the lower 48 states. Here’s where, when, and how to catch the show in our national parks.

Want a national park to visit this winter? Great Smoky Mountains is your place. Download this playlist for maximum vibes.

Yosemite is beautiful in the fall and winter. Download this playlist and get after it.

A basin of beauty resides in the middle of Kings Canyon National Park.

Load up this Spotify playlist and get going.

Full of rock scrambles, cactus clusters, and desert views for days, Joshua Tree National Park is the southwest at its finest.

Kayak to pocket beaches and Gulf islands in south Florida.

Forget Zion and Canyonlands; this desert gem has something for every hiker among the hoodoos and bristlecone pines

Want to hike without crowds? See jaw-dropping vistas without torching your quads? Check out these dayhikes and backpacks.

The world’s first national park will reopen this week after the devastating floods. Here's what you can expect.

There's plenty of options when summiting the highest point on the country's eastern seaboard, from multi-peak loops to quick out-and-backs.

Michigan’s idyllic national park promises rocky shorelines, aromatic pine forests, beautiful lighthouses, and more moose than humans.

While the summer crowds hibernate, you can cure your cabin fever. Here are the 9 best national park hikes to do during the fourth season.

Whether you have a day or a week, these hikes will bring you to some of the best of this iconic national park.

Ready to cross one of the most scenic canyons on Earth? We've got you covered.

Get ready to trek around Washington's most iconic mountain, through some of the best scenery in the lower 48.

Explore a geothermal wonderland with the help of Backpacker's experts.

The Narrows at Zion National Park offers an incredible adventure in America's most amazing slot canyons. Here's how to safely explore them.

The trails of Shenandoah National Park have it all, from mountain ridgelines to forested waterfalls to a whole range of thriving wildlife.

Make the most of the fourth season with these perfect national park hikes.

From 100-feet-deep slot canyons to towering mesas, Zion National Park has it all.

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.

Cliff falls are the second most common ways people die in one of America’s most dangerous national parks.

It's one of the classic day hikes of the United States—and with views like this, it's easy to see why.

See plentiful wildlife and few people on this 41-mile hike.

At one of the most beautiful parks in the northwest, this hiker went outside on their own terms.

Scramble up classic redrock and take in the canyon country views on this 4-mile out-and-back.

Climb this iconic summit on an uncrowded sneak route.

Alligators, birds, and even dolphins will be your company on this paddle.

Follow this loop mixing on- and off-trail travel through vibrant wildflower displays and past snow-fed streams to a huge alpine lake with unbeatable campsite views of Mount Meeker.

Link two of Grand Teton's deepest and most spectacular valleys via a high pass.

With America reopening, it’s high time to hit the road. See some of the country’s greatest parks, grasslands, and trails on these handpicked routes.

Summit peaks, swim lakes, and cross the Continental Divide on these hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park.

Our writer reconciles her family and her future on the path to Harding Icefield.

Feeling adventurous? Take on the seven-and-a-half mile hike to Panamint City, an abandoned village deep within Death Valley’s Surprise Canyon.

There are campsites—and then there are campsites. Settle in for one fantastic night at one of these prime spots, from mountain views to a beach getaway in the middle of Yosemite.

The national parks are our national treasure, and these 10 campsites are the best they have to offer. Hike in, pick up your jaw, and post up in paradise.

A weeklong paddle through Florida’s Everglades National Park is chock-full of wildlife encounters.

Travel to the unpeopled fringes of America’s first national park.

What's deeper than the Grand Canyon and has one-tenth as many visitors? Head to Texas to find out.

Find otherworldly snow formations just a few hours outside Seattle.

It was Ansel Adams's favorite park for a reason: Catch the best scenery and the best miles on these six trails.

Private lake views and a show are a good enough reason to visit the Hamilton Lakes Basin.

From dayhikes to weekends to weeklong hikes, our Grand Canyon experts will have you ready to hit this natural wonder in no time.

Deepest Denali is big, bold, and sublime—for those willing to pay the price of admission.

Explore the desert with our favorite hikes, short and long.

See dense forest and prehistoric ferns on this 45.2-mile jaunt.

You don’t need us to sell you on this park’s glacier-gouged peaks, kaleidoscopic wildflower displays, and A-list megafauna. But secret trails and tips? We got those.

Get up close and personal with North America’s tallest waterfall and Yosemite Valley’s greatest hits on this 20.6-mile loop.

Walk among giants on this quiet hike past the Grove of Titans and other 300-foot-tall redwood trees.

Get the best of three of America's best wild areas on these tours de force.

Bigger-than-life wilderness plus smile-a-second skiing equals the best winter trip on Earth.

In winter, one of Sequoia National Park's most popular spots gets a much-needed dose of solitude

Get a new perspective on an iconic view when you look through Canyonlands National Park's famous Mesa Arch in winter.