Thirty years ago, a fire blew up on Colorado's Storm King Mountain, causing one of the worst wildland-firefighting tragedies in U.S. history. The trail honors those who died in the line of duty and the work of all firefighters.

Three days in total blackout darkness doesn’t sound that hard, until you hear this story about someone who tried to do it

I like the mountains, not boats, which make me sick. Then came a chance to see the beautiful landscapes of California’s Channel Island National Park.

I tested my nerve on a thin line high above the Utah desert. It changed how I face fear in my life.

Tourism to the Arctic and Antarctica contributes to their demise, and the regions are melting fast. A polar guide of 25 years asks: Should I stay away?

A busy news week of people getting marooned around the world got us wondering: How bad can it be?

Turn every day into a journey of discovery while exploring the region’s wildlife and watersports

Embarking on four days of total blackout, inside the sensory equivalent of a tomb, our writer went on a dark-cave retreat, the same one that quarterback Aaron Rodgers did

Cars spin, trucks slide, and what should be an hour’s drive can take all day. How did this scenic mountain corridor get so congested—and can it ever be fixed? I took a wild ride through the traffic jam to find out.

During a monthlong stay in Sweden, I realized that my Americanized relationship with the outdoors was off track. Here’s what I learned.

We spoke with Eric Hansen about an Outside writing career that ranged from stunt comedy to investigative reporting—and led to a new career in international health

Rising predawn to chase powder is sacred in ski culture, but an increasing number of resorts are offering early-access programs for people who can afford them

Stuck for hours in a traffic standstill while on a comedy tour, it was only natural for him to long for the farm labor that makes him happiest of all

After 25 years, writer Katie Arnold returned to Long Caye, a slice of paradise that the adventure travel boom forgot

Meet nine cats that hike, camp, kayak, ski, and even rock climb—and love exploring the wild outdoors as much as their humans

One of the first women to make a splash during Outside’s formative years was E. Jean Carroll, who in 1981 reported on a championship that was equal parts rodeo and beauty pageant. She came back with a story that advanced the magazine’s rambunctious style and treated saddle queens with the respect they deserve.

The secret to the best adventures? The element of surprise. So embrace the unexpected—it’s good for your health, too.

Before her first surf lesson, Natasha Smith didn't think about being the only Black person on the water. Now, she's a vanlifer chasing waves and adventure up and down the West Coast.

Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni—Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon became our newest national monument in 2023. Does protection go far enough?

To celebrate National Public Lands Day on September 23, the secretary of the interior reminds readers why protecting public lands is so important

When we came upon a four-semi accident at Green River in Utah, a mystery man saved us and others in the pouring rain from a deadly pileup. I’ve always wondered who he was.

When Pam Houston traveled to the nordic island nation to ride its unique breed of spirited horses, she wasn’t just after an adventure—she was urgently seeking a way to be well again

While riding the 2,000-mile Pony Express Trail, I learned that the most dangerous aspect of the Utah desert isn’t the heat or the rattlesnakes or the lack of water

A psychedelic renaissance is underway in the U.S., with an emphasis on the healing potential for depression and trauma. An Outside editor gives ketamine a test run and reports that the power is real.

Scientists are focusing on the power of awe, and for good reason. Experiencing it is essential for our health. Our author hit the road during California’s superbloom to figure out how our mind and bodies are transformed when we’re blown away by nature.

As a young actor, his first-ever trip outside the United States opened his heart to the astonishing power of the natural world

Nothing says “I do” like a small blood sacrifice

When the actor took a suborbital rocket ride, he came down with amazing (and fearsome) insights about the previous nature of our planet

Nick Offerman’s annual family trip was always to the same lake in Minnesota, where he was taught things that really matter.

Serious illness gave our writer an urgent need for physical and spiritual rebirth. She found both by bonding with a unique riding breed that seems touched by Viking spirit.

When the travel guide’s life turned upside down during the pandemic, he saw a chance to venture toward the kind of future he really wanted

From the moment this story broke, I kept checking—and checking—the news. Distant tragedies can grip our minds and souls, put us there. I started thinking about why.

Spend time getting reacquainted with the most important person in your life: you.

I’ve lived in the state for 35 years. It pains me to be disloyal to my own little hamlet, but I am compelled to say it: another town in the Rockies takes the cake.

The writer learned to have patience with himself after a catastrophic first day as an amateur sheepherder

Getting through a harrowing motorcycle adventure across Africa convinced the journalist that she can survive just about anything

The hairstylist had abandoned religion as a teen. Then a profound experience in a forest in the Middle East set her on the path to be a chaplain.

Faced with risk and loss in the mountains, our writer grapples with what it means to lead a life well-lived.

As a high-school student, she signed up for an ambitious adventure—and learned the hard way to be upfront about what doesn’t know

Dad and I had always planned to climb Africa’s tallest peak together, but cancer took away our chance. I knew he wouldn’t want it to take mine, too.

Wolves are my favorite animal, but my parents see them as the enemy that kills their livestock

Randy Udall was most at peace in the wilderness. After he died on a solo backpacking trip, his daughter took up his tradition of hiking to a secret place in Wyoming’s Wind River Range, where she was surprised by what she found.

Discover stories from Backpacker, Outside Online, Clean Eating, Climbing, and other brands across the Outside Network

Most of us can’t imagine not flying. But as airline emissions continue to adversely affect the climate, our writer deliberates why making the ethical choice is so hard—and why those who have done so are actually happier.

The Colorado mountain town has always been famous for its steep skiing, epic powder, and hippies, oddballs, and celebs. But with changes like those of recent years, can a place stay weird?

You might not about outdoor adventure in New York City. But you should. With 51 nature preserves and 520 miles of coastline, there are hidden worlds of natural wonders to explore. Here's how to find them.

I thought I’d found my calling guiding clients in mountains around the world. I sought out the highs of an adventurous life, but I wasn’t at all prepared for the dark side.

During the phenomenon of polar night, parts of the Arctic don’t see the sun for weeks or months at a time. The darkness drives some people insane, but for others, it opens a gateway into wonder and peace.

Sorry for sending the crowds your way, but sharing special places in the outdoors is my job, and if it’s done right, it’s for the greater good

Wells Tower on discovering the hard way that his father sleeps naked, how to navigate sibling punching episodes, and the simple fact that, pitfalls and all, it’s important to take your chances and just go

You don’t have to have a fancy rig or expensive gear to build the perfect camping truck. The system I set up in my 1998 Toyota Tacoma is more than fine.

Travelers may think of the Himalaya and Patagonia when it comes to life-list trekking. But the Huayhuash circuit in Peru is an equally spectacular cultural immersion and takes you by the mountain made famous in the film Touching the Void.

Got little ones and want to adventure far and wide? Here’s how to do it in an RV.

People develop sensitivities to just about everything these days, but can you really be allergic to frigid temperatures? Our writer takes us on a wild—and potentially life threatening—journey to find out.

From the Wave to the Wonderland Trail, more famous outdoor destinations are enacting lottery systems. For one writer, it’s not worth the hassle.

There’s a reason crowds flock to places like Havasu Falls and Horseshoe Bend—they’re absolutely gorgeous

The Swiss Alps are home to an incredible new hut-to-hut runners’ route called the Via Valais. It’s a little demanding—150 miles, nine stages, and 42,000 feet of elevation gain—but if you can take it on, you’re guaranteed one of the most spectacular adventures of your life.

After setting out on her longtime fantasy to travel the world on a sailboat with her family, one writer learns just how beautiful—and devastating—it can be to finally get what you want

The stunning destination of Sedona, Arizona is feeling the squeeze, along with many other iconic destinations worldwide. A new film called ‘The Last Tourist’ offers up ways we can fix the travel glut.

Reeling from her husband’s request to divorce after 25 years of marriage and two kids, Florence Williams was experiencing debilitating grief. An accomplished reporter, she decided to explore the science of heartache to see if she could find a cure. In this excerpt from her new book, ‘Heartbreak: A Personal and Scientific Journey,’ she heads out for a 120-mile solo paddle on Utah’s Green River, with a too heavy portable toilet and a shattered heart.

When Maggie Shipstead set out to report on women-only expedition travel, she was driven by a desire to learn new skills in a low-bro-factor environment. But six days exploring Alaska with the state’s first woman-owned adventure outfitter turned out to be regenerative in ways she didn’t expect.

With far-flung travel off the table, I learned how to enjoy the meandering flexibility of a road trip

Our writer and her partner were about to embark on a longtime plan when their relationship abruptly ended. Despite her fears of doing it alone, she’s hitting the road—it was always her fantasy to be realized, anyway.

Getting lost teaches me mindfulness, even when I’m terrified

When President Biden needs a break from Putin and Mitch McConnell, he vacations on the Delmarva Peninsula, a blend of mid-Atlantic beauty, quirky accents, and tasty treasures from soil and sea. I grew up in the heart of it. Hear my song to this glorious land.

Our country’s open spaces are a sanity-saving antidote for this writer

The weather is perfect. You get to do everything on your list. No one gets food poisoning or giardia or blisters.

Nothing matters once you’re out the door! Whatever you forget is simply not joining you on the adventure.

Oranges for dental work, milk for English lessons—when COVID-19’s initial lockdown dried up tourism dollars and supply chains, the islands bartered their way through

After my mom suffered a massive stroke that left half of her body paralyzed, my family and I decided to create adventures where none seemed possible

In 1967, Marlon Brando bought a tiny atoll near Tahiti with the aim of preserving it as a tropical paradise. That effort continues, supported by a resort where Beyoncé, Obama, and other big shots chill next to a stunning private lagoon. Hampton Sides went there to meet with scientists and splash around an eco-fantasy island.

High school didn't serve up much adventure, so Devin Murphy signed up to do grunt work on expedition ships that sailed to Alaska, Iceland, Antarctica, and other far-flung places. Turned out to be a pretty great idea.

For more than three decades, Paul Knapp Jr. has taken travelers out into the Caribbean Sea to hear humpback whales. Now seismic blasts threaten to silence their songs.

As the world continues to grapple with COVID-19, travel for many is still a faraway dream. But Ian Frazier reminds us that there’s no more promising feeling than hitting the road, windows down, hair blowing, full speed ahead.

Are social media and selfie culture killing the outdoors? Nah... but as a visit to some overshared spots reveals, they’re challenging our notions about whether there’s a right way to appreciate nature—and who gets to do it.

Polar explorer Eric Larsen found inspiration in Robert Service's poem "The Call of the Wild" when he first read it

Electric vehicles are becoming popular among the environmentally conscious, but are they realistic for road trips to more remote destinations? I took my Tesla to Utah to find out.

While a sailing trip is undoubtedly less stressful than the current times, crossing the Atlantic with three other people taught me some important lessons for lockdown

An armchair psychological study of outdoor Instagram poses—and what you can do to stand out from the crowd. As illustrated by Outside staffers.