Located at the base of Mont Blanc, Courmayeur is an alpine heaven for adventure, views, and mountain culture
Our writer dove into the inner workings of the Backpacker’s Pantry factory to learn the tricks of the trade
Like millions of Americans, Outside’s articles editor took his family camping over the long weekend. But are the stresses that parents endure during a typical family camping trip worth the struggle?
Descending a trail strains your muscles and ligaments. Our hiking columnist asked a physical therapist how to avoid aches and pains on your next downhill adventure.
Even for thru-hikers with a wealth of long trail experience, the Colorado Trail offers challenges all its own
On Tuesday, a horse slid off the side of a popular backcountry trail, falling 30 feet into a ravine
In episode five of Ultimate Mountain Athlete, presented by the 2024 Toyota Tacoma, the first season concludes with the Free Ski contest before the final points are tallied and winners are announced
What may sound like freedom to us can create total sensory overload in your pup
After spending her infant years ascending New Hampshire’s 4,000-foot peaks in a carrier, Lydia Pearson recently accomplished the challenge on her own two feet—summiting all 48 of them
Here’s why your next adventure needs to be rooted in activity—and where to find the dream walking or hiking tour that can deliver
Apple’s new iOS 18 update allows its products to work off-grid. But are phones a suitable replacement for purpose-built backcountry communication tools?
Unplugged thru-hikes are increasingly rare—but not extinct. Here's how to thru-hike without a smart phone.
The new Forloh BTM Pros might look the Fjallraven Kebs, but they’re made in America, and far more durable
Five questions with Shilletha “Dragonsky” Curtis, whose memoir ‘Pack Light: A Journey to Find Myself’ explores her transformative hike on the Appalachian Trail
This fruit-based energy gel, once touted for its high-carb intake and low volume, contains about a third of calories than advertised, multiple independent nutritional analyses suggest
Our editors asked their fathers about a piece of gear they’ve held onto over the years, and what it means to them
Getting bit? It could be your backcountry hygiene—or lack thereof.
From bucket hats to visors, headgear blocks out the sun and helps define your trail persona. Our hiking columnist helps you choose which hat is best for you.
In West Texas, the vast landscape serves up a whole new level of adventure
Backpacker editors go head-to-head on the most controversial of feminine hygiene accessories
But popularity online could also be the ticket to better funding for parks with lower engagement
The tragedy offers some sobering lessons for anyone who spends time outdoors
Make the most of the season with this guide to getting out with your best friend
Five questions with Matt Lyons, the Instagram comedian who skewers outdoor cliques
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.
From our favorite hikes in national parks and every state to the most beautiful trails in the world, here’s what to put on your trekking bucket list. Plus, maps, beta, and more to get 'er done.
Watch Freida Pinto and Cory Tran take full advantage of everything the surreal landscape has to offer
The bills would have instructed the state to seek reimbursement when hikers needed rescue from a closed trail, but they faced opposition from emergency personnel
The founder of Mother Trucker Yoga is teaching adaptive poses at truck stops and in truck cabs everywhere
Starting this fall, backpackers will have to pay a new fee to hike the popular Lost Coast Trail. For some, it will triple the cost.
Officials warn pet owners to remain vigilant after finding at least a dozen barbed treats. No dogs have been reported injured so far.
How to combine products from MSR and Dometic to achieve the ultimate, convenient water transportation system
There are lots of theories about how to avoid altitude sickness. But in practice, acclimatization isn’t so straightforward.
For a handful of lucky students in Emory and Henry College’s Semester-a-Trail program, the AT is the ultimate teacher
No camp stove? You can still whip up a hot meal with these tips.
Five ways to measure your progress trail running across surfaces, distances, and routes
Walking across deserts and mountain ranges taught the author important lessons on friendship, compassion, and understanding others
There’s nothing I loathe more than getting charged by a dog that’s off leash while I’m out running on a trail
Most backcountry lightning education—including what’s taught by major outdoor organizations—is antiquated. Here’s your overdue expert update.
From meal planning to meeting the townies, every aspiring thru-hiker should hear this hard-won advice
Follow these steps to give your camp neighbors an unforgettable experience. (Note that we said “unforgettable,” not “good.”)
I could barely walk, a condition doctors told me would likely deteriorate further. That prompted me to plan an adventure of a lifetime.
President Biden issued an executive order last week to bolster women's history in our National Parks
Dreaming of an extended trek on a storied trail? Here’s everything you need to know to get started at thru-hiking or get better at it.
With the recent completion of the Capital to Tahoe Trail, Carson City is looking for two hikers to go from its core all the way to Canada for good money
The 8-year-old cat from New York gained internet fame for leading guests at his owner's AirBnb on Appalachian Trail hikes. It's a role he was born to play.
The Appalachian, Pacific Crest, and Continental Divide trails pass through a combined 22 states. Our hiking columnist categorizes them from hardest to easiest.
Everybody does it. But pooping in the wrong place could make a mess of someone else’s hike. An expert shares how to make the best of a crappy situation on the trail.
Mount Rainier National Park will join Glacier, Rocky Mountain, and Arches in implementing a new timed-entry system for the park’s most popular entrances
What’s an acceptable baseline of fitness? According to the most adventurous American president in U.S. history, it was an ultra endurance trek.
Inexpensive motor inns and roadside lodges offer all the accoutrements that an adventurer needs
Learning how to talk about problems you’re having on the trail—and how to listen—can be the difference between a frustrating, demoralizing hike and a fun, fulfilling one. What can psychology teach us?
Our hiking columnist lost contact with his spouse in Colorado’s remote San Juan Mountains. After a frantic search, he reached for his Apple smartphone.
The Alaska ferry system is creaky and unpredictable. But it may be the best way to reach the wildest trailheads and abandoned shorelines in America.
Neighbors Jeff Hashimoto and Langton Ernest-Beck dreamed up a crazy summertime challenge: climb Washington’s 100 highest mountains, and link the peaks by bike
What’s one more vehicle at a bustling trailhead? Our columnist weighs in.
The 26th president once demanded that military personnel be able to walk 50 miles in 20 hours. I set off on an ill-fated mission to see if I could do it myself.
When it comes to packing for a winter camping trip, separating good advice from falsehoods can be difficult
Knowing how to keep warm could help save your life if things go wrong on a winter hike
Hitting the trail with someone may be the best way to get to know them. But what if “someone” is your new hubby?
The Merrell trail running athlete shares her experience of discovering a BRCA1 gene mutation—and pursuing her dreams anyway
Search and rescue officials are urging adventurers to carry appropriate gear after an unprepared hiker nearly died on one of the state’s high mountains
Itacate’s dehydrated meals fill the backpacking void with chilaquiles, Caldo Tlalpeño, and sopa de lentejas
The Appalachian Trail Conservancy announced this week that it had purchased 850 acres of land beneath McAfee Knob
Doyle set a speed record on the AT 50 years ago, long before YouTubers and partying twentysomethings had flooded the iconic trail. Through his Appalachian Trail Institute, which he's run since 1989, he’s still trying to convert a new generation of thru-hikers to his personal philosophy of what the trail should be.
The ordeal is a reminder to value your own situational awareness over what Big Tech may tell you about a trail
National Park Service encourages hikers to avoid Whiteoak Canyon and Old Rag due to poor air quality
A video of daddy longlegs clustering on a backpacker’s had arachnophobic hikers vowing to stay away. But look a little closer, and you might just gain a new appreciation for the Alaskan wilderness.
After three years of testing, Rocky Mountain National Park may make its reservation system permanent—and other parks aren’t far behind
And Alfredo Aliaga is already planning his return to come back and do it again next year
Our hiking columnist loves the simplicity and familiarity of a flavor additive called True Lemon, which lurks in the condiment zone of rest stops
Authorities believe the man may have been planning an attack at the Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park
The weather's getting colder, and that means your packing and planning strategies have to change. Steer clear of these backpacking mistakes for a smoother transition to fall.
For most AT thru-hikers, Katahdin is the finish line. For Will French, it was the halfway point on a 25-year, 4,320-mile journey along the prehistoric spine of the Appalachians.
How connecting with pack animals can help you connect with nature in a deeper way
The Southern Sierra’s record snowpack may have contributed to a deadly accident on 14,505-foot Mount Whitney this month.
One of the hottest, driest places in the world has a brand-new lake festooned with wildflowers—but park officials say it won’t be around for long
A draft plan would introduce 3 to 7 bears per year into the North Cascades over the next decade