Appalachian Trail

For a handful of lucky students in Emory and Henry College’s Semester-a-Trail program, the AT is the ultimate teacher

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.

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.

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.

Kristian Morgan set a new southbound FKT on the Appalachian Trail, but he’s not done yet

Come fall at Debsconeag Lake Wilderness Camps, the foliage is on fire, the ponds are still, and the trout are biting. But the real takeaway from a stay here is the hush of the wild.

America’s most classic hiking route is generally a safe place for an adventure. But not always.

Three years ago, Danae and Olen Netteburg set out with their four kids on the Appalachian Trail. Three years (and one more baby) later, they’re about to complete the Triple Crown. All of them.

One of the most popular mountains on the Appalachian Trail closed to overnight visits after visitors trashed it in 2020. Now, those temporary restrictions are starting to look permanent.

Live electric wires and bridge damage are among the hazards that trail crews have found so far—but it’s not all bad news

Four years ago, our hiking columnist didn’t know the triple crown of hiking existed. Now he’s on the verge of completing it—or at least trying to.

Students in the Semester-A-Trail program at Emory and Henry College will spend their spring and summer semesters hiking part or all of the Appalachian Trail—with gear, support, and an on-trail budget included in tuition

Encounters between bruins and campers led the forest service to shutter the areas

Completing a winter journey on the Appalachian Trail convinced the fun-loving thru-hiker that he can accomplish whatever he dreams up

Securing a permit to hike in national parks or well-protected preserves can be difficult. But it’s not impossible. Here’s how to do it.

Hikers on the Appalachian Trail will see the permit price increase from $20 to $40 in 2023

After 2,194.3 miles, this is the equipment that they loved the most

Great Smoky Mountains is a mecca for millions of outdoor visitors each year. But as our 63 Parks columnist explains, that doesn’t mean you can’t find solitude and peace. Often all it takes is a walk in the woods.

Michael Charles Lombardo, 55, frequently walked the famed trail with his pet Chihuahua

Many visitors to the mid-Atlantic make a beeline to the Smokies. But our 63 Parks columnist argues that there’s plenty of wild adventuring to be had in Shenandoah—and Blue Ridge views for days.

Scott Benerofe finished a rare and daunting southbound winter thru-hike of the AT. His self-proclaimed normalcy about the endeavor suggests such treks might not stay so rare for long.

The cause of Paul “Grandmaster” Classen’s fatal fall is still unclear

Rahawa Haile set out on the AT during one of the most tumultuous periods in our political history. The story she wrote about it for Outside in 2017 hit a nerve, and encouraged many others to get out on the trail. We followed up with her to find out what scared her the most, the one piece of gear she couldn’t live without, and why thru-hiking is always worth it in the end.

Stories about kids who break hiking or climbing records feel like the continuation of an outdated and unhealthy attitude toward outdoor recreation

Hiking is for everyone—but as Kara Richardson Whitely, a.k.a. Mama Kubwa, discovered, not everyone has gotten the memo

Injury forces ultra legend Scott Jurek off the trail

This time the former AT record holder is heading southbound and shooting for a time of under 40 days

More than 3,000 people attempt to walk the entire Appalachian Trail every year. Only about a quarter of them succeed. This intel from an AT thru-hiker provides key information to help you tackle and complete the 2,193-mile trek from Georgia to Maine.

Hiking remains a rare modern opportunity to be stunned by the unknown. Don’t spoil it by obsessing over a bunch of YouTube videos.

You don’t have to head to Europe to hike to a backcountry chalet. Here are the most spectacular stateside options, ranging from rustic to full-service experiences.

Heather “Anish” Anderson has now chronicled her record-breaking thru-hikes in two books. The ways she documents the details may surprise you—and help you do the same.

Sometimes the biggest threat in the wilderness is another human

Hiking was in vogue in 2020, but COVID-19 closures decimated the thru-hiking ranks. What did prospective hikers do with their unexpected time back home?

Monica and Vince Strawbridge and their four children hiked the PCT in 2018 and the CDT in 2020. Now the family has begun the AT.

Lots of people say they hike to change their lives. For some, that starts by changing their love lives.

Many hikers hope their treks will make them better at other sports. Instead, mine kept me from distance running for a year—a common side effect we don't discuss enough.

These eight titles will keep your wanderlust fired up for when it's safe to travel again

After devoting their spring to COVID-19 patients, two West Virginia brothers became the first identical twins to earn the triple crown of American hiking

This pastoral stretch of the Southern Appalachian mountains in Virginia is packed with hiking, fishing, road biking, and other adventures—if you know where to look

Liz "Mercury" Anjos just completed a mid-pandemic thru-hike of the AT—with the help of a small, dialed support squad and a van named Pegasus

The two-hour corridor from Asheville, North Carolina, to Bluff City, Tennessee, packs eight adventures into 60 miles

Follow these steps to spend less time stressing over the details and more time on the trail

After months of trespassing and hiding from rangers, two hikers completed the Appalachian Trail in June. Their sagas raise questions about what it means to be outdoors in the United States right now.

During a week of historic decisions, the Supreme Court decided that an energy company can drill under the Appalachian Trail

No matter your skill level or the type of adventure you're seeking, New England's two dominant mountain ranges offer plenty of opportunities to explore. Here's your guide to getting the most out of them.

From ballads inspired by outdoor adventures to neighborhood sing-alongs, the Okee Dokee Brothers' new album makes staying home with kids more fun

For Warren Doyle, who has thru-hiked the trail nine times, it comes down to mental—as much as physical—preparedness

In the South, a series of hostels have welcomed hikers, defying trail closures and guidelines. They say they're acting on behalf of their communities.

We've been married 13 years and backpacked more than 12,000 miles together. This is what we've learned.

I watched 40-plus hours of thru-hiking vlogs. These are the ones that are worth your time.

Walking away from the adventure of a lifetime is hard, but it makes coming back to it especially rewarding. Here, five thru-hikers share their stories of failing and coming back for more.

Despite the coronavirus, you can legally thru-hike the Appalachian Trail right now. But should you?

Hostels are closing, volunteers are staying home, and trail organizations are advising hikers to cancel their plans

What types to bring, where to find them, and how to make your own

Backpacking food company Mountain House has taken the unusual step of temporarily shutting down its website in order to deal with skyrocketing demand in the wake of pandemic fears

A wilderness medicine expert and former AT thru-hiker shares her tips for tackling a long-distance backpacking trip

Don't have time to thru-hike? That's OK! These trails can be done in a few days or weeks so you can test your endurance without using up all your vacation days.

Lucy Parks found trail culture far from fully accepting but refused to let fear stop them from thru-hiking the AT

Doctors told Trey Cate he'd never walk again after Iraq. Now he's organizing the most ambitious thru-hike of the decade.

Some of our favorite nonfiction authors dropped new books that explore everything from climate disaster to unusual acts of endurance

Proving, once again, that kids don't have to slow you down

Completing the entire trail isn't the point

Most airlines have a policy for handling such matters. Here's how to avoid the same fate.

We took a peek inside their packs and had a nutritionist grade their choices

You can't technically finish the AT without a ride in Greg Caruso's canoe

There's an easy and quick getaway for fall leaf peeping, no matter where you are in the region

After becoming the first African American male to complete the triple crown of thru-hiking, Robinson is sharing his own experience to encourage more people to get outdoors

In May, Kirby Morrill was nearly murdered during a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail. Four months later, she climbed Maine's highest peak, the route's terminus.

When Baltimore Jack died near Franklin, North Carolina, the news shook the Appalachian Trail community. Jack had left behind the real world to live on the AT, thru-hiking it seven times and helping countless others to reach their goals. To some, his choice to live off the grid was irresponsible. Others celebrated that he'd managed to break the shackles of convention. A look back on the life of an AT antihero.

Before there was 'A Walk in the Woods' and 'Wild,' there was 'The Lord of the Rings'

A new organization thinks eminent domain is the answer to protecting the national scenic trail system. Other advocates think that idea is counterproductive.

Liz "Snorkel" Thomas, an Appalachian Trail record holder, created a 225-mile route through the Big Apple to help bring attention to the city's need for more playgrounds

Diversify your Instagram feed with plus-size ultrarunners, kayakers, and other bold outdoorspeople who want you to love getting out there too

A proposed hydropower transmission line in Maine would impact the AT, wildlife, recreation, and tourism. Is it worth it?