Rivers
The latest
Archive
“Since he’s never said anything explicitly romantic, wouldn’t it be presumptuous to tell him I’m not interested?”
The New Yorker staff writer spoke with Outside Book Club host Elizabeth Hightower Allen about turning the unbelievable story of itinerant canoeist Dick Conant into a book
In the heart of Cornhusker country, they know how to make their own fun. Native son Carson Vaughan drafted four friends, loaded up on beer, and did what may be the strangest float trip in the world.
This month the Outside Book Club will read ‘Riverman,’ by Ben McGrath, the tale of a traveler who glimpsed the kind of freedom most of us only dream about
After her 25-year marriage ended in divorce, the Outside contributing editor turned to science—and a river trip—to navigate through the darkness. Register here for our Zoom book discussion on March 9.
When Outside contributing editor Florence Williams’s husband of 25 years left her, she paddled the Green River to process her grief. Her new book recounts that story and dives into the science of the heart.
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.
The precocious author’s debut release was the December-January pick for the Outside Book Club. We spoke with him about his journey along the Magdalena, Colombia’s longest waterway, and his attempt to understand the quickly changing country
Seasonal outdoor work seems idyllic, but it isn’t an easy lifestyle. Guides are starting to open up about the challenges of constant transitions, and new research offers insight into their unique situation.
Jordan Salama’s new book is an impressive debut by an up-and-coming travel writer
Author Jordan Salama began writing this captivating book, about a journey down Colombia’s Magdalena River, when he was just a college student
Plan your next adventure on one of the nation’s most resplendent waterways with the help of Gaia GPS
The River Democracy Act will establish Oregon as the country’s undisputed leader in permanent river protection.
Between sun, water, sand, and wind, river trips are hard on the skin. Here are six packable essentials to protect you from the elements.
But there’s still hope if we start managing water differently and addressing climate change, both of which are making dry spells more extreme
In an excerpt from his latest book, ‘Freedom,’ the celebrated nonfiction writer describes a journey along Pennsylvania’s train tracks with friends he met while reporting on the war in Afghanistan
By the late 1990s, the Chinook salmon of Oregon’s Lostine River were nearly gone. Now a collaboration of hard work is paying off.
The underrated West Virginia adventure hub is finally getting the recognition it deserves
Tenkara fly-fishing in Colorado with Daniel Galhardo
'Rio Rica' introduces us to Rica Fulton and the Little Snake River, a lesser known tributary of the West's renowned Yampa River
Chile's Rio Claro is a beautiful stretch of water, some sections of which are only accessible by kayak
In her new book, 'Superman's Not Coming,' the activist gives a lesson in community engagement and warns that we shouldn't expect the government to save us
'Water Flows Together' explores the intersection of water access for consumption and recreation
'River of Return' features river guides and Shoshone-Bannock tribal members Sammy and Jessica Matsaw
In praise of sand in your eyeballs, no cell service, and pooping in a box
'Rising from the Ashes' follows the scientists studying the summer steelhead resurgence in Washington's Elwha River
Jason Cajune is a second-generation boatman building wooden dories in Livingston, Montana
This year's most at-risk rivers, the Lower Missouri and Upper Mississippi, provide water for millions of people in the Midwest
So-called "flush drownings" lack an obvious cause like getting trapped underwater. Researchers now believe water temperature is a key factor.
'Powell 150' documents a thousand-mile rafting trip along the Colorado River Basin from Wyoming to Nevada
'The Salad Days' chronicles the river career of Herman Hoops, a conservationist, boater, and public land steward.
'River Surfer' profiles a longtime saltwater surfer turned river rider from Jackson Hole, Wyoming
Expedition kayaker Scott Lindgren knocked off first descents of the most remote and dangerous rivers on earth, from the Himalayas to the Sierra. He paddled with an aggro attitude and saw weakness as an unforgivable trait in himself and others. But when a brain tumor started to derail his athletic performance and threaten his life, everything changed.
You can't technically finish the AT without a ride in Greg Caruso's canoe
In a new documentary, The Salad Days, river runner and advocate Herm Hoops takes to the water one last time
How to handle ego in its many (sometimes potentially deadly) forms
How to explore the western rivers and wilderness on the route of legendary explorer John Wesley Powell
In this film, the OARS team profiles Samantha 'Derby' Derbyshire, a prominent female river guide on Utah's Cataract Canyon
A performance in Grand Junction, Colorado, pays homage to the confluence of the Gunnison and Colorado Rivers—and calls for action to protect the threatened waterway
On-the-ground info to keep you safe in the backcountry
A reformed raft guide writes a breakup letter to his favorite piece of gear as he upgrades to a (real) mattress
Take your children fishing. Then do that over and over again for the rest of your life.
We pulled together a few of our favorite places to camp—some developed campgrounds, some not—alongside America’s most stunning rivers
Taking a tiny human floating seems intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be
A new report found that towns near plenty of outdoor recreation attract new residents and higher incomes. But this could also mean higher costs of living, affordable housing challenges, and encroachment into vulnerable landscapes.
When one of your best buds is getting married, it calls for something truly epic
In 'Next Gen,' from OARS, president Tyler Wendt takes his family on its first multi-day river trip
Amid stories of ecological doom, we found a few instances of progress worth celebrating
In this installment, More Than Just Parks features the Flathead Valley and its endless recreational opportunities
All you need is a rod, a license, and a good attitude to catch your first fish
The Gila is America’s most endangered river. What do we stand to lose if it disappears thanks to climate change and overuse?
Heather Hansman’s new book is a must-read for anyone who loves rivers or is concerned about the future of the West
Two hunters set off in a raft to hunt for rutting mule deer bucks in Idaho’s famed Frank Church Wilderness.
From Vans, the Weird Waves series documents a group of surfers pursuing a variety of odd breaks from around the world.
Stay clean and keep the environment safe at the same time
EPA proposes stripping protections from 50 percent of streams and 110 million acres of wetlands
Skiers Christina Lustenberger and Dane Tudor search the headwaters of the Columbia river for some of the world’s most sought-after snow.
What the admittedly confusing categorization actually means
It's the 50th anniversary of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, and our waterways are in more danger than ever. These reads explain what's going wrong—and how to fix it.
The U.S. Coast Guard closes the Potomac River any time President Trump wants to hit the links.
Boyan Slat, the 24-year-old founder and CEO of the Ocean Cleanup, has finally launched a system he says will rid the Great Pacific Garbage Patch of half its plastic trash in five years.
‘Weight of Water’ follows adaptive adventurer Erik Weihenmayer on a whitewater kayaking trip through the Grand Canyon’s lava falls
Developers want rivers lined with high-rises and environmentalists want reintroduction of native grasses. A successful waterfront revitalization needs both.
Great places to live don’t just happen—they’re made. We talked to experts around the country to find out exactly what the most livable towns are doing to rev up the local economy and attract adventure-loving residents.
At these five parks, the food is the treasured resource.
Carrying your own portable boat is officially the coolest way to go deep into the wilderness
If you've only been following the drama of Scott Pruitt and his replacement at the EPA, you only know half the story. Environmental regulations are under attack all across America, and the siege is just beginning.
Here's the gear I chose for my first fly-fishing setup
This hilarious—and informational—PSA from Ranger Lauren Ray warns river rats of the low flows on Arkansas’ Buffalo River.
The Yellowstone River is the beating heart of Paradise Valley, Montana, but a proposed mine threatens the entire ecosystem.
In this scene from Blue Heart, the women of Kruscica village in Bosnia protest the development of a new dam on their beloved river.
This animated short from Your Forests Your Future and More Than Just Parks highlights the process behind this special designation.