Destinations
Lose the leaf-peeping crowds on this quiet ramble above Virginia's loftiest canopies of color.
Explore off-trail in a wilderness with more bison than boot prints.
Don't waste winter: Tackle this cross-country canyon trek in the Lower 48's largest national park.
The all-time best. That's what every hiker wants on a national park trek, and that's what you'll get if you tackle one of these 25 trips.
Hawaii's Nakalele blowhole rivals Old Faithful. Plus: Trek to Oregon's salmon run and California's wine country.
If less people, more elk has become your mountain mantra, check the Guadalupe Mountains backcountry camping sites and trails and get that so sought after alone time.
Don't go up, go around. Rainier's Wonderland Trail loop offers the marathon hiker two weeks of backpacking bliss.
Zero in on your perfect hike, from thrilling slots to soak-awhile hot springs.
Live longer, take the North Circle Route. Glacier's highcountry views and crisp alpine air are rumored to add years to a backpacker's being.
Beat the crowds by tackling this classic dayhike by moonlight.
The Tanner Trail in the grandest of U.S. canyons is a camping classic.
Who ever said out of sight, out of mind was certainly not referring to the wealth of wildlife that are making some big noise in Thorofare Valley.
Traverse alongside delicate ecosystem, open tundra and hit nine summits on this "grand slam" of cross-country treks.
Smelling the flowers doesn't require slowing down your trek (though you might want to) through the explosion of wildflowers that cover the Great Smoky Mountains each year.
Swap summits for sand scrambling along nearly 18 miles of quiet coastal terrain.
No crowds. No frills. No cakewalk. This hang-on-for-your-life climb is not for the meager-hearted.
Fly these classic hikes in 3D with our guided tours.
Haunted mountains? Vanished campers? Bloodthirsty creatures? An evil wind that lures hikers over a waterfall? We dare you to hike America's scariest trails.
True tales from BACKPACKER editors and readers
Bigfoot? He's a softy compared to the other menacing monsters lurking in the woods near you.
Lost? Murdered? When the wilderness swallows people without a trace, who's to say what happened?
Alpine views and starry skies are nice, but on these unsettling hikes you might see something really stunning.
When bodies can't be buried, do their spirits ever rest? Hike to the scene of this wreck and find out.
Go ahead and hike to this park's famous lakes and waterfalls. Just watch your step–and your back.
Be the first to thru-hike an exploratory route from Portland to the Pacific.
The Dartmouth Outing Club targets an Appalachian Trail hiking record.
What's better than hiking every weekend? Hiking every day. Here are the best big-city escapes from New York to Los Angeles. Plus: Bill Donahue explores the remote reaches of Portland's Forest Park and discovers secrets even locals don't know.
When urban trails blend with raw wilderness, the sum is much greater than the parts.
The perfect metro-area trail: close, wild, uncrowded. Here are 10 major city options.
Kayak to pocket beaches and Gulf islands at Florida's southern tip.
Cross the Stillwater Plateau to trout-rich ponds at the foot of Montana's second highest peak.
Tackle a challenging, rocky route in the shadow of America's most famous volcano.
It's not the smallest peak in the Smokies, but spend a night on its summit (no tent required), and you'll agree it's the finest.
Washington, Arkansas, and Georgia are host to these three life-list phenomena treks.
Close your eyes and hear the bullets fly: These three routes pass through
parks drenched in United States military history.
From camping with wolves to fly-fishing smarts this insider's guide has you covered.
Disappear into Yellowstone's secret northern fringe, where you'll find a rejuvenated landscape and total solitude (except for the bison and grizzlies).
In an attempt to hike the continent's wild divide, one ultrahiker does something he's never done–quit.
Hike these paths before the masses find them.
Descend into Colorado's Black Canyon and explore a park that has everything–life-list scenery, challenging terrain, a revitalized river–except hikers.
Trek 18.2 miles from the South's best view to its most famous mountain.
Connect alpine lakes and tag three summits on this wildflower- and wildlife-packed loop.
Explore a supersized wilderness that's home to Idaho's densest
population of gray wolves.
Keep a group of peakbaggers safe with these field-proven tips.
Explore these redrock mysteries safely with expert tips on gear and technique.
Take a historic train to the trailhead and climb this Colorado beauty, nestled deep in the Weminuche Wilderness.
These three treks to life-list phenomena will take you to Bryce Canyon, Florida gator land, and fall foliage in the Texas desert.
Pack up your brood for a day in the outdoors with these kid-friendly trails.
From secret spots to the perfect campsites, this insider's guide has the goods on the Smokies.
A unique route linking historic homesteads yields an exciting Smokies adventure for hikers and history buffs alike.
Romero climbed Denali at 11 and has bagged five of the Seven Summits. He hopes to climb Everest in 2010, but is mountain climbing good for a growing kid?
For our 2010 Readers' Choice issue we want to know your favorite trail in America.
During a one-month August journey, BACKPACKER undertook multiple crowd-free Alaskan backpacking routes and returned with extensive photos, video, & GPS.
Trek to the trail-free summits of Macomb, Hough, and The Dixes
Climb through bear country to a campsite with views of The Grand.
Stroll through wildflower-filled meadows to a frozen slice of the Cascade Range.
Get national park-caliber scenery without crowds (or entry fees!) in these dead ringers for Great Smoky Mountains, Zion, and Yosemite.
From the best guiding service to ultimate summit routes, Washington's highest peak is still the greatest.
From the top day hike to the key skills you'll need, we'll have you ready for the Rockies in no time.
Follow a long-forgotten loop in Rocky Mountain National Park across the Continental
Divide, through moose-infested meados, and up Longs Peak via a rarely climbed
route.
Marcus Woolf explores history and wilderness during a six-day trip through the Smokies.
By crunching numbers on the thousands of lost hiker cases in the backcountry each year, Robert Koester hopes to keep you on track.
Go wireless, get dialed in, and navigate like a pro with these gadgets.
Follow our fool-proof three-stage guide to getting your kids as psyched as you are about getting outside.
Get outside earlier and faster by taking less with you. Here's how to ditch excess gear and pack light, tasty food.
Team trips will help get you outside faster than solo outings.
If you want to hit the trail before everyone, you'll need to get your gear in gear. Here's how.
A little thought and planning in the office can put you on the trail earlier than everyone else. Get started with this primer from productivity experts.
We guarantee you can triple your trail time this summer. How? Our step-by-step guide solves every challenge–work overload, gear chaos, no partner, family demands–so you can enjoy more of what you live to do every weekend: hike.
Threatened by OHVs, logging, and overgrazing a 120,000-acre proposed addition to Red Buttes Wilderness would quintuple its size and benefit the Pacific Crest Trail.
Urban sprawl and local opposition lead the threats to this 84,000-acre tract of Coronado National Forest.
A two-day, 17-mile zigzag along blueberry-lined mountain ridges will give you a dose of the 24,000-acre "Crown Jewel of the Monongahela," threatened by oil and gas drilling.
The biggest threat to his critical gap between the Weminuche and Uncompahgre Wilderness Areas? Off-highway vehicles.
Oil and gas development threaten these 65,000 acres. Float the Green River to see what's at stake.
On the Brooks Range's Arctic slop, coal mining and oil and natural gas drilling are threats to half a million caribou, and the Arctic's highest concentration of grizzlies.
Development, bureaucracy, and apathy threaten this Glacier-like mecca, home to grizzlies, fields of beargrass, and superlative alpine hiking.
Oil drilling and vacation homes threaten on of the last Chestnut tree bastions, a 5,191-acre proposed Wilderness Area in the Allegheny National Forest.
The thread to this Down East trail? Vacation homes. Passing through roughly 10 miles of private land that has yet to be protected, wilderness designation could neutralize the looming threat.
It's never been easier to help save the wilderness–no donations, no petitions, no pulaski swinging required. The only thing you have to do is go backpacking.
Climb riverside bluffs in the South's oldest national forest.
This sustainable light gives cap-wearers a viable headlamp alternative.
You know that the big-name parks draw big-time crowds. But each of those outdoor icons has a lesser-known replacement that offers some of the same classic features and epic scenery–and you get it all to yourself.
Beaches, wildlife, and prairies in Minnesota, Mississippi, Wisconsin, Missouri, Iowa, Ohio, North Dakota, Kansas, and Illinois make the Midwest a hiker's paradise.
From blueberry picking in New York and New Hampshire to pure solitude in New Hampshire and Maine, moose sitings in Vermont, and peaks in New York, these the hikes feature the best of the Northeast.
From canyons to rock art to waterfalls, the Southwest has an abundance of natural beauty.
Take is stunning rivers and waterfalls, killer views, and amazing wildlife in Virginia, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida and Texas with these hikes.
With alpine views, hot springs, wildflowers and wildlife, these hikes in Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana offer the best of the Rockies.
From dawn-to-dusk epics in Utah canyons to lazy-picnic blueberry strolls in Maine–plus hikes to peaks, redwoods, hot springs, beaches, and more–here are 100 ways to spend a perfect day on the trail.
From dayhikes to weekends to weeklong hikes our Grand Canyon expert will have you ready to hit this natural wonder in no time. PLUS: Get dialed with essential skills.
The best view in the Grand Canyon can't be seen from the rim. Brave the trek to Royal Arch, hidden deep in the gorge, and your world will never look the same.
Hike across forested hills to gape at ocean vistas just one hour north of San Francisco.
Get national park scenery without the crowds on an alpine overnight with lakeside camping.
This iconic summit shouldn't be rushed. Save the experience on this 33-mile trek.
Kelly Bastone hiked a long-forgotten trail through Yosemite's North Rim and documented the trek on video, in photographs, and using GPS.
Heading out for a long haul? With these backpacks, you'll have the room you need for long trail comfort.
From this year's Editors' Choice winner to the ultimate organizational wonder, these weekend packs are perfect for heading to the hills Friday to Sunday.
Heading out for the day? We have your can-do ultimate daypack. From the best bargain to the lightest on the market, these packs have everything you need.
From the most headroom to the best deal, three isn't a crowd with these tents.
All you need is a roof over your head you say? A tarp might be just what you're after.
Head to the high-country with these altitude-ready tents.
Going solo? Options abound with these 1-person tent choices.
From the most innovative to the most eco-friendly, pitch one of these 2-person tents for your home away from home.
We tested 150 boots this year, tallying enough trail miles to hike from Acadia to Denali–and back. Why? To help you find the perfect outdoor footwear.
We tested 150 boots this year, tallying enough trail miles to hike from Acadia to Denali–and back. Why? To help you find the perfect outdoor footwear.
We tested 150 boots this year, tallying enough trail miles to hike from Acadia to Denali–and back. Why? To help you find the perfect outdoor footwear.
We tested 150 boots this year, tallying enough trail miles to hike from Acadia to Denali–and back. Why? To help you find the perfect outdoor footwear.
Home improvement: The best new shelters are roomy and light, thanks to innovative pole structures that expand space and reduce weight and bulk.
How do we know this year's packs are lighter and more comfortable than ever? We spent the last 12 months lugging loads from Denali to the 'Daks to bring you the 32 best.
Explore secret Africa on an alpine wildlife safari.
See sheer-sided fjords, calving glaciers, and the northern hemisphere's largest ice sheet.
Experience the magic of the remote Himalaya.
Lose yourself in Europe's last great wilderness.
Explore a hiker's fantasy island on Tasmania's rough-and-wild long trail.
See the Andes the way Cortez did–totally wild.
Discover the best of Kiwi wilderness–north and south–with these two hikes.
Score classic Alps scenery, adventure, and hut culture without the classic crowds.
Spain's little-known Valencia region beckons the mountain-minded adventurer with dramatic topography, sun-drenched hiking and biking, and sumptuous end-of-day feasts.
A veteran traveler discovers a world of adventure in his backyard.
Start your adventure right with these tips on getting to the trailhead and keeping in contact once you get there.
Don't suffer through a poorly planned trip: Use our tips to choose a destination and create a to-do list to begin your adventure.
This tech-saavy passport sleeve protects your documents from radio wave scanners
LowePro CompuRover is the outdoor photographer's best friend.
For a rough day on the trail, wear Patagonia's stable Scramble 35 daypack.
Roll, carry, or tote around your gear with the versatile High Sierra Overpass Wheeled bag.
The North Face Base Camp Series duffel is reliable through the worst dragging, zipper-yanking and rain.
Durable and lightweight, the Granite Gear Ultraflight 115 will keep you rolling.
Trek across the roof of the Andes, mix in some trail riding–on bike and horseback–and climb a 19,000-foot volcano.
Traverse the unknown end of the Alps–by trail, canyon, and cliff face–on this demanding journey in and around Triglav National Park.
Hike, paddle, and swim narrow canyons before running class IV rapids on an inflatable boogie board.
Trek between Buddhist villages, raft Himalayan whitewater, and ride an elephant in the shadow of 8,000-meter peaks.
Float, backpack, and mountain bike Canada's wild west coast.
Happy coincidence for wildlife-loving paddlers: Canoes and woodland caribou converge like nowhere else on Earth in Ontario's Slate Islands. PLUS: See video of caribou on the move.
The Trip Doctor reveals what works better against grizzleis than buckshot.
Hike North America's deepest canyon
You guessed, it, you need to head North. Here's where you'll get the best view of the Northern Lights.
Plunge from rainforest to caldera in Hawaii's famously explosive national park
Thirty miles up the trail from Springer Mountain, Winton Porter shelters and feeds thru-hikers–and works tirelessly to slash their pack weight.
Maine's newly minted Thoreau-Wabanaki Trail tracks the famous naturalist's 1800s expeditions. Good news: It's still wild.
At right around two pounds per person, these three-season, double-occupancy shelters do everything but weigh you down.
Pick your own path to an empty 14er.
Explore hidden gorges and spy rarely seen wonders on this three-week raft trip designed specifically for hikers.
Scout for gold–and desert views–amid this Texas park's spray of late-fall foliage.
The world's tallest tree towers above a secret location deep within the
lush, tangled backcountry of Redwood National Park. Determined to find this
giant,
our correspondent discovers something more incredible than he ever imagined.
You don't need a boat to see this spectacular national lakeshore. Here's how to explore the best of its bluffs and beaches by foot (and paddle).
Finding total Southwest solitude
Exploring a high, wild corner of the North Cascades
Floating a liquid maze in the Northeast's lake-riddled forests
Rambling a granite redoubt
Ready to dial up the adventure meter? Try out your digital skills–and go places most people can't–on these life-list journeys.
New features and web-based tools enable Backpacker's passionate online community to share trips, post pictures, and get the latest in gear reviews and adventure news and content.
With more features, a new look, and the most informative content this side of the trail, the new Backpacker.com is amped up with the best in adventure, gear, travel, skills, and survival on the web.
Our guide to spotting wolves on Michigan's Isle Royale.
