Appalachian Trail: NY 22 to Hoyt Road

Submitted by: Backpacker Magazine
The marshlands and wooded swamps on this 6.9-mile leg are home to more than 77 species of birds.

Boulder, CO: Rainbow Lakes to Arapahoe Glacier

Submitted by: Backpacker Magazine
Tour Rainbow Lakes' subalpine waters before climbing through pine forests, past hidden lakes, and over 13ers en route to the Continental Divide.

Appalachian Trail: Unicoi Gap to Hog Pen Gap

Submitted by: Luthi726
Unicoi Gap to Hog Pen Gap. 14.6 Miles.

CDT_Anaconda_45MT

Submitted by: 45mt
    The Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness is a beautiful, yet little know section of southwest Montana. This Wilderness has a legacy of being protected land, created with the initial Wilderness Act of 1964.  That aside, it historically has had little user traffic.   Backpacker Magazine has actually helped increase the number of visitors over the the last number of years with articles presenting the areas subtle beauty.  Local land managers, therefore, want the area to be experienced by all, but also framed by the regulations regarding a Wilderness area.      Every Wilderness has certain regulations in common, such as no motorized equipment of any kind, the observance of "Leave No Trace" guidelines, no damaging or trampling of natural resources, and to observe all posted signs.  Each protected area also has their own unique regulations in addition to those common with every Wilderness.  The Anaconda-Pintler requires every group to register at their beginning trailhead and carry a register tag throughout the trip.  Group sizes must be twelve people or less and current fire conditions must be checked before heading into the backcountry.  If groups are using stock, they are asked to abide by local regulations and camp away from water sources.  Proper bear storage techniques are also needed throughout the Wilderness.   Black bears are common here and grizzlies have been spotted infrequently over the years, therefore food should not be available for ones safety.  Even backpacks should be hung at night so as to avoid chewing from porcupines, deer, and other ground animals.     Local Wilderness Rangers would also like visitors to be proactive in the area's "Leave No Trace" policy.  Campers are asked to find campsites approximately 100 ft from streams and 200ft from lakes.  Managers would like these users to disperse their camping sites versus using existing spots, so that areas do not become over used and vegetation is not excessively eroded.  As more visitors and Continental Divide thru-hikers frequent this pristine area, hopefully a legacy of stewardship will endure. 

The Wild Edge: Exploring Portland's Forest Park

BACKPACKER Review
When urban trails blend with raw wilderness, the sum is much greater than the parts.

BACKPACKER 3D Trail Flyover Videos

BACKPACKER Review
Fly these classic hikes in 3D with our guided tours.