Summer’s Not Over Yet. Spend The Rest Of It At These Waterfront Campsites
Take a ferry or kayak to these campsites only accessible via water.
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Shopping for a Headlamp? Don’t Fall for This Common Misconception.
Think you understand how headlamp brightness works? Get schooled at the Outside Gear Lab.
How To Hike America’s Longest National Scenic Trail in a Day, a Month, or a Year
From rugged Upper Midwest forests to sweeping Appalachian ridgelines, the North Country Trail spans 4,800 miles across eight states.
How Many Carbs Do Backpackers Need and What’s the Best Way to Get Them?
Carbs are one of the hardest nutrients to get right on the trail. We interviewed two experts to learn the facts.
The Gear That Backpacker’s Editors Loved in August 2025
A comfy sleeping pad, an insulated bottle to keep your drinks chilly, and a pile of fantastic backpacking food: This is the gear that helped our editors make the most of this past month.
Bugs are the Best Part of the Trail
There's a beauty (and importance) in the trail's smallest trekkers
These Retirees Turned Their Tennessee Town Into a Hiking Paradise
A trail club of seniors has built dozens of miles of trails across their county, transforming how their community gets outside.
6 Arctic-Tested Essentials I’ll Never Camp in the Cold Without
On a damp and chilly trip to Alaska, one Backpacker editor was especially grateful for this gear.
Your First Backpacking Trip was a Disaster? Great. Keep Going.
Backpacking for the first time might suck. That’s totally normal
Sponsored Content
Find Pet-Friendly Trails Fast
With its new Trails app, Orijen pet food is partnering with the National Park Foundation to help pet lovers and their furry friends connect with the outdoors
Eugene Espy, the Second-Ever Person to Hike the Appalachian Trail, Has Died
The AT was rugged and sparsely traveled when Espy hiked it in 1951.
Wildlife
The Cocaine Bear Trailer Is Wild. The Real Story Is Weirder and Sadder.
Cocaine Bear's first trailer shows a bloodthirsty, intoxicated bruin rampaging through the forest. But how much of the based-on-a-true-story movie is real?
Fitness
The Best Hiking Workouts for Every Fitness Level
Reality check: Hitting the gym is the quickest way to hike farther, easier, faster, and pain-free. Get into a routine—or take yours to the next level—with these smart workouts for three different levels.
The Best Hikes
The Best Hikes in Joshua Tree National Park
Full of rock scrambles, cactus clusters, and desert views for days, Joshua Tree National Park is the southwest at its finest.
Backpacking Skills
Why You Should Use Trekking Poles
Ending too many hikes with sore, wobbly legs? Trekking poles can help you make it that extra mile.
Gear Round-Ups
Trail Guides
The Ultimate Guide to Hiking the Zion Narrows
The Narrows at Zion National Park offers an incredible adventure in America's most amazing slot canyons. Here's how to safely explore them.
Survival Skills
How to Remove and Treat Thorns, Splinters, and Other Prick Wounds
Nature can be brutal. Learn how to to deal with wounds from all kinds of thorns, spines, splinters, shards, quills, needles, and anything else that might get under your skin when you’re on the trail.
Classic Destinations
Hike Mauna Kea: The Expert Guide to Hiking Hawaii’s Highest Point
Ready to hike to the highest point in Hawaii? Ascend Mauna Kea's volcanic slopes to a summit high above the clouds. This challenging day hike is among the most spectacular on the planet.
Backpacking Gear
10 Backpacking Gear Tips We Learned the Hard Way
Get the most out of your backpacking equipment with this sage advice.
Long Trails
100 Years Ago, the Appalachian Trail Was One Man’s Dream. Now, It’s Everyone’s.
Benton MacKaye's original proposal for the Appalachian Trail came out 100 years ago. While the trail may have changed, the appeal hasn't.
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Out Alive
Real people who survived the unsurvivable
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Impossible Odds
Two friends, 8,000 trail miles, one year
Featured Story
The Best Places to Hike in 2023
This is the year to dream big. With the world's last destinations finally reopening to visitors, now's the time to plan a life-list hike that you'll never forget. Even better: Backpacker's done the work for you.
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