I Sewed Pit Zips Into My Own Rain Shell. Here's How It Went.
I've never been afraid of a little DIY. But this project was more than I bargained for.
Hiking Fitness
Hiking Fitness
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We Tested the Best New Backpacking Cookware—and Found the Ultimate Idiot-Proof Setups
Whether you’re going on a solo trip or cooking for a crew, our favorite cookware, stoves, and meals will have you fueled up in record time.
Are Bear Attacks on Hikers Really Increasing? The Reality Is Complicated.
Grizzly and black bear attacks on hikers have dominated headlines this spring and summer. But while maulings may not be spiking, long-term trends show that we have some work to do when it comes to coexisting with the trail's biggest predators.
Mosquitoes Are a Hiker's Worst Enemy. Here's What to Do When Bug Spray Isn't Enough.
So you tried dousing yourself with DEET, but you're still getting eaten alive? Here's what to do next.
Big Agnes VST Tents Are Its Lightest Yet—And Among Its Most Expensive
The single-walled shelter is a rare mix of ultralight and traditional tent design. But is it worth the $650 price tag?
Runners Have Been Analyzing Their Gaits For Decades to Manage Chronic Pain. Could It Help Hikers, Too?
Check out Corey Buhay's author page.
You Don't Need a Boat to Whale Watch. Spot Them from These 6 Hikes.
View humpbacks, orcas, gray whales, minkes, and more on these seaside hikes.
The 7 Best Backpacking Tents for Taking Shelter on Any Trail
Our all-time favorite three-season shelters can handle anything you throw at ‘em.
We Hauled Dozens of Backpacking Packs on Trails Across the Globe. These 8 Carried Their Weight Like a Champ
After thousands of miles of testing, we’ve zeroed in on our all-time favorite multiday backpacks.
The 5 Best Water Filters for Hiking and Backpacking
We tested 31 filters in rushing mountain streams and scummy lakes to vet our top picks.
Celebrate the Solstice on these 37 Hikes
June 21 is the longest day of the year—which is the perfect time to let your ambition get the rest of you.
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
The Best Hiking and Backpacking Gear of Winter 2026
From blizzard-ready tents to sleeping bags that can handle the coldest nights, this is the gear you can count on this season.
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
She Became the First Woman to Complete This 3,600-Mile Thru-Hike—and Brought Thousands Along for the Journey
This September, Jessica "Stitches" Guo finished thru-hiking the Continental Divide and Great Divide Trails in one five-month push, a deep-backcountry journey that saw her spend weeks without seeing a single other person. But with tens of thousands of people following her daily videos, it was a shared experience.
Jessica “Stitches” Guo began her 30th birthday alone, in the woods, walking north towards the Canadian border.
It was the same way she had spent the last few months of her 20s, during which she hiked from the Mexican border through New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana along the Continental Divide Trail. This day, however, was different.
At 1:51 p.m. on August 12, Guo reached a clearing in the trees, where stone monuments marked the U.S.-Canada border and the northern terminus of the CDT. She collapsed into tears alongside some concerned tourists. When they learned what she had just done, they applauded and helped her record a video, which would be viewed by more than half a million people on TikTok and Instagram.
For a few minutes, Guo sat, welcoming in her 30s with birthday cake Oreos and taking it all in. Then, she stood and continued into Canada. Her journey was not over. In many ways, she felt as if it were just beginning.
“Up until that point, I was like, ‘There’s a chance that I might not do this.’ I might get there and be too late or I might be too tired, or I might be too bored,” Guo says. “So for me to get there and still be feeling great, I was like, ‘All right, yeah, we can actually start the real hike now.’”
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