5 Amazing California Parks to Visit This Summer
Skip the crowds at Yosemite in favor of the great outdoor adventures at these great northern California parks this summer.
Tips
4 Rookie Mistakes Made by First-Time Backpackers
Avoid these rookie mistakes to better enjoy your first backpacking trip.
An Introduction to Hammock Camping
In Alabama and throughout the South, people have swapped their tents for hammocks to rest more comfortably while camping and to feel closer to nature.
Summer Hiking in Colorado: 5 Hikes to Beat the Heat
Had enough of the heat? The mercury is pushing 90°, making summer hiking in Colorado a potentially sweltering proposition, especially in the hills of the Front Range. To avoid having to sponge the salty sweat from your forehead at every turn, head for the high country, which is often 20 degrees cooler than the flats. … Read more
Wildlife Safety Guidelines: A Primer for Outdoor Enthusiasts
Summer is prime time for hitting the trails and the waterways of America’s gorgeous backcountry. Which also means it’s prime time for running into the critters, large and small, for whom that backcountry is home sweet home. Every summer, headlines are made over unfortunate (or unwise) wildlife encounters across the country. Many of those encounters … Read more
8 Pro Tips for Spending a Year Living Out of Your Backpack
Taking a year to backpack abroad after college is an idea that just about every young person toys with at one point or another. After all, riding trains to places with unpronounceable names, tasting exotic foods, and meeting fascinating people in faraway places sure has more of a romantic appeal than growing your LinkedIn network … Read more
Exploring the Cuban Countryside: A Day Trip from Havana to Viñales Valley
In the past couple years, former President Barack Obama and the U.S. government have eased travel restrictions that have kept most Americans from visiting Cuba for more than 40 years. For me, that meant booking a trip as soon as I could—before the country, which currently seems like it’s almost stuck in time, inevitably becomes … Read more
10 Amazing (and Attainable) Thru-Hikes Across the Country
Weekend backpacking trips are one of the greatest gifts of the summer. You can get so much in just two to three days: a breathtaking vista, a serene mountain lake, a secluded old-growth forest. The only problem is that all too soon you’re back at the trailhead, preparing for the long drive home and wondering … Read more
12 Weird, Wild Winter Festivals Around the World
Let’s face it: Once the holidays are over, it’s hard not to start counting the (dark) days until spring arrives. But that doesn’t there’s nothing to look forward to during those long winter days. Around the world, communities large and small come together to put on seasonal celebrations that have fun with—and make light of—this … Read more
5 Great Winter Hikes in Seattle
In Washington, the highest of the high country can be snowed in deep from October to June. And that’s true even in a warm winter like this one. But no matter where the mercury falls, there’s a place to lace up your boots—whether you’re craving a quadburner or a riverside ramble, a quick morning jaunt … Read more