We Put One Anti-Stink Set of Clothes to the Test for 90 Miles Over Three Weeks (With No Showers)
I dirtbagged it for 25 days with only one set of clothes and two rules: 1. No laundry. 2. Desperation showers only.
Latest
Hiker Found Dead on Mount Whitney After Disappearing From Hotel
A search and rescue team helped recover the hiker's body on October 25, nearly a week after he went missing.
Karl Bushby's 31,000-Mile, 28-Year Walk Home
When Karl Bushby set out to hike more than 30,000 miles across four continents, he vowed he would only return to his native England on foot. That turned out to be an even bigger challenge than he thought.
The Gear That Backpacker’s Editors Loved in October 2026
From next-gen insulation for sweater season to a pair of hiking pants that just might be worth a $430 price tag, here's the gear that kept us moving this month.
This Sound Map Will Transport You to the PCT From Anywhere
Listen to the sounds of the PCT with this free map.
Nearly Half of US Hikers Use Cannabis, And Other Strange Findings From the ‘Hiking While High’ Survey
A recent survey of 1,008 U.S. hikers breaks down how often people are using substances on the trail, and the results are surprising.
This $30 Gadget Could Be the Key to a Smartphone-Free Hike
It's 21 grams and costs little, but can the tiny Life Camera S168 take good enough photos to justify carrying it on your next hike? We tried it out.
4 Elite-Level Trail Repairs Duct Tape Can’t Handle
Pads pop, sleeping bags tear, and shoes delaminate—but with a little know-how and a minimal repair kit, none of that needs to be a trip-ender.
At 75, Soren West Completed the Thru-Hike He Dreamed of Since Age 12
As a child, Soren West dreamed of hiking the AT. Sixty three years later, he and his golden retriever made it a reality.
West Virginia Has a New ‘Waterfall Trail’. Here Are 5 of The Best Cascades
The Mountain State is launching a statewide network of waterfall trails that access its most incredible cascades.
A Michelin-Starred Chef Explains How to Cook Your Best-Ever Camp Meal
Chef Kyle Connaughton of SingleThread gave us his best tips, tricks, and secret ingredient for your—and your guests’—best-ever backcountry meal.
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 101 Best Miles of Hiking in America's National Parks
America’s national parks boast thousands of stunning trail miles, but some are just a hair more amazing. Find the top 101 miles in the entire system on these 16 hikes.
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.
Listen
Out Alive
Real people who survived the unsurvivable
Listen
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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