where to go:

The 67-mile Santa Monica Mountains Backbone Trail in California is a winter-friendly hiking and backpacking destination. We demystify camping, logistics, water, trailheads and more.

Walk in the footsteps of Ancestral Puebloans at Mesa Verde National Park. It offers narrow and beginner-friendly trails where you’ll traverse mesa and ancient cliff dwellings in an interactive park accessible to folks of all ages and abilities.

80-mile trail from Fort William to Aviemore through Cairngorms National Park in Scotland. More solitude, route-finding than the West Highland Way. Amenities for inn-to-inn hiking

Starting in Talimena State Park, the Ouachita National Recreation Trail runs 223 miles through West Oklahoma and follows the Ouachita Mountains. The hiking trail avoids towns and roads, complicating resupply but resulting in true, necessary solitude.

Trip plan and guide to the South Dakota Centennial Trail, a 125-mile hiking and backpacking trail in the Black Hills from Wind Cave National Park to Bear Butte

Buckskin Gulch and Paria River Canyon in Utah/Arizona are one of the longest slot canyons in the world. This 43-mile backpacking trip from Wire Pass to Lees Ferry in Vermilion Cliffs Nat’l Monument is a bucket list hike.

The Kokopelli Trail is a 143-mile desert bikepacking route that connects Fruita, Colorado, in western Colorado and Moab, Utah on singletrack and jeep roads

The White Rim Trail is one of the most iconic long-distance mountain bikepacking rides in the West. Traveling through remote canyon country, White Rim Road makes a 100-mile loop through the “Island in the Sky” district of Canyonlands National Park.

The Superior Hiking Trail (SHT) is a 310-mile backpacking trail in Minnesota along the North Shore of Lake Superior. We explain campsites, logistics, resupply and how to hike the SHT

The Corvallis to Sea Trail (C2C Trail) is a 62-mile backpacking trip through Oregon’s coastal range to Ona Beach on signed hiking trail from Corvallis to the Coast.

With 150 miles of gravel hike-and-bike trail, the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP Trail) is one of the East’s best pathways, perfect for leisurely bike rides. The old railroad follows beautiful waterways, weaving around Allegheny mountains and hills.

The Oregon Desert Trail (ODT) is a long-distance (750-mile) hiking route extending through the Oregon Badlands to Owyhee State Park. It is a remote and challenging trek through central and southeastern Oregon’s high desert highlights.

The C&O Canal Towpath is one of the East Coast’s premiere bicycle pathways. This car-free hike and bike trail is 185-miles long, following the Potomac River from DC to Maryland. Campsites, hostels, bike shops, and more make this a pleasurable ride.

The Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument sits in the heart of Utah’s Canyon Country. To see the most possible canyons, check out this combo backpacking and packrafting trip that hit several highlight spots including Golden Cathedral, the Escalante River, and Coyote Gulch. 

Find out what makes bikepacking the Lower Deschutes River Trail unique — and why it’s Oregon’s best trail for your first overnight mountain biking trip.

The 565-mile Blue Mountains Trail (BMT) is Oregon’s newest thru-hike trail. Leaving Wallowa Lake State Park, it forms a spiral to finish at John Day. It passes through the lands of the Nez Perce, and Confederated Tribes of Umatilla and Warm Springs.

How to plan your backpacking trip of the West Coast Trail in British Columbia, a 47-mile coastal trek: permits, transportation, logistics, gear, planning, and sample itinerary.

Thru-hiking guide to the Colorado Trail, a 485-mile hiking trail from Denver to Durango including gear, water, camping, permits, planning, logistics and more

The Snowdonia Way is a new 97-to-122-mile route connecting must-see sights of Snowdonia National Park. This long-distance backpacking trip will take you through North and Mid Wales mountains, valleys, beaches, rivers, mountain ridges, and summits.

Hiking guide to the Camino de Santiago on the French Way route, the most popular walking pilgrimage from the French Pyrennes to Santiago de Compostela, Spain

Here’s everything I learned that you should know about backpacking, running, or hiking the Maroon Bells Four Pass Loop.

Hiking and backpacking guide to a ~400-mile thru-hike from border-to-border of Oregon. Walk sandy beaches, sea cliffs, and forested headlands with restaurant and inn-to-inn options

Cottonwood Lakes is a 23.3 mile loop surrounding High Sierra Landscapes. Hike by alpine lakes, vistas, wildflower-lined streams, and twisted ancient foxtail pine forest straight out of Ansel Adams— under the shadow of 14,000-foot tall Mt. Langley.

The Oceans to Lake Trail is a short, winter-friendly backpacking trip shared with the Florida Trail with beach, tropical plants, and more.

A trip guide for the 160-mile loop along the Colorado Trail and Continental Divide Trail with trailheads, gear list, resupply trail towns and suggested itinerary

Want a beginner-friendly, flatwater river trip with great views? Visit Ruby Horsethief Canyon to experience 25-mile, year-round rafting down the Colorado River with red rock arches, sandy beaches, and side hikes from Colorado to Westwater, Utah.

Visit Voyageurs National Park, one of the least visited national parks, for a 3-day canoeing or kayaking trip on Kabetogama Lake during Spring, Summer, and Fall. You can see island campsites and Ellsworth Rock, garden, fish, star watch, and hike.

The reason they call the Salmon ‘The River of No Return’? You’ll never wanna leave! This 4-6 day whitewater rafting trip down the Main Fork of the Salmon, over beautiful high volume class III-IV rapids and pool-drop water, is a dream come true!

Trip guide to Vermont’s Long Trail, 272-mile thru-hiking path in Green Mountain National Forest. We cover camping, shelters, resupply, gear lists, planning, transportation, logistics and more

Oregon’s Three Sisters Loop is a 50-mile, 3-6 day backpacking trip that circumnavigates three volcanoes! A highlight of the Oregon Cascades, it passes through a waterfall, wildflower meadows, wilderness, the remains of an old lava flow, and more!