HIKING & CAMPING

An estimated 2.1 billion people worldwide lack access to clean water. The causes for this global crisis vary—polluted water sources, resource management issues, climate-related drought, and poverty. The effects, however, are universal: drinking contaminated water leads to waterborne illnesses and, for the most vulnerable, death. But it doesn’t have to be this way. The same

As winter becomes spring, the Jeep community gathers in Moab, Utah, each year for Easter Jeep Safari. As a journalist, I usually end up in Moab before the crowds, to enjoy the latest that Jeep has to offer. Sure, the Jeep concepts each year are the big draw, but this year I also got a

National Parks are beautiful and amazing, but sooner or later Debbie Downer is going stroll through and say “lame!” Sure, we’ve all had a bad experience in the outdoors, right? Maybe it rained or the mosquitos were the size of chicken hawks. But Amber Share decided to design National Park posters based on the worst,

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app. Conventional wisdom goes like this: The lighter gear gets, the more expensive it gets. While that’s broadly true, you can still cut your pack weight without bankrupting yourself. You just need to know

Congratulations to Katherine Plessner for winning the recent Motivational Moments Assignment with the image, “A Photographer’s Dream Location.” See more of Plessner’s photography on Flickr. View the winning image and a selection of submissions below. And be sure to check out our current photography assignment here and enter your best shots!

Sure, exercise can hurt. But there are two kinds of pain: the lung-searing, muscle-burning athletic kind that makes you feel alive in your body; and the “ouch” kind that limits your ability to keep doing what you love. The limit-pushing pain you feel on a hike, run, or long day in the saddle? That’s the

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app. We usually default to boil-in-the-bag dinners when we camp. But sometimes, whether to impress a date or just treat yourself, you want to go a little more luxe. These three recipes taste gourmet,

Slide-in truck campers for mid-size pickup trucks are perfect for the off-grid overlanding and remote camping lifestyle that has blossomed over the last couple of decades. There’s nothing wrong with a cushy mattress, a heater, and hot food when you’re in the middle of nowhere.  With slide-in truck campers weighing as much or more than

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app. Maybe you’ve been in this situation: It’s a cold night in camp, and you’re rehydrating dinner. You pour the hot water into your meal, zip it up, and settle into your puffy for

Thick gray clouds, dawn, interiors, dusk, cities at night, twilight and more all present low-light challenges. But before you throw in the towel, pack your gear and jump back in the car, “Exhaust All The Possibilities” I present below. One may be the answer to net a good photo. Will there be situations where the

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app. You can’t hike the same trail twice—literally. They might give off an air of permanence, but our favorite parks, paths, and campgrounds are constantly in flux. From policy changes to park expansion and

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app. The North Rim of the Grand Canyon will remain closed until June 2, the National Park Service announced today, driving a hatchet into rim-to-rim and Arizona Trail hikers’ plans The Grand Canyon received

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app. Build Lung Power Want to turbo up the steeps? The key is interval training—short, intense bursts of aerobic activity. Add one or two interval sessions per week (with at least one rest day

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app. This year marks Backpacker’s 50th anniversary. To celebrate, we asked four of our favorite writers to write a letter to the backpackers of the future—specifically, to 2073, when Backpacker will turn 100 years

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app. Hiking trails are in a constant state of flux. Every year, crews construct new trails, well-loved paths fall victim to floods and windstorms, and wildfires, and routes that lack funding or dedicated volunteer