By the time cool October winds begin to blow across mountainous landscapes, hikers on the Appalachian Trail, Continental Divide, and Pacific Crest Trail are scrambling to wrap up their seasons. But across the country, another long-distance trail is marking the start of its season: the Florida Trail. Spanning…
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Tips on Preventing and Treating Blisters
What’s a hiker’s worst and most common enemy? Bears? Weather? No! It’s the common, but painful, blister. Even a short day hike can seem like a death march when you have blisters, but there are ways to prevent this suffering, or at least reduce the pain. The key is to…
The 20 Best Day Hikes in Colorado
These are the kind of articles that keep me up at night. Whittling down a list of Colorado’s best day hikes to a mere twenty is a daunting task. There are literally hundreds of hikes that would fit the bill, and none of them would be wrong. If that comes…
The Ten Essentials: What They Are and Why You Need Them for Every Hike
The 2,140-acre Monte Sano State Park in Huntsville has long enchanted hikers, campers, and cyclists with its vibrant fall foliage, scenic trails, and resplendent views. Yet a relaxing day at the park can quickly turn sour. A 24-year-old hiker experienced this firsthand in February 2017, when she went missing after…
The Best State Parks and Recreation Areas Near Austin
The Austin area is surrounded by incredible parks and outdoor recreation areas. With rolling green meadows, wide open spaces, giant cypress and oak trees throughout the countryside and along creeks, limestone cliffs, rocky riverbeds, rivers, lakes, and caves, Central Texas has some of the most diverse landscapes and ecosystems in…
8 Amazing Northwest Swimming Holes Near Portland
Most Oregonians know better than to expect summer before the 4th of July. But as soon as the warm temperatures arrive, the hundreds of waterfalls cascading amid emerald green rainforests throughout Oregon—not to mention the volcanic lakes and clear rivers for which the state is known—make cooling off in a…
7 Tips for Camping with Kids
Did you switch out the car seats into the SUV? Did you pack sunscreen? What about bug spray? Oh shoot, we need to bring Lil’ Bear or else Ella will be in full-on riot mode at bedtime. All parents know how difficult it can be to just get out the…
How to Protect Yourself from the Elements on Your Next Hike
Whether you’re hiking in the mountains, the desert, or anywhere in between, preparation for the natural elements is a big part of planning any outdoor trip. Exposure on a hike can mean many different things, none of them good: lack of shade or shelter, prolonged time spent at altitude or…
Insider’s Guide to Glacier National Park
Glacier National Park, in northwestern Montana along the Canadian border, covers one million acres across several ecosystems (ranging from prairie to tundra) and the Continental Divide. Also known as the “Crown of the Continent”, this pristine environment is home to more than 1,000 different species of plants and hundreds of species of…
National Parks Too Crowded? Visit These Nearby National Forests Instead
The national parks of the United States account for some of the world’s most glorious landscapes: ice-whittled peaks, abyssal gorges, primeval seashores, towering forests, kaleidoscopic deserts—well, you probably don’t need us to repeat the litany of superlatives, now do you? Tens of millions from all over the globe partake of…