Backpacker

Published nine times a year, Backpacker is a magazine of wilderness travel, offering practical, "you can do it, here's how" advice to help you enjoy every trip. Filled with the best places, gear, and information for all kinds of hiking and camping trips, each issue delivers foldout maps and stunning color photography.

Backpacker Magazine

Editors Note

The Good Fight • The past year has seen important progress for the great outdoors. It’s time to celebrate.

Crystal Gail Welcome • After a long battle against a rare brain disease, Crystal Gail Welcome, a 41-year-old from Jacksonville, Florida, took up running as a spontaneous celebration of her health and perseverance. Then a friend invited her on a short dayhike, where she had a profound encounter with, well, a tree (tale below). She later went on to tackle the Pacific Crest Trail and other cross-country jaunts. Now, Welcome seeks to bring the healing power of hiking to those who need it most.

Viewpoint • If you had to choose only a bottle or reservoir, which would it be?

On the Mountain of the Gods • After striking out on his first attempt, the author returns to Mt. Olympus determined to make the summit.

Hoarding Sapphires • Photographer Harry Lichtman heads off-trail to a lakeside wonderland in central Idaho.

Break Out Your Boots • Shake off your winter hiking slump with these early-season destinations.

The Gallery • “What does is feel like to be outside?” That’s the question I often ask Backpacker photographers to hold in their minds while on assignment. In a world where every day brings an endless stream of new imagery, it’s the shots that capture an experience—rather than just a place—that make the biggest impact. These photos do just that.

Processing Trauma, Step by Step • When the memories of combat refused to fade, a former army medic found healing in thru-hiking.

How to Overnight

The Beginner's Backpacking Guide

Rainbows 101

Spicy Chipotle Lime Jerky

Stranded in the Snow

Construct an Emergency Shelter

Pack In The Fun • We spent months heading out on dayhikes to pick the eight best rucksacks for single-day adventures.

Daypack Dreamin' • From family-friendly jaunts to grueling summit pushes, your daypack is your constant companion, so choose it wisely. At 35 liters or less and all under three pounds, these rucksacks have the smart features and robust suspensions you need to adventure as far and as often as you please.

Packrafting • Not satisfied with stopping at the river’s edge? Unlock new wilderness with this lightweight waterfaring setup.

Field Notes • Outside+ members dish on their latest gear experiences.

Your Strongest Hiking Season Ever • WHETHER YOU'RE AN OBJECTIVE-ORIENTED HIKER OR A CASUAL FUN-SEEKER, IMPROVING YOUR FITNESS WILL HELP YOU MAKE THE MOST OUT OF HIKING SEASON. KEEPING AN AMBITION IN MIND WILL MOTIVATE YOU FROM THE FIRST SQUAT UNTIL THE MOMENT YOUR BOOTS HIT THE TRAIL. SET A GOAL AND GET READY TO HAVE THE BEST HIKING SEASON OF YOUR LIFE.

The River That Yearns to Run Free • A HIKE IN THE AUTHOR'S NATIVE WASHINGTON STATE GIVES PERSPECTIVE ON HALF A MILLENNIUM OF PERSECUTION, AND A HOME WORTH FIGHTING FOR.

Welcome to the Jungle • A hike through Panama’s Parque Internacional La Amistad highlights wonders, both of the natural world and within the hikers themselves.

Can Squid Tentacles and Pineapple Leaves Solve the Outdoor Industry's Sustainability Problem? • APPAREL-MAKERS ARE TURNING TO EVER-MORE EXOTIC MATERIALS IN THE SEARCH FOR PLANET-FRIENDLY FIBERS. BUT WHETHER YOUR FLEECE IS MADE FROM WILDFLOWERS OR RECYCLED WATER BOTTLES, THE TRUTH MAY NOT BE AS GREEN AS YOU THINK.

Bigfoot's Favorite Stomping Grounds •...