Backpacking

Backpacking is one of the best ways to experience the great outdoors. Carry everything you need on your back and let your feet take you into the wilderness. It can be daunting to know how to get started, though, so use our backpacking guides to help plan your next (or first!) trip.

Here are the best women’s hiking underwear that don't chafe and that efficiently wick moisture when you’re active outdoors.

Best Hiking Underwear for Women that Stay Put & Wick Sweat

Two women backpacking in Sequoia National Park

12 Best Women’s Hiking Hats of 2024

Ultralight Zpacks Triplex backpacking tent set up with a backpacking pack and boots in front

Best Ultralight Backpacking Gear

Woman hiking on a dirt trail in Colorado with low mountains in the background

How to Train for Hiking & Backpacking: Tips for Preparing for the Trail

Two women exploring red rock cave with three sky holes in Utah

What to Wear Hiking in the Desert

Planning to hike the John Muir Trail? Get organized and simplify your preparation with this step-by-step John Muir Trail Planning Guide.

Ultimate John Muir Trail Planning Guide (2024)

a tent set up near Palisade Crest on the John Muir Trail

3 Week John Muir Trail Itinerary

Fifty Foot Falls at Havasupai

5 Amazing Waterfalls of Havasupai

Woman doing a quad stretch on trail before a hike

10 Easy Stretches for Hikers and Backpackers

Camping tips for beginner car camping, including a packing list, what to wear, and recipes to cook up at your camp kitchen

15 Best John Muir Trail Campsites

Woman smiling for photo in front of a lake in New Hampshire in the fall

Best Women’s Lightweight Rain Jackets for Hiking in 2024

Get our in-depth review of the Oboz Sawtooth X hiking shoes with details on comfort, traction, waterproofing, fit, durability, and more.

Oboz Sawtooth X Hiking Boot Review

Little Valley Lakes on the John Muir Trail

John Muir Trail Transportation Guide & Planning Tips

View inside of camping tent set up on the beach

Best Double Sleeping Bags & Quilts For Camping & Backpacking

Learn how to put together a hiking first aid kit to keep you and your friends safe out on the trail with this DIY first aid kit checklist.

How to Build a Hiking First Aid Kit: A Complete Checklist

Robert Ridge Track Backpacking New Zealand

New Zealand Backpacking & Tramping Planning Guide

20 tried and true tips for staying warm while cold weather camping. Be prepared & comfortable for cold weather camping regardless of the temperature.

Backcountry Female Hygiene: How to Stay Clean While Camping

A complete guide to backpacking the Mineral King loop in Sequoia National Park including permits, when to go, what to bring, and a full trip report.

Backpacking the Mineral King Loop in Sequoia National Park

Plan your Zion West Rim Trail backpacking trip with this detailed guide that includes info on permits, campsites, gear, and more.

West Rim Trail Backpacking Guide in Zion National Park

Bearfoot Theory founder Kristen Bor hiking the Kaweah Gap with backpacking gear in Sequoia National Park

Knee Pain Hiking Downhill? 10 Tips To Lessen Discomfort on the Trail

Learn how to have a safe campfire and Leave No Trace on your camping trips whether you're toasting s'mores or using a fire to stay warm.

How to Have a Safe Campfire & Leave No Trace

Woman hiking at high elevation on a rocky trail with mountain peaks in the background

How to Increase Your Lung Capacity for Hiking

6 Easy Colorado 14ers to hike, including Mt. Bierstadt, Grays Peak and Torreys Peak, Mt. Sherman, Handies Peak, and Mount of the Holy Cross.

6 Easy Colorado 14ers for Your First Summit

Here are the best section hikes on the John Muir Trail that require less than a week to complete.

Best Section Hikes on the John Muir Trail

An orange trowel, toilet paper roll, hand sanitizer, and Ziploc bag laid out on the ground. This is a poop kit for backpackers.

How to Poop Outdoors and Leave No Trace

Should your hiking boots be waterproof? Learn the difference between waterproof vs non-waterproof hiking boots and which ones you need.

Do You Need Waterproof or Non-Waterproof Hiking Boots?

Hiking the Zion Narrows is one of the best adventures in Zion National Park. Learn how to get a permit, book a shuttle to the start & more.

Hiking the Zion Narrows: A Complete Guide

If you're planning on thru hiking, learn how to train for a thru hike mentally and physically with these tips from PCT and JMT thru hikers.

How to Mentally and Physically Train for a Thru-Hike

This guide to backpacking the South Coast Trail in Olympic National Park will prepare you for an epic beach backpacking trip in Washington.

Olympic National Park Beach Backpacking: South Coast Trail Guide

Learn how to plan a backpacking trip! From how to pick a trail to what gear to pack, this guide covers all the important planning steps.

How to Plan a Backpacking Trip in 12 Simple Steps

Looking to discover new hikes? Here are the best hiking apps and trail finders to help you navigate and find local trails.

Best Hiking Apps for Finding Local Trails & Navigation

Get the scoop on the best backpacking backpacks for women that are comfortable and lightweight and learn how to choose the best pack for you.

9 Best Backpacking Backpacks for Women in 2024

This complete Paria Canyon backpacking guide covers permits, camping, maps, gear, and more to prepare you for this epic Utah hike.

Paria Canyon Backpacking Guide

This Maine backpacking guide features the Cutler Coast trail, an overnight backpacking trip or day hike along Maine’s Bold Coast.

Maine Backpacking Guide: Hiking the Cutler Coast Trail

The view from the summit of Mt. Whitney the tallest mountain in the Lower 48

Best John Muir Trail Maps, Books, Apps, and Resources

A view of the sun setting from Sunset Point in Bryce Canyon National Park.

Best Hikes in Utah: 20 Epic Trails – MAPPED!

A woman eats an Outdoor Omnivore backpacking meal in the Minnesota Boundary waters

35 Lightweight Vegan Backpacking Food Ideas

Brush up on your outdoor ethics and learn best practices for your adventures with the basic guidelines of Leave No Trace principles.

The 7 Leave No Trace Principles & How to Follow Them

Male backpacker sitting on ground with gravity fed water filter hung from tree behind him

Best Backpacking Water Filters and Purifiers of 2024

Hiker standing at lookout on hike during fall foliage season in New England

What to Wear Hiking in Fall

A healthy amount of fear is normal but not when it is holding you back from getting outside and having an adventure! Here are our tips and advice for how to overcome fears of the outdoors.

8 Most Common Outdoor Fears and How to Overcome Them

The Oboz Sypes hiking boot is a lightweight, versatile, and comfortable trail shoe with ankle support and supportive, eco-friendly insoles.

Oboz Sypes Hiking Boot Review: Supportive & Comfortable with Eco-Friendly Materials