National Parks Require Hikers to Wear Masks When Social Distancing Isn’t Possible
Hikers on national park trails who cannot maintain a safe distance from others will be required to wear masks under new guidance from the National Park Service.
The ATC Actively Discouraging 2021 AT Thru-Hikes
With health officials still advising limited crowds and avoiding recreational travel, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy is actively discouraging 2021 thru-hikes.
Managing Anxiety in the Backcountry
Rebecca has lived with panic and anxiety disorders for almost 30 years. Here are her tools and techniques for keeping herself calm in the backcountry.
The People and Idea Behind Backpacking Routes
Here are the people behind Backpacking Routes. When they aren’t working from their couches with their cats nearby, they’re out on the trails they write about.
Tips for Hiking During Covid Times
As long as you follow guidelines and stay within your abilities, hiking locally and finding trails where you can be self sufficient is a reasonable pandemic activity.
Potential Protections and Reversals of Size Cuts for Grand Staircase and Bears Ears National Monuments
Reductions in size to the Grand Staircase-Escalante and Bears Ears National Monuments in southern Utah will be reviewed by the Biden administration amid a flurry of orders addressing the environment. In his first day in office on Jan. 20, President Joe Biden also moved to rejoin the Paris Agreement on Read more…
The Appalachian Trail Can Provide a Refuge from Climate Change
The Appalachian Trail increasingly is being seen as a buffer from climate change along its more than 2,000-mile northbound path from Georgia to Maine. Healthy forests are key to removing carbon dioxide from the air, and that the Central Appalachian Mountains are a critical carbon-removal landscape.
Monadnock-Sunapee Greenway Trail
The Monadnock-Sunapee Greenway Trail is a 48-mile end-to-end trail in New England that can be accomplished in three-to-four days. It is perfect for an AT shake-down hike or a weekend getaway.
Colorado Trail
The Colorado Trail is a 485-mile point-to-point backpacking route in Colorado. It stretches from Denver to Durango across the Southern Rockies and can be hiked in 25-35 days.
Hugh’s 40-Year Journey to Lightweight Backpacking
BPR editor Hugh Owen started backpacking in the 1970s with a massive external-frame pack, heavy boots, and an 8-pound tent. Here’s his gear transformation over the past 40 years.