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A place made iconic by a National Geographic photographer (and subsequently a screen saver), Reflection Canyon, located on the Escalante arm of Lake Powell, perennially entices hikers far and wide. Though stunningly beautiful, we only recommend this hike to experienced backpackers with expert off-trail navigation skills.

For hikers looking for an adventure in the remote red rock beauty of Utah, Coyote Gulch is a hard-won, bucket-list destination.

View fullsize Big Ticket Gifts GIFT GUIDE SECTIONS STOCKING STUFFERS MID-RANGE GIFTS BIG TICKET GIFTS POPULAR CONTENT: Need a new tent, backpack, sleeping bag/pad, etc? Find our favorites in the CleverHiker Gear Guide.  REI CO-OP Magma 10 & 17 REI’s new Magma 10 (men’s) and Magma 17 (women’s) sleeping bags have a combination of weight, warmth, and cost that is hard […]

Before REI shuts its doors and encourages everyone to #optoutside on Black Friday, they’re having a big sale. They’ll also be offering members a 20% off coupon, which we’ve all grown to love. The Gear Up-Get Out sale runs from November 10-20 and includes some of our favorite backpacking gear.

Outdoor adventure gifts are the best kind around. The items listed in our 2018 Gift Guide are can’t miss recommendations for anyone that enjoys backpacking, hiking, and camping. We have stocking stuffers, mid-range gifts, and big ticket gifts to choose from. So give a gift that gets someone outdoors this year!

The Sawback Trail in Banff National Park is a 74 km (46 mile) traverse through the rugged and beautiful Sawback Mountain Range. With most people flocking to crowded trails on the west side of the Trans Canada Highway, this trek provides a true backcountry feel in a stunningly beautiful wilderness. 

REI recently launched their new online used gear website, making shopping for discounted gear even easier. The idea is that it will keep used equipment out of the dump, minimize the loss to the retailer, and increase outdoor accessibility for adventurers on a budget.

Sierra Designs just launched their new Nitro UL 20 Sleeping Bag (available in 0°F, 20°F, 35°F, Women’s 0°F, and Women’s 20°F models) and we were fortunate enough to get our hands on a pre-launch model to test it out. We’ve been using the Nitro UL 20 for a few weeks now and we think it’s a solid offering in the sleeping bag world.

Nestled in the white-peaked Cordillera Blanca range in the Andes, the classic 4-day Santa Cruz backpacking trip may be one of the most beautiful treks in the world. While many people flock to the trails near Machu Picchu, this overlooked hiking mecca north of Lima has a fraction of the visitors, allowing for a relative amount of solitude for such a spectacular place.

The Hyperlite Mountain Gear 2400 Southwest is one of our all-time favorite lightweight backpacks. We’ve been hiking with HMG…

If we had to choose one location to illustrate the immense beauty of the Canadian Rockies, the Lake O’Hara backcountry would be the place. Eighty kilometers of well-maintained trails wind through this breathtaking alpine wilderness filled with turquoise lakes, stunning meadows, and expansive views.

Lying just north of the Mt. St. Helen’s National Volcanic Monument, the Mount Margaret Backcountry provides sweeping views of the blast zone caused by the 1980’s eruption and the surrounding peaks of Mt. Hood, Mt. Adams and Mt. Rainier. With spectacular views, abundant lakes and wildflowers that persist into early August, the Mount Margaret Backcountry provides an incredible chance to get away without having to travel far from either Portland or Seattle.

We’ve spent the last few months hiking hundreds of miles through Oregon, Utah, Peru, Bolivia, and California testing a bunch of new gear. We were surprised by how much we liked some of our new equipment, so we thought we’d put together a post to highlight our favorite summer backpacking gear, big and small.

Okay, so Packing It Out founder Seth Orme did have some help, but at it’s core, the Packing It Out initiative has a simple and effective strategy: When you see trash on the trail, pick it up, and pack it out. It’s really as easy as that.

Nepal is one of the most spectacularly beautiful countries on the planet. It’s a place where towering white peaks touch the sky, monks peacefully meditate in ancient mountainside monasteries, and lumbering yaks haul goods to quaint villages largely disconnected from the outside world. To put it simply, Nepal is a backpacker’s dream come true.

Nepal is an unbelievably beautiful country with a radiant culture and some of the most fantastic scenery you’ll ever lay eyes on. Making a pilgrimage to this trekking mecca should be on every backpacker’s bucket list.