Outdoor enthusiasts often prefer visiting different types of locations. Some love trekking high into the Appalachian Mountains, while others enjoy paddling through the river-carved rocks of the Southwest. Some may like to explore the rainforests of the Pacific Northwest, while others enjoy ambling about aimlessly amid the grass-dotted dunes of the Gulf Coast. You like forests; your buddy prefers prairies. One of your kids likes the beach; the other prefers the bayou. But these various locations all share one uniting characteristic, one about...
read moreMark September 22 on your calendar and make plans to head to your favorite outdoor spot as NEEF gets set to celebrate the 25th annual National Public Lands Day. No matter what is happening in the world, on National Public Lands Day, outdoor enthusiasts turn out in droves to give back to and enjoy their favorite outdoor places. National Public Lands Day (NPLD) is the nation’s largest, single-day volunteer event for public lands, held annually on the fourth Saturday in September. NPLD is also a “fee-free day”—entrance fees are waived at...
read moreJust off Interstate 80 in Sinclair, Wyoming (population 415), the Sinclair Refinery processes crude oil from the United States and Canada. Every day the refinery, one of the region’s largest, converts 85,000 barrels of oil to gasoline, diesel, propane, and other petroleum products. But the town may soon become famous for a cleaner sort of energy, as the gateway to the biggest wind farm in the Western Hemisphere. South of the highway here lies the Overland Trail Ranch, 500 square miles of rugged terrain where several thousand black angus graze...
read moreThey’re easy to spot this time of year in the North Cascades: lean, fast-moving hiking machines in their trail-running shoes, ultralightweight backpacks and a look in the eyes that says they have places to go. It’s the annual migration of thousands of northbound hikers traveling the 2,650-mile Pacific Crest Trail from the Mexico border to Canada. Most of them began the journey in late spring, which means to reach their destination before the snow falls, they’ll need to average at least 18 to 22 miles per day. Hence the look you get as they...
read moreGeorge Mahood and his friend Ben set off on a three-week journey from the bottom of England to the top of Scotland wearing nothing but a pair of Union Jack shorts. They didn’t have food, bikes or any money. The plan was to complete the 1,000 mile journey from Land’s End to John O’ Groats depending entirely on the kindness of strangers to provide them with accommodation, food, clothes, shoes, bikes and beer. George and Ben eventually made it to Scotland and along the way, they met all kinds of generous people who provided them with the...
read moreThe ATC, the PCTA, the CDTC and the ALDHA-West—the organizations that oversee the long-distance trails we adore—don’t recognize any qualifier in front of the term “thru-hike.” They also don’t recognize any qualifier in front of the term “thru-hiker.” That has never stopped people from adding them, though. Last year, Dale “Greybeard” Sanders became the oldest hiker to thru-hike the AT in a highly publicized attempt, while the Quirin family—Kanga, Roo, and Sherpa—made baby Ellie the youngest to traverse the trail. Even if the organizations that...
read moreFar off China’s beaten path, in the remote southwestern province of Yunnan, a winding bus ride from the UNESCO world heritage town Lijiang, lies one of the world’s most beautiful and spiritual hikes. But, chances are you’ve never heard of it. While gaining in popularity among tourists and hikers throughout Asia, Tiger Leaping Gorge remains far from the well-worn circuit, and if you ask the hikers along the climb — few and far between — they would like to keep it that way, thank you very much. More than just an epic hike...
read moreLast week the Interior Department announced the sale of oil and gas leases covering over 50,700 acres in New Mexico’s Permian Basin for $972.5 million. Like a kid in a candy store, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke celebrated the “historic” lease sale, ignoring the reality of his shortsighted agenda: the rush to lease public lands for energy development has produced more failures than successes and left prized protected lands at risk. Of the 12.7 million acres of oil and gas leases offered by the Bureau of Land Management prior to the New Mexico...
read moreKey Summit is one of many hiking trails — or as locals call them, tracks — that crisscross the South Island near Milford Sound, the green gemstone atop New Zealand’s wilderness crown. Milford Sound sits within Fiordland National Park, which in turn is part of Te Wahipounamu — South West New Zealand, a UNESCO World Heritage site that covers 10 percent of the country’s landmass. Milford Sound’s mountains, rain forests and its fjord draw more than 500,000 visitors each year. Many of them are tour bus day-trippers from neighboring Te Anau or...
read moreThanks to climate change, spring now comes earlier. But how much sooner the season arrives varies across the U.S. That’s according to a new study that assessed the first appearance of leaves and flowers in nearly 500 U.S. National Wildlife Refuges over more than 100 years. Researchers found the irregular seasonal changes affect migratory birds’ breeding sites, an outcome that could endanger many species. Hundreds of migratory birds travel thousands of miles across the U.S. each year. Many birds move from Central America, where they spend the...
read moreThe purpose of this article is to warn others about potential con men, not to sensationalize the con. For more than two decades, Jeff Caldwell has lured in hikers, couchsurfers, and other women (and they're almost always women), enthralling them with his tales of adventure. Then he manufactures personal crises and exploits their sympathy to rip them off. The writer corresponded with Caldwell while he was still on the run, and came away with an intimate look at the life of a serial scammer who's found his easy marks in the outdoor community....
read moreBy many metrics, California is way ahead of other states when it comes to renewable energy. The nation’s largest state leads in generating electricity from solar panels and geothermal stations. As of 2016, California got about two-fifths of its electricity from renewable forms of energy. On Sept. 10, 2018, the state’s Democratic governor, Jerry Brown, signed into law a landmark bill committing California to getting 100 percent of its electricity from carbon-free sources by 2045. The state is giving itself a deadline of 2030 to get...
read moreWith the Olympic Mountains on its western fringe and the Cascade Range to the east, the Seattle area is at the center of some of the most eye-popping landscape in the United States. Several million acres of wilderness lie within an easy drive, and in recent years, the increasingly crowded trails there have also begun to reflect a growing diversity. A new wave of affinity groups and meetups for people of color have drawn growing numbers of trekkers, backpackers and outdoor enthusiasts. Facebook and Instagram posts feature photos of Asian women...
read moreVesteralen is an archipelago located just northeast of the Lofoten Islands off the west coast of Norway. People travel there to get a glimpse of sperm whales and humpback whales. During certain parts of the year you can also see puffins nesting on the smaller, rocky islands. The landscapes there are very similar to the Lofoten Islands. It seems like many people skip right past Vesteralen (and it’s awesome little neighbor Senja) to the Lofoten Islands. That’s a shame, for them. Sure, the Lofoten Islands are dynamite, but they are missing out...
read moreHikers have embarked on a 500-mile expedition that will traverse New Mexico. The mission: Chart out the best route and identify what challenges might lay ahead as the state moves closer to establishing the Rio Grande Trail. Following in the footsteps of other states, New Mexico is looking to capitalize on its vistas, mild weather and culture with the creation of a long-distance trail along one of North America’s longest rivers. The Rio Grande stretches down the middle of the state, from the southern end of the Rocky Mountains near the...
read moreA Clean Wilson Creek is a small army of folks committed to protecting this National Wild and Scenic River in Western North Carolina in it’s natural state for future generations. Wilson Creek begins as a small stream on the side of Grandfather Mountain and forms into an incredible national treasure over the next 23 miles. A Clean Wilson Creek provides funding for daily River Patrols (365 days a year) that removes trash left by recreational users, and they also address abuse of this wilderness area from vandalism. They have a Core Team...
read moreAnyone who has ever driven past the hills that rise sharply near Jenner, California from the coast north of the Russian River outlet and wondered about the view from the top need wait little longer. Today the gates to the Jenner Headlands Preserve will be open to the public, adding a large, open space to the mix of protected, accessible lands lining the scenic Sonoma Coast. The step marks the culmination of more than a decade of planning and development, and the preserve — set aside with public and private money — offers some of the most...
read moreParks Canada says wild plains bison that were reintroduced to Banff National Park are now free-roaming animals. Officials say 31 bison were released last month into a 1,200 square-kilometre zone that features meadows and grassy valleys for grazing along the park’s eastern slopes. “Now, they are free-roaming wild bison and their path forward may not be easy,” said Bill Hunt, manager of resource conservation with Banff National Park. “They will experience harsh winters, they will travel through difficult terrain and they...
read moreSeeing the best of California’s North Coast is about to get easier and better than ever. A proposed bill could transform parts of the increasingly abandoned Northwestern Pacific Railroad into a scenic hiking trail. The 300-mile-long trail, named the Great Redwood Trail, would stretch from San Francisco Bay to Humboldt Bay, cutting through Eel River Canyon. Part of the railroad is still in service, however, so areas of the trail will be parallel to the tracks rather than directly on top of them. “From the San Francisco Bay, through the...
read moreThe Cradle of Forestry in America invites the community to take part in NEEF’s 25th annual National Public Lands Day (NPLD) on Saturday September 22nd, 2018. National Public Lands Day is the nation’s largest, single-day volunteer effort for public lands. The National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) supports this annual event and uses the day to connect people to public lands and their communities, inspire environmental stewardship, and encourage use of public lands for education, recreation, and general health. This...
read moreAmerica’s glory is its cathedral of wilderness. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, visionary Americans like Teddy Roosevelt and Gifford Pinchot fought to protect public lands for collective use. The upshot is that today every American inherits a stunning patrimony, a piece of some of the most beautiful terrain in the world. You may not be able to afford a weekend house, but you’re already a shared landlord of spectacular wilderness. For a day at a time, my daughter and I “owned” dazzling camping spots that even Jeff Bezos or Warren Buffett...
read moreIn 1999, the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics (LNT) published seven leave no trace principles to “communicate the best available minimum impact guidance for enjoying the outdoors responsibly.” Today, these principles remain largely intact, despite calls for LNT to add responsible social media usage to the list. Groups like Hikers for an 8th Leave No Trace Principle have gone so far as to pen the new principle themselves. “Use discretion when posting on social media and consider the potential impacts of creating a ‘buzz’ about specific...
read moreWeeks after flooding rushed through a world-famous gorge off the Grand Canyon, sending tourists fleeing to higher ground, the Arizona tribe that calls the area home is ready to welcome visitors to its reservation known for towering waterfalls that cascade into blue-green pools. The Havasupai reservation has reopened for the first time since July 11, 2018, when about 200 people had to be evacuated by helicopter as water surged through the campground. Footbridges collapsed, tents were buried in sand and debris was strewn about. The brunt of the...
read moreWhen most people think of backpacking in the West, their minds drift to destinations like Colorado’s iconic 14ers, John Muir’s Sierra, the Pacific Crest Trail, or the jagged North Cascades in Washington. Very few have heard of the Wind Rivers in Wyoming — and those who have like it that way. Here’s what they’re missing. The Winds stretch for over 100 miles along the Continental Divide, just southeast of much more popular places like Yellowstone and the Tetons. They are a truly wild and rugged wilderness, protected by two National Forests and...
read moreWith Tūtū Pele seemingly having come to the end of her latest eruptive run, staff at Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park are working to get back to the business of running a national park, not responding to an erupting volcano. But it won’t be business as usual at the park now, or for the foreseeable future, as repairing the damage carries a bill of an estimated $100 million, at least, and some areas might not reopen for a long, long time. For nearly four months the park’s Kīlauea volcano has been spewing lava and fracturing the...
read moreAfter years of work, state and federal officials finally get to cut the ribbon on the Headwaters State Forest in Transylvania County, North Carolina next week. A ceremony will be held Sept. 6, 2018 to mark the opening of the new state forest, the Conservation Fund and the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services announced. Located near the border with South Carolina, the 6,730-acre forest was made possible with funding from the U.S. Forest Service’s Forest Legacy Program, through the Land and Water Conservation Fund and state and...
read moreThe Appalachian Trail (AT) speed record now stands at 41 days, 7 hours, 39 minutes. Karel Sabbe crossed the trailhead at Mt. Katahdin on August 28, 2018, completing the 2,189-mile AT faster than anyone before him. The previous record of 45 days, 12 hours, 15 minutes, set by Joe “Stringbean” McConaughy in 2017, still stands as the self-supported AT record. And this isn’t the first time the 28-year-old Sabbe has topped a major thru-hike record. In fact, it’s not the first time he’s bested McConaughy. Sabbe also beat McConaughy’s supported...
read moreWe know plastics are as plentiful in parts of the open ocean as they are in our everyday lives. But, until recently, scientists didn’t consider that such debris could also be carrying a new wave of invasive species to the shores of the United States. Now they’re finding that not only is that happening, but they suspect that some of the species will thrive. Not long after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that ravaged the east coast of Japan, a surge of floating trash—shellfish cages, portions of piers, entire fishing vessels—started...
read moreAppalachian Trail hikers planning to end their long trek atop Katahdin on Labor Day weekend 2018 are being asked to change their plans by summiting early or delaying their hike until Tuesday. This request is being made by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy in partnership with Baxter State Park so AT hikers don’t disturb a longstanding annual ceremony conducted by the Penobscot Indian Nation on the mountain from Sept. 1-3. Each year, members of the Penobscot Nation participate in the Katahdin 100, a spiritual pilgrimage that spans about 100...
read moreVienna, Austria has more than 1730 acres of vineyards, all within in the city limits. Something like 190 winegrowers tend Vienna’s vineyards clustered around the Kahlenberg, Nussberg and Bisamberg hills. Every autumn the Wiener Weinwandertag (Vienna Wine Hiking Weekend) takes place. In 2018, on September 29 and 30, three routes covering just over 15 miles will open to visitors. Wine and outdoor enthusiasts are invited to hike among the vineyards; learn about the city’s wine growing culture and terrain (the Danube River and the nearby Vienna...
read moreHadrian’s Wall — named after the emperor who commissioned it — was begun in the second century, in the year 122. Soldiers toiled for a decade or so, piling stone upon stone until it stretched from coast to coast, across the very top of what’s now northern England: a distance of 118 kilometers (73 miles). It stood up to 4.6 meters high (15 feet) with walls 3 meters wide (9.8 feet). It bristled with towers, forts and watch posts, called milecastles, and gave commanding views of the surrounding countryside. The wall let the Romans control who...
read moreHumans were born to walk. As a species, we’ve evolved a curved and forgiving spine, a skull set straight and upright, an efficient metabolism—all uniquely suited to propel us long distances. But it wasn’t until the advent of the automobile that we began hiking long distances recreationally, says Robert Moor, author of On Trails: An Exploration. “Once the predominant form of transportation was no longer ambulatory, we realized what a precious thing walking really is,” he says. “In the wilderness, hiking literally became the physical embodiment...
read moreWhile the U.S. has plenty of awesome hiking routes, Europe certainly isn’t short of a few amazing hikes either. Right across the continent, there are mesmerizing walks with magnificent mountain scenery to enjoy. Don’t let the word mountain mislead you to think that you need Sherpas to help you along the way. There are plenty of hikes on high that are very manageable for families, provided you’ve brought good footwear and ample water. My new friend Helen from Irish company Ireland Walk Hike Bike created this infographic profiling five of the...
read moreEverything President Trump has said about President Obama’s climate plan and why he had to pull the United States out of the 2015 Paris Climate Accord turns out to be a lie. That’s the inescapable conclusion from the EPA’s 289-page “Regulatory Impact Analysis,” (RIA) released by the administration on August 21, 2018 along with Trump’s new “Affordable Clean Energy Plan.” This new analysis reports a very low cost of complying with Obama’s much-vilified “Clean Power Plan,” (CPP) which set the rules for cleaning up the dirty U.S. power sector and...
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I am Jeff Clark, founder of Internet Brothers, producer of this blog, and passionate about hiking. I live in Western NC near the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains. Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests are just out my door, so the content will focus on these areas, but let me know what you would like to see on the site. 
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