Montana’s Yaak Valley was one of the most remote places Emma Vigers had ever set foot. Tucked into the corner of the Idaho state line and the Canadian Border, this heavily forested region offered the type of solitude Vigers had been looking for in a thru-hike. She was just a few weeks into her trek along the 1,200-mile Pacific Northwest Trail, which connects the...
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It’s not every day that Time names a hiking trail to their annual World’s 100 Greatest Places list. In fact, this is a first. And this is just the beginning of the attention and recognition that the new Transcaucasian Trail, a more than 1,800-mile trail that connects some of the most beautiful and remote regions of Armenia and Georgia (and eventually Azerbaijan) to one...
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The odds of dying from a falling tree are still small but maybe not as small as they used to be. Here’s why—and what to do about it. There are no exact statistics kept on the number of Americans killed by falling trees, so it’s difficult to know for sure if the problem has gotten worse, and if so, how much worse. You’re still far more likely to die driving to the...
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This small area of land is so jam packed with hiking routes it means you’re never far from an outdoor experience. From 120 mile behemoth adventures through mountain ranges, historical strolls along coastal cliffs or even just a scenic route to discover a new destination, the UK really has hiking options to wow everyone. To make things even better trails are well marked,...
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Even if you haven’t been to our most visited national park yet, you can probably picture those blue ridgelines blurred across a southern Appalachian sky by that perpetual, namesake haze. In the spring, the sight is often the backdrop for a field of colorful wildflowers; in the fall, a rich palette of changing leaves. I’m lucky to call the 500,000-acre Great Smoky...
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The popular Kilauea Iki Trail in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park recently fully reopened, a year and a half after Kilauea erupted and more than 60,000 quakes rattled the volcano’s summit. The shaking last year damaged much of the park, including the popular four-mile loop from the rim of a crater to its floor. Now visitors will see something new along the way: large...
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Fall in the Northeast is a foliage frenzy. But many people who come to spot the changing colors don’t venture far from their cars or B&Bs. So all you have to do to escape the throngs of leaf peepers is set out on a day hike. You’ll find striking views of tinted maples and oaks and, with some luck, have a slice of wilderness to yourself. Even better, this time of...
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Well, folks, there’s a first time for everything — the Ocean Cleanup project has successfully deployed a device that collects plastic pollution. It only took six years, tens of millions of dollars, and a few unsuccessful attempts (or “unscheduled learning opportunities,” in the words of 25-year-old founder and CEO Boyan Slat). The nonprofit’s prior, unsuccessful designs...
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Cindy McJunkin, a veteran hike leader with Carolina Mountain Club and Smoky Mountain Hiking Club, said being unprepared, for mountain weather and terrain, is what she sees as the biggest source of getting into trouble on the trail. “It’s really difficult when you’re at your home at 2,200 feet (in elevation) and it’s sunny, to visualize how much cooler and windier it is...
Learn MoreOutdoor recreation opportunities continue to expand in the Ariona’s McDowell Sonoran Preserve of Maricopa County. The permanently protected swath of Sonoran Desert in north Scottsdale that has more than 220 miles of trails winding through more than 30,000 acres of terrain recently gained a new trailhead. The Pima-Dynamite trailhead that opened in the...
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Autumn is the time when many in the Pacific Northwest make the trek to the North Cascades to drive the Mountain Loop and North Cascade Highways in search of fall color, apple cider, and huckleberry jam. But have you ever hiked to see a larch, a deciduous conifer? Unlike most conifers, such as cedar and fir, which are evergreen, the larch drops its needles in winter. But...
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The roar of ATVs could be coming to a Utah national park backcountry road near you under a major policy shift initiated by the National Park Service without public input. Across the country, off-road vehicles like ATVs and UTVs are generally barred from national parks. For Utah’s famed parks, however, that all changes starting Nov. 1, 2019 when these vehicles may be...
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Hanging Rock State Park encompasses 8,605 acres, according to the North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation. Now, the state is tacking on another 900 acres. NCDPR celebrated the new addition to the state park in Stokes County. “This is truly a day for celebration,” said Secretary Susi H. Hamilton in a news release. “Future visitors to Hanging Rock State Park will...
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This family made history, and they almost did it in time for the start of the school year. The Malones spent the months of February through August, hiking the entire Appalachian Trail. 20 years after her first Appalachian hike, Jamie, her husband Chris, and their four daughters, Maya,13, Harper, 11, Josie, 8, and Sabina, 6, camped in snow, and hiked across rivers and up...
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You don’t have to go to Egypt to see the Pyramids. That’s because the Three Pyramids, mountains created long ago by volcanic action, are in Oregon for the viewing and, at least in the case of the Middle Pyramid, for the climbing. Reaching the Middle Pyramid is a pleasant hike, only a little more than 2 miles from the trailhead. But that’s a challenging 2-plus miles...
Learn MoreYou don’t have to leave the state for an epic hiking expedition. There are some beautiful treks in Georgia—and many not far from the Atlanta metro area. “The most common misconception about hiking in Georgia we see on a regular basis is that there are not that many hiking trails to explore,” says Kaleb East, founder of the North Georgia Hikers Instagram account, which...
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Located along the Blue Ridge Escarpment and traversing the Polk and Rutherford County lines, as the name implies, World’s Edge offers exquisite views of the surrounding mountains and Piedmont. Conserving Carolina (formerly Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy) purchased this property to save it from development in the early 2000’s. Then, the land was transferred to the...
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Like many misunderstood and undervalued creatures in the country’s wilds, the hellbender faces innumerable threats from poisoned water to climate change. But this creature—one that has survived some of Earth’s most dramatic changes—also faces an additional threat. And that threat involves people messing with its bedroom. Seriously. Hellbenders have a home range of about...
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Have you ever met anyone who regretted taking a good, hard day hike? There’s something special about moderately paced movement through nature that leaves one feeling refreshed, renewed, and satisfied. Because of that, hiking is rarely considered a sport in the same way as trail running or mountain biking, both of which are more acutely painful and taxing on the body. And...
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In terms of sheer natural beauty and variety, Costa Rica is a white unicorn of sorts. The country has everything from dense rainforests and high volcanic peaks to dry tundra and gushing rivers, all of it sandwiched between two distinct coastlines blessed with epic surf and secluded beaches. “Costa Rica is like several countries in one,” says a local runner who designs...
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Hiking is a pretty liberating experience since you get to truly immerse yourself into the gorgeous landscape of the world. But it is not without its rules, and within all rules there are always a few that are just a tad strange. Some of these rules make sense, but the reasoning may seem a bit strange. Others are reasonable, but only with a certain amount of context. But...
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National parks will offer free admission, wellness events, and stewardship activities for National Public Lands Day on Sept. 28, 2019 – the country’s biggest celebration of the great outdoors. “It is always energizing to see people, parks, and communities unite in support of public lands,” said National Park Service Deputy Director P. Daniel Smith. “The variety of...
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From Alaska’s remote bush to downtown Cleveland, our national parks provide us with millions of acres of public land to explore. We compiled a list of the best hikes in each park, according to the wilderness guides, park rangers, and hikers who know them. Penobscot and Sargent Mountain Loop at Acadia. Summit two of the park’s highest peaks on this 9.5-mile loop through...
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Have you ever spent the whole day inside sitting in school or work feeling exhausted, but when you walk outside into the sun and fresh air, you instantly feel better? There’s an actual scientific term for this feeling. Biophilia is a word for human’s innate draw to the natural environment. However, nature and forests in particular do much more for human health than just...
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Whether made out of steel, rope, wood, concrete, or glass, the natural rocking a pedestrian suspension bridge experiences with a big gust of wind, or a group of devilish tricksters jumping up and down on it, can shake the steadiest of nerves. It’s a long way down as the bridge swings. Anyone with a good head for heights, and even those who avoid them at all costs know...
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Great Smoky Mountains National Park will host a variety of opportunities on Saturday, September 28, 2019 in celebration of the 26th annual National Public Lands Day. On this day, National Park Service staff and volunteers will host information stations at popular sites throughout the national park. These stations will offer information about Leave No Trace principles and...
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Break-ins at popular hiking trails have hikers sending out warnings to their fellow outdoor enthusiasts. They want to make sure that everyone hiking is leaving their valuables at home because sometimes locking them in the car isn’t good enough. A fun outing can turn into a bad trip if your car gets targeted because of something you left behind. “I always keep...
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Mesa Verde National Park in southwestern Colorado is an archaeological gem thanks to nearly 5,000 ancient sites. Founded in 1906, the park preserves the heritage of the Ancestral Pueblo people who lived in the dwellings for almost 700 years. For a more peaceful journey through indigenous history, head to Arizona’s Canyon de Chelly National Monument. Situated in the...
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Flexible bands of skin on its back hold the hard pieces of its roly-poly shell together. Scales cover much of its body, interrupted by the shaggy, grey hair that covers its belly. Deserving a spot alongside the platypus as one of the world’s strangest mammals, the latest arrival to the Tar Heel State is doing its part to keep the Asheville area weird. Since May 17, the...
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Let’s say you’re looking for mountain biking, running or hiking options in southern Utah. There’s a new trail available that offers an extended ride in the southeastern portion of Cedar City. Bureau of Land Management officials formally opened the Turnpike Trail, which is nearly a 4.5-mile route designed by the International Mountain Biking Association and added to...
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The Trump administration announced its final repeal of the 2015 Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule, also known as the Clean Water Rule, threatening drinking water for communities and national park waterways across the country. The administration’s dismantling of the Clean Water Rule, combined with its proposed rewrite, eliminates protections for our nation’s...
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Curtis Whitson has two strangers to thank for his family being alive today. Two brave hikers plucked a lime green bottle from a river and alerted authorities about the SOS message they found inside. Whitson, his 13-year-old son and girlfriend, Krystal Ramirez, had decided to spend Father’s Day weekend backpacking the Arroyo Seco River. They spent their days...
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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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