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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This autumn should yield vibrant fall colors in the mountains, according to Western Carolina University’s fall color forecaster Beverly Collins. Collins, a professor of biology, combines her knowledge of forest ecology with weather trend observations to assess the potential for a strong leaf color season. From spring to mid-summer the area saw unusually warm and wet...
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Some of the places most sought after by recreationists are also culturally, spiritually, and/or economically vital to Native American tribes. As more people take to these lands to hike, bike, climb, ski, paddle, or camp, respect for indigenous values sometimes fades. In Wyoming’s Devils Tower National Monument, for instance, an increasing number of climbers are choosing...
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By Chia-Chia Lin for the New York Times To say that Alaska is what you make of it suggests unconstrained entitlement; it’s something the colonizers could have said. At the same time, it’s hard to ignore the fact that Alaska is one of the last places in this country where you can wander millions of acres of land, doing whatever and sleeping wherever you please. If someone...
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Highly revered in the Shugendo tradition of asceticism, the arduous trek to the top of Mount Mitoku in Tottori has been followed by pilgrims for centuries. Rewarded by the sight of the stunning Nagereido temple, hewn into the rockface and perched on stilts, they also seek to purify the six roots of perception, a process known as Rokkon Shojo. Training the ears, eyes,...
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Great Smoky Mountains National Park has reached a biodiversity milestone with the discovery and documentation of 20,000 species of plants, animals, and other organisms. Scientists from across the world have assisted the park in a concerted effort to catalog all life in the park through an All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory (ATBI). “Reaching this milestone is a testament to...
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The good news about young brains — as anyone who’s been even passively absorbing climate news over the past year probably knows — is that the Teens Are Pretty On It. Seattle-based climate activist Jamie Margolin launched the nonprofit Zero Hour when she was yet to hit voting age. The International Youth Climate Strike, which took place in over 130 countries this past...
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The 40-mile stretch of sand dunes on the central Oregon coast can feel like an alien world (and, in fact, was the inspiration for classic sci-fi novel “Dune”). Because the dunes are always shifting with the wind, no permanent trails lead through them, forcing hikers to navigate through the sand. Whether you’re planning to follow the markers or wander on...
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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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