Michael Lanza of The Big Outside on the Teton Crest Trail, Death Canyon Shelf, Grand Teton National Park.

Welcome to The Big Outside

Hello, I’m Michael Lanza. After many years writing for Backpacker magazine, I created The Big Outside with a simple mission: to offer stories, images, and expert trip-planning and gear advice for America’s and the world’s best hiking, backpacking and other outdoor adventures. See my About page for more about this blog. Subscribe now to get full access to ALL stories at The Big Outside.

E-Books

My expert e-books to America’s best backpacking trips are written from decades of first-hand experience and tell you all you need to know to plan each one yourself.

My Book

Read my award-winning book, Before They’re Gone—A Family’s Year-Long Quest to Explore America’s Most Endangered National Parks.

Join The Big Outside

By joining The Big Outside, you’ll get unlimited access to all stories, including expert tips on how to plan and take these trips.