Backpacking

A backpacker above Liberty Lake on the Ruby Crest Trail in Nevada's Ruby Mountains.

The 30 Nicest Backcountry Campsites I’ve Hiked Past

by

By Michael Lanza

It is one of those unfortunate inevitabilities of life, like death and taxes: Occasionally on backpacking trips you will hike past one of the most sublime patches of wilderness real estate you have ever laid eyes on, a spot so idyllic you can already see your tent pitched there and you standing outside it, warm mug in your hands, watching a glorious sunset. But it’s early and your plan entails hiking farther before you stop for the day—not camping there. Or your permit isn’t for that site. Or even worse, you are looking for a campsite, but someone else has already occupied this little corner of Heaven.

Read on

A backpacker on the Shannon Pass Trail above Peak Lake, Wind River Range, Wyoming.

The Top 5 Ultralight Backpacking Tips

by

By Michael Lanza

I field a lot of questions from readers about gear and backpacking, and I find the conversation often boiling down to one issue: how much weight they have in their packs. The biggest lesson I’ve drawn from more than three decades of backpacking—including the 10 years I spent as a field editor at Backpacker magazine and even longer running this blog—is that a major factor dictating my enjoyment of any hike is always how much weight I’m carrying.

If I could convince my readers who backpack to follow one piece of advice— no matter your age, how much you hike, or how fit or experienced you are—it would be this: Lighten up. You’ll make backpacking more fun.

Read on

A backpacker hiking over Clouds Rest in Yosemite National Park.

The Best Trekking Poles of 2026

by

By Michael Lanza

One of the most immutable truisms about hiking is this: Backpackers, dayhikers, climbers, mountain runners, and others who start using trekking poles almost never hit the trail without them again. No matter how much weight you’re carrying—from an ultralight daypack or running vest to a godawful heavy monster backpack—using poles will lessen your chances of an accidental fall and your leg muscles and joints, feet, back, and body will all feel better, thanks to the reduced strain, fatigue, and impact on them.

Read on

A backpacker hiking the West Fork Trail above the West Fork Rock Creek toward Sundance Pass in the Beartooth Mountains, Montana.

How to Choose Trekking Poles

by

By Michael Lanza

You want trekking poles for backpacking, dayhiking, running mountain trails, ski touring, or other backcountry activities, but the abundance of models and designs out there can seem overwhelming. Collapsible or folding, ultralight or heavier and sturdier, adjustable or not—which style is best for you? Save yourself a lot of time and the expense of making the wrong choice. This article will explain the key differences between models of trekking poles and how to choose the right poles for your needs.

Read on

A backpacker's campsite at sunset beside Lower Cook Lake, Wind River Range, Wyoming.

Backpacking 60 Miles Solo Through the Wind River Range

by

It’s a just-about perfect morning, with mild temps and a gentle breeze, as I start hiking from Elkhart Park in the Wind River Range on the second day in September, carrying six days of food in my pack and a bundle of high expectations. Just as an experiment, I start counting the number of hikers I pass on the Pole Creek Trail and tally almost 40 in the first two hours, all but two of them backpackers and almost all of them heading in the other direction, back to the trailhead. This doesn’t surprise me—it is the day after Labor Day.

But after that first two hours and more than five miles of hiking, as soon as I pass the junction with the Seneca Lake Trail, the parade stops. Over the rest of today, I’ll encounter a half-dozen backpackers.

Read on