A jaunt down a stream is a less in what water can accomplish. Aravaipa Canyon“Don’t tell anyone about this place.” This is my hiking partner’s entreaty after two days in Aravaipa Canyon. With its thousand-foot-tall walls, the canyon offers a full-immersion lesson in what a little water can accomplish if given a lot of time.…
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The best local trails, as selected by BACKPACKER Local scout Erica Zazo. Hot dogs. Lake Michigan. Da Bears. And excellent trails? Absolutely: The Windy City’s greater stomping grounds offer river-sculpted canyons, quiet hardwood forests, glacially molded ridges, and plentiful waterfalls within easy dayhiking distance. Sample the best of the Midwest on these favorites: Many are…
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The best local trails, as selected by BACKPACKER Local scouts Paulina Dao and Daniel Markey In the Bay Area, easy-access trails treat hikers to spectacular coastal walks, big-view summits, primeval redwood forests, and cascading waterfalls–all within a couple of hours of town, often less. So, with so many standout options nearby, you know these local…
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From prickly pear desert to verdant gorges, this hike shows off the range of the Lone Star State. Yesterday, I navigated cactus-dotted scrubland caked in orange dust. Today, I’m negotiating a slick gorge decorated in green hanging gardens. It feels like two different trips, and, in a sense, it is: I threaded together a dozen…
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The bill is a response to the White House’s rollback of protections for Utah public lands. The Trump administration plans a drastic reduction of Bears Ears National Monument.Sen. Tom Udall (D-NM) and Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) joined 16 other democratic senators this week to introduce a bill that would legally codify the boundaries of more than…
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Gear up for the United States’ toughest long path with these expert picks. On a path as long, high, and remote as the Continental Divide Trail, there is little room for gear errors. For four to six months of walking, CDT thru-hikers have a laundry list of concerns that outpace those of many other long…
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