Backpacker Magazine

Backpacker is a U.S. magazine that focuses on science and lifestyle topics related to outdoor hiking and adventure. It has been in circulation since 1973. Currently, the magazine is published by Active Interest Media and is located in Boulder, Colorado, having relocated from Emmaus, Pennsylvania in August 2007.

National, Consumer

English

Magazine

Outlet metrics

Domain Authority

Ranking

Global

#56546

United States

#12967

Hobbies and Leisure/Camping Scouting and Outdoors

#23

Traffic sources

Monthly visitors

Articles

Who Wears the Pants in Your Relationship?

2 days ago | backpacker.com | Adam Roy

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app. You've got questions; the bear has answers. Bear Month 2025 is here, and that means that our resident bruin advice columnist is once again fielding your queries about bear biology, safety, and more. Read on for the latest, or check out the rest of our Bear Month stories. Q: I know that you're not picky about your meals, but are there any foods you can't eat?
Comparing Your Thru-Hike to Other People's Is a Toxic Trap. So Why Do We Keep Doing It?

3 days ago | backpacker.com | Maggie Slepian

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app. On our first day on the Appalachian Trail, my partner and I shuffled eight miles in a cold drizzle from Springer Mountain to Hawk Mountain Shelter, stopping a half-dozen times to adjust our 35-pound packs, shed layers, and stretch our calves.
Appalachian Trail Hikers' Packs Got (a Little) Lighter in 2025

6 days ago | backpacker.com | Adam Roy

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app. This year's northbound Appalachian Trail thru-hikers came from across the U.S. and beyond and toted slightly lighter packs than last year, according to .
This Packable Windshell Is Ready for Epic Summer Adventure

6 days ago | backpacker.com | Adam Roy

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app. Starting at $71 (45% off) at Backcountry Get Mom a piece of gear that enables her summer hikes this Mother's Day, and you won't just be giving her a present, you'll be handing her a season pass to adventure.
A Hiker Followed Rogue Cairns Off-Trail-and Straight Into Trouble

1 week ago | backpacker.com | Adam Roy

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app. Cairns are a controversial subject in hiking. Some hikers call them an eyesore and knock them over every chance they get; others argue that they can be legitimate trail markers and visitors should leave their removal to rangers and trail crews who know which belong and which don't.
A 140-Mile Hike on the Appalachian Trail's Most Hurricane-Damaged Section

1 week ago | backpacker.com | Grayson Currin
Could This 3D-Printed Tool Solve America's Trail Litter Problem?

1 week ago | backpacker.com | Adam Roy

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app. Yosemite's granite cliffs and soaring vistas left John McShane in awe. But it was the park's mess that spurred him to action. It was spring 2021, and McShane, a young aerospace engineer and self-described casual hiker, was on his first visit to the Valley.
7 Great Reasons to Quit Your Hike

1 week ago | backpacker.com | Amelia Arvesen

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app. You've spent months planning for a hike, but once you hit the trail, nothing seems to go as planned. Maybe thunderheads loom in the distance. Maybe you forgot a crucial piece of gear. Or maybe you just have a sinking feeling in your gut. Part of you wants to press on so your planning won't be for naught. But the other part of you isn't sure it's safe to keep going.
Meet Our New Favorite Summer Backpacking Pack

1 week ago | backpacker.com | Corey Buhay

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app. We didn't think it was possible to improve on the Gregory Paragon 60/Maven 58, an already-stellar pack that we gave an Editor's Choice award in 2020 for its best-in-test combo of comfort, weight, and organizational features. But the newest version of the pack has proved us wrong. Now, the Paragon/Maven is even more comfortable, more breathable, and more sustainable than before.
No Angels Landing Permit? These 5 Zion National Park Hikes Are Even Better

1 week ago | backpacker.com | Mary Andino

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app. Angels Landing isn't just the best-known hike in Zion National Park; it's arguably one of the most famous hikes in the West. Steep drop-offs-with only chains for protection-lead to 360-degree vistas and a legendary summit. As a result of heavy traffic, the National Park Service instituted a permit system for the hike in 2022, and odds of nabbing the golden ticket are low.