America’s Forgotten Hiking Landscapes
When people talk about hiking in the United States, the same names tend to come…
America’s Forgotten Hiking Landscapes
When people talk about hiking in the United States, the same names tend to come up again and again. Yosemite, Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon, Zion, the Smokies and the Rocky Mountains dominate photographs, travel guides and social media feeds. They deserve the attention, but they can also create the impression that America’s great hiking landscapes…
The Trails Where Wildlife Is Part of the Experience
There are hiking trails where the scenery is the main attraction, and then there are trails where you never quite know what might appear around the next corner. A movement in the trees, tracks in the mud, birds calling somewhere above you or the sudden sight of a large animal across a valley can completely…
Quiet Alternatives to America’s Most Crowded National Parks
America’s most famous national parks are famous for a reason. Yosemite has enormous granite walls and waterfalls, Yellowstone has geothermal landscapes and wildlife, the Grand Canyon barely needs an introduction, and Great Smoky Mountains offers miles of forested trails. The problem is that popularity changes the experience. In 2025, the National Park Service recorded more…
What a Day in the Grand Canyon Actually Looks Like
There are places you can understand from a photograph, and then there are places that make you realize how limited a photograph really is. The Grand Canyon is one of the latter. You can spend weeks looking at pictures before your trip, but standing at the rim for the first time is still difficult to…
Is Trekking Bad for Your Knees? What the Evidence Actually Says
If you’ve ever finished a long trek with sore knees, you may have wondered whether all those kilometres and steep descents are slowly damaging your joints. It’s an understandable concern. Trekking involves thousands of steps, uneven ground, steep climbs, and often long downhill sections. Add a heavy backpack and several hours on your feet, and…
The Difference Between Reaching the Summit and Actually Enjoying a Trek
There’s a strange thing that happens on a trek. You spend weeks looking forward to it. You wake up early, travel for hours, walk uphill, sweat through your clothes, and finally reach the point you’ve been aiming for. Then, sometimes, you realize you’ve spent most of the day thinking about one thing: “How much longer…
How to Trek Around Wildlife Without Disturbing It
Seeing wildlife while trekking can be one of the most memorable parts of being outdoors. A deer appearing between the trees, monkeys moving through the canopy, birds calling from the trail, or even spotting a larger animal in the distance can make a trek feel completely different from an ordinary walk. But there’s an important…
How to Choose the Right Trek for Your Fitness Level
Choosing your first trek can be surprisingly difficult. A trail might be described as “easy” online, while someone who doesn’t regularly exercise finds it exhausting. Another trek might look intimidating because of its distance but turn out to be manageable because the trail is relatively flat. The problem is that trek difficulty isn’t determined by…
When Should You Use Two Trekking Poles Instead of One?
Trekking poles can be used either individually or as a pair, but the two options serve slightly different purposes. Using two trekking poles can provide better balance, more consistent support, and a more natural walking rhythm. On the other hand, one pole can be perfectly adequate for easier trails or situations where you only need…
How to Use Trekking Poles on Downhill Trails
Downhill sections are where trekking poles can be particularly useful. Descending places more load on your legs, and uneven surfaces can make maintaining balance more difficult. 1. Lengthen Your Poles You may want to extend your poles slightly for a descent. The additional length allows you to place the tips farther ahead of you while…
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