Some of you are thinking, Ewww, no way. But open your hearts to the truth: spiders are among the most fascinating creatures on earth, and great neighbors to boot (goodbye, mosquitos!). With climate change putting them in danger, they could use a few new friends.

We asked the experts—and this is the one trail you can't miss in each of the 61 U.S. national parks

There are those moments when you think: maybe I’m no smarter than a trash panda. This is one of them.

One enticement of visiting Hawaii Volcanoes, on the Big Island, is witnessing the eruption of young Kilauea—the world’s most active volcano—and basking in the glow of its lava-filled caldera

Despite being one of the most popular destinations in the U.S., the Smokies make it easy to plan a last-minute trip and avoid crowds year-round. Here’s our definitive guide on what to know before you go, how to make the most of all the park has to offer, and can’t-miss experiences in every season.

This feature from Gaia GPS allows you to search recent satellite images for the best leaf peeping in your area 

Why endure the traffic headed inland to major mountain getaways when you can hop a breezy ferry to the Channel Islands, passing dolphins en route, and spend time kayaking into sea caves, hiking quiet hills, and birding, with nary an auto in sight?

There’s a reason that shows like ‘Alone’ hold our attention: we can’t help but imagine that it’s us out there.

People say farmers aren’t supposed to get emotionally attached to livestock. Uh-huh. When fate sent our writer two newborn sheep with life-threatening birth defects, that kind of thinking was banished from the barn.

An essay on hope

Snorkel and paddle among quizzical lobsters, baby sharks, green turtles, and more at Biscayne, home to a massive coral-reef system off the coast of Miami

Eric and Pam Bealer were living in a cabin in rugged coastal Alaska when they made a dramatic decision: they would exit the world together

When retired art dealer Forrest Fenn hid a chest full of a million dollars’ worth gold, rubies, and diamonds in the Rocky Mountains, he sent thousands on a journey of desperation

Ten years after the publication of ‘Wild,’ the beloved author shares her thoughts on the haters who thought she was unprepared, the transformative power of doing big things, and where Monster is now

But seriously: at this popular South Florida park, come for the large reptiles, but stay for the subtropical scenery, varied birdlife, and all-out airboat rides

To control mass tourism, the National Park Service is working on solutions, like its reservation system. We tourists need to do our part, too. Here’s how.

Great Smoky Mountains is a mecca for millions of outdoor visitors each year. But as our 63 Parks columnist explains, that doesn’t mean you can’t find solitude and peace. Often all it takes is a walk in the woods.

Deep, dark, and hiding some dreadful bits of history, Mammoth Cave, in Kentucky, is a fascinating place for underground exploration

Presenting three delightful tales of adventures gone very, very wrong

In his inaugural column for Outside, the ‘Parks & Recreation’ star sounds off on Henry David Thoreau, emasculation, and bullying in the outdoors

Many visitors to the mid-Atlantic make a beeline to the Smokies. But our 63 Parks columnist argues that there’s plenty of wild adventuring to be had in Shenandoah—and Blue Ridge views for days.

The A-list actor is the voice of the new National Geographic documentary ’America the Beautiful,’ and we loved every minute

For his new PBS show, ‘America Outdoors,’ comedian and activist Baratunde Thurston connects us to our natural environments through the most interesting of creatures: humans.

Once thought to be basically immortal, giant sequoias are dying in droves as fires burn bigger, hotter, and longer than at any other point in human history. Protecting them is possible, but managing western woods is a Pandora’s box of tough choices.

More people outside has meant more rules for all of us—including what to do with our excrement

As an out-of-control blaze approached their home, a couple made what seems like a crazy choice: they ignored evacuation orders and stood their ground.

Outside’s ethics guru weighs in on the Great Outdoors Music Debate

Amid all the noise surrounding Web3, something fascinating is emerging: a new kind of immersive adventure storytelling

After two young pilots crashed their small plane into the water off Hawaii, they realized their best hope for survival was to make it back to land on their own.

After a lifetime of prudishness, our writer tries to become one of those people who bares it all in the great outdoors

Rattlesnakes bite 150,000 pets each year in the U.S. These innovative rattlesnake training courses could save you and your canine companion.

Outside’s ethics guru ponders what exactly is up for grabs on public lands

Mother Nature’s most bizarre wonders are created by all-real natural effects

There’s a distinct pleasure to eating wild foods that you forage yourself—unless you pick the wrong thing

This retired professional ultrarunner has found (almost) every waterfall along this wild stretch of central California coast. And, no, he won’t tell you where the best ones are.

In forests across the planet, secretive hunters are searching for that rare and insanely expensive wild delicacy: the truffle.

Our national parks are overcrowded, especially in summer. One solution is to create more of them. Here are the regions that get our votes.

To become one of those people who joyfully hikes, bikes, and skis in the nude, she’d have to train for it

A growing body of research suggests that it’s no longer sustainable to bury our waste in the wilderness

The City of Angels is bringing together tech, academia, government, nonprofits, and ordinary residents to make its greenery more equitable and mitigate the effects of both climate change and systemic racism

When we open our ears to the marvels of natural soundscapes, we experience the energies of the world in a unique way—and begin to understand the mysteries behind them

‘Our Great National Parks’ overly idealizes U.S. conservation efforts and gives a mealymouthed call to climate action

Next to having a little time to themselves, these are their top wish-list items

Our best advice for growing your own food and foliage

Take your gardening indoors with houseplants. Use these tips to place them in proper sunlight, water them correctly, and feed them so they survive and thrive.

A relationship with plants built on love, care, and respect is at the heart of bringing the outdoors inside

The best way to catch aurora borealis in all its lit-up beauty: go to the darkest places on earth, at just the right time, and hope for the best

You need more natural silence in your life. Find it in these parks.

Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Ohio turned a canalway into a 90-mile trail perfect for hiking and biking, and our 63 Parks columnist highly recommends a ride

Indiana Dunes National Park is an adventure gem for urban midwesterners all year long, but particularly in summer, when Lake Michigan almost appears tropical

I took my dream job in a foreign place. I'm worried about leaving my local woods behind and connecting with a new landscape overseas. Help?

Set far from dramatic mountain peaks, the movie stays true to a gentler side of the state

Joey Santore is a tattooed ex-punk who is self-taught in the sciences. Which might explain why he’s getting so many people to care about plants.

Joey Santore’s YouTube channel, Crime Pays but Botany Doesn’t, crosses citizen science with vigilante environmentalism

How boredom and booze created an outlaw sport best left alone

Some might be surprised to hear that one of our nation's most visited parks is in Ohio, but a single trip will be enough to convince you otherwise. Bridal-veil waterfalls, a spectacular river, and more than 125 miles of trails are merely supporting characters to this Midwest playground's main act: a conservation success story.

Science shows that spending time outdoors can help with all kinds of serious ailments. So why not a broken heart?

After her 25-year marriage ended in divorce, the Outside contributing editor turned to science—and a river trip—to navigate through the darkness. Register here for our Zoom book discussion on March 9.

Freezing to death. Heatstroke. The excruciatingly painful sting of a box jellyfish, which can kill a person in under a minute. After writing the classic 1997 story “Frozen Alive,” Peter Stark became an expert on what it feels like to die in the wild. We asked him why people are so interested in reading about it—and about his own close calls.

Outside’s ethics guru on how to be both a responsible pet owner and an environmental steward

It’s February, which means you’d better start reserving campsites for August now. We have a few tips for you.

In his new book ‘Wayward: Stories and Photographs,’ Chris Burkard takes readers behind the camera on his quest for meaningful experiences

When travel resumed in early 2021, Americans in droves headed south of the border, with most opting for popular tourist meccas. But why follow the masses when you can explore wild corners of the country few others visit? We rounded up 18 ways to do just that—and to support local economies while you’re at it.

A site with images that date back 8,000 years was spray-painted with racist slurs and symbols, among other graffiti

Reeling from her husband’s request to divorce after 25 years of marriage and two kids, Florence Williams was experiencing debilitating grief. An accomplished reporter, she decided to explore the science of heartache to see if she could find a cure. In this excerpt from her new book, ‘Heartbreak: A Personal and Scientific Journey,’ she heads out for a 120-mile solo paddle on Utah’s Green River, with a too heavy portable toilet and a shattered heart.

Cap off a day on the trail with a soak in a steamy mineral pool. We found the best from Alaska to North Carolina.

The Twitter famous saurologist and cofounder of Black AF in STEM is helping to build a more inclusive scientific community—and spotting some very sneaky lizards along the way

All over America’s ancient eastern mountains, there’s an organism that lives underground, tethered to tree roots, waiting to be hunted. It’s among the world’s rarest and most expensive foods, and it grows in a wide range of conditions. But there’s only one guy in the country who really knows how to find it. Rowan Jacobsen joins him in the search for the Appalachian truffle.

While getting his PhD in English, Logan Scherer developed an intense friendship with a male grad student that lasted for years, through his friend’s engagement and marriage to a woman. Scherer struggled to make sense of it, until he lost himself in a group of spinster nature writers from the late 19th century who eschewed marriage to live alone or with other women during a time when the language of queerness didn’t exist.

Yes, things are very bad, but there are some glimmers of hope for making meaningful progress

What makes a queer person choose to live in an outdoorsy hot spot instead of an urban gayborhood?

The actor’s nature show, now streaming on Disney+, offers a welcome update to a familiar format

The podcast ‘FOGO’ captures a comedian’s quest to discover what she’s been missing in the outdoors

When Maggie Shipstead set out to report on women-only expedition travel, she was driven by a desire to learn new skills in a low-bro-factor environment. But six days exploring Alaska with the state’s first woman-owned adventure outfitter turned out to be regenerative in ways she didn’t expect.

In the UST film ‘This Is My Story: Tony Galbreath II,’ Galbreath shares what it’s like being a Black man in a managerial role in the outdoor industry today

What started as a Instagram account has boomed into a community of Muslim hikers taking on trails around the world

Florida’s Ocala National Forest is the oldest national forest in the eastern United States. This stunning footage will convince you to visit.

Ivy Le’s wildy funny take on adventure entertainment might just shift the conversation on who belongs in the outdoors

The forest is a sight to behold when the vibrant foliage is on full display

On the complicated experience of seeing Japanese wellness practices exoticized in the West