The Top 10 Hiking Travel Stories Backpacker Told in 2025
Being Backpacker‘s trips editor, my adventure bucket list is long. My job entails researching the best trails, parks, and backcountry areas that our readers would want to explore, so I spend a lot of my day salivating over a beautiful vista. I am humble enough to concede that I (and my fellow editors) often get trip inspiration from the Backpacker archives.
But you, Backpacker reader, have shown this year what kinds of trips articles matter to you. We looked into the stats and found your favorite stories we published. You wanted guides on dayhikes around the country, long trail commentary, and more. Here’s the 10 most-read trips articles we published in 2025. Use it to inspire your adventures come 2026.
The Best Hiking Destinations for Every Month in 2025
Good news for you, trails don’t expire. These were the our suggested hiking destinations for 2025, but go crazy and hike them in 2026.
The 10 Best National Parks for Hikers
What’s the national park with the most variety? The best for dodging crowds? The best for alpine adventures? We identified which national parks are the best for hikers, and what each specific park does best.
The Best 50 Dayhikes, Backpacking Trips, and Thru-Hikes in the National Parks
Writer Emily Pennington has visited every national park throughout her life. Here’s the comprehensive list of her favorite national park hikes, from multi-week thru-hikes to easy, breezy strolls.
The Himalayan Trip That Made Me Question If I Even Like Backpacking
Solo hiking can be more rewarding than group treks, but it can also force you to confront the most challenging parts of yourself. Bhutan’s Druk Path Trek might have put our writer off solo backpacking for good. Here’s why.
What Are the 100 Best Miles of the Appalachian Trail? We Asked Two Thru-Hikers to Choose.
The Appalachian Trail Conservancy—the nonprofit that supports the United States’ most iconic footpath—turned 100 this year. To celebrate the centennial, we asked two AT thru-hikers to pick the 100 best miles of trail, spread out over 19 bite-size sections. Do your favorites match these picks?
The 10 Best Hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park
With more than 350 miles of trail, you’re unlikely to ever run out of hikes in Rocky. Whether you’re looking to get deep in the backcountry or take your young family on an easy, scenic dayhike, we’ve found the best trail for you.
Washington’s Goat Lake Trail Is a Gorgeous Hike With a Forgotten History
In the heart of the North Cascades, this trail is the best dayhike to see waterfalls, dense old-growth trees, and remnants of an old mining settlement. Here’s everything you need to know to hike it.
With the “Minor League” Triple Crowns, Anyone Can Be a Thru-Hiker
You’ve heard of the Pacific Crest Trail, Appalachian Trail, and Continental Divide Trail—the three long trails of the Triple Crown. If those trails are in the Major League, what would be the Minors? Veteran thru-hiker M. John Fayhee offers his picks.
You Can Still Hike The Pacific Crest Trail In The Off-Season. Start With These 5 Sections.
Shawnté Salabert wrote the book Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail: Southern California, and in doing so, spent several years hiking the first 942.5 miles of the PCT multiple times across multiple seasons. She’s the best person to ask when it comes to winter LASH-ing one of America’s favorite long trails.
What I Wish I Knew Before Hiking the West Coast Trail
When Senior Editor Zoe Gates hiked the West Coast Trail (WCT) on Vancouver Island, she faced plenty of surprises along the way, despite doing plenty of research. Here’s what you should know before your WCT hike.
