October 2025

For hiking partners, start with local clubs, skills classes, trail-care crews, and vetted group hikes to meet compatible people.

Most hikers start at Springer Mountain; others begin at Harpers Ferry or Maine’s Katahdin to match weather, crowds, and timing.

On hikes, pee 200 feet from water, trails, and camp on durable ground; pack out paper or use a cleanable pee rag.

Yes, the loaded step-up to knee drive builds explosive uphill hiking power with trail-specific carryover.

No single person did; prehistoric frames existed, while Ole F. Bergan (1908) and Lloyd F. Nelson (1922) shaped the modern hiking backpack.

For the best place to go hiking, match season, skill, and scenery—national parks, alpine routes, coasts, or deserts can each be the right fit.

The best place to hike depends on goal, season, and skill—match regions to timing, ability, and local rules.

Yes, the best hiking in Vermont clusters around the Long Trail, Mount Mansfield, and Lake Willoughby’s cliffs for top scenery and variety.

Across the U.S., standout hiking sits in the Sierra Nevada, Utah’s canyon parks, Colorado’s Rockies, and the Pacific Northwest’s coast and volcanoes.

Switzerland’s top hiking sits around Zermatt, Jungfrau, Engadin, Ticino, and the National Park for scenery, access, and trail variety.