The Mountain State, Almost Heaven, Wild and Wonderful, West Virginia has a few different reputations, all of which hint at the goods sandwiched inside this small state’s borders. And the state of adventure in West Virginia just seems to keep getting better with the addition of new public lands and fresh trail systems. 　　I recently spent three days driving through...

　　Im not crying, youre crying. 　　OK—so were probably both misty-eyed. But how could you watch Alone Africas fifth episode and not tear up while watching the shows lovable and grandfatherly contestant battle his inner demons? 　　Spoilers ahead. Of course, Im referencing Douglas, the 57-year-old from North Carolina with the Santa Claus beard and folksy twang. On episode five, we spent ample...

　　There’s no humble way to say it: I was absolutely crushing the hike. Feet flying over open trail, I weaved my way in and out of casual walkers and the occasional leashed canine. The forest towered above as my track pitched upward, and I savored the extra burn while I pushed farther from the parking lot. 　　Mount Storm King on...

　　Even locals get inspired by the view from the top of Picacho Peak Trail. Below, adobe homes nestle into the piñon-juniper forests. Above, the sky often shows off brilliant shades of orange and purple. In the distance, mountains stack up on the horizon. It feels like you’re a world away—and yet you’re only a couple miles from Santa Fe’s historic...

　　Two summers ago, I was halfway up a scree-strewn slope in Californias Eastern Sierra when I noticed that my shirt was clingy with sweat and my face was the same shade as my dogs geranium-patterned collar. I made a promise: no more more hikes with the mercury pushing 90; future summer adventure planning would take temperature into serious account. 　　Im...

　　The Dragon Bravo wildfire continues to burn on the northside of Grand Canyon National Park, closing access to visitor services on the canyon’s North Rim for the remainder of the season. As of July 24, the blaze had scorched 23,082 acres, making it the largest active wildfire in a national park so far this season, and the fifth-largest in recent history....

　　Bikepacking might be the perfect adventure. Ride bikes, sleep outside. It’s like bike touring, only dirtier since you’re camping and carrying all your gear on your bike, as opposed to staying in lodges and relying on your credit card for sustenance. I’ve been bikepacking for almost 20 years now, and continue to be entranced by its charm. Pedaling into the...

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　　If I had a chance to be magically transported back to the American frontier in the 1880s, I’d leap enthusiastically into the back of the covered wagon. At least for a temporary stretch, I’d welcome life in simpler times. There are aspects of our modern day, especially as a parent, that I wonder would be improved by going back in...

　　After a rollercoaster-like opening three episodes, Alone Africa has finally slowed down. 　　In the fourth episode, which aired last Thursday, nobody caught a debilitating gastrointestinal illness or fired arrows into a fuzzy ungulate. Nobody called for a rescue, and nobody went home. 　　And with the six remaining survivalists looking confident and secure, we, the audience, finally got an opportunity to...

　　It’s early on a Tuesday morning in mid-March, and Isabella Calidonna is ready to run. She’s got a hydration pack wrapped around her back and a smile on her face while standing next to the Baroque Four Rivers Fountain in the heart of Rome, Italy. This centerpiece of the famed Navona Piazza, she tells me, is among more than 2,000...