“Like the redwoods, spaces that are designated for women have been dwindling. Some rot from the inside. Some simply age out of existence. But new saplings, spaces, and ideas are always being planted.” Lia Seth writes about why outdoor spaces for adult women, like The Compact, are vital.

Essays, Lia Seth

Anne Wallentine heads to Hampstead Heath Kenwood Ladies’ Pond bathing pond in London. The experience helps her to reclaim her own body. "For the first time I feel safe exposing my skin and my scars."

Essays, Anne Wallentine

For our first installment focusing on National Park Service units in Hawaii, we’ll be exploring the islands of O’ahu, Maui, and Moloka’i.

Spotlights, Parks & Points

In many parts of the country, the first signs of fall come with cooler temperatures and changing leaves. But for some areas, fall also brings the rut—a time when elk bulls fight to keep their bloodline alive.

Essays, Courtney Johnson

While often visitors head directly to the heart of Yosemite National Park, the former gold mining town of Mariposa, just outside park borders, is well worth exploring.

Spotlights, Melissa Curtin

Some of the Heritage Area wonders are natural, some manmade, and some, like the Old Railroad Bridge—the oldest river bridge in Alabama,—are a unique combination of both. The bridge now serves as a 1,560-foot walking trail over the Tennessee River at the TVA’s Muscle Shoals Trail Complex, where one can access 17 miles of foot trails.

Spotlights, Amy Beth Wright,

Here are some of the best national parks and monuments to visit if you enjoy caves.

Author Robert McHugh recalls his service in Japan after World War II and his enduring personal connection to that moment in history, and returns to Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park in Japan, years later.

Essays, Robert McHugh

Andrea Ross writes about a heroic experience high in the Arizona mountains at Mount Humphreys that changes her life forever.

Essays, Andrea Ross

Pin Ups inspired us to want to chat with Yi Shun about how notions of belonging in the outdoors form and take root, what we can do to further prioritize diversity, equity and inclusion in wilderness culture, and how we can work against the implicit biases that accompany us into those outdoor spaces, when they arise.

Hot Springs National Park marks its 100th birthday on March 4, 2021. Eight historic bathhouses are in use by the park service or have been re-imagined, with many original design and architectural elements intact. Discover the history and plan your trip to Hot Springs!

Use these apps to explore the national parks, forests, and other public lands!

Tips & Tricks, Courtney Johnson,

The holidays are a perfect time to explore a national park, national recreation area or national monument. Beyond winter hiking, snowshoeing and skiing, many offer unique ways to celebrate the season. Here are a few:

Tips & Tricks, Courtney Johnson

After losing his mother, Andy Fogle finds meaning and solace during a series of mountain hikes throughout New York state.

Essays, Andy Fogle

Essayist Molly Pascal explores some of the smallest though most important animals. “The French Creek watershed boasts rich biodiversity, including 27 varieties of fresh water mussels. This quiet form of wildlife actually falls under a very special category.”

Essays, Molly Pascal

More than fifty types of birds nest in the refuge, and another two hundred species dwell there permanently, or stop off during migration. I bought a laminated guide, Birds of Southeast Florida, in the gift shop, and we set out, weaving in and out of the wetlands, slowly, slowly riding our bikes on the hard-panned, grassy ridges....But then, dark thoughts of alligators crept in.

Spotlights, Laura Power

Before its association with cutting edge technological innovation, the Santa Clara Valley was known as the “Valley of Heart’s Delight.”

Spotlights, Amy Beth Wright

With five national parks and over forty state parks to visit in Utah, the Cedar Mesa region in the southeast part of the state—where President Obama designated Bears Ears monument—has been most renowned for being a point of controversy. I journeyed to Bears Ears to better acquaint myself with the landscape as an outdoor enthusiast, and to better understand why so many people have fought so hard to protect it, for so many decades. I also wanted to be able to make a case for this particular body of land that is based on my own experience.

Essays, Courtney Johnson