How to safely and successfully hike and backpack with kids, from infants to teenagers is all here in a durable, packable, full-color package. Former NOLS instructor and current mom Molly Absolon tells how to plan trips for kids, what to pack, games to play, kid-favorite food and snacks for the trail, and other tips and tricks to make a family hiking outing the best it can be.

Explore the crystal clear waters on the Summit Lakes Trail at Lassen Volcanic National Park, take in the expansive views at Shenandoah National Park’s Old Rag Mountain, or traverse the sandstone cliffs at Angel’s Landing in Zion National Park. Choose your adventure from any of the forty-four national parks profiled throughout the book. This book delivers jaw-dropping photos, detailed hike descriptions and maps, ranger essays, and more, all of which combine to create an intimate look at the best our national parks have to offer.

Lace up your boots and head into Colorado's rugged Sangre de Cristo Mountains to explore this spine of soaring peaks that stand more than a mile above the San Luis and Wet Mountain Valleys. Here you'll discover plunging creeks, gorges cut from chunky conglomerate, and valleys where elk, bighorn sheep, coyote, and cougar live. Climb Kit Carson Mountain, Crestone Needle, or Blanca Peak; hike Black Canyon or Wild Cherry Creek. Wander the Great Sand Dunes National Park, which has the tallest dunes in North America. Local hiker and outdoor writer Lee Hart will introduce you to these trails and many more. Inside you'll find: up-to-date trail information; accurate directions to wilderness trails; difficulty ratings; topographic trail maps; zero-impact tips. Whether you are planning a day hike or an extended backpacking trip, you'll find trails suited to every ability and interest in one of the most beautiful regions of Colorado.

Vanished Like many hikers, Aubrey Sacco walked into the Himalayas with the joyful excitement of a pilgrim entering the Promised Land. But she encountered a dark side of Nepal all trekkers should know about. Now her family can’t rest until they know how she disappeared. By Tracy Ross Thru-Hiking: When More is Better For long-haul hikers, time has a way of putting things into perspective. By Casey Lyons X Marks the Spot A hidden box of treasure. A cryptic poem from a wealthy Santa Fe art dealer. Four states’ worth of Rocky Mountain wilderness. Our reporter joins the hunt. By Brian Mockenhaupt The Kids Are Alright The only thing you’ll regret about taking the brood backpacking is not doing it sooner—and more often. By Dennis Lewon Hike Forever After four decades of backpacking and climbing in Wyoming’s Wind River Range, 75-year-old Joe Kelsey is living proof that, while time may stop for no one, it might just slow down for hikers. By Mark Jenkins Depth of Field: Canyoneering Little rain and stable weather make fall the ideal time to play in Utah’s slot canyons. By Steve Howe My Partner Ate My Socks Is goatpacking the ultimate ultralight solution or a surefire way to ruin a good hike? By Casey Lyons Mush! You don’t need to tackle the Iditarod to enjoy dogsledding, a fast and fun winter adventure. By Molly Loomis The Quest The only way to truly appreciate America’s vast wilderness? Hike it all. By Mark Jenkins Bella Vita A trek on Italy’s Alta Via 2 might just be the most romantic hike in the world. If you’re lucky. By Brendan Leonard The Other Himalaya Someday, the Manaslu Loop will be just as famous as the Annapurna Circuit. Better hike it now. By Dougald Macdonald Walk of Ages Past meets present on a trek to Petra, Jordan’s 2,300-year-old desert metropolis. By Rachel Zurer Fresh Tracks It’s prime time to visit Patagonia’s brand new park—before anyone else even knows it’s there. By Tomas Dinges A Ghost Among Us One woman’s journey to the brink of what’s possible on the Pacific Crest Trail. By Megan Michelson

Table of Contents: 200 Miles, 300 Stairways, 2,000 Intersections…One Brand New Thru-Hike By Dan Koeppel All Quiet on the Western Front By Brian Mockenhaupt Home of the Giants By Michael Lanza Nirvana Now! By Steve Friedman The Path to Shangri-La By Mark Jenkins Testing the Waters By Majka Burhardt Treasure Island By Ted Alvarez The Truth About Bears By Ted Alvarez Trek-a-palooza By Evelyn Spence Hai Country by Ted Alvarez By Foot and By Float By Molly Loomis

This book could save you hundreds of dollars on outdoor gear! Don’t retire a jacket just because it’s torn or buy a new tent because the zipper broke. Learn how to fix these problems—and dozens more—and save your money for a dream trip by following the step-by-step gear maintenance and repair instructions in this large trim, color handbook.

Backpacker Magazine’sThe Complete Guide to Backpacking combines and distills the most useful and relevant skills necessary for backpacking in one easy to use guide, from the most respected authority on backpacking— Backpacker magazine. From detailed descriptions of what to pack and how to pack it, to navigation and campsite cooking, to managing outdoor hazards and more, The Complete Guide to Backpacking is the definitive resource for Backpacking-related know-how.

Surrounded by old-growth forests, volcanic peaks, and water in nearly all its forms--from the ocean to alpine lakes, glaciers to waterfalls--the Portland area is a short jaunt from boundless adventure opportunities, many of which can be taken in just one night. This book covers the best one- (and a few two-) night hikes within three hours of the city--perfect for hikers seeking a wilderness experience without the commitment of a lengthy backpacking trek. Trips take readers to the lush Olympic Mountains, eerie Mount St. Helens, the thundering Columbia River, and the quirky spires of Three Fingered Jack.

How and why you should take your children backpackingDespite America’s enthusiasm for outdoors activities like hiking and backpacking, most books on these subjects focus on adults. Backpacking, however, is an ideal activity for the entire family. Tim Hauserman, who is both an experienced outdoors guide and the father of two daughters, now offers a handbook for parents who would like to introduce their children to backpacking and camping. Hauserman provides practical, humorous advice for families new to the outdoors and for trail-savvy parents planning to take their children along for the first time: how to prepare, what to bring, who carries what, how far to walk, what to do in camp, safety precautions, dealing with mishaps, and proper trail and campground etiquette. He includes guidance about appropriate distances and pack weights for every age level of child, as well as tips about backpacking with an infant and bringing the family dog along on the adventure. He even suggests appealing destinations in the Sierra Nevada appropriate for various age groups and recounts some of his (and his daughters’) favorite hikes. Hauserman’s down-to-earth encouragement is based on decades of backpacking and camping with his own children, their friends, and other groups of youngsters. He is candid about his experiences and the lessons he learned from his own mistakes and how he dealt with them. Ultimately, the reward of sharing a special adventure and the peace and beauty of the outdoors makes all the effort worthwhile.

Top Trails: Lake Tahoe explores the best trails for hiking and biking in the Tahoe area. The guide features the best hikes including the north side's splendid back-country, the lake’s sedate western side, the picturesque and popular areas south of the lake, including Desolation Wilderness, and D. L. Bliss and Emerald Bay state parks and the relatively undeveloped eastern side. Several hikes follow sections of the Tahoe Rim Trail and Pacific Crest Trail. Veteran author Mike White has selected the 50 best trips in the area, ranging in length from a mile-long stroll through a lush, lodgepole-lined meadow to a 20-mile trek on the Tahoe Rim Trail with excellent lake views. Among other significant updates, the third edition includes the new Rim to Reno Trail, newly constructed by volunteers in the Tahoe Rim Trail Association.