Went on an incredible solo backpacking trip in Kings Canyon National Park a couple weeks ago. 60 mile loop starting from the Bishop area. Some of the most spectacular scenery I’ve ever seen.

The last week of August 2026, I went backpacking to Mount Assiniboine starting from Banff Sunshine Village. 4 nights/ 5 days. It was stunning!! 28 kilometers each way. It was warm and sunny the first several days, then the 4th day the temps dropped a bit (Aug 29). We knew there was a chance of snow on our last day (Aug 30) so we luckily had packed proper warm gear.

However we never could've anticipated the amount of snow we woke up to on Aug 30!! 2nd pic is at Howard Douglas Lake. Overall, this was truly a once in a lifetime kind of trip. I think that waking up to all the snow on the last day made the trip all the more memorable. But we were definitely glad to only have snow that last day because we were pretty miserably cold and exhausted by the end. 10/10 would do again!

What I loved most about this place is how different the landscapes were. One moment you're walking through a peaceful forest, and the next you're surrounded by incredible mountain views. There are plenty of hiking trails for different fitness levels, so you don't have to be an experienced hiker to enjoy the area.

Quick overnight trip to my favorite hidden gem in Tennessee, Savage Gulf State Park. We had been once before back in 2023 and did the North Rim to South Rim loop. This time, we decided on the Collin's Gulf loop done counterclockwise. Both have their own difficulties, but this recent trail was tough. Boulder fields galore and the ascent back to the parking lot was a burner. RIP to my knees.

The calculated distance on AllTrails is very wrong, lol surprise, surprise! We did roughly 9.6 miles the first day down Stagecoach Rd to Sawmill. Beautiful spot to set up camp. Couple of close trees to hang hammocks down at site 2! Otherwise pretty level for a tent, too. Water access was limited other than Schwoon Spring, which was also a trickle. We had to really climb up behind the rocks and into the cave to reach down and collect water from basically a puddle. It was crystal clear and cold though, so I wasn't complaining after the long day we had.

Day 2 we packed up and headed towards the parking lot. About 5.5 miles up in total, where AllTrails claimed 3.5 (haaa) On the way up, Horsepound Falls was flowing nicely and we collected some water there, not sure when we'd see more. Got up to Suter Falls and that was basically non existent. The pups were pretty gassed at the end, and I was craving a Coke Zero. Fantastic trip all together!

A stunning natural area in northern Czechia, very close to the Polish border, which has its own similar landscape – Góry Stołowe. This protected nature reserve consists of a labyrinth of massive sandstone towers, deep gorges, mysterious caves, and crystal-clear waterfalls. Well-maintained hiking trails and hidden passages make this area a popular tourist attraction, especially during summer when tickets often need to be reserved several days in advance. To protect the site as much as possible, the number of visitors is limited and entry is allowed only at a specific time slot.

We started our hike from Teplice. This side is much quieter, has a more authentic hiking atmosphere, and there is no fixed entry time for starting the trail. The trails themselves also feel more like proper mountain paths, while in the Adršpach section you can literally see people walking around in formal clothes (I think I even caught some of them in one of my photos).

Quite quickly, we reached the Strmen viewpoint, located on top of an exceptionally high rock formation. To get there, you need to climb around 300 rather steep steps (and, for my huge feet, surprisingly narrow ones) to reach the platform offering a beautiful view of the surrounding rocky landscape, the valley, and distant mountains.

Further along the trail, we passed impressive sandstone formations – shaped over millions of years by wind and rain acting on relatively soft rock that slowly wears away. Most of them have names based on what people think they resemble. Honestly, though, many of them did not really look like the signs suggested.

The narrow canyon between the rocks truly feels like a passage into another world – almost like a fantasy landscape. It is fascinating to walk through a corridor that is sometimes only about 50 centimetres wide while the rock walls rise vertically around 50 metres above you. Another interesting detail: outside, the temperature was around 20 °C, but inside the gorge the microclimate was almost cave-like – it was only 8 °C there!

From Teplice Rocks towards Adršpach, we continued through Wolf Gorge (Vlčí rokle). The trail is about three kilometres long and is actually the only legal way to walk between the two areas while using the same ticket. The gorge itself is an attraction worth experiencing. It feels like complete wilderness, with a perfectly maintained trail winding through rocks and semi-wetland terrain all the way to Adršpach’s main highlights: the Rock Lake, where you can take a short boat ride (about 300 metres in a boat resembling a gondola ), or continue through another beautiful and extremely narrow gorge leading straight into the magic of this even more popular area.

Along the way, you will pass the Great and Small Waterfalls, as well as the Lovers rock formation, the largest and most famous rock tower in the area. Standing around 80 metres high, it is also a very popular climbing spot.

For most visitors, this is the beginning of their route, but for us it was the perfect finale – a picturesque lake reflecting the surrounding rocks and forest, with a short but beautiful trail around it that is accessible to literally everyone.

Things worth knowing...

Buy tickets online in advance – they are cheaper, and for Adršpach you can reserve a specific entry time.

One ticket covers both parks only if you walk between them through Wolf Gorge (Vlčí rokle).

Bring warmer clothes – temperatures in the narrow gorges can be more than 10 °C lower than outside.

Teplice Rocks offer fewer crowds and a more hiking-oriented experience, while Adršpach is famous for its lake and boat rides.

Take the train back – the ride between the two entrances takes only 4 minutes and costs around €0.30.

Adršpach is suitable for strollers, while Teplice Rocks have many stairs and steep sections.

Strmen viewpoint is not ideal for people afraid of heights – more than 300 steep steps lead to the top.

Dogs are welcome, but they must remain on a leash (entrance fee around €2).

Allow enough time – if you want to visit both parks in one day, plan for 6–7 hours of hiking.

Cards are accepted almost everywhere, but carrying some Czech koruna (CZK) in cash is still useful.

Arrive early, especially on summer weekends, to avoid crowds and find parking more easily

More info about it and many other outdoor adventures on my instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/crobackpacker/

Just got back from a short stop at the Fusine Lakes (Laghi di Fusine) near Tarvisio, in Friuli-Venezia Giulia. Two glacial lakes with that classic emerald-green water, sitting right at the foot of the Mangart massif.

The place feels surprisingly quiet compared to more famous spots like Braies or Bled — dense conifer forest, big glacial boulders along the shore, and perfect reflections on calm mornings. Easy short loop trails around both lakes, no serious elevation. You can reach it in about 15–20 minutes by car from Kranjska Gora on the Slovenian side, so it’s a nice add-on if you’re already in the Julian Alps.

Water was cold but crystal clear. Would recommend early morning if you want the mirror effect and fewer people. Anyone else been there recently? How was the autumn foliage?

We hiked the Arctic Circle Trail on the West Coast of Greenland.

An incredible 10 day trek, 160 km across Greenland. Starting with a tour of the ice cap at Point 660 and following the Southern route of the Arctic Circle Trail to Sisimiut. 

It was a dry year in the area and we were blessed with blue skies.

A video with further highlights can be seen here.

Distance: 160 km
Duration: 9 days (Originally planned for 10)
Terrain and Conditions: Well marked with red painted cairns. The main route is mostly a narrow singletrack trail with occasional sections of ATV trail. The Southern Route has largely no trail underfoot but is marked with cairns. Recommended to have a GPS with waypoints for navigation along with maps and compass. 

Key Takeaways

There are no trees in the Arctic Circle, there is little shelter from the rain, wind or in our case the sun. While our biggest concern was applying enough sunscreen, wind and rain could be a real concern under different conditions. On day 2 we were able to canoe down the lake instead of hiking it. What an experience!

There are some basic huts along the trail but you need to be ready to camp as well. We were in a tent for 3 nights.

Don't be intimidated by the distance. There was up/downs but nothing extreme.

Inspired by a book I had recently read I set off for the mountains during the last pleasant week of fall. It turned out that over the course of five days on a 110-kilometre trail through the mountainous border region between Poland and Czechia I experienced three seasons. While it was over 26 degrees Celsius in Kamieniec at the start, on top of Praded, almost at the end, it was minus five with freezing clouds and strong winds. I'm sharing some pictures, they might make you want to go there too.

There were castles and mountain huts, along with medieval towns, forgotten villages, but very few people!

I just got to thinking, the sport that we love is a dangerous one. You can be a true professional (not that I claim to be one) and do everything right, but still die due to just bad luck. And while that is a rare occurrence, at least for people who take it seriously and treat it with respect, I just feel like things going wrong or getting g a bit scary can’t be uncommon with this hobby or lifestyle.

I have a few, but they’re just really minor things not really gone wrong worthy. I do have one though, which is what made me think of this post. Although I wouldn’t really say it was like near death, but it was much less than ideal. So this story happened 3 years ago. The summer of 2023.

My wife and I had a ~24 mile trip planned through a particularly remote stretch of Appalachia. And we frequented this general region, but hadn’t been to this specific spot yet. Every other time we had been to this region, there was a plethora of water. And I studied the route, made sure it followed along creeks at least at parts. Of which, there were many.

I didn’t plan on encountering anyone else the whole time. And. We didn’t. We didn’t even see any cars on the way in for the last maybe 45 minutes.

Anyway. We started the trail with 4 days of food, planned on taking our time and doing it in 3 days. Starting off there was a huge creek crossing, almost like more of a river than a creek. We followed alongside that creek for the first ~3 miles, then crossed. Boots got full of water, it was way deeper than we thought it was. We laughed it off and pressed up the mountain on the other side. It was steep as hell. We gained 1400ft in less than a mile, it was more like a climb than a hike. I knew that this existed beforehand, but once you hit the “top”, it pretty much evened out into some meadows or declined the rest of the time. There was another ascent, but not nearly as much gain.

We made camp around 7 miles in and just hung out the rest of the day. Beautiful campsite right beside a small waterfall, surrounded by rhododendrons. Dried our boots out by the campfire. Went to sleep. Continued on the next day.

So the next day started off heading across this meadow. The trail was really beat up with very uneven footing and deep, like, trenches? We were careful walking through, super beautiful. Saw lots of deer, bright pink flowers blooming. No water up there really, just standing puddles.

It was probably around mile 11 or so that it started to descend, pretty rocky. It was uneven and it was steep, but not that steep. The total descent was like 2 miles down to the next creek on the map. Which is where we were going to refill our water.

About halfway down, my wife twisted her ankle. Pretty good. We assessed but she decided we were already halfway through and if we turned around, she would have to go back up, back across that really uneven trenchy meadow and then back down the super steep mountainside. So, we just pressed on.

We made it down to the bottom and something rather unfortunate was there. The creek on my map, was dried up. No water. And keep in mind, it was like high 80s and super humid. We still had water, but not much. I was relying on this trail having plenty of places to refill, as all of the others in the area did. And her ankle was killing her, so we just stopped and made camp.

By morning, after making breakfast and getting all prepped to go, we were out of water. We decided, we’re just going to make it the remaining ~10-11 miles back to the car. Which was not ideal for her foot, but neither was taking it slow with no water and an injury. So I took most of the weight out of her bag and put it into mine, which had me carrying about 35, maybe upwards of 38 pounds of gear. I weighed around 115 pounds at the time, so that sucked.

We progressed further and further and further along this creek. No water. There was the final real incline coming up and on the other side, another small decline, then another, different creek.

We made it there and did not like what we saw. The elevation gain was probably only 300 feet or so, but it was boulders. Like I had to check the map several times, because it did not look like the trail. It just looked like a path of big ass boulders laid out by the mountain. You did not simply walk over them, you lifted yourself onto them.

I had to help her the whole way up. We got to the top and liked what we saw even less. No dirt, no grass, just like big loose gravel rocks. Not necessarily like shale, but kinda close. This fucked her ankle all the way up. And the sun was baking us alive. No tree cover. And then we descended. Not a rough descent.

Make it to the next creek. No fucking water. And by this point we were getting a little bit woozy. Particularly me. The weight of that bag was kinda taking me out, but there’s no way I was gonna give her more weight, her ankle was looking pretty rough. It definitely took a turn for the worst on those rocks. We had to stop, a lot, for both of our sakes. 10 miles is not that far, as a day hike I could clear that in 4 hours with a lunch break no problem. With no water, peak sun, too much weight, an increasingly injured companion, breaks every 20 minutes, it was taking all day.

Well thankfully the rest of the hike wasn’t that bad and a few miles later we made it back to the start of the loop where the initial water crossing was, we both drank a lot of water and made it back to the car. Then ate a big meal. Those last few miles before the water, we were both dead silent and the only thought in my head the whole time was one foot, one foot, one foot, one foot. Like I said, under normal circumstances, 10 miles is nothing, but I was going through it with dehydration and I also stupidly opted to not eat all day to get back to the car faster for her.

All was well, obviously. That’s the only gone wrong story that I have after 6 years of backpacking. And hopefully I won’t have another, but time will tell.

Hi all, I'm a Product Development master's student at the University of Antwerp (Belgium). On multi-day trips you often carry your trash for days, and I'm trying to understand what that really looks like: what you pack it in, what gets annoying (smell, leaks, space) and what you do when there's no bin for days. Not selling anything, just trying to understand the problem first.

I'm curious for your answers! :)

PS. I also have a questionnaire (not allowed here) if you would like to help me or have great expertise, send me a dm!

My dad hikes the AT religiously, two times a year and is a total nerd about it. He’s done this for almost 20 years and has probably every gadget under the sun, but his birthday is coming up and I want to get him a hiking related item that’s also just really neat and something you’d never think of. Anyone have any recs?

My pack is currently sitting at 38lbs. I don’t have any ultralight gear. This weight includes food & water. Plus camera & fishing gear.

First backpacking trip in the sierras, planning to do an overnighter.. Been camping & hiking A LOT over the last 3 years. Just picked up my first pack & after loading it all up, I am a bit worried about the weight for such a small trip.

I would also like to mention I am in pretty good shape & I also have also done plenty of hikes to compare to the one I am doing.

Lighter pack (rough estimated based on internet)

https://lighterpack.com/r/n8fmsi

Hi everyone,

Let me know suggestions for a short trek of 3-4 days , I have heard about Langtang and Ghorepani. I will be reaching to Kathmandu and then would be travelling to Pokhara. Would like to know if these places could be trekked alone or you need a guide. Also some safe and beautiful places around Pokhara. If anyone is travelling that time too? would love to catchup :)

I’m a Black man planning a solo trip to Colombia from November 25 to December 3: four nights in Medellín, two in Jardín, then two back in Medellín.

I’ll be staying in hostels, mostly exploring the culture, food, countryside, and hiking.

I’ve seen reports of increased airport scrutiny around suspected sex tourism, along with claims that some Black male travelers have been unfairly profiled or refused entry.

I’m trying to separate firsthand experiences from rumors.
For anyone who’s visited recently: how was immigration, and how comfortable and welcome did you feel in Medellín?

Did you encounter extra questioning or assumptions about why you were visiting?

I’d appreciate honest experiences (positive or negative) and roughly when you traveled. I’m excited about the trip, but want to make an informed decision.

Santa Maddalena with a view of the Odle Mountains. Such a peaceful place for anyone looking to relax and enjoy some time alone. You can start a hike to the cinema Odle viewpoint from here. Couldn't have imagined a better way to spend a week in July than in the mountains In Italy. The beach doesn't even come close. Shoutout to all the travelers out there!

Hey guys! Found this on Facebook Marketplace for AUD50 (USD35). Looks pretty legit to me but was wondering if anyone have seen a colourway / design like this (Could not find a similar design or colour online). Please advise!

Great weather for Zaleski state forest a few weeks ago, saw some good views and the moonville tunnel, which was really cool. Overall fun trip for people in Ohio.

Hey I’m planning an overland backpacking trip along the gringo trail from Alaska to Patagonia. I’m going to be staying in a mix of hostels and camping and am trying to decide between a tent which could be used more places, or a hammock to save weight and keep cool in central/south America. Thoughts/Suggestions?

I've never seen anything more beautiful. Definitely one of those places you have to visit at least once in your life. There are so many stunning spots on this island! The one in the photo is Mizithres.

Hi, I'm looking to backpack across Europe for a few months and I was curious how buying/ordering/receiving contacts works there? I've read you're able to go to opticians and pharmacies, hand them your prescription and go from there? But I just want to know how that works. I have a high prescription and astigmatism in both eyes. How long does it usually take to receive a box of contacts once I've placed an order through opticians or pharmacies?

Been using a clip mount on my backpack strap for my action camera lately. I really wanted to avoid wearing another chest harness over my hiking layers, and I prefer having the camera sitting a bit higher up near shoulder level.

It's been totally fine on flat trail walks so far, but I haven't taken it out on any rougher or more technical terrain yet.

For anyone running a similar strap setup on the trail—does yours stay locked in place, or do you end up having to re-adjust the angle constantly while walking?

Backpacking right now. How do you guys wash and dry wool efficiently on a time crunch. I know to avoid dryers but I don’t have much time for air drying with my schedule.