The Best of Outside

Eager to visit one of America’s national parks this year? Start planning now. Here’s all the information you need to book hard-to-get reservations.

As the sun transitions to “solar maximum” in the next three years, it is prime time to spot the aurora borealis—even in the lower 48 states. Here’s where, when, and how to catch the show in our…

Believe it or not, talking to new people won’t kill you

Buy your own slice of paradise at these surprisingly affordable locations—and drool over the listings far out of reach

Forty years ago, Belkin founder Chet Pipkin changed the computer industry by making the cables that made machines work together. Now, with the Desolation Hotel in South Lake Tahoe, he wants to change…

“As the world warms, the United States warms more,” reads the latest National Climate Assessment

Teach these to your dog, and both of you will be safer and happier outdoors

Scientists are increasingly skeptical of the benefits of flexibility, but the fitness world doesn’t want to hear it

Researchers deploy machine learning to match running styles to the risk of different types of injury

Two weeks after Kathrine Switzer made headlines at Boston in 1967, 13-year-old Maureen Mancuso quietly shattered the women's world record. Few people noticed.

Bill Hayes’s new book, ‘Sweat: A History of Exercise,’ offers a personal account of a universal tradition

«This suggests that the two most obvious motivations for exercise today—that is, health and vanity—were already present centuries ago.»

After becoming paralyzed from the chest down, the mountain athlete found an unlikely ally in recovery: psychedelics

Meet the grassroots movement of women fighting to open up surfing to a more diverse range of body types

“The world and how it interacts with me changed the day I came out as trans”

Alpine scrambles and beach-front strolls; multi-day singletrack adventures and quick urban escapes; soaring trees and rolling sand dunes—every state in the country has something to offer intrepid…

Our national parks are overcrowded, especially in summer. One solution is to create more of them. Here are the regions that get our votes.

Here's what actually works

Habits and tips to help you get through anything

Our basic biology can steer us toward bad habits and compulsive behavior. Overcoming these pitfalls requires effort and discipline.

«Once you become aware of the evolutionary mismatch, you start to see it everywhere. Overcoming it is key to being grounded in an increasingly frantic and frenetic world.»

Activities such as lifting weights, hiking, or even woodworking teach us humility and keep us grounded in reality

«a field called self-determination theory demonstrates that mastery is a core input to mental health, overall well-being, and life satisfaction»

A good cry can be therapeutic and can even better connect you with others. Let’s stop shaming it.

«A friend once dubbed what happened to me a “sports cry,” and in the years I’ve been using the term since, I’ve found no need to explain it»

If you're just getting started on the trails, don't be overwhelmed. This 101 guide breaks down where to go, what to wear, and everything you need to know to stay safe and have fun out there.

Don’t let an upset stomach ruin a good workout