Category: Adventures
In northern New England, leaves begin to change from green to bright orange and yellow in mid-September. At first, only a few trees seem to realize autumn is arriving. Then, suddenly, the mountains transform into a kaleidoscope of colors, which spread down the mountains of New England into the Mid-Atlantic. Here are a few trails […]
Want to climb the highest peak in the Northeast the hard way? The Great Gulf Trail follows the West Branch of the Peabody River through a Wilderness Area and then ascends New Hampshire’s iconic Mount Washington via an infamously precipitous headwall. The Great Gulf Trail begins at the Great Gulf Wilderness parking area on the […]
Combine the joy of day hiking with the adventure of a night in a tent and you’ll see why backpacking is a terrific family adventure. These six overnight outings in New England and the Mid-Atlantic are recommended for young hikers by AMC authors. To learn more about these backpacking destinations, check out AMC’s Best Backpacking […]
Like many hikers, I spend a great deal of time staring at maps and dreaming of the possibilities of adventure and escape they evoke. For several years now, I have come back to maps of the Susquehannock Trail System (STS) in north-central Pennsylvania—and not just because I hiked the trail system for my new book, […]
We had the island to ourselves: 2 acres of spruce forest surrounded by a wonderland of curving, polished granite ledge that dropped into the sea. The kayaks rested above the beach, beyond the reach of the tide, and we’d pitched our tents—each of our two families in a campsite of its own—beneath the canopy of […]
It was as a young adult that Yemaya Maurer, coauthor of AMC Guide to Winter Hiking & Camping, became aware of the pleasures of traveling through a winter landscape and mourned a childhood that hadn’t included it. As she wrote in the guide’s introduction, she wished she had known as a child “what it was like […]
Swish, swish. Swish, swish. Our skis whisked across the glossy white surface of a field at Dolly Copp campground in New Hampshire’s White Mountain National Forest. On this chilly, early spring morning, the campground was otherwise silent and empty. I followed two old friends, Brian and Val, eastward across the snow. In the distance lay […]
You need not be an experienced mountaineer to enjoy the winter landscape from a mountain summit. Dramatic views from the tops of relatively easy-to-access peaks can be found throughout the Northeast. Just bundle up, pack your winter essentials, and strap on your snowshoes for these seven great hikes. Saint Sauveur Mountain | Acadia National Park, […]
The 2013 American Camper Report, a new study out from the Outdoor Foundation, estimates that 38 million Americans—or 13 percent of Americans at least 6 years old—went camping in 2012. Beyond this topline number, here are some of the other report findings I found of note: Photo: Flickr Commons; Rhock1 2012 camping participation was at […]
I’ve hiked extensively throughout the U.S., and I’m always annoyed when people unfamiliar with Eastern hiking disrespect the Appalachian Mountains simply because they lack the elevation of higher ranges elsewhere, and then leap to the conclusion that the hiking must be easier because of it. Nothing could be farther from the truth, of course, so […]
I recently visited the 100-Mile Wilderness in Maine and was able to discover many of the nearby trails. Although I didn’t have the best weather I was still able to get some great views! The pictures above and below are from Third Mountain (elv. 2,061′). There is a trail that starts from Gorman Chairback or you can also access the Third […]
Afoot and afloat in Maine’s most beguiling backcountry My introduction to Maine’s famed 100-Mile Wilderness region came in early July of 1974, when a junior high school friend and I concocted a plan to hike the Appalachian Trail from Monson to Katahdin. We would cover the 100 trail miles of the name, plus the final […]
When hiking with kids, it’s always good to have a payoff to reward their effort, whether you’re offering a mountain view or a chocolate bar from your backpack—or maybe both. One of the best attractions to keep kids going on the trail is water, whether it’s burbling brooks, flowing waterfalls, or swimmable lakes. Here are […]
Figuring out how to climb Katahdin, the focal point of Baxter State Park and Maine’s highest peak, can be almost as herculean a task as summiting the mountain. Carey Kish, editor of the Maine Mountain Guide, explains how to plan ahead and prepare. Watch more AMC videos on YouTube.
Maybe I was hallucinating. But as I skied the tunnel-like passageways of the Pemigewasset Wilderness, I felt as if I was sliding down railroad tracks,kicking and gliding to the rhythm of the rails. Poetic fancy, I rationalized, and returned my attention to the task before me: skiing across the Pemi in a day. This 21-mile […]
The end of summer is coming all too soon. Make the most of the season and help your kids connect with nature with these simple, free or low-cost activities, suggested by AMC authors, parents, and naturalists. 1. Take an ice cube bath. When it’s too hot to move, bring a bowl of ice cubes outside […]
Adirondack Park in New York State offers vast wilderness, beautiful lakes and ponds, and 46 mountain peaks over 4,000 feet. At about 6 million acres, it is the largest park in the contiguous United States, larger than the entire state of New Hampshire. Where should a visitor start? I asked Peter Kick, author of the […]
Bogs and orchids. Cascades and ledges. Swamps and lakes. Every hike has particular highlights. At the right time of year, when flowers bloom or snowmelt rages over waterfalls, these attractions are all the more dramatic. The following hikes, selected from AMC’s new Outdoors with Kids book series, lead to all kinds of natural wonders. They’re […]
Summer’s coming, the school year is almost over. Do you see yourself or your family in the following descriptions? You want to go on a family camping trip, but you aren’t sure how to get away from the crowds (and RV generators). You’re ready to leave the car behind but not quite ready to backpack. […]
Thousands of people have climbed all 48 of New Hampshire’s 4,000-footers. Very few have tagged them all in one single continuous hike. In a recent post on SectionHiker.com, Philip Werner muses on the “White Mountain Direttissima.” The premise is simple: Summit all 48 of New Hampshire’s 4,000-foot peaks in one continuous hike without outside support. […]