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The National Forest System

Opt Outside on these 15 National Forests near Cities

Looking for the perfect place to escape the city on Black Friday to OptOutside? Or to Outside any time of the year? Here’s a short list of some of our favorites.

Nine of Our Favorite User-submitted Fall Photos of our National Forests

Check out some of the recent fall photos we've shared on Instagram.

Summer of Trails Photo Contest Winners

See the stunning photos of trails on our National Forests that won the 2018 Summer of Trails photo contest.

The National Museum of Forest Service History: Go Discover our Country’s Conservation Story

Learn more about the National Museum of Forest Service History.

Camping

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6 Ways to Stay Safe at a National Forest Campground

Camping at a National Forest does not need to be overwhelming or scary. Just follow some basic safety advice and you can avoid danger and enjoy your trip.

Fall Camping in the Green Mountain National Forest

Guest Author Tara Schatz recollects a memorable weekend camping at the Grout Pond Recreation Area on Vermont's Green Mountain National Forest.

Taking Campfire Cooking to the Next Level: Pizza

Yes, you can cook pizza on a campfire. And it’s delicious and easy. Check out step by step instructions for this tasty dinner item.

Adventures

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Fall is the Perfect Season to Try 'Forest Bathing'

Forest bathing combines elements of intentional observation with a purposeful focus on the present. Unlike other nature-based sports like hiking or trail running, forest bathing doesn’t include a destination or a physical goal. Rather, forest bathers hone in on the way the forest looks, smells, sounds, and feels, using all of their senses to closely observe their surroundings.

Trails Less Traveled

Read the winning entry of the 2018 San Gabriel Mountains National Monument Blog Contest

Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail around Mount Adams on the Gifford Pinchot National Forest

Guest Author Melanie Saucier recounts a memorable trip to the Gifford Pinchot National Forest.

Our Kids Need Us to Explore Outdoors With Them. Here's Why.

When we give our children and ourselves the opportunity to explore outdoors, it provides moments of clarity, inspiration, and illumination.

Trees

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Five Reasons to Give the Gift of Trees This Holiday Season

This holiday season, what is a gift that will bring your friends and family together while doing some good for our National Forests? Giving the gift of trees!

Trees for Our Future: Three Questions About Trees and Climate Change

Supporting reforestation is perhaps the most simple and direct action you can take to increase carbon storage and limit climate change. Working together with the U.S. Forest Service and our partners, the NFF is planting millions of trees every year on our forests. For just $1 per tree, you too can help restore our forests and sequester more carbon.

Longing for Longleaf: A Story of Landscape-Scale Restoration

Today, longleaf pine-dominated forests cover less than 5 million acres, which would easily fit into New Jersey. Of these remaining acres of this former signature tree of the American South, only about 12,000 highly fragmented acres are mature, “old growth” forests.

Hiking and Backpacking

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Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail around Mount Adams on the Gifford Pinchot National Forest

Guest Author Melanie Saucier recounts a memorable trip to the Gifford Pinchot National Forest.

Summit Safety: Four Things To Remember On Top of the Peak With Kids

New Hampshire blogger Lyndsey Vaillancourt shares some helpful tips to keep in mind for when you reach the top of the mountain with your little ones.

Eight Juicy Questions about Huckleberries

Huckleberries are in your own backyard--they’re abundant on our National Forests. These delicious, sought-after, and magical berries are available to you on our public lands. But not everyone is a well-versed huckleberry fanatic…yet. So I spelled out the facts for you, so that you, too, can join the huckleberry fan club.

Summer of Trails Photo Contest Winners

See the stunning photos of trails on our National Forests that won the 2018 Summer of Trails photo contest.

Treasured Landscapes

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The San Gabriel Mountains are calling, and I must go Home

Read the second place entry of the 2018 San Gabriel Mountains National Monument Blog Contest.

Trails Less Traveled

Read the winning entry of the 2018 San Gabriel Mountains National Monument Blog Contest

Envisioning an Improved Trail to the Summit of “America’s Mountain”

Learn more about the NFF's collaborative restoration efforts on one of the most popular mountains in the country, Colorado's Pikes Peak.

Cabins and Lookout Towers

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A Hike Through History on the Angeles National Forest

Traveling through Big Santa Anita Canyon is like stepping back in time to the “Great Hiking Era.” As you walk along the paths trees and bushes give way to historic camps and cabins built from the 1890s to 1930s to ensure that the residents of the growing city would have a place to find peace in nature.

Eight Surprising & Fun National Forest Adventures in Wyoming

From surfing to biking to volunteering, there are lots of ways to enjoy the great outdoors in national forests in Wyoming and some of them may surprise you.

Top Ten Cabins on the Tongass National Forest

Are you planning that once-in-a-lifetime trip to Alaska? We’ve got the insider scoop on the best places to experience the wilderness of Alaska. Our largest National Forest in the country, the Tongass, includes more than 100 cabins available to rent. At 17 million acres, you’ll truly feel secluded. Our local experts at the U.S. Forest Service in Alaska gave us their favorite and top recommendations for cabins on the Tongass.

Fire Lookouts in Oregon + a Few Tips on Booking Your Own

We asked experienced lookout user, Kat Dierickx, Marketing Director for Outdoor Project, for some insight into one of the best outdoor experiences available.

Collaboration

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Idaho’s Wood River Valley: A Community Coming Together after Fire

Learn more about the recent work of the 5B Restoration Coalition in Idaho.

Talking in the Woods with Harney County Restoration Collaborative

With NFF support the Harney County Restoration Collaborative has garnered community support and consensus for local forest management practices.

Building Capacity for Watershed Restoration in Southeast Alaska

In March of 2018, more than 70 people, representing 31 organizations met to advanced watershed restoration and stewardship at the 2018 Southeast Alaska Watershed Restoration Workshop in Juneau, Alaska. The workshop was made possible by the National Forest Foundation's Community Capacity and Land Stewardship Program and organized by the Southeast Alaska Watershed Coalition.