Blog: Hiking and Backpacking - National Forest Foundation

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Hiking and Backpacking

Four Things to Know When Cutting Your National Forest Christmas Tree

For many families, cutting down a Christmas tree from their backyard National Forest is a wonderful holiday tradition. Before you head out to the woods though, here's a few things to keep in mind.

The Venture Out Project Helps LGBTQ+ People Experience The Outdoors

At the National Forest Foundation, we believe everyone should have the opportunity to experience our National Forests, especially communities who have historically had limited access to them. The NFF sat down (virtually) with Oliver Reitz, the Administrative Coordinator at the Venture Out Project, to discuss the organization’s work leading outdoor adventures with LGBTQ+ individuals.

Cutthroat Trail Construction Begins

In mid-July, a cross-disciplinary group from the San Juan National Forest hiked a stretch of what will soon be known as the Cutthroat Trail, a roughly 5.5-mile trail situated above the East Fork of Hermosa Creek. This new multiple-use trail will be the first on the San Juan National Forest designed for E-bikes, but will also be accessible to hikers, horseback riders, and mountain bikers wanting to explore the Hermosa area.

How to Recreate Safely During Wildfire Season

Firefighter and writer Lance Garland shares tips to exploring National Forests and public lands during wildfire season.

Five Trails to Explore in the Carson National Forest

Trails are part of the human experience and history in New Mexico. Some trails have a rich history, like the ancient trade route the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro that connected Mexico City to villages around Santa Fe. The Carson National Forest encompasses a landscape etched by at least a thousand years of permanent human settlements, and every trail is part of that history and has a story. We can still hike on trails radiating out from thousand-year-old Taos Pueblo, Picuris Pueblo and Puebloan ruins.

‘Unlikely Hikers’ Explores Siuslaw National Forest

On the Oregon Coast, about twenty minutes inland from the Pacific Ocean, is a trail that could turn almost any indoor kid into an all-caps HIKER. Drift Creek Falls, located in the Siuslaw National Forest (ancestral lands of the Siletz, Tillamook, Salmon River and possibly other tribes), is a three-mile out-and-back trail. Through mossy, lichen-covered, first and second growth forest, it culminates at a 100-foot waterfall in a stunning, basalt gorge.

The Great Outdoors - It’s in our Roots

One thing that quickly became clear to me as we hiked is that each one of us feels a deep connection to the outdoors. It was in our words, our actions, our stories. As Latinx people, that strong relationship with the outdoors comes directly from our ancestors. We are descendants of fishermen, hunters, farmers, ranchers, lovers of wildlife and the land, true environmentalists.

Finding Fourteeners…and Ticking Them off Our Stewardship Bucket List

With the Forest Service and nine other outstanding stewardship organizations, the NFF launched the Find Your Fourteener campaign in 2017 to harness our collective expertise to help ensure sustainable access to Fourteeners. The Find Your Fourteener campaign goal is to increase the pace and scale of improvements to sustainable recreation opportunities on Colorado’s Fourteeners. Read on for what’s on our Fourteeners stewardship bucket list in 2019!

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.

Four Reasons Why Your Dog Loves National Forests

Unlike many parks, most National Forest areas allow dogs to #GoPlay in these beautiful places. Here are some reasons why your dog loves National Forests even more than you do.

Three Ways to Elevate your Favorite Hike

We all have a favorite trail – one that we return to year after year. But what happens when that beloved National Forest trail gets a little too familiar?

Three Trail Terrors to Conquer in National Forests

While some of us never hesitate to explore our National Forests, we know the idea of hiking in the woods can be intimidating. Here are a few common trail terrors and some tips for ensuring they don’t bother you.

Hiking the Angeles National Forest’s Ontario and Bighorn Peaks

CeCe Lorthioir, avid hiker in Southern California and founder of Hike Beyond the Hills, offers a trail report and photo essay of a beautiful hike on the Angeles National Forest.

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.

Eleven National Forest Activities for the First Timer

New to National Forests? Intimidated by the super-prepared hikers and other well-equipped folks at the trailhead? You don’t need to be. Here are some tips for those new to adventuring off the beaten path.

Get to Know the Trail Groups of the White Mountain National Forest

There are currently 11 different trail clubs in the White Mountain National Forest that steward the Forest’s more than 1,200 miles of trails. This is in addition to at least 16 other organizations that are current trail maintainers. To make it easier, we’ve put together a brief overview of some of the key trail clubs in the White Mountains for you.

Five Reasons to Visit the Scotchman Peaks

Located northeast of Spokane, Washington and 30 scenic miles from Sandpoint, Idaho, the Scotchman Peaks straddle the Idaho-Montana border over Lake Pend Oreille. Learn more about a few reasons you should visit these majestic mountains!

How a Walk in the Desert Expanded My Mind about “Forests”

NFF Executive Vice President Ray Foote reflects on a visit to Arizona’s Coronado National Forest.

A Pilgrimage to Mount Baldy

This past fall, the NFF sponsored a blog contest to celebrate local community connections the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument outside of Los Angeles. Special thanks to REI for helping to sponsor the contest and providing prizes for the winning entries. Read Jonathan's third place entry here.

Six “Off-the-Beaten-Path” Hiking Trails in the White Mountain National Forest

For many hikers, an important feature of an escape into the wilderness is the feeling of isolation and separation from crowds. This can be difficult in a popular National Forest, such as the White Mountain. For anyone who finds peak weekend hiking to resemble a wilderness highway more than a wilderness trail, we’ve highlighted six “off-the-beaten-path” trails in the White Mountain National Forest.

Nine Tips to Enjoy the Night Sky on National Forests

Our National forests and Grasslands provide 193 million acres of prime stargazing. On your next nighttime visit, keep these tips in mind to maximize your view of the stars!

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.