Top 50 Hiking Blogs
Here is your one-stop guide for the 50 best hiking blogs. We have gathered all the information you need to get on the trail, whether you’re an experienced backpacker or a novice looking for one-day hikes to start off with. Some blogs are more informative, while others are focused on inspiration and personal narratives. There are blogs that cater to certain geographic regions, and blogs that are about hiking more generally. Whatever you’re looking for, you’ll find these blogs to be indispensable resources for hiking gear, trip preparation, and insider’s wisdom.
Top Five
- Best Hike: Blogger Rick’s aim is to share his extensive catalogue of hikes of varying lengths and difficulties around the world. Most of the recommended hikes are challenging, multi-day adventures, but they also suggest one-day hikes. The site is a work in progress, and they are constantly updating their hike list and accepting user submissions.
- Why We Love It: This site is very thorough, and it’s unique in that it provides information about hikes worldwide, rather than in one region only.
- Favorite Post: Top Ten Hikes Around the World
- Hiker Hell: Now here’s a clever concept: hikers share the mistakes they’ve made so that others can learn from them, before they make the same ones! Inform yourself on which gear not to buy, what not to forget on your next trip, or what road not to take to that park. There are also posts about missing hikers and hiking accidents.
- Why We Love It: You can share your own story of hiking goofs by joining the community of contributors on this blog, thereby helping others avoid your errors, and maybe even saving lives.
- Favorite Post: Hiker Dies of Possible Hypothermia
- Modern Hiker: Here you can find not only a wealth of information on trails in Southern California, but also current news about environmental issues, trail news, and deals on hiking equipment. Each route on the site is described in detail by Los Angeles resident and blogger Casey, including photos that show you what to look forward to.
- Why We Love It: The combination of trail descriptions and posts about news and policies make this a well-rounded, informative site for outdoors enthusiasts. Whether you’re a novice or expert hiker, you’ll appreciate the Frequently Asked Questions section, which covers important topics that everyone should know before venturing on a hike.
- Favorite Post: What America's Great Outdoors Initiative Could Mean For SoCal
- One Pan Wonders: Everybody knows the best part about hiking is meal time, when you get to refuel after hours of walking. These West Coast bloggers and hiking fanatics have made an online blog cookbook where you can find breakfast, snacks, dinners, and more that will keep you well-fed on the trail. You can even find entire menus for backpacking trips of various lengths, including stove-free menus.
- Why We Love It: The site is a helpful place to learn about dehydrating your own trail food and making all sorts of delicious backpacking meals.
- Favorite Post: Easy Lazy and Almost Instant
- Trail Journals: Long-distance hikers share their personal journals on this site, which also boasts a forum for discussions about specific hiking trails and general topics. It was founded by Mat and Rick, who envisioned the site during their thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail years ago. Their collection of hiker journals is really vast and provides an interesting glimpse into peoples’ personal experiences of many different trails.
- Why We Love It: It’s like a hundred blogs in one; you get a glimpse of many personal experiences that each provide a unique perspective.
- Favorite Post: Busk Whacker's 2011 Florida Trail
The Rest of the Best
- Adventures of Scatman: Blogger Craig Scatman shares tales from his hiking outings in the Seattle area. In addition to profiling hikes of varying lengths in the Pacific Northwest area, this full-service blog provides tips on biking, skiing, trail running, and selecting gear for those whose love for the mountains goes beyond hiking.
- Appalachia and Beyond: Robin and Tim are a couple in Tennessee who blog about their outdoor excursions and their efforts to turn their homestead into a farm. Their blog provides a list of parks for hiking in the East Tennessee area, and a section where they give more detail about visiting the parks, including historical information. They also highlight their favorite destinations, which include hikes and walks as well as fun road-side attractions.
- Backpacking in Britain: Over 170 routes for backpacking in England, Scotland, and Wales can be found at this blog, run by a few retired Brits with a good amount of mountain experience and knowledge. In particular they focus on giving information on lesser-known backpacking spots, for the more adventurous outdoors folk who seek something unexplored.
- Baker's Outdoor Blog: Matt is a baker in upstate New York who is passionate about hiking. The blog provides important information such as the seven rules of “leave-no-trace,” as well as the blogger’s personal chronicles of hiking in the Adirondacks.
- Baz's Backpacking Blog: Blogger Baz reports on backpacking, hiking, climbing, and other outdoor activities in Britain. Excellent, detailed gear recommendations, complemented by photos, can be found here. This blog has a list of great week-long backpacking trips in the United Kingdom.
- Blissful Hiking: This “blissful” blogger shares inspirational thoughts after thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail with her son. The blogger’s reflections are personal and experiential, and full of helpful hints about what to bring while thru-hiking, the lightest foods, and other important matters to take into consideration. A fun read if you’re preparing to thru-hike the AT.
- Brian's Backpacking Blog: Brian is a self-described “technology geek” based in Britain who shares his love for ultralight backpacking and hiking. The blog has regular updates about hiking news across the globe, as well as reviews of hiking gear, such as knives, which is well-organized in a way that’s very easy to read. Also check out the fun hiking recipes, accompanied by mouth-watering photos.
- Calipidder: Plan your next destination using this blog, where trip reports, photographs, and gear advice for hiking in California’s parks and remote backcountry are posted here by blogger Rebecca Sowards-Emmerd. The site focuses primarily on backpacking, but there are also posts about dayhiking, peak bagging, geocaching, photography, and miscellaneous other outdoor sports.
- Chris Townsend Outdoors: Writer Chris Townsend, based in Britain, shares his published articles on topics such as lightweight backpacking here. He also posts about practical topics such as wireless phone coverage in the mountains, gear, and backpacking techniques. The links section on this blog holds a wealth of resources for backpackers.
- Dale's Outdoor Life: All-around outdoorsman Dale blogs from Ontario about local hiking spots and events. Here you will also find tips on techniques such as adjusting your compass or finding the right pair of hiking boots. Dale’s conversational tone makes this blog enjoyable to read.
- Gear Talk With Jason Klass: This gear addict’s blog is the place to go to not only get the scoop on what to buy, but also find Do-It-Yourself instructions for all sorts of backpacking gear that you never even knew existed. Jason even posts videos of himself giving lectures on DIY gear to Boy Scout troops.
- Hawaii Backpacker: Just looking at these photos of gorgeous peaks set amidst stunning blue skies will make you want to head for Maui. Fortunately this blog has all the information you need to get on the trails once you are there. But the blogger loves more than the mountains, so you’ll find posts on deep-sea diving, fishing, camping, and more.
- Hike Alberta: This is a great resource for those who want to explore Alberta, Canada, on foot. Each hike profiled has directions on how to get to where it starts, a description of the hike, and a GPX file which you can download to your GPS unit. The blog has various local contributors who love to share their trail experiences, as well as general tips about hiking.
- Hiker Deals: If you love or dream of hiking with your loyal dog, then this blog is for you. Hiker, dog-owner, and blogger Mike scours the web for bargains on outdoor, camping and hiking gear for you and your pets.
- Hiking 411: Whether you’re new to the trails or an experienced hiker, you’ll find useful how-to’s, gear reviews, and general hiking information here. The bloggers’ aim to make your hikes more enjoyable by divulging their wisdom and sharing their online research with you.
- Hikinh With My Brother: Sibling team Nathan and Jer has been tackling the mountains of Washington on a weekly basis for years. Here they recommend their favorite hikes, also sharing the pitfalls of the not-so-great ones. The bloggers provide photos to give you a glimpse of what you’ll find on these hikes.
- Jolly Green Giant: This East-coast blogger focuses on ultralight and superultralight backpacking, but the site also provides more general information on backpacking and hiking. What’s unique about this site is that the blogger reviews other blogs, and writes in a very personal, readable tone.
- Just Northwest: Bloggers Brandon and Kasey studied journalism at Eastern Washington University. Here they’ve combined their loves for writing and mountain adventures. Their blog offers outdoor adventure news and reviews of destinations in the Pacific Northwest. They cover hikes, bike trails and more with videos, photos and articles.They also feature trail reviews, gear reviews.
- LightBackpacking: Based on the northern coast of California, Bruce blogs about wilderness hiking as he tackles the area’s woods with his friends. This is a wealth of information about day hikes, gear, what beginners need to know about hiking, backpacking tips and techniques, and more, in a friendly, upbeat voice.
- Lighthiker's World: This German blogger, based in the Alps, is passionate about gear, especially Do-It-Yourself. Here you’ll find tons of links to DIY discussion forms, kits, projects, and materials. Also check out the fascinating “hiking heroes” section.
- Mumbai Hikers: If you’re traveling in India, this site is a must-read. The bloggers provide detailed information about hikes in that region, including commercial tours for those who want to join up with a group.
- Our Hiking Blog: Frank and Sue are an Australian couple who offer tips on planning trips in the bush Down Under. Novice and experienced walkers alike will benefit from their advice on preparing for on-foot adventures, including a lengthy section on backpacking meals.
- OutdoorsBlogger: This collaborative project is open to contributions from passionate hikers who want to share their knowledge with others. The community-powered blog provides trip reports, photography, gear reviews, coverage of ongoing and upcoming expeditions, as well as informative posts on high altitude hikes, and more.
- Outside San Diego: Blogger Peter is a family man who shares his love for the outdoors on this site. In addition to descriptions and photos of hikes around San Diego County, you’ll appreciate his helpful gear reviews.
- Over the Hills and Far Away: This humorous blog provides a glimpse into the lives of hiking buddies in the UK. It chronicles the various trips in the great outdoors undertaken by former members of Bradford University Hiking Club, who call themselves the Smeggies. Practical information on hiking in the UK is complemented by enjoyable, personalized posts on random topics such as curry, folk music and aging.
- Peripatetic: Here you can get the scoop on hiking, backpacking, and climbing in the Pecos Mountains. Plenty of photos and videos make this a fun blog to read.
- Rambling: Apart from blogging about hiking in northern California, blogger Rebecca also shares her progress in studying environmental issues and outdoor education at a community college in the area. Her blog is a good resource for those concerned with environmental protection.
- Section Hiker: In between excursions to mountains around the United States, hiker Philip blogs here about his advice on lightweight backpacking for beginners and experts. He’s also the owner of an internet marketing company that specializes in social media for the outdoor industry. This blog is a great resource for the Appalachian Trail, the Long Trail in the White Mountains, and Scotland.
- Shank's Mare: Gorgeous photos, informative posts about important mountaineers, and personal entries about outdoor adventures can be found here. The Blogger spends time mostly in the Sierra Nevadas, particularly Yosemite.
- Smoky Mountain Hiking Blog: Apart from descriptions of hikes in the Smokies, blogger Jeff covers politics and events related to that mountain range. Furthermore, you’ll find inspirational quotes and poems to get you in the mood for trail-trotting.
- SoCal Hiking and Peakbagging: This is a straightforward, very detailed resource of trip reports for the Southern California region. Excellent photos, interactive maps of Colorado and California’s peaks, and a user-friendly format make this blog stand out.
- Summit and Valley: This Welsh blogger shares beautiful photos and touching personal stories about his adventures doing Scotland’s TGO challenge, as well as other hikes in the United Kingdom. This is a very useful site to read if you’re considering embarking on those hikes, as he provides specific advice for novices or people not from the UK.
- Tales of the Nishiki: From southern Ontario, Bob blogs about hiking and other outdoor activities in that area. His writing is very personalized and enjoyable to read.
- The Arizona Hiker Girl: Professional photographer and blogger Marcia’s blog is a fun place to look for trail recipes, hiking and camping how-to’s, and information about hikes in Arizona. It’s fun to follow her treks and your mouth will water when you see photos of what she’s eating on those hikes.
- The Big Outside: Look here for expert advice from Michael Lanza, the Northwest Editor of Backpacker Magazine. Information on every outdoor activity imaginable is provided on the blog, with a focus on the West Coast region. You can sign up for an e-mail subscription for updates.
- The Outpost: This community-powered blog has a wealth of trip reports, and it also provides a network of outdoors enthusiasts. Contributors create a profile so you have a way to connect to people who share your interests once you begin using the site. It also has sections for Classifieds, Events, and Business Listings.
- The Round Rover: Alecia’s blog about her quest to lose weight and get in shape through hiking is simply inspiring. Since 2009, she’s been chronicling her efforts to slim down while tackling trails in northwest Washington. In addition to sharing her personal quest to hike 100 miles in one year, she provides useful information about hiking in the Seattle area, and tips for new hikers.
- Time Outdoors: The stunning photos on this blog will make you want to join the bloggers on their expeditions around Arizona and the Grand Canyon. The site recommends articles to you based on what you’re reading, so you’ll easily find plenty of useful trip reports for your interests.
- Trail Cooking and the Outdoors: If you, like bloggers Kirk and Sarah, have vowed never to eat boring freeze-dried food on the trail again, then you’ll love this site. You’ll find fun recipes for backpacking trips, and the bloggers also have sites devoted to interesting freeze-dried food recipes.
- Trailspace: Alicia MacLeay blogs here about news, events, job openings, and more, related to the outdoors industry. Her reporting is detailed and complemented by great videos and photos. A very informative site for outdoors enthusiasts.
- Two-Heel Drive: Long-term passionate hiker and blogger Tom Mangan keeps this site constantly updated with a weekly hike write-up which includes pictures, a description, and a link to GPS tracks. He also posts hiking-related links specific to the North Carolina mountain region and general commentary.
- Way Points: Californian blogger Randy Lloyd writes in a conversational tone about his frequent expeditions into the redwood forests. It’s partly a personal narrative, and partly a site meant to provide useful trip reports and photos about trails in the region.
- White Mountain Information Blog: New Hampshire’s Ammonoosuc Inn & Restaurant designed this Comprehensive Blog to provide information to help tourists design their own itineraries for hiking, taking scenic drives, or doing outdoor activities in the White Mountains. It’s very well-organized, and has an interesting, fact-filled section on New England’s wildlife, with photos.
- WineHiker WitiCulture: Hiker and blogger Russ Beebe provides a fun guide to exploring California’s wine country on foot. In addition to reviews of hikes and wineries, the site features a free wine scoring sheet.
- Yosemite Blog: This is the place to get informed before your trip to Yosemite National Park. Find information on what to bring, where to stay, and how to get there. News, photos, and trail descriptions can also be found here.
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