Your Guide to Hiking, Backpacking & Camping in the Pacific Northwest
Mount Rainier’s incredible fall color was the focus of this three-night solo camping trip, along with a hike on Mazama Ridge that offered plenty of solitude and spectacular scenery.
A late-season backpacking trip with spectacular fall color, expansive mountain views, and a scenic day hike to Goat Lake and the saddle below Hawkeye Point.
On my eighth Goat Rocks backpacking trip, we camped next to the PCT, hiked to Cispus Pass, and departed early due to wildfire smoke and thunderstorms.
Looking for a place to go hiking? These lists of hikes include options by area as well as by categories such as Best Waterfall Hikes, Conditioning Hikes, and more.
The best backpacking destinations in the Pacific Northwest, listed by types of trips including beginner trips, trips featuring panoramic mountain scenery, rivers and streams, and more.
These are my favorite campgrounds for tent camping near scenic locations with hiking trails, including at the Oregon Coast, Redwoods National Park, Mount Rainier, Central Oregon and more.
This is my complete list of backpacking gear with info about what I like about each item, updated for 2026.
This camping gear list contains my recommendations for items that are high quality and built to last – as well as making the camping experience more comfortable.
For camping in colder weather, I turn my Honda CR-V into a camper with a one-person bed platform and a covered camp kitchen to create a cozy, organized space.
MSR’s Hubba Hubba HD tent is designed for inclement weather, with a more robust construction intended to provide better protection in challenging conditions.
The Berghaus Fast Hike is a frameless 15-liter daypack with a vest-style harness, designed for a stable, minimal feel on trail.
The RTIC 32-quart cooler features 2.5 inches of closed-cell foam insulation for keeping food cold on multi-day camping trips, in a lighter-weight and more affordable design than comparable coolers.
A versatile mid-layer made with ultralight Alpha Direct fabric, this women’s-specific hoodie provides warmth and breathability without adding much weight or bulk.
This guide covers what to look for when choosing hiking footwear, along with my favorite trail runners and hiking shoes for different conditions.
Insulated jackets are a key component in a good layering system for hiking. When choosing jackets, I look for options that are lightweight and pack down small so they are easy to stash in a backpack.
Hikers and backpackers share a deep connection to the land. But preserving our trails takes collective effort. Here’s how you can support organizations working to protect the places we love.
Learn how to plan a backpacking trip, from choosing a destination and route to considering your experience, seasonal conditions, and creating a detailed trip plan.
This easy-to-build DIY bed platform is for vehicles where the seats don’t fold down flat, and doesn’t require removing any of the car seats.
© 2007 - 2026 I Heart Pacific Northwest / Yulan Studio, Inc. All rights reserved. Content may not be copied, reproduced, or used without permission.
