John Muir is perhaps the most iconic name in outdoor recreation in the United States. Best-known for his eloquent prose and vivid wordsmithing, Muir revolutionized the way that Americans thought about nature and helped inspire millions to get outside.
Over the years, Muir became a prominent figure in the movement to protect and preserve some of the United States’ most stunning landscapes, pushing for the creation of national parks where visitors could appreciate the country’s natural splendor.
While his legacy is clearly demonstrated through the innumerable acres of land which he fought to protect, Muir’s quotes have seemingly taken on a life of their own. Throughout his dozen or so books and countless essays, Muir’s quotes have become a source of fandom unto themselves among mountain lovers everywhere.
Up next, we’ll do a deep dive into the best John Muir quotes available, providing you with some timeless classics and little-known gems. So, without further ado, here are the best John Muir quotes to inspire your next adventure.
If John Muir was known for anything, it was his love of wilderness. Muir worked hard to encourage lawmakers and politicians of the value of wild land, even as the world around him became rapidly industrialized. So, here are some of Muir’s best quotes about wilderness for you to enjoy.
“The clearest way into the universe is through a forest wilderness.”
“Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wildness is a necessity.”
“Only by going alone in silence, without baggage, can one truly get into the heart of the wilderness. All other travel is mere dust and hotels and baggage and chatter.”
“Man must be made conscious of his origin as a child of Nature. Brought into right relationship with the wilderness he would see that he was not a separate entity endowed with a divine right to subdue his fellow creatures and destroy the common heritage, but rather an integral part of a harmonious whole.”
“None of Nature’s landscapes are ugly so long as they are wild.”
“This is Nature's own reservation, and every lover of wildness will rejoice with me that by kindly frost it is so well defended.”
John Muir’s love of nature truly transcends time. Through his powerful quotes, Muir’s writing takes us off the page and straight into the nature that he held so dear. These John Muir nature quotes are sure to do just that.
“When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.”
“In every walk with nature, one recieves far more than he seeks.”
“Between every two pines is a doorway to a new world.”
“There is a love of wild nature in everybody, an ancient mother-love showing itself whether recognized or no, and however covered by cares and duties.”
“How glorious a greeting the sun gives the mountains!”
“There is not a fragment in all nature, for every relative fragment of one thing is a full harmonious unit in itself.”
“One should go to the woods for safety, if for nothing else.”
“One touch of nature makes the whole world kin.”
“Keep close to Nature's heart... and break clear away, once in a while, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean”
“There is not a ‘fragment’ in all nature, for every relative fragment of one thing is a full harmonious unit in itself.”
“Come to the woods, for here is rest.”
“And into the forest I go to lose my mind and find my soul.”
“The battle for conservation will go on endlessly. It is part of the universal battle between right and wrong.”
Throughout his life, John Muir established himself as an avid hiker and mountaineer, frequently setting off on multi-day forays into the High Sierra with little more than a few pieces of bread in his pocket. These quotes express his love for hiking and much more.
“The mountains are calling and I must go.”
“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop away from you like autumn leaves.”
“Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt.”
“Going to the mountains is going home.”
“One day's exposure to mountains is better than a cartload of books.”
“Who wouldn’t be a mountaineer! Up here all the world’s prizes seem nothing.”
“I'm losing the precious days. I am degenerating into a machine for making money. I am learning nothing in this trivial world of men. I must break away and get out into the mountains to learn the news.”
“Wander a whole summer if you can...time will not be taken from the sum of your life. Instead of shortening, it will definitely lengthen it and make you truly immortal.”
“Most people who travel look only at what they are directed to look at. Great is the power of the guidebook maker, however ignorant.”
If there was one place in the world that held an extra-special place in John Muir’s heart, it was Yosemite. The now-famous environmentalist worked for years to place Yosmite’s hallowed landscape under permanent protection, so here are some quotes that express his love for the park’s stunning landscapes.
“By far the grandest of all the special temples of nature I was ever permitted to enter.”
“And I should go to the very center of our globe and read the whole splendid page from the beginning. But my first journeys would be into the inner substance of flowers, and among the folds and mazes of Yosemite's falls. How grand to move about in the very tissue of falling columns, and in the very birthplace of their heavenly harmonies, looking outward as from windows of ever-varying transparency and staining!”
“Yosemite Park is a place of rest, a refuge from the roar and dust and weary, nervous, wasting work of the lowlands, in which one gains the advantages of both solitude and society. Nowhere will you find more company of a soothing peace-be-still kind.”
“None can escape its charms, Its natural beauty cleans and warms like a fire, and you will be willing to stay forever in one place like a tree.”
“No words will ever describe the exquisite beauty and charm of this mountain park - nature’s landscape garden at once tenderly beautiful and sublime. No wonder it draws nature lovers from all over the world.”
“Another glorious Sierra day in which one seems to be dissolved and absorbed and sent pulsing onward we know not where. Life seems neither long nor short, and we take no more heed to save time or make haste than do the trees and stars. This is true freedom, a good practical sort of immortality.”
It’s hard to argue that any other single figure in history has had a larger impact on American environmentalism over the years than John Muir. From his early days growing up in Scotland to his long tenure as a driving force behind the creation of the US National Parks, John Muir’s legacy lives on, particularly through his quotes.
We hope that you enjoyed this list of John Muir quotes as much as we did. Let us know which of these quotes was your favorite in the comments below and feel free to share this article with your friends to spread the mountain joy.
Quotes are a great way to get excited about the great outdoors when you’re not actually out adventuring in the mountains. Whether you’re looking for a new quote for your latest Instagram post or you’re in need of a bit of inspiration, here are some of our favorite outdoor-themed words of wisdom to check out:
Looking for a little dose of inspiration or motivation in your day? There’s nothing better than a good quote to give you the spark of creativity you need to plan your next outdoor adventure.
Here are some of the best heartwarming and uplifting outdoor quotes around:
“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better” - Albert Einstein
“I took a walk in the woods and came out taller than the trees.” - Henry David Thoreau
“Because in the end, you won’t remember the time you spent working in the office or mowing your lawn. Climb that goddamn mountain.” - Jack Kerouac
“Every mountain top is within reach if you just keep climbing.” - Barry Findlay
“You cannot discover new oceans unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.” - Andre Gide
“All truly great thoughts are conceived by walking.” - Friedrich Nietzsche
“To be whole. To be complete. Wildness reminds us what it means to be human, what we are connected to rather than what we are separate from.” - Terry Tempest Williams
“May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds.” - Edward Abbey
“Today is your day. Your mountain is waiting. So, get on your way!” - Dr. Seuss
“The wilderness holds answers to more questions than we have yet learned to ask.” - Nancy Wynne Newhall
Adventure can be fun and exciting, as well as a fantastic learning experience. Here are some great nuggets of wisdom to get you motivated to go out and explore:
“An early morning walk is a blessing for the whole day.” - Henry David Thoreau
“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” - Confucius
“A journey of 1000 miles starts with a single step.” - Lao Tzu
“Not all those who wander are lost.” - J.R.R. Tolkein
“After a day’s walk, everything has twice its usual value.” - G.M. Trevelyan
“On every mountain, there is a path, although it may not be seen from the valley.” - Theodore Roethke
“Adventure isn’t all about rowing oceans or climbing mountains. Adventure in its purest form is simply a way of thinking. Live by that philosophy and you’ll make more of the short time we’ve been given on this rock.” - Sean Conway
“I really believe that, as human beings, we have an innate need to explore, to see what’s around the corner.” - Jimmy Chin
“The word adventure has gotten overused. For me, when everything goes wrong - that’s when adventure starts.” - Yvon Chouinard
“Somewhere between the bottom of the climb and the summit is the answer to the mystery why we climb.” - Greg Child
“Hiking is not escapism; it’s realism. The people who choose to spend time outdoors are not running away from anything; we are returning to where we belong.” - Jennifer Pharr Davis
“It isn’t the mountain ahead that wears you out; it’s the grain of sand in your shoe.” - Robert W. Service
“You never conquer a mountain. You stand on the summit a few brief moments and then the wind blows away your footprints.” - Arlene Blum
“Getting to the top is optional. Getting down is mandatory.” - Ed Viesturs
“It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves.” - Sir Edmund Hillary
“Mountains have a way of dealing with overconfidence.” - Hermann Buhl
“Never follow someone else’s path unless you’re in the woods and you’re lost, and you see a path. By all means, you should follow that.” - Ellen Degeneres
“I like being near the top of a mountain. One can’t get lost here.” - Wisława Szymborska
The great outdoors is a fantastic metaphor for life itself. These wise words help remind us of what matters most:
“I felt my lungs inflate with the onrush of scenery - air, mountains, trees, people. I thought, ‘This is what it is to be happy.'” - Sylvia Plath
“My wish is to stay always like this, living quietly in a corner of nature.” - Claude Monet
“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts.” - Rachel Carson
“Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influence of the Earth.” - Henry David Thoreau
“Those who find beauty in all of nature will find themselves at one with the secrets of life itself.” - L. Wolfe Gilbert
“I didn’t go up there to die. I went up there to live.” - Reinhold Messner, on climbing Mount. Everest
“If I had to choose, I would rather have birds than aeroplanes. In wilderness, I sense the miracle of life, and behind it, our scientific accomplishments fade to trivia. Real freedom lies in wilderness, not civilization.” - Charles Lindbergh
“If happiness is the goal - and it should be, then adventures should be top priority.” - Richard Branson
“The summit is what drives us, but the climb itself is what really matters.” - Conrad Anker
“A man does not climb a mountain without bringing some of it away with him and leaving something of himself upon it.” - Martin Conway
“The best climber in the world is the one who’s having the most fun.” - Alex Lowe
“The smaller we come to feel ourselves compared to the mountain, the nearer we come to participating in its greatness. I do not know why this is so.” - Arne Naess
“Life is complex. Each one of us must make his own path. The right road for one is the wrong road for another. It is not paved in blacktop; it is not brightly lit, and it has no road signs. It is a rocky path through the wilderness.” - M. Scott Peck
Many of us head outside to get back to nature. Here are some great quotes about how nature inspires and moves us to do great things:
“Earth and sky, woods and fields, lakes and rivers, the mountain and the sea, are excellent schoolmasters, and teach of us more than we can ever learn from books.” - John Lubbock
“The Earth has music for those who listen.” - William Shakespeare
“The antidote to exhaustion isn’t rest. It’s nature.” - Shikoba
“Adopt the pace of nature. Her secret is patience.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Should you shield the canyons from the windstorms, you would never see the true beauty of their carvings.” - Elisabeth Kübler-Ross
“In nature, nothing is perfect and everything is perfect. Trees can be contorted, bent in weird ways, and they’re still beautiful.” - Alice Walker
“In all things of nature, there is something of the marvelous.” - Aristotle
“If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere.” - Laura Ingalls Wilder
“If you can’t be in awe of mother nature, there’s something wrong with you.” - Alex Trebek
“Spring is nature’s way of saying, ‘Let’s party!.’” - Robin Williams
“Fishing is a quest for knowledge and wonder as much as a pursuit of fish; it is as much an acquaintance with beavers, dippers, and other fishermen as it is the challenge of catching trout.” - Paul Schullery
“To stick your hands into the river is to feel the cords that bind the earth together in one piece.” - Barry Lopez
“Nature is not a place to visit. It is home.” - Gary Snyder
“Wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit.” - Edward Abbey
We hope you enjoyed our list of outdoor quotes as much as we do. If you found your next motto or favorite saying in our list, let us know below! Also, feel free to share this article with your friends to spread the outdoor inspiration far and wide.
Adventure is a wild, magical experience that inspires many of us to get out and explore the world around us. A good quote can help motivate you to plan your next adventure or can encourage you to continue along your adventure-filled path.
We know how valuable adventure quotes can be, so here are some of our favorites for you to enjoy.
Whether you like to hike, climb, paddle, ski, or sail, outdoor adventure is a fantastic way to spend your time. Here are some great outdoor adventure quotes that will have you packing your bags for your next trip to the mountains or wherever you find joy.
“I felt my lungs inflate with the onrush of scenery - air, mountains, trees, people. I thought, ‘This is what it is to be happy.’” Sylvia Plath
“Adventure isn’t hanging on a rope off the side of a mountain. Adventure is an attitude that we must apply to the day to day obstacles in life.” - John Amatt
“There is magic in the feel of a paddle and the movement of a canoe, a magic compound of distance, adventure, solitude, and peace. The way of a canoe is the way of the wilderness and of a freedom almost forgotten. It is an antidote to insecurity, the open door to waterways of ages past and a way of life with profound and abiding satisfactions. When a man is part of his canoe, he is a part of all that canoes have ever known.” - Sigur F. Olsen
“If adventure has a final and all-embracing motive, it is surely this: We go out because it is our nature to go out, to climb mountains, and to paddle rivers, to fly to the planets and plunge into the depths of the oceans... When man ceases to do these things, he is no longer man.” - Wilfred Noyce
“Live your life by a compass, not a clock.” - Stephen Covey
“Everybody wants to reach the peak, but there is no growth on the top of a mountain. It is in the valley that we slog through, the lush grass and rich soil, learning and becoming what enables us to summit life’s next peak.” - Andy Andrews
Sometimes, we just need a little bit of motivation. These quotes remind us that being adventurous is a great way to live our lives.
“Every man can transform the world from one of monotony and drabness to one of excitement and adventure.” - Irving Wallace
“You must go on adventures to find out where you truly belong.” - Sue Fitzmaurice
“The most dangerous thing you can do in life is play it safe.” - Casey Neistat
“Then one day, when you least expect it, the great adventure finds you.” - Ewan McGregor
“You cannot discover new oceans unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.” - Andre Gide
“One final paragraph of advice: Do not burn yourselves out. Be as I am - a reluctant enthusiast... a part-time crusader, a half-hearted fanatic. Save the other half of yourselves and your lives for pleasure and adventure. It is not enough to fight for the land; it is even more important to enjoy it.” - Edward Abbey
“Jobs fill your pockets, but adventures fill your soul.” - Jaime Lyn Beatty
“So shut up, live, travel, adventure, bless and don’t be sorry.” - Jack Kerouac
“Don’t ask for security, ask for adventure. Better to live 30 years full of adventure than a 100 years safe.” - Jim Rohn
“I can choose either to be a victim of the world or an adventurer in search of treasure. It’s all a question of how I view my life.” - Paulo Coelho
“It is only in adventure that some people succeed in knowing themselves - in finding themselves.” - André Gide
There’s a lot that can be said about a journey and its ability to change how we experience the world. Up next, here are some quotes about the beauty of going on an adventurous journey.
“When you see someone putting his big boots on, you can be pretty sure that an adventure is going to happen.” - A.A. Milne
“A man practices the art of adventure when he breaks the chain of routine and renews his life through reading new books, traveling to new places, making new friends, taking up new hobbies, and adopting new viewpoints.” - Wilfred Peterson
“Travel doesn’t become an adventure until you leave yourself behind.” - Marty Rubin
“Never fear quarrels, but seek hazardous adventures.” - Alexandre Dumas
“To venture causes anxiety, but not to venture is to lose one’s self... and to venture in the highest is precisely to be conscious of one’s self.” - Søren Kierkegaard
“I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be.” - Douglas Adams
“People don’t take trips, trips take people.” - John Steinbeck
“Embrace the detours.” - Kevin Charbonneau
“Do not stop thinking of life as an adventure. You have no security unless you can live bravely, excitingly, imaginatively, unless you can choose a challenge instead of a competence.” - Eleanor Roosevelt
“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” - Lao Tzu
Life is really just one big adventure, so here are some wise sayings that remind us of just that.
“Don’t die without embracing the daring adventure your life was meant to be.” - Steve Pavlina
“The only question in life is whether or not you are going to answer a hearty ‘YES!’ to your adventure.” - Joseph Campbell
“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.” - Helen Keller
“The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams.” - Oprah Winfrey
“One way to get the most out of life is to look upon it as an adventure.” - William Feather
“The very basic core of a man’s living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.” - Christopher McCandless
“We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm, and adventure. There is no end to the adventures that we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.” - Jawaharlal Nehru
“The purpose of life, after all, is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for a newer and richer experience.” - Eleanor Roosevelt
“It’s never too late in life to have a genuine adventure.” - Robert Kurson
“To live will be an awfully big adventure.” - Peter Pan
“What I love most about this crazy life is the adventure of it.” - Juliette Binoche
“Life is an adventure, it’s not a package tour.” - Eckhart Tolle
Who doesn’t need a bit of inspiration every once in a while? These quotes provide that extra nudge you need to get out and take on that adventure you’ve always dreamed of.
“Adventure is worthwhile in itself.” - Amelia Earhart
“If you think adventure is dangerous, try routine; it’s lethal.” - Paulo Coelho
“Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire.” - Jennifer Lee
“The danger of adventure is worth a thousand days of ease and comfort.” - Paulo Coelho
“An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is only an adventure wrongly considered.” - G.K. Chesterton
“Adventure is a path. Real adventure - self-determined, self-motivated, often risky - forces you to have firsthand encounters with the world. The world the way it is, not the way you imagine it. Your body will collide with the Earth and you will bear witness. In this way, you will be compelled to grapple with the limitless kindness and bottomless cruelty of humankind - and perhaps realize that you yourself are capable of both. This will change you. Nothing will ever again be black-and-white.” - Mark Jenkins
“A person susceptible to ‘wanderlust’ is not so much addicted to movement as committed to transformation.” - Pico Iyer
“Adventure crushes the cobwebs of routine - it reminds you what it feels like to be alive.” - Mitch Glass
“Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go.” - T.S. Eliot
“We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm, and adventure. There is no end to the adventures that we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.” - Irving Wallace
“Adventures do occur, but not punctually.” - E.M. Forster
“Attitude is the difference between an ordeal and an adventure.” - Bob Bitchin
“Adventure is allowing the unexpected to happen to you.” - Richard Aldnigton
“Adventure is worthwhile.” - Aesop
Adventuring with others means double the fun. Here are some great sayings that capture the beauty of exploring the world with someone else by your side.
“Love, like everything else in life, should be a discovery, an adventure, and like most adventures, you don’t know you’re having one until you’re right in the middle of it.” - E.A. Bucchianeri
“May your adventures bring you closer together, even as they take you far away from home.” - Trenton Lee Stewart
“Being soaked alone is cold. Being soaked with your best friend is an adventure.” - Emily Wing Smith
“As soon as I saw you, I knew an adventure was about to happen.” - A.A. Milne
“In life, it’s not where you go, it’s who you travel with.” - Charles Shulz
“The best trips, like the best love affairs, never really end.” - Pico Iyer
“What we find in a soulmate is not something wild to tame, but something wild to run with.” - Robert Brault
“Life has taught us that love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking together in the same direction.” - Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
We hope that you enjoyed reading through these quotes as much as we do. If you particularly liked any of the quotes in our list, let us know in the comments below! Also, don’t forget to share this article with your friends so they can start planning their next adventure, too.
There’s no better way to get inspired by the outdoors than to curl up on the couch and tune into a quality hiking movie. But, with the seemingly endless collections of content available on different streaming platforms, it can be hard to choose just one for your next film night.
So, here’s a list of my top 8 favorite hiking movies that’ll make you want to hop out of bed, strap on your boots, and hit the trail:
Wild is an adventure drama that’s based on the real-life story of Cheryl Strayed, who famously chronicled her journey along the Pacific Crest Trail in her 2012 memoir of the same name. The film follows Strayed as she leaves her troubled life behind to hike from Mexico to Canada in an attempt to heal and rediscover herself in the wake of her mother’s death and a difficult divorce.
Along the way, she meets an interesting group of fellow hikers and struggles with dehydration, exhaustion, and foul weather as the film alternates between stunning alpine scenery and flashbacks to Strayed’s life before the PCT. The critically-acclaimed film depicts the delicate balance between the healing power of the outdoors and the difficulties of life on a long-distance trail.
Wild is a fan favorite of aspiring PCT thru-hikers and outdoor enthusiasts, alike. It’s a fantastic choice for anyone looking for a moving story of how one woman found herself in the mountains that keeps you captivated from start to finish.
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A Walk In The Woods is based on the best-selling book of the same name by award-winning author, Bill Bryson. The movie is a biographical comedy-drama that tells the story of Bryson’s attempt to rediscover his home country after living abroad for over a decade by hiking the Appalachian Trail.
Much like its paperback counterpart, A Walk In The Woods weaves together a wonderfully engaging storyline with laugh-out-loud comedy, which provides a light-hearted look at life on one of the United States’ oldest long-distance trails. Although Bryson sets out on the trail to reacquaint himself with the landscape of his homeland, he - and his hiking partner Stephen Katz - realize that they may have bitten off a bit more than they can chew.
Throughout the movie, Bill and Stephen meet a truly hysterical cast of characters and get themselves into a wide range of situations for which they are woefully unprepared. A Walk In The Woods is a go-to fan-favorite for a bit of lighthearted adventure during your next movie night.
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When we head into the mountains, we all expect to eventually make it home. But, for Aaron Ralston, a fun, carefree day of canyoneering nearly ended in disaster when a stumble turned into a fight for his life.
127 Hours recounts the gripping tale of Ralston’s nearly ill-fated adventures in the canyons of southeastern Utah in the spring of 2003. The film starts out when Ralston heads out on a day of solo hiking in Canyonlands National Park and quickly befriends two other hikers.
After nearly a whole day of swimming and exploration in the park’s many slot canyons, Ralston’s new friends head home and his epic begins. A simple slip and fall later, he finds himself trapped deep in a canyon, pinned down under the weight of a large boulder. 127 Hours vividly depicts every moment of Ralston’s attempt to get home and the drastic measures he has to take to free himself from the mountains in a thrilling movie that’s sure to keep you on the edge of your seat.
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An American Ascent tells the story of the first-ever African-American expedition to Denali, the highest peak in North America. This action-packed documentary film follows a team of nine individuals who joined the National Outdoor Leadership School’s “Expedition Denali,” which aimed to highlight the racial disparities of who has access to outdoor recreation opportunities.
Throughout its hour of runtime, An American Ascent showcases nine exceptional climbers and the challenges they faced on their historic multi-week expedition. The film combines stunning mountain photography with moving narration that encourages us to consider the ever-changing landscape of access and responsible recreation in the outdoors.
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When Dr. Thomas Avery’s son dies during a storm while trekking along the Camino de Santiago in the Pyrenees, his life is a mess. Immediately, he set off for Spain, hoping to bring his son’s body home; however, he realizes that the best way to deal with his grief and honor his son is to walk the Camino in his stead.
While trekking along this ancient pilgrimage route, Avery meets four other fellow hikers, with whom he forms a tight-knit group. Throughout the film, viewers get a heartfelt look at Avery’s attempt to grapple with his difficult loss while balancing the challenges of life on the famed Camino de Santiago.
Unique among outdoor adventure films, The Way manages to find a great middle-ground between beautiful alpine landscapes and a heartwrenching tale of grieving, discovery, and friendship in the mountains.
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After graduating from university, Chris McCandless does anything but the ordinary. In a flat-out rejection of convention, he donates nearly all of his savings and personal belongings, destroys any remnants of his identity, and sets off on a cross-country road trip in his Datsun 210.
After a few months out west and countless misadventures in the American Southwest, though, McCandless, is already itching for a new destination. Hoping to live out his best life in the wilderness, he eventually makes it up to Alaska, where his true adventures of off-grid living and survival begin.
Into The Wild is the film adaptation of Jon Krakauer’s international-bestseller book of the same name. This based-on-a-real-story film is a moving and poignant look at the life and struggles of Chris McCandless and his attempt to live out a life that brought him deep into the wilderness of the Alaskan backcountry.
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Relatively few people ever venture into the Australian Outback, and even fewer attempt to cross it on foot. Tracks is the captivating story of Robyn Davidson’s 1977 trek from Alice Springs across the vast desert landscape of Western Australia’s Outback to the Indian Ocean.
This lesser-known drama documents every moment of Davidson’s grueling hike, which she completed with just her dog and four camels for company. Indeed, Tracks is the tale of one woman’s desire to find more in life than what society has to offer by eschewing social norms and opting for a truly solitary trek through one of the most inhospitable environments on Earth.
But, instead of focusing on what people leave behind when they journey into the wilderness, Tracks shows us how much we can gain from embracing solitude and the existential freedom that can be found in the pursuit of the unknown.
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When some people set out for an adventure, they really go big. In Meru, world-reknowned photographer Jimmy Chin sets off for the Indian Himalaya alongside his partners, Conrad Anker and Renan Ozturk.
Their objective? Meru Peak, a jagged, rock summit nestled deep in the Garhwal Himal that rises some 6,660m (21,850ft) high above the valley below.
After trying and failing to summit the peak in 2008, the trio head back to make a second attempt on the 1,200m (4,000ft) face known to climbers only as the ‘Sharks Fin.” But, their difficulties of the expedition begin before the trio ever leaves home when both Ozturk and Chin get caught in two separate and near-fatal accidents in the months leading up to their repeat attempt on the mountain.
Meru is an award-winning documentary film that blends absolutely spectacular cinematography with a true story of grit, resilience, and friendship in the mountains. This high-alpine movie is a must for anyone that appreciates masterfully crafted storylines and a hint of adrenaline all at the same time.
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Now that you have eight great hiking films to choose from, what are you waiting for? Grab a big bowl of popcorn and get ready to go on a world-class adventure with these fantastic outdoor movies.
If you enjoyed any of the movies on my list, feel free to let me know what you thought of it in the comments below. Oh, and don’t forget to share this article with your friends so they can find their next trail inspiration, too!
Hiking is a favorite pastime for many of us. But, when we’re not out on the trail, reading hiking quotes is perhaps the next best alternative.
A good hiking quote can lift your spirits, motivate you to get out on an afternoon wander, or finally give you the push you need to plan that trekking trip you’ve always dreamed of. So, here are a few dozen of our absolute favorite hiking quotes to inspire your next outdoor adventure.
A bit of adventure is a must during any hiking trip. These quotes remind us of the highs and lows of outdoor adventures, both on and off the trail.
“Hiking and happiness go hand in hand or foot in boot.” - Diane Spicer
“Jumping from boulder to boulder and never falling with a heavy pack is easier than it sounds; you just can’t fall when you get into the rhythm of the dance.” - Jack Kerouac
“On a hike, the days pass with the wind, the sun, the stars; movement is powered by a belly full of food and water, not a noxious tankful of fossil fuels. On a hike, you’re less a job title and more a human being. A periodic hike not only stretches the limbs but also reminds us: Wow there’s a big old world out there.” - Ken Ilgunas
“You need special shoes for hiking - and a bit of a special soul as well.” - Terri Guillemets
“You, who know that all the bruises and scrapes from scrambling and rambling are the best because they remind you of being alive.” - Madison Perrins
“Hiking is not for everyone. Notice the wilderness is mostly empty.” - Sonja Yoerg
“Adventure is worthwhile in itself.” - Amelia Earhart
“The best journeys in life are those that answer questions you never thought to ask.” - Rick Ridgeway
“You must go on adventures to find out where you truly belong.” - Sue Fitzmaurice
Whether you’re thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail or going on a short afternoon jaunt on your local forest path, life on the trail is unique, to say the least. Here are some great quotes about crushing miles on difficult trails, casual wanders in alpine meadows, and everything in between.
“Only one who wanders finds new paths.” - Norwegian proverb
“The long distance hiker, a breed set apart, from the likes of the usual pack. He’ll shoulder his gear, be hittin’ the trail; long gone, long ‘fore he’ll be back.” - M.J. Eberhart
“Returning home is the most difficult part of long-distance hiking; You have grown outside the puzzle and your piece no longer fits.” - Cindy Ross
“May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing views. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds.” - Edward Abbey
“If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn’t lead anywhere.” - Frank A. Clark
“I see my path, but I don’t know where it leads. Not knowing where I’m going is what inspires me to travel it.” - Rosalia de Castro
“If you face the rest of your life with the spirit you show on the trail, it will have no choice but to yield the same kind of memories and dreams.” - Adrienne Hall
“Never follow someone else’s path unless you’re in the woods and you’re lost and you see a path. By all means, you should follow that.” - Ellen Degeneres
“The trail leads not merely north and south, but up to the body, mind, and soul of man.” - Harold Allen
“A path is a prior interpretation of the best way to traverse a landscape.” - Rebecca Solnit
“When you’re on the AT, the forest is your universe, infinite and entire. It is all you experience day after day. Eventually it is about all you can imagine. You are aware, somewhere, there are mighty cities, but here, the forest rules.” - Bill Bryson, A Walk In The Woods
For many of us, nothing beats being in the mountains. These great quotes remind us of how amazing it is to be up in the alpine, experiencing the best that the world has to offer while hiking.
“Mountains teach that not everything in this world can be rationally explained.” - Aleksander Lwow
“You need mountains, long staircases don’t make good hikers.” - Amit Kalantri
“No matter how sophisticated you may be, a large granite mountain cannot be denied - it speaks in silence to the very core of your being.” - Ansel Adams
“When preparing to climb a mountain, pack a light heart.” - Dan May
“Every fresh peak ascended teaches something.” - Sir Martin Conway
“My father considered a walk among the mountains as the equivalent of churchgoing.” - Aldous Huxley
“Only if you have been in the deepest valley can you ever know how magnificent it is to be on the highest mountain.” - Richard Nixon
“It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves.” - Sir Edmund Hillary
“Great things are done when men and mountains meet; this is not done by jostling in the street.” - William Blake
“The hills have a power to soothe and heal which is their very own.” - Alfred Wainwright
“Everybody wants to reach the peak, but there is no growth on the top of a mountain. It is in the valley that we slog through, the lush grass and rich soil, learning and becoming what enables us to summit life’s next peak.” - Andy Andrews
“Those who travel to mountain tops are half in love with themselves and half in love with oblivion.” - Robert Macfarlane
“In the mountains, you are sometimes invited, sometimes tolerated, and sometimes told to go home.” - Fred Beckey
“You climb to reach the summit, but once there, discover that all roads lead down.” - Stanislaw Lem
“Mountain hikes instilled in me a lifelong urge to get to the top of any inviting summit or speak.” - Paul D. Boyer
“Everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you are climbing it.” - Andy Rooney
“Mountains are not stadiums where I satisfy my ambition to achieve, they are the cathedrals where I practice my religion.” - Anatoli Boukreev
“Climb the mountain not to plant your flag, but to embrace the challenge, enjoy the air, and behold the view. Climb it so you can see the world, not so the world can see you.” - David McCullough Jr.
There’s no better way to spend time with your family than to get out on a hike. Whether you’re already an adventurous family or you’re looking to take your kids out on their first mountain adventure, here are some great quotes to get you started.
“It’s not how many miles you walk, it’s how many smiles you share.” - Anonymous
“Set loose, a child would run down the paths, scramble up the rocks, lie on the earth. Grown-ups more often let their minds do the running, scrambling, and lying but the emotion is shared. It feels good to be here.” - David Milner
“Teaching children about the natural world should be seen as one of the most important events in their lives.” - Thomas Berry
We all need a little motivation, sometimes, even when on the trail. If you’re lacking inspiration or need a little extra umph to get you going today, check out these great motivational hiking quotes:
“To walk in nature is to witness a thousand miracles.” - Mary Davis
“For hiking is one of those things that you can only do when you have the determination in you.” - Carl Sagan
“I slow down when hiking. The rhythm of nature is more leisurely. The sun comes up, it moves across the sky, and you begin to synchronize to that rhythm.” - John Mackey
“A walk in nature walks the soul back home.” - Mary Davis
“If you are seeking creative ideas, go out walking. Angels whisper to a man when he goes for a walk.” - Raymond Inmon
“Days of slow walking are very long: They make you live longer because you have allowed every hour, every minute, every second to breathe, to deepend, instead of filling them up by straining the joints.” - Frédéric Gros
“The world reveals itself to those who travel on foot.” - Werner Herzog
“We should come home from adventures, and perils, and discoveries every day with new experience and character.” - Henry David Thoreau
“He who climbs upon the highest mountains laughs at all tragedies, real or imaginary.” - Friedrich Nietzsche
“I’m a slow walker, but I never walk back.” - Abraham Lincoln
“The man on top of the mountain didn’t fall there.” - Vince Lombardy
Hiking with your partner is a great way to spend some quality time together while enjoying the great outdoors. Here are a handful of our favorite quotes about hitting the trails with your soulmate:
“You’d be surprised who the love of your life turns out to be. After all, adventure fell in love with lost.” - Mary Oliver
“We are all travelers in the wilderness of the world and the best we can find in our travels is an honest friend.” - Robert Louis Stevenson
“In life, it’s not where you go, it’s who you travel with.” - Charles Schulz
“Actually, the best gift you could have given her was a lifetime of adventures.” - Lewis Carroll
We hope that you enjoyed this list of hiking quotes as much as we did and that you can use them to inspire your next outdoor adventure. If you enjoyed our list of the best hiking quotes, please let us know which one was your favorite in the comments below. Also, don’t forget to share our list so your friends and family can share in the hiking fun!
The Best Camping Quotes
There’s nothing better than a good camping quote to get you excited about spending time in the great outdoors. In fact, camping sayings and quotes can be a great way to get inspired for your next outdoor adventure, all from the comfort of your own home.
We know how valuable these quotes can be in boosting your morale when you’re stuck inside or just can’t get outside as much as you’d like. Plus, they can be a great way to reminisce about your past adventures.
So, coming up, we’ve compiled some of our favorite quotes right here for you to enjoy.
Camping under the stars is a magical experience. Here are some great sayings to remind you of the joys of sleeping under a starry sky.
“A great many people, and more all the time, live their entire lives without ever once sleeping out under the stars.” - Alan S. Kesselheim
“The stars were better company anyway. They were very beautiful, and they almost never snored.” - David Eddings
“Sleep under a blanket of stars, and your heart will forever be kept warm by your love of life.” - Anthony T. Hincks
“What if I told you that if you simply mix starlight, solitude, silence, and softness, you may just learn everything you’ve ever needed to know about everything you hadn’t known?” - Victoria Erickson
“You may be a little cold some nights on mountain tops above the timberline, but you will see the stars. Keep awake while you may in mountain mansions so rare.” - John Muir
“Life’s better when you add fresh air, a warm campfire, bright stars, and s’mores.” - Anonymous
“If people sat outside and looked at the stars each night, I’ll bet they’d live life a lot differently.” - Bill Watterson
When you set out on a camping trip, you head into the great unknown. From memories of mountains, rivers, and wildlife, there’s a whole lot to enjoy with these camping trip quotes.
“Leave the road, take the trails.” - Pythagoras
“The fire is the main comfort of the camp, whether in summer or winter, and is about as ample at one season as another. It is as well for cheerfulness as for warmth and dryness.” - Henry David Thoreau
“Far from the luxuries of home, camp life forces a slower, more thoughtful approach to living. Mornings are savored. Coffee is sipped rather than drained. Making meals is less of a chore and more of an event. An evening stroll replaces the nightly TV hypnosis. In short, for a few fleeting days, we are briefly, blissfully, beautifully human again.” - Mark Kenyon
“I just want to live in a world of mountains, coffee, campfires, cabins, and golden trees, and run around with a camera and a notebook, learning the inner workings of everything real.” - Victoria Erickson
“To pitch my tent with no prosy plan, to range and to change at will; To mock at the mastership of man, to seek adventure’s thrill.” - Robert W. Service
“Camping rules: Stare at the fire. Listen to the birds. Jump in the lake. Read. Take a nap. Relax. Watch the sunset. Cook over the fire. Breathe the fresh air.” - Anonymous
“Roses are red, mud is brown, the woods are better than any night on the town.” - Earl Dibbles Jr.
“Backpacking is the art of knowing what not to take.” - Sheridan Anderson
“I was amazed that what I needed to survive could be carried on my back. And, most surprising of all, that I could carry it.” - Cheryl Strayed, on hiking the PCT
“Time camping is not spent, it’s invested.” - Anonymous
There’s an old adage that says friends that camp together last forever, and we have to agree. Spending some time with your friends in the wilderness is a fantastic way to get to know each other better. Here are some great quotes that remind us of just that.
“Light a campfire and everyone’s a storyteller.” - John Geddes
“Your friends are the ones who are eager to hear about your adventures, but your best friends are the ones who go on them with you.” - Anonymous
“Do not collaborate with someone you would not go camping with.” - Dan Poynter
“Life was meant for good friends and great adventure.” - Anonymous
“Life is s’more fun with friends.” - Anonymous
Ah, the joys of family. Family camping trips create memories that last a lifetime, and they’re a great way to bond with your loved ones. These quotes remind us that there’s nothing better than taking your family outdoors.
“Camping is not a date; it’s an endurance test. If you can survive camping with someone, you should marry them on the way home.” - Yvonne Prinz
“I married a woman who loves to camp, and I am what you would call indoorsy. My wife always brings up, ‘camping’s a tradition in my family.’ Hey, it was a tradition in everyone’s family ‘til we came up with the house.” - Jim Gaffigan
“Hiking with kids is not about the miles, it’s about the smiles.” - Anonymous
“Teaching children about the natural world should be seen as one of the most important events in their lives.” - Thomas Barry
Need a bit of wilderness wisdom in your day? Check out these great nuggets of camping inspiration to get motivated to take on your next adventure.
“A bad day camping is still better than a good day working.” - Anonymous
“Without the intense touch of nature, you can never fully freshen yourself! Go for a camping trip and there, both your weary mind and your exhausted body will rise like a morning sun!” - Mehmet Murat İldan
“We now no longer camp as for a night, but have settled down on Earth and forgotten heaven.’ - Henry David Thoreau
“Whatever form it takes, camping is earthy, soul-enriching and character building, and there can be few such satisfying moments as having your tent pitched and the smoke rising from your campfire as the golden sun sets on the horizon - even if it’s just for a fleeting moment before the rain spoils everything.” - Pippa Middleton
“Now I see the secret of making the best person, it is to grow in the open air and to eat and sleep with the earth.” - Walt Whitman
“Cooking and eating food outdoors makes it taste infinitely better than the same meal prepared and consumed indoors.” - Fennel Hudson
“The glories of a mountain campfire are far greater than may be guessed... One can make a day of any size and regulate the rising and setting of his own sun and the brightness of its shining” - John Muir
“When I have folded up this tent and laid the soiled thing by, I shall go forth ‘neath different stars, under an unknown sky.” - Frederic L. Knowles
“But the place which you have selected for your camp, though never so rough and grim, begins at once to have its attractions, and becomes a very center of civilization to you. Home is home, be it never so homely.” - Henry David Thoreau
“My wish is to stay always like this, living quietly in a corner of nature.” - Claude Monet
“The camp is the space that is opened when the state of exception begins to become the rule.” - Giorgio Agamben
“Keep close to nature’s heart... and break clear away, once in a whole, and climb a mountain, or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean.” - John Muir
Sometimes, we all just need a little laughter in our lives. Here are some fun camping quotes to give you a little chuckle and to share on your next outdoor escape.
“Camping under the night sky is a great chance to see the stars, and to feed the mosquitos.” - Anonymous
“It always rains on tents. Rainstorms will travel thousands of miles, against prevailing winds for the opportunity to rain on a tent.” - Dave Barry
“Camping is nature’s way of promoting the motel business.” - Dave Barry
“How is it that one match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box of matches to start a campfire?” - Christy Whitehead
“I got into an argument with a girlfriend inside of a tent. That’s a bad place for an argument, because then I tried to walk out and slam the flap. How are you supposed to express your anger in this situation? Zipper it up really quick?” - Mitch Hedberg
“Some national parks have long waiting lists for camping reservations. When you have to wait a year to sleep next to a tree, something is wrong.” - George Carlin
“Camping isn’t really a vacation, but it sure makes for good memories.” - Julie Kieras
“Sleeping bags are the soft tacos of the camping world.” - Bears
“Camping: The art of getting closer to nature while getting farther away from the nearest cold beverage, hot shower, and flush toilet.” - Anonymous
“Camping is the answer. Who cares what the question is?” - Anonymous
“Money can’t buy happiness, but it can buy a camper, which is kind of the same thing.” - Patrick Wilde
“The ultimate camping trip was the Lewis and Clark expedition.” - Dave Barry
The woods are a great place to journey to if you’re looking for a bit of solitude and peaceful reflection. This next selection of quotes captures the magic of camping in the woods and will have you packing your bags for your next trip in no time flat.
“The woods are lovely, dark and deep, but I have a promise to keep, and miles to go before I sleep.” - Robert Frost
“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.” - Henry David Thoreau
“Going into the woods is going home.” - John Muir
“And at the end of the day, your feet should be dirty, your hair messy, and your eyes sparkling.” - Shanti
“And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul.” - John Muir
Summer camp was a childhood highlight for many of us growing up. These quotes highlight all the fun and camaraderie that makes summer camp so special.
“My years are divided into two seasons: camp and not camp.” - Anonymous
“A lot of parents pack up their troubles and send them off to summer camp.” - Raymond Duncan
“I went to camp expecting to make friends but I ended up with family.” - Anonymous
“They say the happiest place on Earth is Disney World. They’re wrong. It’s camp.” - Anonymous
“I have a conviction that a few weeks spent in a well-organized summer camp may be of more value educationally than a whole year of formal school work.” - Charles W. Eliot
We hope that you enjoyed these camping quotes as much as we did. If so, let us know in the comments which one was your favorite and feel free to share this article with your friends and family to share the camping fun.
We humans love a bit of danger. Whether it’s a love of heights or the need for a bit of excitement, dangerous trails around the world draw in thousands of hikers each year to their steep, rugged slopes. But, with so many amazing hikes to choose from, it can be hard to know where to go on your next trip.
Thankfully, for the adrenaline junkies among us, we have good news: We’ve created this ultimate list of the 10 most dangerous hikes in the world so you can start planning your next adventure.
DISCLAIMER: All ten of these hikes made our list for a reason - because they’re dangerous. If you do choose to attempt any of these hikes, it’s at your own risk. These trails are for experienced hikers only and should only be attempted by individuals that have the skills and expertise necessary to manage risk in hazardous terrain.
Rising up drastically from the floor of Zion Canyon below, Angles Landing is a large fin of rock standing some 454m (1,488ft) tall in southwestern Utah, USA. As one of the best-known hikes in the world, Angels Landing draws thousands of visitors to its craggy slopes each year, all of whom hope to take in the fantastic views of the surrounding region from its summit.
However, hiking Angels Landing isn’t without its dangers. The 8.7km (5.4mi) hike from the base to the summit is steep, to say the least. In fact, the very last section of the hike is along a precipitous narrow ridge that’s just wide enough for a single hiker.
Even though the most exposed sections of the trail have built-in steel chains, the National Park Service has recorded at least 8 deaths from Angels Landing since the path was constructed, all from falls. If you do want to hike this iconic trail, it’s best to do so at off-peak times during the spring or fall and to be willing to turn back if you’re not feeling comfortable with the exposure.
Located in the southern part of Shaanxi Province, China, Mount Hua Shan (2,154m/7,070ft) is famous for its impressively steep walls that guard a multitude of temples and shrines on its five peaks. The mountain itself has been considered a sacred place, particularly among Daoist monks, since at least the second century BCE.
The paths on the mountain, though, are truly a wonder to behold - if you’re not afraid of heights. One path in particular - the Plank Walk, is made almost entirely of wooden planks bolted to the mountain.
While there are steel chains anchored into Mount Hua Shan’s rocky face for hikers to clip into, people have fallen from the peak, thousands of meters to the valley below. However, visitors to the mountain now have to register before starting their climb, and safety harnesses are required.
The Drakensberg Traverse has long been heralded as the quintessential South African hike, taking people along the main ridge of the Drakensberg Escarpment. It is about 220km (137 mi) long and gains more than 9,000 meters (30,000 feet) of elevation along the way.
But the traverse isn’t a maintained trail and it crosses some of the most exposed alpine terrain in the country. The most dangerous part of the hike, though, might be the beginning. To get to the ridge, hikers have to climb their way up to a set of very rickety chain ladders that look like they might just need to be replaced.
Even then, however, the trail is exceptionally difficult and requires a significant amount of climbing each day. While hundreds of people certainly complete the Traverse each year without issue, coming prepared with all the right gear is a must for a successful - and uneventful - trek.
Crib Goch follows the long knife-edge arête that extends down the eastern ridge of Mount Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa), the highest mountain in Wales. Although thousands of hikers make their way to Snowdon’s summit each year along the Pyg Track, the Miner’s Track, and any of the other casual walk-ups, the scramble up Crib Goch is not for the faint of heart.
An ascent of Snowdon via Crib Goch involves steep third-class scrambling through exposed terrain with as much as a 923m (3,028ft) drop on either side. While the scramble isn’t difficult by technical climbing standards, the mountain is one of the wettest places in the United Kingdom. This means that the hike is often wet and slippery - not a good combination if you’re perilously high above the ground.
The real danger on Crib Goch is that people come unprepared. Lured in by the possibility of stunning views, inexperienced hikers find their way in terrain that they’re not quite equipped to handle. Overcrowding is also an issue on the route, so it’s best to get an early start and attempt Snowdon during a weekday rather than on the busy weekends.
El Caminito del Rey, or The Little King’s Pathway, is a world-famous hike in the province of Málaga in southern Spain. The 3km (1.9mi) path was originally built in the early 1900s to provide workers with access to a number of hydroelectric power plants at nearby waterfalls.
While the original path was built out of concrete and steel straight into the staggering cliffs in the narrow El Chorro Gorge, it eventually fell into a state of disrepair with large gaps in the walkway overhanging hundreds of meters of open air. Despite the dangers, thousands of hikers still flocked to El Caminito for a chance to experience the adrenaline rush of the path first-hand.
After two people died between 1999 and 2000, the walkway was closed, but people still managed to sneak in and complete the hike. After four more people died between 2000 and 2013, the governments of Andalucia and Málaga invested approximately €9 million in renovations to the trail. Although the trail is now much safer than it was before, it still provides a whole lot of excitement for adventurous hikers to enjoy.
Half Dome is one of Yosemite National Park’s most iconic features, so it’s no surprise that it’s an incredibly popular hike. Despite its popularity, though, few people realize how dangerous the granite dome actually is.
These days, there’s a lottery system in place for anyone that wants to climb the “cables route” to the top of this 2,696m (8,846ft) peak during the summer months. Getting to the summit of Half Dome requires a 22.5-25.7km (14-16mi) round trip hike, but the most difficult, and dangerous part is the last 121m (400ft) to the summit.
Here, the National Park Service has installed steel chains to keep people safe on this steep and slippery ascent. However, people have slipped, fallen, and died on the route even since the chains were fist constructed in 1919.
Unlike most of the other hikes on our list, a hiker’s biggest danger on Mount Washington (Agiocochook) isn’t the heights - it’s the weather. Although it stands just 1,916.6m (6,288ft) high, Mount Washington is located at the intersection of three major weather patterns.
Due to its location, Mount Washington routinely records wind speeds higher than 160 km/h (100 mph) and once held the world wind speed record of 372 km/h (231 mph) until 1996. It also gets some of the harshest temperatures in the Northeastern United States, down to a record low of -46ºC (-50ºF).
To date, Mount Washington has claimed the lives of over 160 people, many of whom succumbed to the mountain’s harsh weather. So, if you do decide to hike to the summit, be sure to check the weather forecast and come prepared with the right gear.
Situated in the heart of the Lake District, Helvellyn is the third-highest mountain in England. While the peak is just 950m (3,117ft) tall, it has two super narrow knife-edge ridges - Striding Edge and Swirral Edge - that descend from its summit.
Like Crib Goch on Snowdon, both of these ridges on Helvellyn aren’t technically demanding from a climber’s point of view. But, they both involve scrambling over a very thin arête that, at points, is just wide enough for a single person, with hundred-meter drops on either side.
Striding Edge is a well-known accident location, having claimed the lives of dozens of hikers, including Charles Gough, the early English romantic-era painter. Swirral Edge is slightly shorter than Striding Edge, but getting from the ridge to the summit plateau is particularly challenging and has caused quite a few accidents in the past.
Located on the northernmost edge of the Hawaiian island of Kauai, the Kalalau Trail is an incredibly rugged 17.7km (11mi) trail that takes hikers through dense forests and fantastically steep volcanic cliffs.
The trail itself is the only way to access this part of the island by land. It traverses some of the most difficult terrain in the state, crossing three major streams that can swell up significantly after a large rainstorm.
For hikers, the Kalalau Trail is full of beauty, and dangers. In addition to a number of deaths from falls, surging rivers and waterfalls on the trail have trapped hundreds of hikers on the island’s remote beaches in past years after particularly heavy rains.
The West Coast Trail, on Canada’s Vancouver Island, was originally built to help stranded shipwreck survivors escape from the island’s most remote sections of coastline. When Pacific Rim National Park was established in 1973, the path became a recreational trail, which is now highly popular among backpackers.
But, this 75km (46.6mi) long trail is no walk in the park. Hiking the West Coast Trail involves climbing steep ladders, using cable cars, traversing very steep slopes, and crossing major rivers. Floods on the trail have stranded hikers for days and dozens of hikers need to be evacuated each year.
But, thousands of backpackers head to the West Coast Trail for a week of true adventure in British Columbia’s backcountry. If you do want to hike the trail, though, be sure to reserve your permit in early January for the upcoming summer season.
Hiking any of these ten famous trails is an adventure in itself. If you enjoyed reading our list or if you’ve ever hiked any of these awesome trails, let us know in the comments below! Otherwise, feel free to share this article with your friends so you can start planning your next trip.
If you’re in the market for a thrilling account of an expedition that keeps you on the edge of your seat, then an outdoor adventure book just might be what you need. These fourteen books feature exciting tales of climbing, skiing, hiking, and paddling that are sure to inspire your next adventure.
Bradford Washburn and Bob Bates were two talented young members of the Harvard Mountaineering Club when they set off on an expedition in the Saint Elias Range during the summer of 1937 with two of their friends.
Their goal? Mount Lucania, the then-highest unclimbed peak in all of North America.
When they finally made it to the mountain, though, the duo discovered unseasonably soft ice conditions, which nearly caused their plane to crash. Their pilot, abandoning any hope of return, took off and left Washburn and Bates alone in the middle of one of the most remote mountain ranges on Earth.
Standing at the base of Lucania, without most of their supplies, their two other climbing partners, or any chance of rescue, Washburn and Bates realized that they would need to climb themselves to safety. In Escape From Lucania, David Roberts recounts the incredible story of the pair’s attempt to get home alive.
Along the way, Washburn and Bates make an attempt at Lucania’s summit and then have to traverse the uncharted Yukon to reach the nearest mining town. In his book, Roberts recounts the incredible story of the pair’s attempt to get home alive. This vividly painted tale is one of struggle, perseverance, and ingenuity in the face of true danger in the mountains.
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The spring of 1996 was set to be one of the busiest climbing seasons ever on Mount Everest. But, what was meant to be an opportunity to summit the world’s highest peak quickly turned into a disaster that would shape the course of mountaineering history forever.
In his book, Into Thin Air, Jon Krakauer tells the story of the massive storm that swept over Everest in May 1996. Krakauer sets up his first-hand account of the disaster as if it were a Shakespearean tragedy, painstakingly describing the main players involved in the catastrophe that claimed 8 lives in just two days on the mountain.
Into Thin Air is a fantastic read for anyone looking to learn more about some of the most important events in the history of mountaineering on the world’s tallest peak. For another great account of the events, Anatoli Boukreev’s The Climb provides additional detail about the 1996 Mount Everest Disaster and sheds new light on Krakauer’s classic work.
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Outdoor adventure books don’t always have to be serious. In A Walk In The Woods, Bill Bryson takes readers on a hysterical trip along the Appalachian Trail (AT), which runs from Georgia to Maine.
The book starts when Bryson decides to hike the AT with his friend as a way to reintegrate himself with the United States after living abroad for twenty years. Along the way, he runs into a truly hilarious cast of characters and some stunning mountain landscapes.
But, despite the book’s lighthearted approach, Bryson empowers readers to think critically about the ever-changing patchwork of wilderness in the United States. A Walk In The Woods is a great read for anyone in need of a witty, yet down-to-earth account of life on a long-distance trail.
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The second highest peak on Earth, K2 has long been considered one of the most dangerous mountains ever climbed. In K2: The Savage Mountain, expedition leader, Charles Houston tells the story of his 1953 American Karakoram Expedition, which hoped to be the first to stand on the mountain’s lofty summit.
Thanks to an unfortunate mixture of illness and horrible weather, though, the team turned back before their summit push. But, on the descent, an unforeseen tragedy rocked the expedition, turning their hike to basecamp into a fight for their lives.
The story of how the team made it off the mountain is one of the best-known tales of climbing lore. A veritable classic of mountaineering literature, Houston’s account of the expedition is a must-read for any outdoor enthusiast.
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Although not a tale of a single adventure but of many, Maurice Isserman’s Continental Divide is an excellent introduction to the history of mountaineering in North America. In his book, Isserman weaves together a cohesive story of how the world of mountaineering transformed over the years from its humble roots in the early 1700s.
Through painstaking research and excellent wordsmithing, Isserman illustrates the cultural importance of mountaineering in North America. He tells the tale of many lesser-known events in the world of climbing and shows how the history of mountaineering and that of North America are inextricably linked.
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Often considered to be one of the most aesthetic mountains on Earth, Cerro Torre is a geologic wonder of Patagonia. The mountain’s vertical cliffs and ice-capped summit draw some of the world’s most experienced climbers to its base.
For years, however, the iconic Cerro Torre went unclimbed. Until, that is, Cesare Maestri claimed that he and the late Toni Egger made the first ascent of the peak in 1959. As Egger had been killed by an avalanche on the mountain, though, there was no way for anyone to verify Maestri’s claims.
In the years since, countless climbers have tried to retrace Maestri’s claimed route, finding little or no evidence that the pair actually succeeded in 1959. In The Tower, Kelly Cordes presents the controversy behind Cerro Torre’s first ascent as a gripping and carefully crafted story.
Cordes’ book is a fact-based account that dives deep into one of the biggest debates in the mountaineering world. Leaving the book purposefully open-ended, Cordes allows readers to draw their own conclusions as they ponder why people choose to climb mountains as dangerous as Cerro Torre in the first place.
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Trekking 440km (275mi) across Tibet’s Chang Tang Plateau isn’t exactly everyone’s idea of a good time. But, for author Rick Ridgeway and his three companions - Jimmy Chin, Conrad Anker, and the late Galen Rowell - walking across one of the world’s most remote regions is just another adventure.
The team set off on an expedition to find the calving grounds of the chiru, a species of highly endangered antelope that’s often poached for their precious wool. Along the way, they lug 90kg (200lb) of food, gear, and water on their homemade rickshaws as they hike through often inhospitable terrain.
In The Big Open, Ridgeway, a famous mountaineer in his own right, crafts a compelling tale of life on the Chang Tang and the complex struggle against the illegal poaching in this distant corner of the world, making it a great read for any outdoor enthusiast.
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The waters of the Arctic are cold, icy, and often treacherous. But, difficult conditions aren’t enough to keep Jill Fredston and her husband, Doug Fesler, away from the ocean. The duo are renowned avalanche scientists in Alaska during the winter but come summer, they spend months paddling in icy waters at the top of the world.
In Rowing To Latitude, Fredston writes of the countless trips that she and Fesler take every year in Alaska, Greenland, Svalbard, Canada, and Norway.
As they paddle through countless fjords, around massive icebergs, and near pods of whales, Fredston discusses provides an honest look at how paddling and rowing are a metaphor for life itself. The book is an enchanting and lyrical account of the challenges and joys of traveling in the Arctic, providing a fresh new perspective on outdoor adventure.
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Steph Davis’ rise to prominence as a cutting-edge climber wasn’t an easy road. After abandoning her career as a concert pianist and dropping out of law school, Steph opted for the dirtbag lifestyle, living out of her grandma’s Oldsmobile and waitressing in Moab, Utah to save up money for future adventures.
Davis’ book, High Infatuation, is one of the few truly honest accounts of finding oneself through the struggles of fear, independence, love, and adventure while climbing. Through her vividly written stories of expeditions to Patagonia and Yosemite alongside her late ex-husband Dean Potter, Steph Davis shows us the truth behind what motivates her to live the life she loves in the mountains.
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When Ernest Shackleton and his men boarded the Endurance in August of 1914 and set sail for Antarctica, they knew they were bound for an adventure. But, they never could’ve imagined the events that would follow.
After months at sea, however, the Endurance was stuck in the dense Antarctic pack ice by January of 1915. In the weeks that followed, the ship’s crew floated in the Southern Ocean, watching as their home was slowly crushed by the weight of the moving ice. Once the decision was made to abandon the ship, Shackleton and his twenty-seven men then set out on one of the most harrowing survival expeditions in Antarctic history.
Alfred Lansing’s Endurance is a true testament to the courage and dedication of Shackleton’s efforts to get his men home. In his excellently narrated book, Lansing describes life on the ice and Shackleton’s last-ditch attempt to save his crew by crossing nearly 1,400km (850 miles) over some of the harshest seas on Earth in an open sailboat.
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For many non-climbers, alpinism is a fringe activity for middle- and upper-class people with an adrenaline addiction. For Andy Kirkpatrick, though, climbing was the key to gaining control of his life.
A lower-class kid that was often left behind because of his struggles with dyslexia, Kirkpatrick tells the story of how climbing helped him find the self-confidence he needed to tackle some of the world’s most daunting climbs.
In Psychovertical, Kirkpatrick interweaves tales from his childhood with a pitch-by-pitch account of his solo ascent of the Reticent Wall on El Capitan. The result is a single, compelling story that’s great for climbers and non-climbers alike.
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In 2008, disaster struck on K2, the second-highest peak on Earth. But, while eleven climbers died, two Sherpa survived in what became the single deadliest day in the mountain’s history.
In Buried In The Sky, Zuckerman and Padoan offer a gripping perspective on the events of that tragic day on K2. The authors recount how delays, a crowded route, an accidental fall, altitude sickness, and a massive avalanche wreaked havoc on climbers ascending K2’s Abruzzi Ridge.
Throughout the book, Zuckerman and Padoan intricately weave together what happened high on the mountain that day into a single compelling tale. They also tell the often-overlooked story of how two Sherpa demonstrated extraordinary heroism in extreme conditions in an attempt to save other climbers on K2, nearly losing their own lives in the process.
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For most people, climbing the Seven Summits - the tallest peak on each continent - is challenging enough. For Kit DesLauriers, however, skiing down each of these mountains is the ultimate goal.
In Higher Love, DesLauriers tells the story of how she transitioned from being a competitive freeskier skier to a world-class ski mountaineer. Over the course of two years, DesLauriers set out to ski all Seven Summits, surviving the frigid temperatures of Antarctica and the high altitude of the Himalaya.
Deslauriers’ book provides a candid view of the path that led her to be the first person to ever ski from the summit of Mount Everest. It is an exciting tale of perseverance and risk in the face of truly life-threatening consequences on some of the tallest peaks on the planet.
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When Lynn Hill made her free ascent of the Nose on Yosemite’s El Capitan, she wasn’t just the first woman to do so. In fact, Hill was the first person ever to climb the granite monolith solely under their own power.
Climbing Free is legendary climber Lynn Hill’s genuine reflection on growing up and excelling in a male-dominated sport. From an early age, it was clear that Hill had a true gift for climbing, which led her to establish some of the world’s hardest routes that few others could ever hope to repeat.
In her book, Hill talks about the ups and downs of a life in climbing. She recounts her nearly fatal 80-foot fall and even gives us a glimpse into her life as a Holywood stunt double. But, above all, Climbing Free is an honest and open look at how a young woman became the best climber in the world when few others believed she could.
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There’s nothing more exciting than reading an inspiring tale about adventure in the outdoors. These fourteen books are some of our absolute favorites and we hope you enjoy them as much as we do.
If we helped you find your next compelling read, feel free to let us know in the comments below. Oh, and don’t forget to share this article so your friends can find a great outdoor adventure book to enjoy, too!
There’s truly nothing better than introducing your children to the great outdoors. But, when you can’t get away from home for the weekend, a great camping book for kids is the next best bet.
With so many different kids camping books to choose from, though, it can be hard to decide on just one that’s right for you. So, to help you out, here are 16 of our favorite children’s camping books to spice up your bedtime routine.
Yum, yum, yum - chocolate chip cookies, mac and cheese, and even meatball stew are just some of the many things that Bear likes to eat at his local campground. But, when Bear spends too much time wandering around the campground in search of food, a park ranger takes it upon herself to get fellow campers to stop feeding this boisterous ursine so many sweet treats.
Of course, these efforts don’t make hungry Bear happy. So, the duo end up embroiled in a hysterical battle to see whether Bear can eat his campground sweets after all or if he’ll have to find his food in the forest like everyone else.
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Scaredy Squirrel isn’t exactly the bravest of woodland creatures, but he decides to pack up all his most important supplies and venture out into a nearby campground to see the natural world. After preparing and planning for every conceivable danger, Scaredy squirrel sets off just beyond the safety of his home tree for an epic - but safe - adventure of watching movies about camping from the comfort of a television set.
However, his plans to watch the outdoors on TV falter quickly when he realizes that there are no outlets to be found in the great outdoors. In an attempt to find an outlet to power his television, Scaredy Squirrel ends up dealing with countless obstacles, proving to himself that he is brave enough to enjoy the world beyond his tree, after all.
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Flat Stanley is back for more adventures in this installment of his globetrotting saga. In Flat Stanley Goes Camping, we tag along as Stanley and the entire Lambchop family head out on a camping trip in the woods.
Things get a little frightening, though, when Stanley and his brother, encounter a skunk and run off to try to avoid its stinky spray. They soon find themselves teetering on the very edge of a large cliff, left to figure their own way out of yet another sticky situation.
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Goodnight, Campsite is a modern-day spin-off of the classic Goodnight, Moon that takes us on a journey of the wide and wonderful world of campgrounds. The book starts out with a daytime exploration of a beautiful nature park and then shows us how the natural world becomes a dynamic and vibrant place when the sun sets.
Perfect for preschool-aged kids that love animals, plants, and outdoor scenery, Goodnight, Campsite is a great way to improve early literacy skills and get excited about camping, all at the same time.
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Mr. Magee and his trusty dog Dee are back at it in their second book. The duo are enjoying a relaxing camping trip when a marshmallow-loving bear stumbles into camp and spices things up a bit.
Charming and humorous, A Camping Spree with Mr. Magee follows this adventurous pair as they barrel down a river, tumble down a mountain, and find themselves on the very slippery edge of a waterfall. Along the way, they have to learn how to overcome obstacles and get them out of this precarious situation so they can get back to sitting around a crackling fire in camp.
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The adorable sequel to Oliver & Hope’s Amusing Adventure, the second installment in this beloved series follows along as Oliver the bear and Hope the butterfly set off on their first camping trip. Along the way, the duo meet up with fire-breathing dragons, a traveling circus, and all sorts of new creatures that they’ve never encountered before.
They also discover the stunning beauty of the outdoors and learn to face some of their fears as they have some fun under the stars. This book is the perfect introduction to the wonderful natural world for children ages 3-8 that are starting to read and broaden their horizons.
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Curious George is back for more adventures with this fun read. In Curious George Goes Camping, our favorite inquisitive primate heads out on a weekend camping adventure but quickly gets himself into trouble.
Although he means well, George ends up upsetting some of his fellow campers and runs away deep into the forest. This fun book tells the tale of this mischievous monkey’s outdoor escapades and all the outrageous situations he gets into along the way.
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Written especially with your young camper in mind, S Is For S’mores is a great introduction to the wonderful world of camping and outdoor adventure for little children. This A to Z book is a great way to help young kids learn more about the natural world through fun facts and stunning pictures that are perfect for campers of all experience levels.
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Llama Llama is a fan favorite, thanks to his recent Netflix debut, but this book takes our beloved furry friend back into print and on an epic adventure to spend a night outside. But, Llama Llama has never spent a night outside before and he’s quite scared to be so far away from home.
In Llama Llama Loves Camping, our adored group of young farm animals heads out on their first camping trip. Along the way, they quickly learn that things that seem scary at first can actually be fantastically fun, and a perfect way to challenge ourselves to try something new.
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National Parks of the USA is the perfect way to take your child on a road-trip adventure of some of the most beautiful places in the country from the comfort of your home. This stunningly illustrated book is chock full of maps and fun facts to get any young national parks lover excited about the wide world of adventure that’s just waiting for them to explore.
It’s a great and engaging read for any budding naturalist who wants to learn more about any of the plants, animals, and geologic features that make the US National Parks such special places to visit.
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When Dragon heads off to Camp Wildwood for his very first camping adventure, he’s excited for all the fun and games that are sure to come. Unfortunately, Dragon just doesn’t fit in with his fellow campers and it seems like every single move he makes ends poorly for everyone around him.
Just when his buddy is about to give up on him, though, something magical happens and everyone learns the meaning of friendship and acceptance, even when things aren’t going well. A Campfire Tail is a beautifully illustrated and humorous story for school-aged outdoor lovers everywhere.
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P.D. Eastman’s beloved canines, Fred and Ted, are back for more fun in this adventurous children's book. In Fred and Ted Go Camping, we follow along as the duo’s different approaches to nearly every situation result in humorous consequences.
Charming, adorable, and toddler-friendly, this book offers a comical look at life in the great outdoors. It features fun illustrations and simple words to help young outdoor lovers learn to read all while getting excited for their next camping trip.
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Maisy Mouse is everyone’s favorite 1990s British animated children’s show and Maisy Goes Camping is the best way to re-live some of the episode’s most hysterical antics with a new generation of kids. In this quick read, Maisy heads out on a country camping trip with a whole group of friends in tow.
Unfortunately, the group quickly learns that camping isn’t as easy as it might seem. Whether it’s getting camp set up or just fitting the entire group inside the tent at night, Maisy’s camping adventure is a hilarious book for the youngest of outdoor enthusiasts.
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Do Princesses Make Happy Campers? is the latest installment in Carmela LaVigna Coyle’s series of inspirational books that help young children realize that they can do anything they set their mind to - even if it seems difficult or scary at first.
In this lighthearted book, our favorite princess heads out on a fun trip outside where she learns to hike, bike, camp, and fish in the rain and sunshine with her family in tow. When combined with Do Princesses and Super Heroes Hit the Trails?, you’ll have plenty of nighttime reading to get your little one excited about your next camping expedition.
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Olivia’s family goes on regular camping trips, but this time, she’s bringing her best friend Francine along. But, it’s Francine’s first time sleeping under the starry sky and she’s not quite sure that bugs, mud, and tents are really her thing.
This short, but sweet, little book is the perfect companion to the Olivia television episode about this adorable duo’s backcountry adventures. It’s a heartwarming story about friendship, overcoming fears, and getting in touch with our inner nature in the great outdoors.
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Amelia Bedelia is known to take things a bit too literally, so it’s no surprise that she ends up experiencing a few mishaps during her first camping trip. When Amelia heads outside for the first time on a camping adventure with Mr. Rogers, she doesn’t quite realize that “pitching a tent” doesn’t mean throwing it into the bushes.
Amelia Bedelia Goes Camping is a cute and ingenious way to get kids excited about camping that’s perfect for toddlers and new readers that are starting to put together simple sentences. This fun book is entertaining for parents and children, alike, and is a sure-fire way to have a few laughs before bedtime.
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These 16 children’s books are some of our most beloved camping-themed stories and we hope you enjoy them as much as we do. If you found your child’s new favorite bedtime story from this list, feel free to let us know in the comments and share this article with your friends! Happy trails!
