Hike Archives | REI Co-op Journal

Assess your situation ahead of time to make your hike enjoyable for the whole family.

Family Hiking Tips

Shanti Hodges//July 13, 2018

Want to plan the perfect hike for the whole family? Ask yourself the following questions to set yourself up for success: Who is in your family? What makes hiking satisfying for you? What trails do you have access to? And what does your gear look like? Read More...

North Carolina’s Ginseng Lottery Has Begun

Graham Averill//July 13, 2018

A common ingredient in your favorite energy drink grows wild in the mountains of North Carolina, and it’s worth so much, you have to win a lottery in order to harvest it legally. Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests have opened their annual lottery for permits to harvest wild American ginseng. Read More...

There’s No Such Thing As a Perfect Hike

Matt Crossman//July 13, 2018

We all have great expectations when we set out on a hike. We go in with preconceived notions and come out disappointed when they aren’t met. But I’ve noticed a strange trend in my hiking life: Some hikes have a way of becoming retroactively better than I had ever hoped. Read More...

Summer 2018 Customer Favorites

Aer Parris//July 12, 2018

Here at the co-op, we review tons of products. Some of our reviews are produced by in-house teams and subject-matter experts. Other times, we turn to you—the customer—to provide feedback. Here's a roundup of some summer 2018 customer favorites, based on extra enthusiastic reviews. Read More...

The Best Hiking Socks of 2018

Jenni Gritters//July 9, 2018

It’s not negotiable: Every hiker needs a pair of moisture-wicking hiking socks. We tested 14 pairs of hiking socks on the PNW trails to find our favorites. Read More...

Diedre Tanenberg at the San Francisco REI store. (Photo Credit: Shelby Carpenter)

This REI Instructor Teaches Outdoor Classes in American Sign Language

Shelby Carpenter//July 2, 2018

Outdoor School instructor Diedre Tanenberg grew up on the West Coast, where she acquired a passion for pushing herself outside, primarily through camping and whitewater rafting. There’s one thing that makes her classes unique: Tanenberg, who is deaf, teaches her courses in American Sign Language (ASL). Read More...

What’s the Difference Between an External Frame Pack and an Internal Frame Pack?

Ken Knapp//July 2, 2018

External frame packs look very different from internal frame packs. Learn the pros and cons of each design so you can decide which is right for you. Read More...

Putting the Colorado Trail on the Map

Betsy Welch//June 29, 2018

In 1990, Jerry Brown became the first person to bikepack the Colorado Trail. Ten years later, he returned on his bike to survey the trail and make the map that everyone—hikers and equestrians, too—uses on the trail today. Read More...

How Much Does It Cost to Hike the Appalachian Trail?

Aer Parris//June 19, 2018

At nearly 2,190 miles long, the Appalachian Trail (AT) passes through 14 states, eight national forests, six national park units, and count... Read More...

Meet Force of Nature Dr. Rosaly Lopes

Shelby Gonzalez//June 8, 2018

A senior NASA volcanologist who has studied geologic activity on every continent and whose research could one day help us detect extraterrestrial life in space, Dr. Rosaly Lopes is a true Force of Nature—an influential woman scientist whose work leads her beyond the walls of the laboratory and into the outdoors. Read More...

Rare Fireflies Mesmerize Thousands in North Carolina and Tennessee

Graham Averill//June 7, 2018

Your standard firefly serves as a wonderful hallmark of summer in the South, but Western North Carolina has a corner on two species of fireflies that are downright miraculous. Read More...

19 National Recreation Trails Designated in 17 States

Aer Parris//June 7, 2018

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke designated 19 new national recreation trails. These newly designated trails are in 17 different states and add more than 370 miles to the national recreation trails system. Read More...