The best hiking, outdoor, and travel magazines that provide adventure inspiration all year long.
Of course, flipping through any of these magazines will make you want to throw a suitcase together and start booking plane tickets so we’re not responsible for any travel expenses you incur. A magazine subscription can also make a nice gift for the outdoorsy people on your list.
Backpacker Magazine
This is was favorite outdoor publication. And it wasn’t just for backpackers or campers – we only day hike but each issue was chock full of great info.
It covered hiking routes all over the country (and some international) with an emphasis on National Parks, plus knowledgeable clothing and gear reviews, and killer photography.
The only problem is the serious case of wanderlust it instilled – every issue ended up filled with sticky notes of places to add to our already massive “to hike” list.
Outside Magazine
If your active lifestyle contains more than hiking/backpacking, then Outside Magazine is also good choice.
Outside Magazine, as well as a host of others, are now only available online, with an Outside+ subscription.
In 2021, Outside took Backpacker Magazine, Outside Magazine, and many other outdoor/fitness focused publications under one umbrella (Trail Runner, Women’s Running, Climbing, SKI, and Yoga Journal etc) as well as acquiring outdoor gear subscription box Cairn. Then in 2022 Backpacker announced the print edition was ending.
I prefer a printed magazine to peruse whilst lounging on my deck – but I realize that is no longer the norm. As a graphic designer whose background is in print design and who spent some years as a magazine art director, I just like flipping through an actual magazine. And it’s always a bummer to see more publications move only online.
For many many years I had Backpacker and Yoga Journal subscriptions but after Outside took over there was no renewal option, they just stopped with no notice. Cairn offered a free year of Outside+ so I received Backpacker and Outside with that.
Outside+ has lots of online subscriber-only articles from all of their publications. Nice – if you remember to look at the site, which I seldom do.
There’s other perks and content with Outside+ but I seldom used those either. If you use GAIA premium, for example, it’s included with Outside+ so it would be more worth it.
I now subscribe to Apple News+ which includes Outside Magazine (and a ton of others, but not Backpacker) and will usually do a quick flip through each issue but don’t read it cover to cover like I did with the print issues of Backpacker or Yoga Journal. Of note, I read a variety of magazines through Apple News+ now and find a subscription very worthwhile.
Update 11/2024: The Outside+ subscription is $90 annually. If you’re using GAIA premium that alone is $60 a year, so for a bit more you can get a ton of outdoor/fitness focused mags plus the Trailforks app too. There are a lot of good hiking apps but we prefer GAIA to record our weekly hikes (replacing our trusty but ancient stand alone Garmin GPS).
Related: Gifts for Hikers | Hiking Clothing | Hiking Footwear
Adventure Journal
Adventure Journal is devoted to outdoor activities in all their forms. It was founded by Steve Casimiro, formerly of Powder magazine, Bike magazine, and National Geographic Adventure.
This quarterly printed magazine covers a wide variety of interesting outdoor topics and features stunning photography and high quality design. Individual issues, annual and gift subscriptions, and a 4-issue bundle are available.
Adventure Sports Journal
Focused on outdoor enthusiasts in Northern California, Northwest Nevada, and Southern California. It covers backpacking/hiking, biking, climbing, and water sports from swimming to scuba. Articles are posted online but there is a print subscription option as well.
Mountain Gazette
Large format (11×17) outdoor culture magazine printed twice a year and features stunning photography and long-form storytelling. Founded in 1966 and revived in 2020.
Vintage Mountain Gazette magazine covers and other merch is available as well.
Outdoor Photographer
Our go-to magazine for all things photography. Gear reviews, how-to’s, amazing photos… there’s good stuff here for pros and beginners alike.
Updated 11/2024: The Outdoor Photographer website is online and allows subscriptions to the print magazine but unsure what the status is as Outdoor Photographer ceased publication in early 2023, several months after being acquired. Perhaps it’s now in publication again. See articles from DIY Photography and PetaPixel.
Summit Journal
America’s original climbing magazine established in 1955 and resurrected in 2023. Published twice per year in an oversized 10×13 archival-quality format with limited ads is not available online.
Each issue of Summit Journal is devoted to “capturing the soul of climbing through long-form tales of daring, dirtbaggery, connection, and commitment”. Vintage covers and merch is available too.
Other Recommended Magazines
Personal favorites that, while not intentionally outdoor or travel focused, we really enjoy.
If your adventures tend to incorporate travel and you enjoy learning about the associated history, ruins, and ancient cultures like we do – these magazines are worth a look.
National Geographic History Magazine
This magazine makes complex histories easy to understand. Beautiful custom illustrations and photos of classic art and sculpture printed on high quality paper with a glossy cover. Keep these around to read again (history never gets old…). Bonus: Subscriptions include access to all back issues.
National Geographic Magazine
Science, nature, history, and more in this classic magazine that never fails to be interesting and educational. On a design note, to me this is the epitome of publication design: authoritative writing with amazing professional photography an printed on high quality paper in the most perfect size to hold in your hand.
Bonus: Subscriptions include access to all back issues – dating back over 100 years. It was neat to read the original article about Hiram Bingham’s rediscovery of Machu Picchu in the April 1913 issue before our trip there.
Smithsonian Magazine
Past article topics have included Pompeii, the Inca Road, and Egypt in addition to a broad range of science, nature, and history topics.
Archaeology Magazine
Current discoveries as well as in-depth information about historical finds. Fascinating from cover to cover.
Past Magazines
Favorites that are no longer published.
National Geographic Traveler
For many many years this was our favorite travel publication but, sadly, the January 2020 issue was it’s final issue.
While not focused on the outdoors, there were many articles that included it. It had more of an emphasis on international travel and was a good choice for those who love travel as much as the outdoors.
National Geographic Adventure
A little shout out to our all-time favorite. This was an awesome outdoor/travel/photo magazine until it ceased publication in 2006. The issues were archived online at one point but no longer.