Trails Magazine

By Grayson Haver Currin — Originally Published in Issue 11 Not even a stress fracture could end Annika Ananias’ 2022 thru-hike of the Pacific Crest Trail. She first felt the pain in her left foot soon after exiting the Sierra Nevada, more than a thousand miles from the United States’ southern border. She trudged ahead for another week or so, then finally opted for X-rays in the idyllic California town of Quincy. Nothing.

January 26, 2026 In 2025, Chattanooga, Tennessee became the first US National Park City. Seven North American cities have expressed interest in pursuing the designation for 2026, said Mark Cridge, executive director of the UK-based National Park City Foundation. National Park Cities qualify based on local investment in environmental protection, outdoor education, and accessible green space for residents.

BY PAIGE TRIOLA When I head out for a hike or run, a hat is as much of a staple of my outfit as a pair of trail shoes. Over the years, I've gone through many iterations of headwear: from coffee shop-branded trucker hats (bulky and easily sweat-stained) to pancake-flat running caps (too shallow to stay on my head—which is normal-sized, thank you) to a short fling with a bucket hat (trapped heat and made me look like Gilligan).

BY KRISTIN SMITH When I’m heading to the mountains with anything less than a 20-pound pack, I’m reaching for the La Sportiva Bushido III. A month after acquiring my pair, I’ve certainly put them through the ringer, heading through snow, deep mud, slippery clay, wet sandstone, and alpine trails a few degrees away from being a cliff. They haven’t slipped on any of it. Just as impressive, with no break-in time at all, I haven’t gotten a single hot spot.

BY SAM SCHILD The Continental Divide Trail cuts directly through various towns in New Mexico. In one of those towns—Grants—I was walking down the street on my way out when I saw the word “pizza” lit up in a strip mall. I had already eaten lunch and then gone to the grocery store. I hoped to make it out of Grants before dinner…but pizza. I decided to have a slice or two and take the rest to go. I walked in and ordered myself a large pepperoni pizza.

BY PAIGE TRIOLA As someone who spent much of her young life fighting to avoid wearing dresses, Royal Robbins has worked a small miracle by converting me into a fan of the exercise dress—their Women's Spotless Evolution Tank Dress, to be specific. Never before had I considered donning a dress for outdoor recreation, having regarded such overtly feminine attire with tomboyish disdain. Who wants to wear something with a skirt when your hobbies include climbing trees and trekking through mud?

BY TAYLOR GERLACH Rocky Talkie rolled out a new radio late last year, and you’ll need a permission slip from the Federal Communications Commision to use it. The 5-watt radio, an upgrade from the 2-watt Mountain Radio with its signature orange carabiner, requires a General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) license.

[Updated 3/20/24] Update: For our most up-to-date specific story, photo, and illustration needs, keep an eye on our Trails Discord server here. If we’re being completely frank, we don’t get outside enough to be able to write up all the stories filling Trails on our own—we’re too busy actually making the magazine, after all. That’s why we’re always interested in hearing story ideas from writers, photographers, artists, and other creatives like you. Interested?

Independent Too many magazines that you find at the grocery store are owned by massive outdoor media monopolies more concerned with selling NFTs than sharing good adventure stories. Trails Mag is completely independent, written for—and by—those of us actually sleeping in the dirt. Coffee Table Quality Trails Mag isn't mass-produced. It's printed on high-quality paper, it's thick with content, and it puts an emphasis on high-quality design and beautiful large-format photography.