These are some of the best hiking, outdoor, and travel magazines.
A magazine subscription provides outdoor adventure inspiration all year long and makes a nice gift for the outdoorsy people on your list.
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.
Bonus: Magazine subscriptions are good as a last-minute gift as most allow for an emailed or printed gift card.
Backpacker Magazine
This is our favorite outdoor publication. And it’s not just for backpackers or campers – we only day hike but each issue is chock full of great info.
It covers 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 instills – every issue ends 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.
Updated 11/2022: 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.
Any magazine under Outside is now only available with an online Outside+ membership. Backpacker announced the print edition was ending in 2022. I don’t see the print version of Outside listed anywhere either.
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 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.
I had Backpacker and Yoga Journal subscriptions forever 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 may be worth it.
When the year was over they offered a $99 renewal for Outside+ but on the site it was less, and then an offer for 50% off – putting it at about $36 a year. Still, I haven’t renewed. I might still, not sure.
Updated 11/2023: The Outside+ subscription is $24 a year at the moment, normally $60. Which is a good deal really, same price as a magazine subscription plus you get GAIA and Trailforks… but I don’t use those apps and I keep forgetting to look at the websites as it is.
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.
Related: Gifts for Hikers
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.
Outdoor Photographer
Updated 11/2023: Outdoor Photographer stopped publication earlier this year, several months after being acquired. If you’d like to find out more details, see articles from DIY Photography and PetaPixel.
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.
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.
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.