Travel Ideas: Tips, Guides & Road Trips for the Western U.S. - Sunset

The Latest From Sunset

Devils Garden Campground in Utah's Arches National Park

Pack This: Essential Pieces of Hiking Gear

There's no better time to hit the trail for some much needed fresh air. Whether you're planning a day hike or backcountry trip, here are a few essentials to pack.

July 6, 2020

July 8, 2020

Ursa Major 4-in-1- Face Wipe individually wrapped

Travel

The Best Eco-Friendly Hygiene Products for Your Outdoor Adventures

Keep it fresh on the trails while being kind to Mother Earth with these 11 products

September 6, 2019

July 8, 2020

Travel

The 34 Best Campgrounds in Colorado and the Rocky Mountain States

Discover our absolute favorite campgrounds in Colorado, Montana, Utah, and Wyoming

April 10, 2009

July 7, 2020

Aurora borealis over the trees in Churchill, Manitoba, Canada

Travel

A Photographer’s Guide to the Northern Lights

You don’t have to go to Canada or Alaska to see them! Here’s a nature photographer’s guide to capturing the aurora borealis in the dark skies above Washington, Idaho, and Montana

October 14, 2016

July 1, 2020

National Park News

The hoodoos at Bryce Canyon National Park off Highway 89

National Parks

Zion, Bryce Canyon, and Capitol Reef National Parks Are Now Open—with Limitations

Utah’s national parks and recreational areas have begun phased reopenings that will continue throughout the year

May 13, 2020

June 1, 2020

National Parks

A Beloved Zion National Park Hiking Trail Is Now Protected—Forever

Access to Zion Narrows is restored and the land is protected from development in perpetuity

December 19, 2019

December 26, 2019

Wild Lands

Iconic “Into the Wild” Bus Removed from Alaska Trail

The bus was made famous by the 1996 book Into the Wild.

June 19, 2020

June 23, 2020

An alpine lake in Glacier National Park off Highway 89

Wild Lands

Senate Gives Public Lands Big Victory With Great American Outdoors Act

Public land conservation and maintenance efforts will now receive nearly $2 billion a year.

June 18, 2020

June 23, 2020

News and Obsessions

Wild Lands

Interest in Camping Is at an All-Time High Following COVID-19 Outbreak

The trend coincides with the most significant increase in Google "camping" searches in nearly a decade.

June 24, 2020

July 1, 2020

Travel

I Spent Hours at an Airport and Discovered Just How Terrifying It Is to Fly Now

Months into this global pandemic, we're not flying much—but when we are, as our editor-in-chief learned, it remains a fraught experience.

June 18, 2020

June 23, 2020

Outdoor Adventure

Learn Fly Fishing Basics and Backyard Drills

Bring the outside in with these Fly Fishing drills and tips from a certified guide and master naturalist.

April 20, 2020

June 23, 2020

Wild Lands

Patagonia Joins REI, The North Face in #StopHateForProfit Facebook Boycott

Company says it will "pull all ads on Facebook and Instagram, effective immediately"

June 22, 2020

June 23, 2020

More Ideas

Man taking one of the best hikes in La Quinta, La Quinta Cove, through rocks and open meadows

Travel

42 Can’t-Miss Hikes in the West for Amazing Scenery and Terrain

From iconic trails in Zion and Yosemite to under-the-radar loops in Arizona, these hiking trails lead you to gorgeous desert, mountain, and coastal views

April 29, 2013

June 10, 2020

How to Survive Getting Lost While Hiking

Outdoor Adventure

How to Survive If You Get Lost Hiking

Even the most experienced hikers can get lost. Here's a step-by-step instructional of what to do if you can't find your way

June 26, 2019

February 28, 2020

Family

10 Best Kids’ Hiking Shoes & Gear

Keep explorers of all ages comfortable on the trail with these essentials

July 10, 2018

March 17, 2020

Outdoor Adventure

The New Rules of Hiking During Quarantine

Hiking isn't the same when a contagious diseases has killed tens of thousands of people nationwide. Here's how to do it safely, if at all.

April 20, 2020

June 24, 2020

California

Santa Barbara Landmark Lotusland Has Reopened—Get Your Tickets Now!

One of the greatest and most over-the-top botanical gardens in California is once again open to the public.

May 20, 2020

May 21, 2020

Travel

Access to Nature Is off the Charts in These Four Towns

Discover places where even by Western standards, residents REALLY love the outdoors—and want everyone to have the chance to get out into nature.

April 7, 2020

May 20, 2020

Wild Lands

Airborne Plastic Particles: The Unseen Enemy Ravaging the West's Protected Lands

Hundreds of millions of plastic bottles' worth of particles fall each year.

June 16, 2020

June 17, 2020

Wild Lands

Renovations Turn Golden Gate Bridge into Eerie Wind Instrument

Listen to the Bay Area's new spooky soundtrack.

June 14, 2020

June 17, 2020

Outdoor Adventure

How to (Safely) View the Superbloom That Can Be Seen from Space

The current superbloom can be seen from space. Here’s what to do if you can’t get to space this spring.

May 11, 2020

May 12, 2020

Lifestyle

6 Best Clean Sunscreens You Need This Summer

Even if we’re spending most of our days indoors, our skin is still exposed to damaging UV light.

May 27, 2020

June 9, 2020

Home & Garden

Airstream x Pottery Barn Are Inspiring Our Summer Road Trips

Carefree summer road trips might feel like a distant dream, but luckily Airstream and Pottery Barn have partnered up to bring us a new collection of decor and accessories to fuel our wanderlust.

May 20, 2020

May 21, 2020

Lifestyle

Seattle Is Closing 20 Miles of Streets to Cars, Virtual Fun Run + More Good Things This Week

We're rounding up some good news from around the internet to spread a little joy, just in time for your weekend bookmarking.

May 8, 2020

Travel the West

Yosemite National Park Reopens–But Mostly Without Camping for Now

The Latest From Sunset

Pack This: Essential Pieces of Hiking Gear

The Best Eco-Friendly Hygiene Products for Your Outdoor Adventures

The 34 Best Campgrounds in Colorado and the Rocky Mountain States

A Photographer’s Guide to the Northern Lights

National Park News

Zion, Bryce Canyon, and Capitol Reef National Parks Are Now Open—with Limitations

A Beloved Zion National Park Hiking Trail Is Now Protected—Forever

Iconic “Into the Wild” Bus Removed from Alaska Trail

Senate Gives Public Lands Big Victory With Great American Outdoors Act

News and Obsessions

Interest in Camping Is at an All-Time High Following COVID-19 Outbreak

I Spent Hours at an Airport and Discovered Just How Terrifying It Is to Fly Now

Learn Fly Fishing Basics and Backyard Drills

Patagonia Joins REI, The North Face in #StopHateForProfit Facebook Boycott

More Ideas

42 Can’t-Miss Hikes in the West for Amazing Scenery and Terrain

How to Survive If You Get Lost Hiking

10 Best Kids’ Hiking Shoes & Gear

The New Rules of Hiking During Quarantine

Santa Barbara Landmark Lotusland Has Reopened—Get Your Tickets Now!

Access to Nature Is off the Charts in These Four Towns

Airborne Plastic Particles: The Unseen Enemy Ravaging the West's Protected Lands

Renovations Turn Golden Gate Bridge into Eerie Wind Instrument

How to (Safely) View the Superbloom That Can Be Seen from Space

6 Best Clean Sunscreens You Need This Summer

Airstream x Pottery Barn Are Inspiring Our Summer Road Trips

Seattle Is Closing 20 Miles of Streets to Cars, Virtual Fun Run + More Good Things This Week