Author: wildgreenquest@gmail.com

Despite a government shutdown and reports of chaos, one California national park saw more than 4.2 million visitors last year. The Tunnel View at Yosemite National Park (Photo: Kenny McCartney/Getty Images)Published March 16, 2026 12:40PMDespite months of bad press, Yosemite National Park had one of its busiest years on record.According to newly released National Park Service (NPS) data, more than 4.2 million people visited the California park in 2025, an increase of 156,000 visitors from the previous year. Yosemite beat out Rocky Mountain National Park in 2025, making it the fifth most popular park in the country, after Great Smoky…

Published March 16, 2026 02:29PMSearch-and-rescue (SAR) teams recently conducted half a dozen operations over the course of one weekend at a popular Nevada desert hiking destination. Between March 13 and 15, responders rescued five hikers and one climber in Red Rock Canyon, a sandstone canyonland roughly 20 miles west of Las Vegas.Although no one suffered serious injuries, Las Vegas SAR Officer TJ Keller told Outside, the busy weekend serves as a reminder that even highly accessible wilderness areas demand serious preparation. Keller is a member of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) SAR team and rescued an 80-year-old hiker who was lost on March 13.…

Published March 16, 2026 02:31PMIt’s an annoyance that many wunderkind athletes must navigate: having a pesky journalist compare you to an older, more accomplished star. Every awesome up-and-coming American skier is the next Lindsey Vonn, every basketball prodigy is the next LeBron.Rock climber Connor Herson has dealt with this since he was a child. “I’ve heard the comparison to Tommy Caldwell once or twice,” Herson, 22, told me on a recent call. “It’s an honor to be compared to someone like that, even if I don’t know if I’m at his level yet.” The likeness to Caldwell is, of course,…

From an ultralight pack to an ultra-organized gear box, here’s the 2026 spring/summer gear I previewed at a recent outdoor trade show.Published March 16, 2026 03:05PMOne of the perks of writing about outdoor gear is getting to see the newest, coolest products before they launch to the public. It feels like being let in on a secret—one whispered by big brands like Outdoor Research, Danner, Mountain Hardwear, and Fjällräven, and echoed by the smaller, emerging labels. The next best perk? Getting to put that gear to the test. I met with 30 brands at the 2026 Outdoor Market Alliance media…

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Published March 17, 2026 03:28AMAlong with burpees, push-ups, and deadlifts, Bulgarian split squats are among the exercises that, honestly, lots of gym-goers hate. A big reason for that is the howl-inducing burn they deliver to the glutes. Do just a few reps of them, and you’ll feel it in your backside muscles, sometimes for days afterwards.Also called the rear-foot elevated split squat, this move involves raising one leg onto a bench or step behind you and performing split squats from that position. It’s “a very, very effective lower-body exercise,” says certified strength and conditioning specialist Susie Reiner, an assistant professor…

The year’s best member-exclusive discount is finally here. (Photo: REI/Canva)Published March 17, 2026 03:28AMSpring is, allegedly, here. As a Chicagoan staring at fresh overnight snow, I’m skeptical—but the REI Member Days Sale is the only proof I need that warmer days are coming.Usually, March is too early for spring and summer gear deals, but through March 23, REI Members can take 20% off the big-ticket items that actually get us excited for warm weather. Use code MEMBER26 at checkout to snag: Not a member?No big deal—join once for $30 to enjoy membership benefits for life (like an annual 10% co-op…

Published March 17, 2026 05:00AMThis story was produced in partnership with RE:PUBLIC Lands Media, an independent, nonprofit news organization. Sign up for RE:PUBLIC’s newsletter here.Most Americans have at least one place they hold sacred—a national park traveled to as a kid; a secret wilderness campsite discovered on a first solo backpacking trip; or a river paddled with buddies for decades. These experiences are the definition of American freedom. The federal government manages a profound amount of land and water—roughly 640 million acres, about 28 percent of our country’s mass. That’s more than 1.5 times the size of Alaska. The gold…

Published March 17, 2026 01:41PMLots of runners over 50 have a common goal: keep running, maybe even for as long as possible. And one factor that’s crucial to succeeding there is maintaining bone health. As we age, our bones naturally become less dense. Some moderate bone density loss is called osteopenia; when it progresses, it’s called osteoporosis, and it can lead to breaking bones more easily. Because running is a high-impact, weight-bearing exercise, it can help keep bones strong—to an extent. It is, of course, primarily a straight-ahead motion, which might not place enough impact on your hips to keep…

The U.S. plans to keep on truckin’—just without humans behind the wheel. Multiple companies say they’ll roll out fully driverless big rigs on American highways in 2027. Aurora, Kodiak, and Waabi are racing to eliminate drivers—a cost that represents up to 40% of per-mile trucking expenses, according to The New York Times. Aurora plans to grow from a handful of autonomous trucks to more than 200 by year’s end, then thousands by 2027. The company recently launched a 1,000-mile route between Fort Worth and Phoenix that surpasses what human drivers can do without stopping due to work-hour limitations. Kodiak is…