Author: wildgreenquest@gmail.com
Published June 23, 2026 02:31AMAmazon Prime Day has become synonymous with savings. The online behemoth’s biggest sale of the year runs from June 23rd to June 26th, and not surprisingly, the hub is already overflowing with early Amazon Prime deals on everything from A to Z. Seriously, we’re talking air purifiers to ZipLocs. But this ain’t Good Housekeeping (no offense to our much fancier friends at Good Housekeeping), and we’re focused on gear over here.Thankfully, there’s plenty of outdoor gear available during Amazon Prime Day, too. Our gear team sifted through the digital deluge to bring you 18 awesome deals…
From small-town Americana to the one of the nation’s newest national parks, the Capitol Circle is an epic journey you won’t want to missWest Virginia’s Capitol Circle. (Photo: West Virginia Tourism)Published June 22, 2026 05:07PMAs I was walking that ribbon of highway, I saw above me that endless skyway; I saw below me that golden valley; and I really thought: This land was made for you and me. The song is maybe a little bit earnest, definitely a lot nostalgic, but rings totally true when driving the Capitol Circle in West Virginia. There are few places in the United States…
Published June 22, 2026 02:20PMWhen someone was bitten by a tick at her cousin’s wedding in Arkansas, public health researcher Ellie Fausset knew there was a problem. Not just the tick, which Fausset readily identified as an American dog tick, a species known to carry diseases such as tularemia (aka rabbit fever) and Rocky Mountain spotted fever, but also the response the tiny parasite elicited.One guest went searching for a lighter to sear the tick off, an ill-advised and dangerous folk remedy. Another worried the tick-bearer wouldn’t be able to eat the steak being served at the reception. (An allergy…
Updated June 22, 2026 12:52PMThe mountain at the brand new OZ Trails Bike Park isn’t very big. Rising less than 300 feet in elevation, I don’t even think you can call it a mountain. It’s a hill. But what the trail designers have done with that hill is nothing short of amazing. The park has a high-speed quad lift feeding bikers to more than 20 miles of gravity trails, which offer plenty of options for every level of rider. There are green cruisers and blue flow and black jumps and double black boulder drops—it is a world-class bike park spread…
Summer means longer days, epic adventures, and more time outside. It also means mosquito season. I grew up in Alaska—I know mosquitoes. But even if you live in the Lower 48, if it feels like mosquitoes are getting worse, you’re not imagining it. Some experts say warmer temperatures, more rainfall, and shifting weather patterns are helping mosquito populations thrive in many parts of the country. And yes, mosquitoes are a menace in all 50 states. As an outdoor enthusiast, many of my favorite places are also mosquito hotspots. So before I hit the trail, launch a kayak, or set up…
Turn your sun-drenched, humid miles into one collective 5-million-mile goal. We crushed it last year, and we can do it again.Listen to this articleListen (Photo: pixdeluxe/Getty)Published June 21, 2026 03:00AMIf you haven’t noticed already, it’s hot. Like devil’s armpit hot. While I love summer, running in the heat is not particularly my favorite. I do it anyway because running is, to me, sanity. I’m always happy when I finish, and I know that science says adapting to the heat will make me stronger come fall, when I can actually enjoy all my miles again.Happily, I have more motivation than just…
Published June 20, 2026 05:07AMBy all accounts, the bushtit is a small, gray-and-tan bird with a long tail and a short, stubby stature. Its plumage is rather boring in color, giving the gold ball-sized bird a plain appearance. It’s not the type of bird you’d expect a flamboyantly dressed drag queen to rave over—but then again, Efemmera Gendera is not your average drag performer. Efemmera Gendera is the drag name of Fiona Skye, 29, cofounder of Drag Me Outside. The urban hiking club in Portland, Oregon, fuses queer community with biology, and does so with campy, kitschy energy. Skye earned…
You could spend $284 or you could spend $650—so what’s the right price?Finding the perfect backpacking tent requires balancing weight, weather protection, and price. From a reliable budget backpacking tent to top-tier splurges, choosing the right shelter is essential for a safe and comfortable night on the trail. (Photo: Benjamin Tepler)Published June 19, 2026 03:54AMAlong with your backpack and sleeping bag, your tent is the next big-ticket item in your backpacking kit. As papery thin as its walls may be, your tent shields you from all kinds of weather—and offers a sense of security from whatever might be lurking in…
Tahitian big-wave surfer Tikanui Smith prefers to paddle his surfboard into monster waves, rather than be towed behind a jet ski. Smith explains what it’s like to ride monster swell in Nazare, Portugal.Listen to this articleListenA surfer carves through a massive wave at Nazare (Photo: Christina Pahnke – sampics / Getty images)Published June 19, 2026 03:56AMTahitian big wave surfer Tikanui Smith believes it’s his destiny to break surfing’s gnarliest record: paddling into the biggest wave ever surfed. Currently, that record sits at 63 feet, set by American surfer Aaron Gold in 2016 at the famed Hawaiian break Jaws. Paddling into…
Mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas can ruin a good trail day, but reaching for your own bug spray could land your dog in the ER. Here’s how to safely shield your four-legged hiking buddy.Just like humans, dogs need bug spray too, but the wrong ingredients be deadly (Photo: Ирина Мещерякова/Getty Images)Published June 19, 2026 05:09AMSummer is prime for dog-friendly outdoor adventures, from hiking scenic trails to spending evenings along the river. But warmer weather also brings with it a less adorable companion: mosquitoes. Just like humans need bug spray before heading out into skeeter country, our furry friends can also benefit…