Gaia GPS has joined forces with Outside Inc. to bring you not only the best backcountry navigation tools, but also leading outdoor journalism from our award-winning titles like Outside Magazine, BACKPACKER, Trail Runner, SKI, Climbing, and more. Learn how you can take advantage of all of these perks, or keep your Gaia GPS account just as it is.

Once a year, fleeting reds, yellows, and oranges light up national parks across the country. How do you choose which of the 61 national parks to visit? Learn about the best national parks for leaf peeping this October, along with their top hikes and tips for the trail.

Leaf peeping season presents one of the best opportunities to bust out the camera and practice your craft. But finding the perfect location for your photography project requires some skill. Professional photographer John Peltier shares how to do it.

Car camping lets you bring any fancy kitchen contraption that fits in your vehicle. Marco Hernandez, founder of Ovrlndx and author of The Overland Cook, brings an oven to slow bake roasts on the go. While that may be a little extreme, Marco is an exceptionally talented car camping chef and he’s here with some delicious recipes and simple tips to spice up your next adventure.

Fifteen years ago, an owl swooped down to Mike Clelland with a message. That event changed the trajectory of his life, leading Mike to become a leading historian and author on the connection between highly charged owl encounters and UFO abduction. Yes, you read that correctly. Tune in to the newest episode of the Out and Back podcast and be prepared to never look at the world the same way again.

Looking for a peaceful (and free) escape this holiday weekend? Find free camping in national forests using Gaia GPS.

Feeling overwhelmed by all the gear options for car camping and overlanding? Self-proclaimed “professional car camper” Jason Specht from Mountain State Overland is here to help. Jason joins us on the Gaia GPS Offroad podcast this week to sort through the gear you actually need versus the gear you just want. From rooftop tents to camp cookware, Jason gives his best advice for building out the overlanding vehicle of your dreams. Plus, get his super easy, go-to dinner recipe for camp cooking and his mess-free hack for the best s’mores.

Don’t let your weekend plans go up in smoke. Gaia GPS’s robust collection of weather maps can help you avoid current wildfires and find smoke-free skies. Learn how to use these (free!) wildfire, smoke, and air quality maps to find out if it’s safe to hike, bike, or camp at your next destination.

Learn how to overcome your backpacking fears this week on the Out and Back podcast. Allison Boyle, the face behind the ultra-popular blog and hiking resource She Dreams of Alpine, lays out the big three fears newbie backpackers feel. She shares her tried and true strategies for overcoming them, as well as why almost everyone wants to back out of their trip right before they start. Plus, learn how she turned her passion for the outdoors into a career.

Learn more about the land you live and recreate on with the Native Land Territories map. Created by the Canadian non-profit Native Land Digital, this map is available for free in the Gaia GPS app and on the web. Dig into the past, present, and future of Indigenous territories across the Americas, Australia, New Zealand, and increasingly worldwide as you plan a trip or adventure in the backcountry. Plus, learn how to make a land acknowledgment to pay homage to the past and present occupants of the region.

No more getting caught in the woods without a map. Download the easy-to-read, tiny-to-download Gaia Topo map for your entire state in a matter of minutes. By keeping a map on your phone, you can always create new routes from the trail, navigate deep in the field, and find your way home.

With high desert mesas, alpine forests, and Moab’s copper-colored canyons, the Rimrocker trail makes a perfect weekend getaway for anyone looking to get into car camping and overlanding. Tune in to the Gaia GPS Offroad podcast with John Lumia, co-owner of Trails Offroad, for a complete report on this classic 160-mile route. John recently mapped the Rimrocker and he’s here to give us a rundown with all the trail’s fine details.