I rarely light campfires anymore. Fire danger, lack of easy-to-find wood, exhaustion after a high-mileage or steep day: There are many reasons I’ve mostly abandoned the blaze. For the most part, I don’t miss them. By the time the sun sets, I’m usually tired and uninterested in creating more work for myself. What I do miss is the camaraderie of a campfire. It’s a place to gather with your friends to pass a flask, roast marshmallows, share stories and tell jokes, and just generally enjoy each other’s company. For years, I’ve been looking for flame-free and fire-ban-appropriate ways to replicate ..read more

After 15 years as a vegetarian, there are very few things I miss. Steaks? Never a fan. Hamburgers? After a decade and a half away from them, I couldn’t tell you the difference between an Impossible Whopper and a real one. But there’s one thing that I still have a hard time replacing: marshmallows. For those of you who don’t obsessively read over the ingredient lists on your sweets, marshmallows contain gelatin, which is made from processed livestock bones and hides—a no-go for anyone who doesn’t eat meat. Yes, there are vegetarian marshmallows out there, which mostly use seaweed-derived agar ..read more

At the end of a long day of crushing miles, there’s nothing like sitting by the campfire, watching the flames dance and hearing the wood crackle (as long as the fire’s made safely and legally, of course). The only way to make it better is savoring a Michelin-star-worthy meal while sitting fireside. When preparing your backcountry menu, it’s easy to opt for a go-to hot dogs and s’mores combo, but there are so many more delicious meals out there. With these revolutionary campfire recipes, you won’t want to settle for anything less than all-plates-scraped-clean delicious. All you need is a burni ..read more

Spare a thought for the campground pancake breakfast. Pancakes—flipped, stacked, and topped with butter and syrup—taste even better when you’re eating them at some picnic table out in the open air with the pine needles crunching under your feet and a whole day of hiking (or reading, or floating, or hammocking) ahead of you. But while pancakes may be a mainstay of car camping trips, they’re tougher to pull off in the backcountry, where the stoves are smaller and the titanium pans are prone to ‘cake-burning hotspots. Fortunately for all of us pancake-loving, baseweight-conscious hikers, there’s ..read more

We usually default to boil-in-the-bag dinners when we camp. But sometimes, whether to impress a date or just treat yourself, you want to go a little more luxe. These three recipes taste gourmet, but each only requires three ingredients. Unless noted, each recipe makes 1 serving and assumes you packed salt, pepper, and oil/butter. Lemony Salmon Noodles This is an easy-but-upgraded, 3-ingredient version of everyone’s favorite tuna noodle casserole. Ingredients 2 oz. chunk smoked salmon 3 oz. wide egg noodles (the wider, the better) ½ lemon Instructions Bring 2 cups of salted water to a boil ..read more

Caramel Delight Oatmeal Soft caramels, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, pecans. S’mores Oatmeal Graham cracker bits, marshmallows, chocolate chips. Orange Apricot Hazelnut Oatmeal (Photo: myasinirik / Kevin Delcroix via Getty) 1 tsp Orange Powder, diced dried apricots, a handful of toasted chopped hazelnuts Apple Pie Oatmeal Apple pie spice, chopped apples Seed and Nut Oatmeal Chopped walnuts, raisins, dried cranberries, sunflower kernels, agave nectar Vanilla Almond Berry Oatmeal (Photo: baibaz / BWFolsom / neiljlangan via Getty) 1 tsp. vanilla powder, handful dried mixed berries, a handful of sl ..read more

Hot chocolate just got hotter. With a touch of cayenne added to the mix, this new take on a centuries-old beverage boasts a slight spice that will warm you all the way through. The Mayans were among the first believed to enjoy a chocolate beverage over 2,000 years ago, a key ingredient being a hint of spice. In homage, we took a page out of their book to give the traditional fireside staple a kick. To whip up this tasty blend, start by finding a hot chocolate mix that already has powdered milk included in its ingredients (we like Whole Foods 365 Organic Hot Cocoa Mix). That way, you only need ..read more

Everyone has their own tricks for feeling warm on a cold winter camping trip. Here’s our favorite: Eat something spicy. While it won’t actually raise your body temperature (pack the right layers) the warm tingle of eating something with a kick will always help us feel toasty in freezing temps. We’ve collected 6 of our favorite spicy backpacking recipes from the archive; try these for a boost when the forecast is chilly. —The Editors Masman Curry Lemongrass and peanuts accent this creamy dish. 1 tablespoon Masman curry paste (contains lemongrass, garlic, cumin) 1/2 cup matchstick-cut carrots ..read more

Is there any better way to celebrate the holidays than with a cup of hot cocoa around a campfire somewhere? If so, we haven’t found it yet. While Swiss Miss is OK, we know you can do better. We’ve collected three of our favorite easy, trail-ready hot chocolate recipes for your next cold-weather jaunt. —The Editors Peppermint Swizzle Transition from trail to camp with the calming aroma of peppermint. ¼ cup Nido (whole milk powder) 12 mini Junior Mints 1 peppermint swizzle stick or candy cane Pour 8 ounces of boiling water into a mug with Junior Mints and milk powder. Stir with peppermint swi ..read more

You swear this is going to be the trip: You’re going to plan a gourmet menu and savor it under the stars with your friends. But then you think of the extra weight, the cutting boards and the frying pans and the cleanup, and you just stuff a couple of freeze-dried meals in your pack again. Break out of your slump with 5-Minute Backpacking Meals, our guide to gourmet-level cuisine you can put together in five minutes or less.  Sun-Dried Tomato and Herb Frittata 1 tablespoon olive oil ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped 1 teaspoon oregano, dried 1 teaspoon basil, dried 1 cup liquid egg subst ..read more