Words and photos By Dustin Silvey, Ph.D 　　The sun beat down on our adventure team. The other kayak had pulled off a kilometer ahead in the shade of a rock to wait. As we caught up, movement in the water signaled action—on the other side of the rock, a pod of dolphins was hunting our bait ball. 　　We paddled over...

　　Written by: McKenzie Barney 　　New Zealand’s Te Araroa Trail is the world’s newest long-distance thru-hike. Stretching 3,000 km from Cape Reinga, at the top of the North Island, to Bluff, at the bottom of the South Island, the TA is defined by its challenging terrain, unpredictable weather and navigational obstacles, and just may be the toughest of the world’s major...

　　By David Clock 　　Last year, David Clock hiked California’s 211-mile John Muir Trail. His striking photos reveal the grandeur of the trail’s surrounding terrain, and they kick off our series: Thru the Lens: Photo Journeys of the Major Thru-Hikes.” 　　var lightbox_transition = 'elastic'; var lightbox_speed = 800; var lightbox_fadeOut = 300; var lightbox_title = false; var lightbox_scalePhotos = true; var...