Which Outdoors Activity Do You Need Help With?
Thinking about taking your kids car camping for the first time? Want to know the most efficient way to layer clothes for cold weather? Looking for some trip guides for your next hiking adventure? How to (avoid or) treat for poison ivy? Look no further than My Open Country, where our in-house experts give their advice on all the above and more.
From camping, backpacking, hiking, health & hygiene, clothing, environment & safety, navigation, food & water, family adventures, fitness, trail entertainment or survival techniques. Just pick your topic below to get started!
HIKING FUNDAMENTALS
From beginner to seasoned hiker, our experts cover a range of topics to help you get the most out of your next hike.
Hiking
CAMPING RUDIMENTS
Camping comes in many flavors from boondocking, to car camping to ultralight backpacking enthusiasts.
Camping
BACKPACKING BASICS
Aiming to complete the triple crown? or just looking to hit the trail for a few days? Get off on the right foot.
Backpacking
Recent Posts
Free Camping on Public Land: Dispersed Camping 101
It’s not an overly known fact that around many of this nations popular National Parks and forests there are plentiful locations that offer free camping. We give you the lowdown on Dispersed Camping and how to find your next free campsite.
What to Wear Hiking: The Foolproof Guide
Giving some serious consideration to what to wear hiking, and with some basic prep you’ll likely find your trip that much enjoyable. Find out how …
Best Hikes In Death Valley: Top Trails In The Land Of Extremes
With sand dunes, salt flats, and volcanic craters, there’s something for everyone to love at scenic Death Valley. Our guide has everything you need to know about the best hikes in Death Valley to help you plan your adventure.
Best Hikes In Canyonlands National Park: Explore Canyon Country
If massive canyons, sweeping vistas, and unique rock formations are your jam, then you’ll want to check out Canyonlands National Park. Here’s our list of the 12 best hikes this one-of-a-kind wonderland has to offer.
Best Hikes In Joshua Tree National Park: 14 Can’t-Miss Trails
Featuring lush oases, other-worldly rock formations, and amazing views, Joshua Tree National Park is one of the United States’ top hiking destinations. Here are 14 of the best hikes in the park to check out on your next trip!
Best Wool Shirts For Performance On The Trail
Wool hiking shirts don’t have to be itchy and uncomfortable. Check out our guide to the 9 best wool shirts for hiking and outdoor adventure to learn more about this miracle fabric and how it performs on the trail.
As featured on…
What is My Open Country?
My Open Country is a campaign to try and get more people excited about the outdoors and wilderness. We believe life wasn’t meant to be lived behind a computer screen so we’ve pulled together as much information as we can into one site, so you can spend less time planning and more time doing.
Improve your wilderness adventures with our in-depth articles on hiking, camping and backpacking skills, inspirational trip guides and awesome gear reviews.
Hiking Guides
What to Wear Hiking: The Foolproof Guide
Giving some serious consideration to what to wear hiking, and with some basic prep you’ll likely find your trip that much enjoyable. Find out how …
Best Wool Shirts For Performance On The Trail
Wool hiking shirts don’t have to be itchy and uncomfortable. Check out our guide to the 9 best wool shirts for hiking and outdoor adventure to learn more about this miracle fabric and how it performs on the trail.
Best Hiking Belt for Outdoor Adventures in 2021
Tired of struggling to maintain a pace, incessantly pulling up your pants, or inadvertently mooning your companions when reaching for that summit high-five? If so, it’s time to upgrade your garb with one of these awesome, trail-worthy hiking belts!
Hiking Gear
Asolo Fugitive GTX Review: Hiking Boots
The Asolo Fugitive GTX is a breathable and flexible hiking boot suitable for minimalist hiking purposes. Find out how it performed in our full review.
Lowa Tibet GTX Review: Hiking Boots
Lowa Tibet GTX are a very stable, and comfortable hiking boot without being overly heavy. Check out how well they fared in our review
Hanwag Tatra GTX Review: Hiking Boots
Hanwag Tatra GTX hiking boots are made to last, their all leather exterior making them among the most durable in our review, see how well they performed.
Backpacking Guides
Best Solar Charger for Backpacking Adventures [2021 Edition]
A dead battery on one of your devices when backpacking can have serious consequences. To keep your electronic essentials powered up, solar’s the only way to go. Here, we explain why and introduce you to 8 awesome portable power-packers.
Best Camping Axe for Backcountry Badasses
Few backcountry accessories are quite so capable of making you feel as badass as a great camping ax. But a camping ax is far more than a simple symbol or…
Best Backpacking Saw: Cutting through the Competition [2021 Edition]
Needs a new backpacking saw? We discuss the various types, pros/cons and give our recommendations for the best backpacking saw for your needs.
Backpacking Gear
Best Backpacking Saw: Cutting through the Competition [2021 Edition]
Needs a new backpacking saw? We discuss the various types, pros/cons and give our recommendations for the best backpacking saw for your needs.
Best Backpacking Backpacks: Our Top Picks of 2021
Choosing the Best Backpacking Backpack can be the difference between not noticing the weight of your gear and misery. Choose wisely with our help.
Best Backpacking Tent: Our Top Picks of 2021
The Best Tent for Backpacking on the market? We’ve taken 9 of the top tents and rated them to help you pick the one that most closely matches your needs.
Camping Guides
Free Camping on Public Land: Dispersed Camping 101
It’s not an overly known fact that around many of this nations popular National Parks and forests there are plentiful locations that offer free camping. We give you the lowdown on Dispersed Camping and how to find your next free campsite.
What to Wear Hiking: The Foolproof Guide
Giving some serious consideration to what to wear hiking, and with some basic prep you’ll likely find your trip that much enjoyable. Find out how …
Best Hikes In Death Valley: Top Trails In The Land Of Extremes
With sand dunes, salt flats, and volcanic craters, there’s something for everyone to love at scenic Death Valley. Our guide has everything you need to know about the best hikes in Death Valley to help you plan your adventure.
Camping Gear
Best Camping Hammock With Mosquito Net For Bug-Free Snoozing
There’s no need to get eaten alive by bugs on your next hammock adventure. We’ve reviewed 7 of the top camping hammocks with mosquito nets on the market to ensure that your next expedition is blissfully bug-free.
Best Sleeping Bag For Hammock Camping For A Blissful Night’s Sleep [2021 Edition]
Struggling to find the perfect hammock sleeping bag for all your adventures? We’re here to help. Read on to learn more about the top 5 sleeping bags for hammock camping on the market today!
Best Sleeping Pad For Hammock Camping To Help You Catch Some Zzzs
Staying warm while hammock camping in the cold is possible. The trick is to have the right hammock sleeping pad for your adventures. We’ve created the ultimate guide to sleeping pads for hammocks to help you out.
Outdoor Apparel Guides
What to Wear Hiking: The Foolproof Guide
Giving some serious consideration to what to wear hiking, and with some basic prep you’ll likely find your trip that much enjoyable. Find out how …
Best Wool Shirts For Performance On The Trail
Wool hiking shirts don’t have to be itchy and uncomfortable. Check out our guide to the 9 best wool shirts for hiking and outdoor adventure to learn more about this miracle fabric and how it performs on the trail.
Best Hiking Belt for Outdoor Adventures in 2021
Tired of struggling to maintain a pace, incessantly pulling up your pants, or inadvertently mooning your companions when reaching for that summit high-five? If so, it’s time to upgrade your garb with one of these awesome, trail-worthy hiking belts!
Outdoor Apparel Gear
What to Wear Hiking: The Foolproof Guide
Giving some serious consideration to what to wear hiking, and with some basic prep you’ll likely find your trip that much enjoyable. Find out how …
Best Wool Shirts For Performance On The Trail
Wool hiking shirts don’t have to be itchy and uncomfortable. Check out our guide to the 9 best wool shirts for hiking and outdoor adventure to learn more about this miracle fabric and how it performs on the trail.
Best Hiking Belt for Outdoor Adventures in 2021
Tired of struggling to maintain a pace, incessantly pulling up your pants, or inadvertently mooning your companions when reaching for that summit high-five? If so, it’s time to upgrade your garb with one of these awesome, trail-worthy hiking belts!
Trails & Campsites Inspiration
Best Hikes In Death Valley: Top Trails In The Land Of Extremes
With sand dunes, salt flats, and volcanic craters, there’s something for everyone to love at scenic Death Valley. Our guide has everything you need to know about the best hikes in Death Valley to help you plan your adventure.
Best Hikes In Canyonlands National Park: Explore Canyon Country
If massive canyons, sweeping vistas, and unique rock formations are your jam, then you’ll want to check out Canyonlands National Park. Here’s our list of the 12 best hikes this one-of-a-kind wonderland has to offer.
Best Hikes In Joshua Tree National Park: 14 Can’t-Miss Trails
Featuring lush oases, other-worldly rock formations, and amazing views, Joshua Tree National Park is one of the United States’ top hiking destinations. Here are 14 of the best hikes in the park to check out on your next trip!
Best Hiking in Wisconsin
From Great Lakes and kettle lakes to shoreline saunters and all-day adventures, Wisconsin has just about everything a hiker could wish for. Discover it all in this comprehensive guide to Wisconsin’s top 12 hiking trails.
Best Hikes in New Hampshire: Top Trails in the Granite State
The Granite State is known for its outdoor recreation opportunities. We compiled the ultimate list of the best hikes in New Hampshire to help you plan your upcoming trip to the White Mountains.
Best Hikes in CT (Connecticut): The Top Trails in the Constitution State
With mountains, beaches, lakes, and forests, there’s something for everyone in the great state of Connecticut. Explore the Constitution State on one of these 10 hand-picked trails!