Summer is in full swing and it’s time to hit the road seeking adventure, new experiences, and the great wide open that feeds your need to escape the ordinary. Inside, we give you the best gear for travel, roadside attractions, and tips and tales from Estes Park to Iceland. Want more? We also polled our staff to bring you the latest edition of EO‘s Peak Gear Awards—the best stuff to help you enjoy the outdoors as determined by our staff and contributors. Find the print issue live in Colorado now and continue to check back here as we bring these stories to you online.
EDITOR’S LETTER
Utah’s Caroline Gleich is a candidate for the new outdoor economy.
QUICK HITS
Steamboat sends its first all-woman chainsaw team into the wild; experts share tips about camping with kids; hot beta for your trip to Zion National Park; Jeff & Paige make it fun for kids to learn about nature; Lyons gets a new outdoor retail store; ideas for buying that first mountain bike; tech-y gear; and more.
FLASHPOINT
Navigational aids or visual blight? Spray-painted trail markers on Longs Peak’s historic Keyhole Route spark a debate about safety versus wilderness preservation.
HOT SPOT
Hit the road with binoculars and camera in hand in search of wildlife this summer. EO’s Chris Kassar tells you the best spots to see beautiful beasts—from Yellowstone to the Great Sand Dunes.
ROAD TRIP GEAR
The swag you need to make your getaway even better.
ELWAYVILLE
Kray spins an ode to the slow joys of summer in Colorado.
FEATURES
OUTDOOR ECONOMY
Luis Benitez argues that we can ignite prosperity through outdoor recreation. It’s time our political candidates spoke to a growing economic force in our nation.
ROADSIDE ATTRACTIONS
Pull off from your outdoor adventure road trip to check out these can’t-miss spots for art, sacred spaces, and Sasquatch.
THE GREAT ICELAND ROAD TRIP
Take the ultimate road trip on the volcanic island’s famed Ring Road and hit stunning spots both known and unknown.
THE SUMMER 2024 PEAK GEAR AWARDS
It’s that time of year again when we hand out hardware to the very best stuff we put to the test in the field, on the river, and up on the peaks.
THE ROAD: THIS IS LIVING
Mountain runner Dani Reyes-Acosta learns to redirect her energy when plans for a challenging run high in the Alps turn sour.
On the Cover
Connor Scalbom chillaxes at sunset in a self-portrait in front of his Tune M1 truck camper in Mammoth, California. connorscalbom.com | Instagram @connography_
