Our Favorite Outdoor Podcasts (Perfect for Time at Home or on the Road)

From backpacking tips to campground history and dozens of road trip stories in between, podcasts are a powerful way to both learn about the wilderness and maximize our time there. They can also help us engage with the outdoors in more meaningful ways when we expand beyond the mainstream to listen to voices that make a point to approach nature through equitable, sustainable, and intersectional lenses. That’s why we’re going beyond the roundup-reigning Wild Ideas Worth Living from REI and the Patagonia-backed outdoor industry favorite Dirtbag Diaries (both still undoubtedly worth a listen!) to help you discover 11 of the best outdoor adventure podcasts for thinking about all things out there.

• The Joy Report from Intersectional Environmentalist

• By Land

• For the Wild

• National Park After Dark

• RV Miles

• Gaze at the National Parks

• Reversing Climate Change

• Going Wild with Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant

• She Explores

• BIPoC Outside

• Nature Podcast

1. The Joy Report from Intersectional Environmentalist

Actionable storytelling on climate and justice.

It’s difficult to spend regular time outdoors without thinking about climate change. The Joy Report reframes typical climate conversations with the actionable approach familiar to those who follow the nonprofit Intersectional Environmentalist. Hosted by Arielle King, an environmental justice advocate and attorney passionate about environmental education, The Joy Report highlights communities taking positive action for the earth—and finding happiness along the way.

Some favorite episodes:

• LandBack + Aboriginal Australian Land Management
• Ecosystem Restoration + Mending Our Relationship with Nature

2. By Land

Simple tips for better backpacking, thru-hiking, and other outdoor experiences.

Whether you’re a long-distance thru-hiker or a casual, forest-strolling outdoor enthusiast, By Land aims to make backcountry experiences safer and more efficient by featuring a variety of outdoor experts sharing their knowledge. Running since 2017, the podcast spans topics such as backpacking with dogs, solo hunting, biking adventures, and how to prepare for risks on the Pacific Crest Trail and Appalachian Trail.

Some favorite episodes:

• How Trails Are Designed and Built with Tyler Lau
• Personal Growth and the 52 Hike Challenge with Karla Amador
• Wildfire Basics and Forest Management with Evan Guzik of the USFS

3. For the Wild

Outdoor intersectionality, present and future.

For the Wild focuses on human influence on climate and the environment in an effort to move away from human-first consumerism and toward wilderness conservation, environmental justice, and ecology. This fan-favorite show features underrepresented perspectives from scientists, activists, artists, filmmakers, and more, who discuss topics like public lands, underwater food forests, and the Arctic ocean’s soundscape.

Some favorite episodes:

• Robin Wall Kimmerer on Indigenous Knowledge for Earth Healing
• Rue Mapp on Nature as the Great Equalizer
• Vanessa Cavanagh, Rachael Cavanagh, and Deb Swan on Ancestral Fire Regimes in Australia

4. National Park After Dark

Outdoor survival meets true crime.

Murder, ghostly encounters, and man-eating tigers are just a few of the macabre topics covered in this podcast, which features stories of adventure in national parks around the globe, from Oregon to the Outback. Hosts Cassie and Danielle find a way to see the lesson in every twisted story, even when no one makes it out alive. Expect one part pure entertainment, one part true inspiration, with new episodes at least once a week.

Some favorite episodes:

• Abandon: National Park Ghost Towns
• Surviving the Worst Weather on the Planet: White Mountain National Forest
• People of the Parks: Kevin Grange

5. RV Miles

Reviews and insights for family RV trips.

If you’re heading out on a campervan road trip, give RV Miles a listen. Hosted by a family RV blogging duo, this podcast discusses topics like misery-free hiking with kids and finding ways to beat the heat. The show takes a travel guide approach, discussing the couple’s experiences at various outdoor destinations and campgrounds while also sharing RV news, tips for beginners, and hacks.

Some favorite episodes:

• RV Ownership Costs and Surviving Family Travel Days
• Fuel Saving Tips
• Advice for New RVers and a Tip for Measuring the Size of a Campsite

6. Gaze at the National Parks

Two friends, endless wilderness adventure.

In this podcast, Hosts Dustin and Michael send dispatches while hiking through federal lands and discussing the history, nature, and culture of each current location. Gaze at the National Parks weaves through some of the most coveted trails on protected US land, sharing information on sights and stops along the way. We love how this trail show balances a lighthearted tone with practical facts, especially for those planning a national park hiking trip.

Some favorite episodes:

• Grinnell Glacier Trail: Glacier National Park
• Craters and Petroglyphs: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
• Lost Lake Loop: Yellowstone National Park

7. Reversing Climate Change

Who’s fighting the rapidly warming climate.

What do French winemakers, Indigenous agriculturalists, and American farmers have in common? They’re all topics of discussion on Reversing Climate Change, an aptly named podcast that delves deep into the technologies of the carbon removal movement, as well as the big names behind them. We love the curious and action-oriented tone and the podcast’s willingness to tackle big questions about the earth we love.

Some favorite episodes:

• The Roots of Indigenous Agriculture w/ Dr. Michael Kotutwa Johnson
• Restoring Soil Health for Resilient Farms with Louise Edmonds of Carbon Sync
• Farming While Black: Race & Regenerative Agriculture w/ Leah Penniman of Soul Fire Farms

8. Going Wild with Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant

Travel into hidden worlds alongside a leading ecologist.

The PBS-sponsored Going Wild provides a glimpse into the world’s most amazing landscapes, including tundras, savannas, and deserts. Led by Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant, a wildlife ecologist who tracks and studies animals in their natural habitats, the show covers the suspense-filled lives of animals and how to protect them—but also what it’s like to be a wildlife scientist, as a Black woman, in today’s world. It might just be the adventure podcast of your dreams.

Some favorite episodes:

• Tracking Jaguars with a Toddler
• Black. Female. Scientist.
• Tracking Lemurs in a Lost Rainforest

9. She Explores

Stories of women reaching new heights outside.

Although sunset in 2023, She Explores breathed new life into the ordinary women’s adventure story. Spanning interviews, listener submissions, and in-the-field recordings, this podcast explores the intersection between the outdoors and the many challenges women face today. Host Gale Straub invites guests, including climbers and those in adventure sports, to discuss how time spent in nature can foster new perspectives on topics like family, entrepreneurship, equity, aging, motherhood, and chronic illness.

Some favorite episodes:

• Hike, Journal, Meditate with Outdoor Journal Tour
• Adventure Moms: Getting Out There With (and Without) Your Kids
• Solo (But Not Quite Alone)

10. BIPoC Outside

Discovering joy and empowerment through outdoor adventure.

This podcast celebrates the transformative power of nature through the lens of non-white community leaders. Listen as guests share inspiring stories ranging from biking as a Black woman, setting your own pace, and bicycle-friendly cities. We love how this podcast takes an imaginative, solution-oriented approach to challenges in the outdoor recreation space.

Some favorite episodes:

• Dreaming Big with Aaron Marchant, President of the First Nations Snowboard Team
• Bringing Intersectionality Outdoors with Vasu Sojitra, an adaptive athlete and disability strategist
• Your Right to Move with Rachel Olzer, co-founder of Pedal 2 the People

11. Nature Podcast

The world’s most important science stories.

The Nature Journal’s weekly podcast shares the most interesting and important science findings around the world. Sometimes, it’s the neuroscience of navigating winding roads. Other times, it’s a fresh take on that dinosaur-killing asteroid. Nature Podcast leads listeners deep into the most important happenings of the natural world—helping you understand and appreciate your time in the wilderness even more.

Some favorite episodes:

• Can Artificially Altered Clouds Save the Great Barrier Reef?
• Milky Way’s Origin Story Revealed by 250,000 Stars
• The Science Behind an ‘Uncrushable’ Beetle’s Exoskeleton

Which do you think is the best outdoor podcast?

Have a recommendation for a great podcast about the outdoors we should know about? Let us know by tweeting to us @hipcamp, and if you found our list helpful, share this article with a friend. Sharing is caring!

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