[2] Originally started in Bedford Hills, New York, the magazine moved to Emmaus, Pennsylvania in the late 1980s and then to Boulder in August 2007.

In May 2007, Rodale sold Backpacker to Active Interest Media and the magazine moved to Boulder, Colorado in August 2007.

[5] Each issue of Backpacker contains outdoor gear reviews, wilderness and survival tips, trip reports, coverage of specific destinations, and strength and conditioning advice.

[7] Active Interest Media, which also publishes Yoga Journal and American Cowboy, moved Backpacker to Boulder, CO in the summer of 2007, with Jonathan Dorn as editor-in-chief.

Starting in 2004 Backpacker began publishing regional editions of the magazine that include map cards for local trails.

The regional concept developed from survey results that showed the magazine's readers were interested in hikes near where they lived.

In November 2006 Backpacker began posting podcasts and videos on its website to complement the content that appears in the magazine issues.