Adventures
YouTube Channels for Learning Outdoor Skills: Video Picks for Beginners
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Some people learn best by reading, and some learn best by watching someone do it. If you're the second kind, these are YouTube channels I follow that can help you pick up outdoor skills before your first trip. Watching is a great start, but nothing replaces practicing at home or close to the trailhead.
Things to keep in mind
- Gear and advice change over time, so check the date on a video.
- Follow the rules of the park or land you visit, even if a video does something different.
- Practice Leave No Trace no matter what you see on screen.
Channels I follow
Outdoor Boys
Family-friendly outdoor adventures, from camping trips to cooking outside. It's a fun way to see what time outdoors can look like before you head out yourself.
Homemade Wanderlust
Watch Homemade Wanderlust on YouTube
Clear, jargon-free backpacking advice, including a beginner series that walks through the basics. Many of her trips are long thru-hikes, but the skills carry over to shorter outings.
Darwin onthetrail
Watch Darwin onthetrail on YouTube
Practical how-to tips for hiking and backpacking, often recommended by other hikers. Some videos are gear reviews that lean toward ultralight, so pick what fits your own trips.
Dan Becker
Beginner-focused hiking and backpacking videos, including safety lessons. Some videos are sponsored, so weigh gear picks against your own needs and budget.
TA Outdoors
One of the most popular bushcraft and survival channels, posting for over a decade. It's great for inspiration more than step-by-step lessons. Some big shelter builds, campfires and stealth camping don't fit Leave No Trace or local rules, so check what's allowed where you go.
Corporals Corner
Watch Corporals Corner on YouTube
A long-running, hands-on survival channel with practical lessons on knots, shelters and cordage. There's a lot of campfire cooking, so follow fire rules and Leave No Trace where you camp.
Final thoughts
Watching a good outdoor channel is a lot like reading a trail map at the kitchen table. You start picturing the switchbacks, the campsite and the morning coffee. Outdoor Boys, Homemade Wanderlust, Darwin onthetrail, Dan Becker, TA Outdoors and Corporals Corner can spark that excitement and help you feel ready. But the real learning happens when you shut the laptop, lace up your boots and head out the door.
You don't need a big trip to get started. Practice pitching your tent or hanging your hammock in the backyard, take a short hike at a park near home, or cook one simple meal on your stove before you ever pack it into the backcountry. Start small, make a few mistakes where it's easy to fix them, and let each little trip build your confidence for the next one.
Wherever you go, bring Leave No Trace with you. Stay on the trail, pack out everything you pack in, and leave each place a little better for the next person who finds it. I've been lucky to have the outdoors in my life for as long as I can remember, and I hope these videos get you outside to start your own adventures. See you on the trail!