By Editors

The memory of a fine deer dropped or a strong trout landed can draw us back to a special place in the wild. So, too, can the more heartbreaking memory of a buck moving out of range at the last second or a rainbow busting off in the rocks. We’re drawn back to these places to relive our victories and for second chances. At other times, it’s simply the land that calls us back. We want to walk the trails, hike the mountains, and camp in the woods. We want to be in the wild.

For the second straight year, Field & Stream partnered with Trout Unlimited on tours of America’s Best Wild Places. The six spots we explored all offer great hunting and fishing on public land. Sadly, they all face environmental threats, too. We aim to change that.

We hope to accomplish a couple of goals with this project: First, to encourage you to travel to these places on your own. They’re yours, after all. Second, we hope to raise awareness. These are all places that have managed to remain under the radar, which is a good thing because it means they’ve largely been left alone. But it also means they’ve not been given the protection they deserve.

Each week for the next couple of months, we’ll be featuring our reports and experiences from each location. Be sure to check back to learn more about these wild places. And then do yourself, and the land, a favor: Go explore. Go spend some time in the wild. Go have the time of your life.

• Maine
• Upper Dolores River
• South Lake Tahoe
• Clearwater Basin, Idaho
• Tongass National Forest, Alaska
• White River, Colorado