My Favorite Outdoorsy/Adventure/Survival Podcasts
I love good storytelling. Podcasts are one of my favorite ways to listen to inspiring stories while painting, doing mundane chores, running errands or working my day job. When I can't get out hiking on a trail or haven't explored a new place in a while, podcasts are my way of exploring the world from home. I especially love podcasts telling a gripping story about the outdoors.
Here's some of my favorite podcasts and episodes that have inspired my adventurous spirit.
She Explores (2016-2024)
She Explores aired their final episode in 2024 but their back catalog is full of outdoor inspiration for women! This podcast had the biggest influence on me my first years in Tucson (2017-2019) as I explored the state through hiking, backpacking and rock climbing.
Favorite Episodes:
Fear and Leadership in the Mountains (w/ Lindsey Falkenburg)
A Big Exhale: Hiking My Feelings (w/ Sydney Williams)
How to Be Alone (w/ Nic Antoinette)
To Get The Job Done (w/ Amanda Monthei)
Saving Her Backyard (w/ Bridgette Meinhold)
Because Trails Inspire (w/ Sirena Rana)
Quitting can be a Kindness (w/ Nic Antoinette)
When Your Path Finds You (w/ Sam Ortiz)
Never Too Late to Become a Mountain Nomad (w/ Marinel de Jesus)
What They Have In Common: Pure Land (w/ Annette McGivney)
and soooo many more!
National Park After Dark (2020-present)
Cassie and Danielle are two best friends who love the outdoors and share stories from our National Parks. Sometimes it's about a historically significant event, sometimes it's true crime, sometimes it's an inspiring story of survival. I appreciate the amount of research and detail that goes into their episodes. They also have monthly Trail Tales episodes where they share listener stories about their creepy or interesting experiences outdoors.
Favorite Episodes:
A Fatal Lightning Strike & the Jenny Lake Rangers
The Grizzly Mauling That Changed Yellowstone National Park
Trail Tales 92 ft National Park Trust
The Dark History of Mount Rushmore National Memorial
The Murder of Tomomi Hanamure: Grand Canyon National Park
The Queen of the Tetons: Remembering Grizzly 399
Trail Tales episodes are my favorites!
Against The Odds (2021-present)
Adventure Hosts Mike Corey and Cassie De Pecol share gripping stories of human resilience. Each season features a different incredible true story, dramatically narrated with sound effects and music. Each of these stories are truly incredible and multiple seasons have stopped me in my tracks or brought me to tears. The human spirit is inspiring.
Favorite Episodes:
Thai Cave Rescue (Season 1)
Plane Crash in the Andes (Season 7)
U.S.S. Indianapolis (Season 10)
Surviving Antarctica (about Ernest Shackleton & crew) (Season 6)
K2: The Savage Mountain (Season 4)
Whakaari: Eruption on White Island (Season 45)
You're Wrong About (2018-present)
I'm a big pop culture fan and I absolutely love this podcast hosted by Sarah Marshall looking back at pop culture, historical events, and moral panics that we as a society were wrong about.
Sarah has several guest hosts who pop in and tell her about different topics. One of my favorite guest hosts is "Survival Correspondent" Blair Braverman. These are my favorite episodes mostly including her.
Favorite Episodes:
Balto (w/ Blair Braverman)
Flight 571: Survival in the Andes (w/ Blair Braverman)
The Dyatlov Pass Incident (w/ Blair Braverman)
The Auralyn (w/ Blair Braverman)
The Bluebelle (w/ Blair Braverman)
Baby Jessica (w/ Blair Braverman)
The Donner Party (w/ Chelsea Weber-Smith)
What To Burn, What To Carry w/ Blair Braverman (2026-present)
Blair Braverman is a writer, adventurer and dog sledder who started her own podcast this year sharing stories of survival. I love her warm, personal story telling style. I feel like I'm listening to a friend excitedly tell me about a story based off of a book she just read.
Favorite Episodes:
Ada Blackjack
The Second Shipwreck
Jan Baalsrud
Out There w/ Willow Belden (2015-2025)
Host Willow Belden explores big questions through intimate stories in the outdoors.
Favorite Episodes:
Double or Nothing (w/ Becky Jensen)
The Motherload (w/ Becky Jensen)
Trial by Fire (w/ Becky Jensen)
Rekindling Hope (w/ Carolyn McDonald)
Outlandish (2017-2019)
This short lived series celebrates stories about our Public Lands by the United States Forest Service's campaign called "Your Forests, Your Future." I miss the stories told by hosts Liz and Monica.
Favorite Episodes:
What You Can Find In Glaciers (probably my favorite podcast episode ever!)
Fly-Fishing: A Journey of Persistence
Celebrating 50 Years of Protecting our Most Scenic Rivers
Uncorking Magic
UN/ROOTED - A podcast about Home (2019)
Host Jules Hotz shares their cross country move, and we’ll explore homesickness, embrace a new city, weather unexpected surprises, and become comfortable with uncertainty and new transitions. I especially love episode 2 where she interviews Jolie Varela, founder of Indigenous Women Hike, about her homeland Payahuunad ü and her journey on the Nüümü Poyo, the real name of the John Muir Trail.
Wildfire (2019)
This 6 episode series from 2019 investigates the current state of wildfires in the United States by focusing on the 2017 Eagle Creek fire in northern Oregon. It discusses the history of fire suppression in the United States and how wildfires have gotten worse in the last decade. As someone who didn't even think about wildfires growing up in the Midwest, this series is immensely informative and also heartbreaking knowing that wildfires have gotten worse each year.
What are some of your favorite outdoorsy/adventure/survival podcasts?