Hiking and backpacking are great ways to enjoy time outdoors. But getting out into nature isn’t always an option! The next time you’re craving an adventure, why not watch a movie? These outdoor adventure movies are the best way to get a taste of nature without ever leaving home! From inspirational hiking movies to informative documentaries, there are tons of amazing films to add to your must watch list to choose from.
If you love the great outdoors but can’t get outside, check out this list of best movies about adventure and hiking! We’ve also included documentaries and stories of personal journeys that are worth watching!
Best Outdoor Adventure Movies
There are so many amazing stories about outdoor adventures to watch on the big screen that you could be entertained for days watching all the movies on this list!
Whether you’re looking for a documentary about real-life hikers hitting the trail or a thriller about backpackers battling the elements, you’re sure to find a title or two to add to your next movie night on this big list of ideas.
Backpacking Movies
Heading out on an adventure in the wilderness is a great way to start a movie. That’s why there are so many amazing backpacking movies to watch! The next time you’re in the mood for an outdoor adventure, cozy up on the couch and watch one of these movies about backpacking.
1. Wild
Rated: R
Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern, Gabby Hoffman
After the loss of her mother and her recent divorce, a woman decides to stop her downward spiral and sets out to hike the Pacific Crest Trail — with no hiking experience. This is based off the Cheryl Strayed’s best-selling book, Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail.
2. 127 Hours
Rated: R
Starring: James Franco, Kate Mara, Amber Tamblyn
A mountain climber becomes trapped when a boulder falls on his arm while exploring a remote canyon. Trapped for five days, he’s forced to make a choice between keeping his arm or remaining pinned in the canyon to die.
3. Into the Wild
Rated: R
Starring: Emile Hirsch, Kristin Stewart, Vince Vaughn
After graduating from Emory University, the son of wealthy parents decides to donate all his money to charity, give away all of his possessions, and go on an adventure to the Alaskan wilderness.
4. Devil’s Pass
Rated: R
Starring: Holly Goss, Luke Albright, Matt Skokoe
A group of college students travel to Russia in hopes of finding clues about the whereabouts of missing Russian hikers. But when the students don’t return from the expedition, the recovered footage of their trek may shed light on the mystery of both groups.
5. Redwood Highway
Rated: PG-13
Starring: Shirley Knight, Tom Skerritt, James Le Gros
When she learns of her granddaughter’s upcoming wedding, an unhappy retiree decides to walk 80 miles to the Oregon coast to see the ocean and attend the event.
6. The River Wild
Rated: R
Starring: Leighton Meester, Adam Brody,
When a group of friends head out on a white water rafting adventure, their trip quickly turns into a nightmare after an ex-con takes control of the boat and the hikers on board.
7. Everest
Rated: PG-13
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Jason Clarke, Josh Brolin
While on their final ascent toward the summit of Mount Everest, a violent storm traps a group of hikers on the side of the mountain. The team is forced to endure freezing temperatures in a battle to survive.
8. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
Rated: PG
Starring: Ben Stiller, Kristen Wiig, Sean Penn
While spending day after day developing photos for Life magazine, Walter spends his time daydreaming. But he gets his chance for a real adventure when the magazine’s new owners send him out to get the perfect photo for the final print issue.
9. The Call of the Wild
Rated: PG
Starring: Harrison Ford, Omar Sy, Dan Stevens
A domestic dog gets a new and exciting life when he’s taken from his California home and to the wilds of the Alaskan Yukon in the 1890s, where he works on a mail-delivery dog sled team.
10. The Beach
Rated: R
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Virginie Ledoyen, Tilda Swinton
A young American backpacker joins a couple in Thailand in search of a mysterious beach that is said to be home to an idyllic paradise for those who find it.
11. Backcountry
Rated: R
Starring: Jeff Roop, Missy Peregrym, Nicholas Campbell
When a couple decides to leave the city to go camping in the country, they quickly realize they’ve forgotten their phone and become lost in the woods. While being stalked by a man-eating bear, the trip turns into a fight for survival.
12. A River Wild
Rated: PG-13
Starring: Meryl Streep, Kevin Bacon, David Strathairn
A birthday gift turns into a nightmare when a family on a whitewater rafting adventure is abducted by two armed killers, who take control of the boat and force the mother to use her rafting knowledge to help them to escape down the rapids.
List of the Best Hiking Movies
A hike in the woods is always a good set-up for a movie! That’s because there are so many great adventures that can happen in the wilderness. If you’re looking for an great hiking movie to watch today, check out one of these movies!
13. Wildlike
Rated: R
Starring: Bruce Greenwood, Ella Purnell, Brian Geraghty
After being taken to live with a family in Alaska, a troubled teen teams up with a gruff backpacker to hike through the wilderness in hopes of making her way back home.
14. A Walk in the Woods
Rated: R
Starring: Robert Redford, Nick Nolte, Emma Thompson
A celebrated travel writer returns to his home in New Hampshire after years of living in Britain. But on the eve of his retirement, the 60-year-old decides he’s going to hike over two thousand miles along the Appalachian Trail.
15. A Perfect Getaway
Rated: R
Starring: Milla Jovovich, Steve Zahn, Timothy Olaphant
While on their honeymoon, a pair of newlyweds go on a hike through a secluded region of Hawaii. But their romantic trek takes a dark turn when they run into a group of hikers who claim that a couple in their group has been murdered.
16. The Way
Rated: PG-13
Starring: Emilio Estevez, Martin Sheen, Renee Estevez
When an American hiker dies attempting the trek to Spain’s Santiago de Compostela, his father takes the journey himself in an effort to better understand his son.
17. Tracks
Rated: PG-13
Starring: Mia Wasikowska, Adam Driver, Emma Booth
Traveling with her dog and four camels, an Australian embarks on a solo trip across the desert from Alice Springs to the Indian Ocean.
18. The Forest
Rated: R
Starring: Natalie Dormer, Taylor Kinney, Eion Macken
An American woman becomes determined to find out what happened to her twin sister after she disappears in Japan’s legendary Aokigahara Forest.
19. Wrong Turn
Rated: R
Starring: Charlotte Vega, Emma Dumont, Matthew Modine
While hiking the Appalachian Trail, a group of friends inadvertently come across a hidden community of mountain people who are prepared to use deadly means to protect their way of life.
20. Touching the Void
Rated: R
Starring: Brendan Mackey, Ollie Ryall, Nicholas Aaron
Based on the true story of two young climbers who set out to be the first to reach the summit of the Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes. But while they begin the descent down the mountain one climber breaks his leg in a fall, leaving the other to lower him the rest of the way with ropes.
21. Happiness for Beginners
Rated: PG-13
Starring: Luke Grimes, Ellie Kemper, Nico Santos
A year after her divorce, a young woman signs up for a wilderness survival course, where she discovers that you have to get lost to find yourself.
22. Jungle
Rated: R
Starring: Daniel Radcliff, Alex Russell, Thomas, Kretschmann
After a mysterious guide escorts an adventurer and his friend into the Amazon jungle, their trip turns terrifying as the deadliest threats of the wild force them to fight for survival.
23. Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey
Rated: G
Starring: Kevin Chevalia, Don Ameche, Michael J. Foxx
Before heading out on vacation, a family leaves their pets with a friend. But when the animals start to worry that they’ve been left for good, the furry friends hike together on a treacherous journey to find their way back home.
This is a must-see movie if you’re looking for something family-friendly and are animal lovers!
Outdoor Adventure Documentaries
When it comes to outdoor adventure movies, it doesn’t get much better than watching real-world adventurers take on a new challenge.
Watching these outdoor documentaries will get you inspired to go on an adventure of your own.
24. Mile…Mile and a Half
Directed by: Jason M. Fitzpatrick, Ric Serena
This documentary film follows five friends set out to hike California’s 211-mile John Muir Trail in 25 days, where they’re joined by others who are Inspired by the group’s bond and dedication.
25. Tell it on the Mountain
Directed by: Lisa Diener
A group of hikers leave their jobs and families to trek through the woods on a five-month journey through nature.
26. Almost Sunrise
Directed by: Michael Collins
Two retired soldiers walk across America to confront their demons and discover the power of spiritual healing in this hiking documentary.
27. A New High
Starring: Mike Johnson
An ex-Army Ranger who runs a homeless shelter for addicts leads an expedition up one of the most treacherous mountains in North America to help his patients find a new path.
28. Free Solo
Rated: PG-13
Starring: Alex Honnold, Sanni McCandless, Jimmy Chin
Professional rock climber Alex Honnold attempts to conquer the first free solo climb of El Capitan’s 900-metre vertical rock face at Yosemite National Park in this outdoor adventure documentary.
29. 180 Degrees South
Rated: PG
Starring: Jeff Johnson, Yvon Chouinard, Keith Malloy
After looking up to legendary hikers Yvon Chouinard and Doug Tompkins, adventurer Jeff Johnson attempts to retrace their 1968 trip to Patagonia.
We hope this list of best hiking and backpacking movies, as well as, must-see outdoor adventure documentaries help you get inspired to get into nature!
You can rent and stream this list of the best movies about the outdoors with Amazon Prime.
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