What is High Country News (hcn.org)?

Updated

High Country News (hcn.org) is an English-language news outlet focused on the American West, covering the region's land, power, identity, public lands, wildlife, and Indigenous affairs. It publishes reported journalism, commentary, and newsletters, and offers a free trial plus paid subscription options. It is a good fit if you want in-depth regional reporting on Western U.S. issues rather than general national or international news.

What it covers

The site's reporting centers on the modern West and the conflicts and communities within it. Based on its homepage, recurring themes include:

  • Land, power, and identity — how historical battles over these continue to shape Western politics.
  • Public lands — for example, Forest Service decisions about highly visited landscapes, and debates over transferring or protecting public land.
  • Indigenous affairs — such as demands for better Indian education in Montana and legal issues affecting American Samoans.
  • Wildlife and environment — bear–human conflict in Montana, hail research in a warming world, and studies linking New Mexico drilling to radiation and air pollution.
  • Money and politics — efforts to curb corporate money in political spending.
  • People and place — first-person and community voices, like a rancher reflecting on sharing Western life online.

How to read it

  • Browse free — the homepage surfaces current and popular stories, so you can sample coverage before committing.
  • Subscribe — a paid subscription link is available at hcn.org/subscribe/.
  • Free trial — the site offers a trial sign-up and a "Get 2 free issues" option at hcn.org/subscribe/trial/.
  • Newsletters — the site promotes newsletter sign-ups for ongoing updates.

Is it for you?

Choose High Country News if your interest is the Western U.S. — its environment, politics, public lands, and communities — and you want reported, regionally grounded journalism. If you need broad national or international coverage, or breaking general news, it is not designed for that. The free trial lets you test whether the coverage and tone match your needs before paying.