In today’s increasingly wired world, overnight backpacking trips are a golden chance to unplug and experience a simpler type of life. But that doesn’t mean you have to go it alone. This expert overnight backpacking trip tips provides gear and guidance on the trail, simplifying your preparation and easing any concerns.
Picking the Right Trip
Day hiking offers a delightful way to immerse in nature, is accessible, requires a minimal time commitment, and is entry-level with limited gear or experience. For avid day hikers considering overnight treks, backpacking elevates the experience. It allows for extended exploration, pushing boundaries, and deeper connections with oneself and hiking companions away from civilization.
Venturing into backcountry camping can be daunting at first. If apprehensive, consider starting with car camping—a chance to practice gear setup and familiarize yourself with an easy exit if needed. Progress to short overnight trips, beginning with just a few miles. While backpacking demands more planning than day hikes, fret not—here’s a comprehensive guide to transition seamlessly.
Some people thrive on negotiating harsh terrain in remote locations; others prefer long, easy rambles. Before you select a trip, take overall trip length and terrain difficulty into account. Gauging trip length isn’t always about how many miles you walk; it’s also about how long you’ll be out on the trail.
Each guide company will be able to tell you:
- Approximately how many miles you should expect to walk per day
- Any major terrain challenges you might encounter
- What sort of physical condition you should be in to tackle the trip
Also consider what you’ll need to carry on any trip you are considering. Unless you have the privilege of pre-planned supply stops, you can expect to carry at least two pounds of food per person per day. That can really add up on long trips. So can the weight of water (which weighs about 8 pounds per gallon, or 2 pounds per liter) if you have to walk a long way between water supplies.
If you want to do a backpacking trip that’s beyond your capability right now, work up to it by taking a beginner backpacking course and doing lots of day hiking with a heavy pack to build up your stamina.
Overnight Backpacking Trip Tips: Making Sure You’re ReadyÂ
There are several things you can (and should!) do before you leave on your backpacking trip to ensure that you’re properly prepared:
Equipment
Much of your day hiking gear transitions seamlessly to backpacking: boots, navigation tools, hiking attire, and a first aid kit remain essential. However, you’ll require additional gear for sleeping and sustenance in the backcountry. Fortunately, you need not invest upfront—novices can rent overnight essentials like tents, backpacks, and sleeping bags before committing to purchases or borrowing from acquaintances. For occasional backpackers, renting gear proves cost-effective and eliminates storage concerns. In addition to your standard hiking ensemble, here’s what you’ll need:
Backpack
As you’ll be carrying additional gear, opt for a pack of suitable size. Consider a 40- to 60-liter pack for overnight outings, ensuring it fits your body well. Especially for beginners, prioritize comfort and support the overweight. Seek assistance from sales associates at rental or retail outlets to ensure a proper pack fit.
Your shelter serves as your sanctuary while on the trail. Note that tents designed for car camping tend to be too cumbersome and weighty for extended backpacking excursions. While you might utilize your car camping gear for brief overnight trips, investing in a lightweight tent, ideally weighing no more than 3 lbs. per person, is advisable. Consider the number of occupants and potential weather conditions when selecting a tent.
Sleep System
Your sleeping bag and pad are pivotal in ensuring comfort and safety during backpacking. With a restful night’s sleep, your enjoyment of the trip may improve. Like tents, sleeping bags intended for front-country use, reminiscent of ones used during middle school sleepovers, may not be suitable for backcountry camping. Choose a bag with a temperature rating aligned with the anticipated weather conditions. Bringing a 40°F summer-weight bag on a 30°F night could lead to discomfort. Unless you’re prone to claustrophobia, a mummy bag is likely your best option—the snug fit helps retain heat, ensuring warmth throughout the night and conserving pack space. Consider various factors such as fill material (synthetic versus down), packability, and more when selecting a bag.
Sleeping Pad
Your sleeping pad is equally vital for warmth and comfort, albeit with simpler considerations. Inflatable pads offer comfort and are easily packable (opt for an insulated model for three-season usage). Alternatively, foam pads are excellent options for budget-conscious beginners and individuals aiming to reduce pack weight.
Extra Clothing
Besides your typical hiking attire, additional clothing is essential for camp activities and emergencies. Pack a set of baselayers for sleeping, spare socks, and cozy layers for chilly evenings and mornings around camp. Unless you’re in a warm climate, bringing a hat and gloves is advisable, even during summer. While mild discomfort may be tolerable on a day hike, overnight trips require readiness for any weather conditions you may encounter.
Meal Planning
Indulging in a warm meal after a day of hiking is immensely gratifying. The required calorie intake during your trip varies based on factors like pack weight, body weight, altitude, hiking intensity, and temperature. As a rough estimate, aim to consume approximately twenty-five to thirty calories for every pound of body weight on days with strenuous hiking. Additionally, it’s wise to pack extra food for overnight trips, ensuring ample sustenance.
Water Purification
Veteran day hikers accustomed to scorching conditions likely have their water filtration method perfected. For novice backpackers, a lightweight filter such as a Sawyer Squeeze or Katadyn BeFree is recommended over chemical treatments or UV light. These filters effectively remove bacteria and typical backcountry impurities. While purifiers eliminate viruses and heavy metals, they’re generally excessive for most North American hikers.
Additional Equipment
In addition to essential gear like a headlamp, trowel, TP or WAG bags, bear canister or bear bag, toiletries, and a repair kit, ensure you carry the ten essentials on your backpacking journey. To enhance your backcountry experience, consider packing optional items such as a camping pillow, book or journal, deck of cards, camp chair, and comfortable shoes for camp lounging.
Packing
With all your gear assembled, it’s crucial to pack your backpack efficiently. A well-organized pack can ensure a comfortable hike, prevent a sore back, and minimize the risk of misplaced gear or discomfort. When packing, prioritize keeping essential items dry, utilize all available space, maintain balance, ensure easy access to frequently used items while hiking, and distribute weight evenly for optimal comfort.
Trip Planning
Opt for a simple route with minimal mileage and gradual elevation changes for your inaugural overnight adventure. Remember that you’ll likely move slower with a full pack than a typical day hike. Utilize helpful apps like Gaia GPS to discover route suggestions, trail details, and maps. Plan by identifying potential camping spots through discussions with friends, consulting rangers, online research, or making campsite reservations. Before embarking, ensure that camping is permitted in your chosen area and obtain any required permits from the relevant land management authority.
Prioritize safety by leaving a detailed itinerary with a trusted friend or family member, including your anticipated return time. Communicate when they should initiate assistance if you fail to return as planned.
On the Trail
Maintain Your Pace
Carrying essentials can be tiring, so take frequent breaks and replenish your energy with snacks and water (aim for 200 calories per hour).
Navigation Essentials
While shorter hikes may have been less demanding on navigation, staying on course for longer treks is crucial. Brush up on map reading and GPS skills, and always carry a map of the area. Opt for well-marked trails for your first overnight adventure.
Water Sources
Plan to carry about a gallon of water per person daily, with more in hot weather. Refill one to three liters throughout the day from rivers or lakeside trails. Check maps and consult with local authorities for reliable water sources.
Choosing a Campsite
Look for sheltered spots away from wind and elements, preferably near trees or hills. Ensure easy water access, but pitch tents should be at least 200 feet from shorelines. Respect established campsites and follow Leave No Trace principles.
Backcountry Bathroom
Know the rules for waste disposal in your area—some require packing out waste, others allow burial in catholes. Practice proper hygiene, and always go at least 200 feet from water and trails. Consider carrying a pee cloth for convenience.
Food Storage
Protect your food from wildlife using bear canisters or hanging food in tree-dense areas. Learn proper food storage techniques beforehand.
Leave No Trace
Adhere to Leave No Trace guidelines to reduce your environmental impact. Pack out trash, reduce your footprint, and be a responsible trail user.
Remember, learning comes with experience. Embrace the adventure, prioritize safety, and relish the journey!
Six Overnight Backpacking Trip Examples
There are many opportunities to take guided overnight trips in the United States. Six great options to consider include:
- Continental Divide in Colorado: Traverse the Continental Divide in a two-day, one-night trip with Colorado Wilderness Rides and Guides. Expect to hike 6 to 8 miles each day, and keep in mind that the high elevation – between 8,500 and 12,300 feet – poses an extra challenge. Taken together, the terrain, altitude and distance make this a moderate-to-challenging hike. If you have the requisite fitness level, the hike’s short duration makes it the perfect learning opportunity for beginners.
- Appalachian Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains: Spend four days and three nights on the Appalachian Trail with REI Adventures. This vigorous outing follows the trail through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and is a good challenge for fit beginners who are ready to learn from the guides. Be ready for some flexibility in the trip itinerary. You might hike up to 13 miles in a day, depending on availability for the primitive trail shelters you’ll stay in along the way.
- Grand Canyon (North and South Rims): Hike down into the Grand Canyon and back up the other side with O.A.R.S. This five-day, four-night trip uses lodge accommodations on the North Rim, plus a couple of nights at Phantom Ranch down in the canyon and a final night on the South Rim. The lodge accommodations make this a beginner-friendly trip, but keep in mind that you’ll have two extra-long days to deal with: a 14-mile hike down into the canyon on the second day, followed by a strenuous 10-mile hike back up the other side on the second-to-last day.
- Yosemite Grand Traverse: For a grand challenge, tackle the Yosemite Grand Traverse with the award-winning Southern Yosemite Mountain Guides. This 60-mile traverse takes in the Yosemite Valley’s most iconic sights over seven days and six nights. This moderate-to-challenging trip is best for intermediate hikers, thanks to its distance and duration, although confident beginners would still have a lot of fun.
- Alaska’s Wrangell-St. Elias National Park: Experience some of Alaska’s most breathtaking landscapes and magnificent wildlife with a seven-day, six-night trip along the Chitina River in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park with Expeditions Alaska. You don’t have to be an experienced backpacker to take this trip, but you should have a lot of experience day hiking in challenging terrain. This moderate to strenuous trip varies between 2,000 to 5,000 feet in elevation, and starts with a ride in a small airplane from the tiny town of McCarthy, Alaska.
- New Hampshire’s Backcountry: Add a new dimension to your adventure by taking a guided winter backpacking trip with Outdoor Escapes in New Hampshire. You can choose a custom trip length for your private party ranging from two to ten days. Because these private trips are customized to your group’s goals and ability level, they’re suited for anybody from beginner to expert. Be aware that January through April trips are usually conducted on snowshoes.
For more guided backpacking trip ideas, see EveryTrail.com. You can filter your search by location, activity and popular itineraries.
Conclusion:
Backpacking offers a unique wilderness experience, immersing you in nature like no other. It’s a chance to witness breathtaking sunrises, sunsets, and starry skies, while encountering wildlife during their active hours. Trekking deeper into the backcountry unveils hidden gems seldom seen by others. With no screens to distract, it’s an opportunity to truly disconnect and gain self-confidence by mastering new skills and embracing self-reliance away from the comforts of home.