How to Prepare for and Plan a Backpacking Trip
Planning a backpacking trip can be one of the most difficult parts of the entire endeavour. Forget the hard hiking, possible animal encounters, and exposure to the elements — it’s the logistics that keep many would-be adventures out of the back country and stationary inside. It’s not that picking a trail is necessarily hard — it’s everything else. And sometimes there are logistical challenges you need to plan for that you never even would have thought to look for.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. With every backpacking trip I’ve planned, I’ve gotten a little better at knowing what questions to ask and where to find the answers. I’ve gotten into a routine for trip planning which I’ve outlined here along with resources I frequently use, and hope you’ll find helpful as well.
A few months out:
Choosing a Trail or Route
This is the fun part — where do you want to hike? Usually I have routes in mind based on podcasts I’ve listened to or word of mouth from backpacking friends, but if you’re looking for some inspiration here are some great resources for finding backpacking trails (some, like Guthook, even come with the map — sweet):
All Trails (many options for filtering trails and features downloadable maps)
Farout (GPS maps of various hiking trails)
The Trek (blogs about many backpacking destinations with a focus on long distance trails)
Backpacking Routes (search by length, season, or region)
A good old fashioned google search (search based on the region you want to visit and the amount of time you have)
If you don’t know where to start, here are some things to consider when researching trails:
Time of year (desert hikes are best in the spring and fall when there’s more water, high elevation hikes are best in July, August and September, after snow has melted and before it starts to fall again, etc.)
Trail type (are you looking for endless high alpine views? Or long, shaded days in the woods?)
Location (do you want a hike close to home or somewhere else?)
Logistics (are you okay with figuring out some logistics, or do you want an easy to plan hike?)
Length (how long do you have to hike? And do you need extra days for travel?)
Traffic/Use (are you okay with seeing lots of other people? Or would you rather have solitude?)
Check if you need permits and secure them if you do
How far in advance planning starts is usually dependent on whether or not the hike I want to do is permitted and, if it is, when those permits are released. Some popular permitted destinations require booking many months in advance while some trails have unlimited, self-issue permits at the trailhead (no advanced planning required). If you’re wanting to do a very popular hike, I recommend starting to research permits as early as the fall the year before. This way you can be ready the day permits open (and often also sell out).
If the trail you’re hoping to hike is in a national park, you can pretty much bank on some aspect of it being permitted. NPS.gov will have all the information for backcountry camping in the park you might be looking at. While most permits for the summer are released sometime in the spring, many parks will reserve a certain number of permits for “walk ups”. If you can be flexible with your itinerary, live close by, or are diligent checking online for openings, this can be a great option later in the season.
If the area you’re hoping to visit is a national forest or some other wilderness designation — the national forest service website will be your new best friend. Each area has a web page with rules and regulations — including permit information (if applicable). If you’re confused or want to double check anything — you can always call the closest ranger station. The phone number will be listed in the column on the left side of the page for the wilderness area you’re trying to visit.
If the trail you’re doing has “self-issue permits” that just means there will be a box, usually close to the beginning of your hike, where you’re required to fill out some information. These are usually for informational and safety purposes, so the forest service can monitor use, and don’t have a limit. Typically they’ll ask you to fill out where you are camping, expected entry and exit dates, how many people are in your party and if you’re traveling with stock. They also usually have a transfer piece, which you should leave in the designated box, and a piece to take with you. TLDR: self-issue permits don’t require you to make advance reservations but you should fill them out when you get there.
Check the regulations of the wilderness area you’ll be visiting
While you’re looking up permit information is a good time to also check the wilderness regulations of the place you’ll be visiting (the info is often found in the same place). Many areas have different rules so you’ll need to check every time you go to a new wilderness area. However, leave no trace principles apply in every area.
Things to look for:
Are there certain areas where camping is off limits? (Some areas require that you camp only in established sites or will close high use areas completely for revegetation)
What should you do with human waste? (some areas require or request the use of wag bags — bags used to pack out your poop)
Do you need to hang your food or bring a bear can?
Are campfires allowed? (some places never allow them and some do, but even in areas that do you will need to check current fire regulations for that specific county — when in doubt, call the ranger station)
If you plan to fish or hunt — what are the fishing and hunting regulations?
Are dogs allowed?
Research the environment and time of year so you can bring/acquire appropriate gear.
This varies widely based on geographical region but it can be helpful to read blogs about the hike you’re wanting to do.
Look up things like the expected weather and water conditions where you’re visiting. And be sure to account for altitude, conditions can vary greatly the higher you get in elevation so make that part of your search as well. If you’re going to be in the Appalachians during the rainy season, you’ll definitely want rain gear and maybe some extra socks. High Sierra in early June? Might be time to pick up an ice axe and some microspikes. The desert in late spring or fall? You may need some extra water carrying capacity. Rocky mountains in the middle of July? You may want to research safe stream crossing techniques.
This is also a good time to research the wildlife you might encounter and what to do if you’re lucky enough to see some. If you’re in grizzly country you’ll want to pick up bear spray and a system to hang your food (probably a good habit in most areas, honestly).
Book any travel needed for your trip
If you’re local to the trail you need to hike AND it’s a loop, congrats you’ve made life easy for yourself. If not, there are
a few logistical things you’ll have to figure out (and likely book) in advance of your adventure.
If you’re from out of town, getting to the trailhead could be the hardest part of your trip. Luckily, many popular hikes have shuttle services so be sure to check online if the trailhead you need to get to has one (and if they service the airport you’re flying into). While this can be pricey, it’s usually your most reliable and least logistically challenging option.
Another option is using regular old public transportation to get as close to your trailhead as possible, and then booking a shuttle from there or trying your luck at hitchhiking. If you are going to book a shuttle, just be sure to give yourself some buffer time in case of delays.
You can also try bribing a friend or searching facebook groups for friendly people in the area who might be willing to give you a ride in exchange for gas money.
Finally, there’s always the option of renting a car; however, it can be hard to stomach paying for days of use when it’s just sitting at a trailhead while you travel on foot.
Note: If you’re doing a point to point and can drive to one trailhead, there are services in some places that will move your car for you while you’re hiking. You could also talk a friend into shuttling you from one end to the other so you can hike back to your car.
A few weeks out:
Alright, you’ve successfully picked your route and honestly, that’s half the battle. There are just a few things you don’t want to leave for the last minute (but also don’t require a ton of time to plan).
Check out trailhead parking (and make a backup plan)
Trailhead parking can vary pretty widely from a nice, paved lot right off the highway to a hard-to-find dirt patch up a road that can only be accessed by a vehicle with four wheel drive. So there are things you’ll want to look out for when researching your potential parking situation:
Does it cost money? (National Forest lots sometimes do, and usually require cash)
Can you park there overnight?
Do you have to get there early to avoid crowds (and do you have a backup plan if it’s full?)
Do you need a 4WD or high clearance vehicle? (and do you have a spare, not a donut, in case the road is rough enough to take out a tire)
Google reviews are a surprisingly helpful source when trying to find info about most trailheads. And there is, of course, always the option of calling a ranger station (seriously rangers are the best!).
Pro tip: be sure to either map the destination while you still have service or take screenshots of your directions, you likely won’t have cell service when you get closer to remote trail heads.
Plan out your camping spots (and backup camping spots) & rough daily mileage
This doesn’t apply if you’ve already acquired permits that designate where you’ll be camping, but in every other case it’s good to have a rough itinerary. It’s especially important if you are going to try for walk up permits (not self-issue) at a national park. Certain popular itineraries can fill up so it’s good to have a rough idea and a backup plan of the camp sites that could work.
Permits aside, having a camping/mileage plan is good for any trip. Depending on the trail you’re doing, camp sites could be few and far between, so it will be good to know if you’re about to pass up the last campsite for the next 10 miles before you do it. If you have your days planned (with backups), you’re also less likely to worry about making enough miles to finish on time (or beat people to camp sites) and instead can enjoy the adventure.
Having a plan is also a great safety measure. You can share rough itineraries with friends and family so they know when to expect you back and what area you’ll be traveling in.
Check the water report & water sources
Water sources (and the distance between them) will dictate how much carrying capacity you bring (and potentially what time of day you do most of your hiking). It’s common practice in the desert to wake up early for some cooler hiking in the morning, rest during the hottest part of the day, and continue hiking in the cooler evening hours to conserve water.
Checking water reports is good not only for knowing where you’ll get drinking water, but also for knowing what stream crossings will be like during your trek. NPS has a great resource for learning how to safely cross rivers, and at this point I’m a broken record but CALL THE RANGERS — they know best what the current water conditions are and how safe crossing might be.
A few days out:
Congratulations! You’ve planned a lot of the difficult stuff, you know where you’re headed and you’re starting to get truly stoked for some quality time in the backcountry. There are just a few last minute things you’ll want to take care of to make sure you get to the trailhead without a hitch (or with one, if that’s part of the plan).
Check the weather
My go-to is checking the weather.com 10 day forecast and screenshotting the predictions for both day and night of each day I’m supposed to be out.
Check the current fire regulations
This is more relevant in the west where there are often fire bans, but is a good habit to get into no matter where you explore. The county you are visiting should have their current fire restrictions online, but it’s always good to re-assess once you’re out and decide if it’s still safe to have a fire (ex: if it’s really windy, probably skip it).
Research current stream crossing or snow conditions
If you checked the water sources a few weeks out like we discussed previously, it’s good to follow up right before you leave to see if conditions have changed at all. It’s also a good time to check the snow conditions so you can be prepared if parts of the trail still have snow.
Pack your food
Self-explanatory, don’t starve.
Check your water filter (& back flush it if applicable)
Make sure your water filter is in working order before it’s too late. I’ve made the mistake of not doing so and suffered through two days of filtering at a trickling pace.
Put plenty of gas in the car
Gassing up the car is especially important if your trailhead is remote. Don’t forget you’ll need gas to get all the way there and back to the closest gas station.
Print/bring your permits (if you need them)
Most areas that require permits require you to have them printed and on your person. If you want to go above and beyond you can even laminate them to protect them from the elements.
Go through your gear checklist
Make sure you’re bringing all the stuff you need to live out of a backpack.
Charge your batteries
If you’re bringing electronic devices, now is a good time to charge ‘em up!
LNT & Have fun!
Don’t forget to leave things better than you found them and have plenty of fun — even if it’s mostly type 2.