If I'm being honest, backpacking The Grand Canyon of Tuolumne in Yosemite was not our favorite trip. Don't get me wrong, it's Yosemite, it's gorgeous everywhere you look. The views are spectacular, the waterfalls are awe-inspiring. But there were several environmental and logistical factors that reduced our enjoyment of this hike. Some of which were our fault and could...

If you like mud, rivers, slot canyons, awesome rock formations, and a vastly varied beautiful landscape, then this trip is for you! Paria Canyon offers some really amazing slot canyon hiking with a vast variety of terrain. The landscape and hiking here is similar to the Zion Narrows, but with almost no people (only 20 overnight permits per day). There...

Download this list as a PDF Essential Backpacking Gear For Any Location This is your standard essential gear that will always be with you on every trip. Trail Backpack: Osprey Backpack I just got an Osprey Atmos 65 backpacking pack from REI and I love it! It comes with a day pack inside the pack that can be fully removed, hydration sleeve,...

Hiking in the Valley of Fire State Park in NV is a very unique experience and a great way to see the attractions of the park. There are lots of incredible rock formations which create some stunning landscapes. It's a relatively small park and most of it can be seen in just one day (things to do in Valley...

I love the Platypus GravityWorks 4L Water Filter! So much so that I decided to write a review about it. It saved our butts on our last desert backpacking trip. But it's not a completely perfect system, so this will still be an objective review. Treating your water is is crucial when in the backcountry and it's important to choose...

The hike through Peek-a-boo Gulch and Spooky Gulch is so fun!! While you can do them separately, they are usually done together as a modified loop. It's a fairly short hike to get to the Gulches and navigating them is like an adult obstacle course. Located in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in Utah, this is an adventurous hike...

The West Fork of Oak Creek trail was one of our favorites in Sedona. It's a hike through a beautiful gorge which follows along the creek and provides ample shade, fantastic views, and the opportunity to do some exploring. It's a relatively easy hike with big pay offs and also provides a big change from the other surround red rock...

The North Fork Trail of Big Pine Creek to the 7 alpine Big Pine Lakes is definitely one of the prettiest and best hikes in the Eastern Sierras, and probably one of my favorites - once you get past the elevation gain and sun exposer. These turquoise lakes are absolutely gorgeous juxtaposed against the crags mountains. This hike is...

The Lost Coast is an untouched pristine section of coastline where the forest marches to the sea and backpacking the Lost Coast Trail is a bucket list item for many people. Located in the King Range National Conservation Area of Northern California, this remote trail offers stunning black sand beaches pressed against steep craggy towering mountains. This coastline is...

Overnight backpacking permits for the Zion Narrows are like gold - they are incredibly hard to get and go very quickly once they become available. Day hiking permits are much easier and far less competitive. You do not need a permit if you are day hiking from the Bottom, up. Anyone at any time can wander into the bottom portion...