Backpacking Tips

Take your wilderness skills to the next level with these backpacking tips. Whether you are a beginner backpacer planning your first trip or an experienced adventurer trying to go go ultralight, this advice will help you hit the trail with confidence.

View of Havasu Falls from above with waterfall cascading into turquoise blue water surrounded by red rock cliffs

Havasu Falls Hike: Your Complete Trail Guide (with map!)

Tent pitched at a backcountry campsite next to a lake

How to Choose a Backcountry Campsite (that follows Leave No Trace)

Kristen Bor backpacking in Sequoia National Park

Backpacking 101 for Beginners: My Tips for Your First Trip

Girl on a backpacking trip in Kings Canyon National Park in Dusy Basin holding a trail map

17 Beginner Backpacking Mistakes to Avoid

a closeup of Kristen Bor drinking water from a hydration reservoir with mountains in the background

10 Tips For Staying Hydrated While Hiking

Protecting your skin from the sun is especially important if you spend lots of time outdoors. Learn all about sun protection for hiking.

Essential Sun Protection Tips For Hikers

A pair of feet hanging out of a backpacking tent with mountains in the distance,

How to Prevent & Treat Hiking Blisters on the Trail

Kristen Bor wearing a mosquito net while hiking in Sequoia National Park

17 Ways to Repel Mosquitos While Hiking and Backpacking

Woman hiking through dry meadow on high alpine hike in Colorado

65+ Essential Hiking Terms You Need to Know (A-Z Glossary)

Bearfoot Theory founder Kristen Bor on a rainy hike in Alaska

23 Tips For Hiking In The Rain: How To Stay Dry and Comfortable

Two people in tent lying on top of double sleeping bag

18 Tips for Sleeping in a Tent Comfortably (Plus, What Not to Do)

Bearfoot Theory founder Kristen Bor on a desert hike in red canyon utah

32 Essential Desert Hiking and Backpacking Tips

Women standing on rocky section of the Mount Olympus Trail overlooking Salt Lake City Utah

22 Hiking Safety Tips Every Hiker Should Know

A woman backpacks through Sequoia National Park wearing a red backpacking pack

How to Pack a Backpacking Pack for a Multi-Day Hiking Trip

Four people squatting around camp stove by lake holding loaded tacos on a backpacking trip

Easy DIY Vegan Backpacking Meal Ideas & Tips (with Recipes!)

Woman hiking on a dirt trail in Colorado with low mountains in the background

How to Train for Hiking & Backpacking: Tips for Preparing for the Trail

Woman doing a quad stretch on trail before a hike

10 Easy Stretches for Hikers and Backpackers

20 tried and true tips for staying warm while cold weather camping. Be prepared & comfortable for cold weather camping regardless of the temperature.

Backcountry Female Hygiene: How to Stay Clean While Camping

Bearfoot Theory founder Kristen Bor hiking the Kaweah Gap with backpacking gear in Sequoia National Park

Knee Pain Hiking Downhill? 10 Tips To Lessen Discomfort on the Trail

Learn how to have a safe campfire and Leave No Trace on your camping trips whether you're toasting s'mores or using a fire to stay warm.

How to Have a Safe Campfire & Leave No Trace

Woman hiking at high elevation on a rocky trail with mountain peaks in the background

How to Increase Your Lung Capacity for Hiking

An orange trowel, toilet paper roll, hand sanitizer, and Ziploc bag laid out on the ground. This is a poop kit for backpackers.

How to Poop Outdoors and Leave No Trace

If you're planning on thru hiking, learn how to train for a thru hike mentally and physically with these tips from PCT and JMT thru hikers.

How to Mentally and Physically Train for a Thru-Hike

Learn how to plan a backpacking trip! From how to pick a trail to what gear to pack, this guide covers all the important planning steps.

How to Plan a Backpacking Trip in 12 Simple Steps

Looking to discover new hikes? Here are the best hiking apps and trail finders to help you navigate and find local trails.

Best Hiking Apps for Finding Local Trails & Navigation

A woman eats an Outdoor Omnivore backpacking meal in the Minnesota Boundary waters

35 Lightweight Vegan Backpacking Food Ideas

Brush up on your outdoor ethics and learn best practices for your adventures with the basic guidelines of Leave No Trace principles.

The 7 Leave No Trace Principles & How to Follow Them

A healthy amount of fear is normal but not when it is holding you back from getting outside and having an adventure! Here are our tips and advice for how to overcome fears of the outdoors.

8 Most Common Outdoor Fears and How to Overcome Them

Mountains and trees juxtaposed next to a blue lake on the John Muir Trail

How To Resupply on the John Muir Trail

Group of hikers on a trail in Colorado with views of meadows, snow-capped peaks and forest

Trail Etiquette 101: The Basic Rules of Hiking

What is cryptobiotic soil and why is it so important? Learn everything you need to know to protect this biological soil crust in the desert.

A Desert Hiker’s Guide to Cryptobiotic Soil: Don’t Bust the Crust!

The best tips for how to avoid tick bites while hiking, including which ticks to watch out for and where; plus how to prevent tick bites on your dog.

How to Avoid Ticks While Hiking

If you've ever been lost while hiking, you know it's a scary thing....but you shouldn't let the fear of getting lost hold you back. In our new blog post, we share essentials tips and tools you need to become a skilled navigator.

How to Avoid Getting Lost While Hiking

Topo graphic map laid out on a table

How to Read A Topographic Map

Heading to a high elevation? Learn how to recognize altitude sickness symptoms & get our tips to avoid and prevent altitude sickness while hiking & traveling.

How to Prevent Altitude Sickness While Hiking at Elevation

Hiking foot pain is not just annoying it's fairly common. We'll share our favorite exercises to keep your feet and muscles happy on the trail.

Eliminating Hiking Foot Pain: Foot Rehab for the Outdoor Enthusiast

A man backpacking with a dog next to a waterfall

13 Tips for Backpacking with a Dog

Kristen Bor with a backpacking pack in looking out over Baron Lakes in Idaho's Sawtooth Mountains

Ultralight Backpacking Tips: 11 Practical Ways to Shave Weight

Prevent dangerous wildlife encounters. Learn wildlife safety tips & what to do if you are attacked by a bear, snake, mountain lion or moose while hiking.

Wildlife Safety Tips & How to Prevent Dangerous Encounters

What are Rock Cairns & Why You Shouldn’t Build Them

What are Rock Cairns & Why You Shouldn’t Build Them