How to Plan Your First Multi-Day Backpacking Trip

Are you hoping to go on your first multi-day backpacking trip?

A multi-day backpacking trip involves hiking for multiple days and camping along the trail. It can be challenging and hard work, but it can also be a very rewarding experience. If you want to go beyond day hiking, backpacking might be for you.

But like I said, your first multi-day backpacking trip isn’t going to be easy.

I created the following guide to help you plan your trip. With my guide, it can be a lot easier than it would be without any direction at all. But you will have to put in some work and make the best final decisions you can at the end of the day.

8 Steps to Plan Your First Multi-Day Backpacking Trip

With this guide, I’ll break down how to plan your first multi-day backpacking trip in eight steps. This will make planning and doing the trip easier for you. It’s better to plan so you have an idea of what to do rather than just wing it.

 

Step 1: Choose Your Destination

Embark on your planning journey by carefully selecting the perfect destination for your inaugural multi-day backpacking trip. This crucial decision will set the tone for your entire adventure, so take your time and choose wisely.

Research different trails in your area. Look for trails that are rated for beginners and allow backpacking. You can use apps and websites, such as Avenza, All Trails, and The Hiking Project, to find these trails.

Get an understanding of the terrain, difficulty, elevation, and distance for each trail that you are researching:

The terrain is the type of trail you’ll walk on, like dirt, rocks, mountains, etc.

Difficulty is usually defined as easy, moderate, or rugged. Easy is most likely what you would want to start out with.

The elevation gives you a clue of how hilly the trail is.

You’ll also want to note the distance and especially the distance between campsites.

You might also want to try more popular backpacking trails first. It might not sound as fun being in an area with more people, but if you’re new to it and something goes wrong, more people might mean more of a chance of being rescued or getting help if you require it.

 

Step 2: Plan Your Itinerary

For your first multi-day backpacking trip, a comprehensive itinerary is a must. This detailed plan will ensure you have the best possible experience, providing a sense of security and organization throughout your journey.

Try to break down your hike into manageable daily segments. For example, if the hike is 12 miles in length, you could break it down into 6 miles each day, which could be difficult, or even four miles each day, which might be a lot easier for a first-timer.

Try to find a similar day hiking trail with the distance and difficulty rating of the number of miles you plan to hike each day. Hike that trail and see how long it takes you. This will give you an opportunity to estimate your daily distances and how long it might take. Factor in how you might feel the next day after hiking that many miles, too.

If you can find information about rest stops along the trail, make sure you include it in your planning. Look for designated campsites along the trail and include ones you don’t plan to camp at but could use as alternative sites just in case you need one. Make sure there are plenty of water sources along the way, or plan to take more water than you’ll need.

As you plan your adventure, remember to leave no trace. Consider how you’ll manage waste and trash, and always respect your fellow hikers and the natural environment. Your responsible actions can help preserve the beauty of the wilderness for future generations.

Step 3: Get the Right Gear

Choosing the right gear is essential for a successful multi-day backpacking trip. Consider factors such as weight, durability, and comfort when selecting your gear. Research and read reviews to ensure you’re getting the best gear for your needs.

Mark the following items off your list to ensure that you have packed everything you need to comfortably enjoy a multi-day backpacking adventure:

• Backpack: Get a backpack that’s made for backpacking. Try to understand the liter system in terms of what you need to pack. I use an 80-liter backpack when I go multi-day backpacking.
• Shelter: Decide on your shelter system, such as a tent, hammock, bivvy, or tarp system. Consider weather, temperature, and other elements when deciding on what’s best.
• Sleep System: Bring what you need to sleep comfortably for multiple days. This might include a sleeping bag (rated for the temperature you’ll be in), a sleep pad, and a pillow.
• Navigation Tools: Bring multiple forms of navigation, such as a map, compass, GPS, or phone app. Make sure to bring charging cords and battery packs for electronic navigation tools.
• Cooking System: Bring a cooking system such as a pocket stove, fuel/gas for the stove, cookware, eating utensils, and spices.
• Food and Water: Bring more food and water than you’ll need just in case something happens, and you are out there longer. Bring a water filter and know how to use it. Also, bring something to store your food in while you sleep, especially in Bear Country.
• Clothing and Layers: Wear comfortable hiking clothing made of moisture-wicking and breathable materials such as wool, spandex, nylon, and polyester. Bring extra clothing for layering. Bring rain gear.
• First Aid Kit: Bring a first aid kit with supplies that you know how to use. Don’t bring items with you that you don’t know how to use. It’s just dead weight.
• Light Sources: Bring at least two forms of light, such as a flashlight and a headlamp. Bring extra batteries for each light.
• Survival Items: Bring basic survival items and tools such as waterproof matches, a shock blanket, a rain poncho, a knife, a folding saw, and a gear repair kit.
• Personal Items: Hygienic items, toilet paper, sunscreen, and bug spray.

Make sure you wear comfortable boots or shoes made for hiking. Ensure your footwear is well broken in.

Preparing physically for a multi-day backpacking trip is as important as planning and packing. Start with regular hikes to build endurance and strength. Consider adding weight to your backpack gradually to simulate the conditions of your trip. Also, work on your cardiovascular fitness and leg strength to handle the uphill and downhill sections of the trail.

If you’re in an area where you can rent hiking gear, you might rent instead of buy. You might not like backpacking after you’re done, so if you can rent, try to do that first. But after you’re done and you find you love it, you will have a better buying plan based on the gear you rented and what worked and what didn’t work.

 

Step 4: Pack Properly

Packing your backpack properly is essential if you want to enjoy your first multi-day backpacking trip properly.

The bottom of your pack should be reserved for heavier items that you will not use as much while hiking. These include your sleeping bags, tent/hammock, sleeping pad, and nighttime items.

The middle of your pack is where your food and camp kitchen items should go.

The top of your pack is where you put the gear you will use the most while hiking. This is your snacks, navigation, insulation layers, and first aid kit.

If your pack has a lid pocket or external pockets, use them to store rain gear, lights, personal items, and survival tools.

Try to pack each side of your pack evenly and make sure you pack based on the liter measurement of your backpack.

Heavy and uneven backpacks will only result in discomfort and potential injuries.

 

Step 5: Plan Your Meals

Be sure to plan your meals when planning your first multi-day backpacking trip, as eating and drinking will be the most important part of your trip.

Bring food that you can store without temperature requirements. You don’t want to bring anything that requires storage in a warm or cold environment.

Bring food that will give you fuel because you’ll need it as you hike. You want to bring stuff with carbs for fuel and energy. However, you don’t want to bring unhealthy food that might upset your stomach or make you have to use the bathroom a lot.

Pack enough food and snacks to last you for the number of days you plan to backpack. Bring a little more than what you’ll need just in case you have to stay longer due to getting lost or if you get hurt and can’t leave.

You should also bring something that adds electrolytes to your hydration, as this will help you refuel yourself as you hike.

 

Step 6: Physical Preparation

Try to do a little bit of training before embarking on your first multi-day backpacking trip.

When training for a multi-day hike, you want to build stamina, strength, and endurance. You can build these by simply doing more day hiking, doing more strenuous day hikes for interval training, cardio such as cycling and swimming, and even weight training. It’s good to build muscle all over the body because you’ll use every muscle when backpacking.

Take your loaded backpack when doing day hikes. This will help you build strength and get used to your backpack. At first, do shorter hikes and increase the mileage based on your comfort level.

Make sure you mentally prepare to be in nature for multiple days, too. Going backpacking requires a strong body and mind.

 

Step 7: Safety and Navigation

It’s important to know how to navigate on your first multi-day backpacking trip.

You should bring a map, compass, GPS, or phone app for navigation. You should also know how to use anything you bring with you. If you don’t know how to use it, it will be useless when you need it the most.

Try to stay on the trail. Get familiar with things along the way. If you get lost, you’ll have things to look for to help you get back on the right trail. Study the trail map before you go hiking so that you have an idea of how to hike it.

Consider basic first aid and safety knowledge before going on your backpacking trip. You need to understand how to use the supplies in your first aid kit and how to face certain safety incidents, such as falls, wildlife encounters, and severe weather.

Try not to backpack alone if you can help you. You might also consider hiring a guide for your first multi-day backpacking trip if you’re able to.

Make sure you tell someone where you are going before you leave for your trip. They can help first responders find you if you don’t make it back home.

 

Step 8: Camp Setup and Trail Etiquette

Planning for how you will camp and how you will use the trail is also an important matter.

You need to choose a great campsite. This will often occur while backpacking because you need to see it in person. Choose a campsite on flat ground. You want to be close to water but not in a flood zone. You want to set up your camp and cooking area away from the wind.

If you’re in bear country, make sure you find a good spot away from your sleeping area to hang up your food and hydration. Never sleep with these items in bear country; otherwise, you risk an encounter with a bear.

Plan to arrive at your campsite with enough time to set up and cook before it gets too dark.

Plan for your hygiene. This includes things like cleaning up and bathing each night, using the restroom, and disposing of waste properly. Dig a cathole for human waste and bury it.

Plan for basic trail etiquette. You’ll need to make sure you share the trail with others, respect others who may be camping around you, and respect other hikers and especially wildlife that depend on the area you’re using.

 

Final Tips for a Multi-Day Backpacking Trip

Pay attention to these final tips for your first multi-day backpacking trip.

The biggest tip is to be able to adapt to change. Whether it’s closures, the weather, availability, or other natural or even man-made issues, you need to be prepared for change. Change happens more than anything in nature, and most of the time, we can’t control it.

Nature can be challenging, raw, and rough. Be prepared for challenges and try to look at issues positively.

Consider post-trip lessons learned. Get plenty of rest and recovery after your hike. Reflect on the experience and use those reflections to plan for a better experience if you want to go on another backpacking trip in the future.

 

Multi-Day Backpacking Trip Final Thoughts

If you haven’t already, I recommend you enjoy your first multi-day backpacking trip. My first trip was amazing, and I learned a lot about myself as a backpacker. I think you’ll have an amazing experience, too, if you plan it using the advice above.

For those of you who have already gone on your first multi-day backpacking trip, comment below with what you learned and what you wish you would have done differently.

If you enjoyed this article and would like to support me in writing it, consider buying me a pizza or even becoming a Patreon Member.

Join my free online discussion forum, The Hiking Forum, where we discuss hiking and backpacking from all over the world.

I have a monthly newsletter that’s also free and I welcome you to subscribe!

And until next time, I’ll see you on the trail!

Please Support Hiking with Shawn

Alrighty folks, I hope you have enjoyed this content. I provide it for free and it takes a while to create. If you would be so kind enough to support my efforts, you can do so by sharing this post with others, especially on social media. Be sure to subscribe to my YouTube Channel to see my latest videos, shorts and live streams. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok for unique content that you will only find on those pages. You might also join my Southern Illinois Hiking & Outdoor Resources Group on Facebook, too!

You can also support me by becoming a Patreon Supporter for as little as $3/month and you can cancel anytime (no contracts or catches). Patreons get access to extra features, exclusive articles, sticker packs, gifts and more. Consider buying official Hiking with Shawn Merchandise as another way to support me. I spend a lot of money on Hiking with Shawn and because of extremely high public land permit fees, I make very little money in return so everything helps.

Thanks again for checking out another one of my articles and until next time, I’ll see you on the trail!