Tell me about planning a backpacking trip.

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > Tell me about planning a backpacking trip.

Motley: Nov 1, 2013

Hello everyone.

Recently (over the past three or four years) I've been getting really in to backpacking, hiking, and camping. I've spent a week in Utah, California, and just recently took two 3 day trips in the Cherokee National Forest, as well as other places around the US, so I feel relatively confident on the trail but I still think I'm new to the whole backpacking thing.. I've also bought a lot of gear! Slowly, I've acquired my own backpack, tent, sleep system, and tons of other outdoor gear that I seem to spend way too much money on. I've been so in to backpacking lately that I have really felt the itch to start planning my own trips. All of my experience has been with trips planned by my schools outdoor program or by very experienced acquaintances, but I have some very close friends that are also interested in backpacking, and we'd all like to go out on some short trips together.

So, despite my experience with hard skills and comfort on trail, I've realized I don't have much experience planning at all. I don't really understand how you choose where to start a trip, plan how far to go each day, figure out where the best places to sleep and to find water are, and that kinda stuff. Basically, I know what to do once I'm out there, I just don't know how to get started.

I live about an hour away from the Great Smokey Mountains National Park, and I'd love to plan a two night or three night trip for myself and a friend or two. How do I go about picking a good route, how do I make sure there is adequate water on the way, and does anyone have any recommendations for trips in this area? Also, one concern I have is overpacking. Packing food for more people than just myself intimidates me, and I'm worried about bringing too little or too much.

I'd love some advice and tips or just tell me your backpacking stories!