How To Plan Your First Backpacking Hike?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

, , , ,

Choose an easy destination: Short overnight hikes close to home are best. Get essential gear and clothing: Borrow and scrounge gear to save money. Plan your food: Just-add-water meals can be found at your local REI, or find easy to cook options at regular grocery stores. Also pack plenty of snacks for trail fuel.

How far can a beginner backpacker hike in a day?

Many beginning hikers wonder how many backpacking miles per day they can expect to cover. On average, a backpacker with some experience usually treks at speeds ranging from 2.5 to 3.5 miles per hour. At this speed, if you hike for 7 hours each day of your trip, you can trek between

17.5 and 24.5 miles

.

How do Beginners plan hiking?

  1. Plan ahead, and check the weather. …
  2. Stay prepared by bringing the essentials. …
  3. Make sure you have the proper amount of food and water. …
  4. Choose the right shoe/sock combo. …
  5. Pack your phone, and make sure it’s charged. …
  6. Always carry a source of light. …
  7. Read up on basic first-aid.

How do I prepare for my first hike?

  1. Start small and choose the right trail for your fitness level. …
  2. Familiarize yourself with the trail. …
  3. Check the weather. …
  4. Tell someone where you will be. …
  5. Pack the 10 essentials. …
  6. Wear the right shoes and socks. …
  7. Dress for success. …
  8. Keep it light.

What kind of experience do I want my first backpacking trip to be?

The focus of your first backpacking trip should be to have

a new adventure, get used to carrying a pack and start learning the roads of outdoor exploration

. Not to beat speed records. That’s why I recommend choosing a mellow trail and keeping it fairly short.

How should I prepare for backpacking?

  1. Go on day hikes with a backpack on. …
  2. Go on Longer Day Hikes. …
  3. Decide Where You Want to Go. …
  4. Check Which Permits You Will Need for Your Trip. …
  5. Make Sure You Have All the Necessary Supplies. …
  6. Bring Enough Food and Water. …
  7. Get Friends to Go With You.

Can a person hike 20 miles a day?


Yes, you can hike 20 miles a day

, but you need the right kind of fitness in order to back it up day after day. It is possible to hike 20 miles without being super fit, although you most likely will be quite sore the next day.

Is 20 miles a long walk?

Trained Walkers

But how far could a fit, trained person walk in eight hours? Many trained walkers finish a 26.2-mile walker-friendly marathon in about seven hours, with no breaks.

If a walker is well-trained and is taking breaks and a meal stop, then 20 miles a day is reasonable.

Is a 10 mile hike long?

A 10-mile hike can take

between 4 and 10 hours

, depending on the pace, trail surface, elevation gain, and pack weight. Additional variables can affect the amount of time it takes to hike this distance, such as your level of fitness, the number of rest breaks you take, and the weather.

Can you lose weight hiking?

In general, hiking burns more calories than walking because it utilizes steeper paths. Yet,

per half an hour, hiking burns fewer calories than running

. This form of outdoor exercise offers several benefits, including improvements in weight loss, mental health, and lower body strength.

How do I get over my fear of hiking?

  1. Pick A Popular, Easy Trail The First Time You are Hiking Alone.
  2. Solo Hiking Essentials.
  3. Bring A PLB.
  4. Bring Bear Spray And/Or A Knife.
  5. Let Someone Know Where You Are.
  6. Don’t Push Yourself Beyond Your Limits.
  7. Safety Tips For Hiking Alone: Be Vigilant.
  8. The Positives Of Hiking On Your Own.

What should you not do while hiking?

  • Never go off the trail. …
  • Never play loud music. …
  • Never wear headphones while walking. …
  • Never drink alcohol while hiking. …
  • Never eat wild fruits. …
  • Never litter. …
  • Never attend nature’s call near the stream. …
  • Never ignore any medical condition.

What are the 7 tips for hiking?

  • Start easy and find a good trail that meets your fitness level. …
  • Check the weather. …
  • File a trip report. …
  • Pack the Ten Essentials. …
  • Function over fashion. …
  • Drink and eat well. …
  • Follow trail etiquette aka Leave No Trace.

What is a good distance to aim for if you are a beginner hiker?

Somewhere in the 5-Mile Range Is a Good Starting Point

There’s no one single rule for beginning hiker distance. Still, it’s easier to work your way up progressively if you go in increments of five miles, which means a good rule of thumb is to start with hikes of

5 miles or less

.

What are the basic skills in hiking?

  • Plan your Trip. As with many things, the devil is in the detail when it comes to walking; as the saying goes, if you fail to prepare, you prepare to fail! …
  • Be Equipped. …
  • Check the Conditions. …
  • Pick your Shoes and Socks Wisely. …
  • Pace Yourself. …
  • Leave No Trace.

How long should first backpacking be?

Pick a trail that is manageable for you as a beginner backpacker and will give you a great experience without being too challenging. Try to pick a shorter trail that’s close to home. A good goal for beginner backpackers is

5-6 miles a day

, especially if you aren’t used to carrying a lot of weight.

How much water should you bring backpacking?

“During the hike, a good goal is to drink

6 to 12 ounces of water or sports drink every 15 to 20 minutes

.” (http://www.backpacker.com/skills/the-essential-rules-of-performance-nutrition/). Ideally, you want to drink small amounts often, and be taking your last sip as you approach the next source.

What should I ask a hiker?

  • Make Sure You Actually Like The Person. First and foremost, you need to make sure you actually like the person as a person. …
  • Hiking Speed. …
  • Start Time. …
  • Experience Level. …
  • Mileage. …
  • Camping Styles. …
  • Hobbies Along the Trail.

How do I train for a 20 mile hike?

  1. Take yourself out for a walk two or three times during the week. Make sure to move briskly enough to get your heart rate up, and then keep it up for at least 30 minutes.
  2. Be sure to wear the same shoes that you’ll be wearing on your hike. …
  3. Carry a lightly-weighted daypack on your weekday walks.

Does backpacking build muscle?

Hiking with a backpack involves a seemingly endless amount of stepping up and over things. This exercise

builds strength and endurance in your glutes and quad muscles

so you can handle whatever obstacles you’ll encounter along the trail.

Does hiking build muscle?

Just like weightlifting I’ve been doing it for years, and can personally attest to its amazing physical benefits.

Hiking can help most people build leg muscle

. If you’re an advanced weightlifter or athlete, hiking won’t increase muscle hypertrophy, but you can still improve your endurance and cardiovascular system.

How many miles is 10 000 steps?

An average person has a stride length of approximately 2.1 to 2.5 feet. That means that it takes over 2,000 steps to walk one mile and 10,000 steps would be

almost 5 miles

.

Is 7 miles a long hike?


Hiking 7 miles will take approximately 2 to 7 hours

, depending on the pace, trail surface, and pack weight. Additional variables such as the elevation gain and the number of breaks you will take during the hike can affect how long it takes to hike 7 miles.

Can you hike too much?

Hiking too Far or too Fast too Soon

Much like adding weight to your pack, you also have to earn the right to add miles to your day.

When you start a long trail with an overly ambitious itinerary you have a higher risk of sustaining an overuse injury.

How much walking a day is too much?

How much walking is too much? There’s no one number or formula that will tell you how much walking is too much. While some people get

more than 10,000 steps per day

as part of their daily job, others need to put in effort to get half that.

How many miles is 10 hours walking?

Miles Relaxed Pace Normal Pace 9 miles 3 hrs 2 hrs, 15 mins
10 miles

3 hrs, 20 mins 2 hrs, 30 mins
11 miles 3 hrs, 40 mins 2 hrs, 45 mins 12 miles 4 hrs 3 hrs

Is it possible to walk 100 miles a day?


The strict walking requirement is what makes walking a 100 miles in a day harder than running that distance

, according to those who have done both. To travel 100 miles in 24 hours, you have to average 1 mile every 14 minutes and 24 seconds.

Timothy Chehowski
Author
Timothy Chehowski
Timothy Chehowski is a travel writer and photographer with over 10 years of experience exploring the world. He has visited over 50 countries and has a passion for discovering off-the-beaten-path destinations and hidden gems. Juan's writing and photography have been featured in various travel publications.