A Guide to Planning Your Next Epic Outdoor Trip

Are you in need of a good old fashioned adventure? Something that will help you destress and forget about your responsibilities for the weekend? Lucky for you, we know the best remedy for stress...Mother Nature! Whether it is camping, backpacking or a short day trip, exploring the outdoors is alway a good way to lift your spirits and get inspired. We have a few tips that will help you make your trip not only epic but also run smooth!

Choose a Destination

We like to say that the destinations dictates the adventure. In other words, pick any place, whether it is days away or just a few hours away and plan what you will do around it.

You don't have to go far. Chances are you don't have time to drive 15 hours to camp; some of the best places to adventure could be in your backyard and you don't eve know it.  This country has so much to offer, take time to really get informed.

That being said, try to ditch the highway. Get out there...way out there where cellphones and work emails don't matter. Adventure has a whole new feel to it when you don't have to worry about other people or electronics.

Pick an Activity

Now, let's delve into the "destination dictates the adventure" phrase. If you go camping in Denver, Colorado today, one awesome activity you can do is go river rafting. Colorado is famous for it's river rafting routs and tour guides.

However, let's say you pick to go camping on Mt. Baldy in SoCal, river rafting is not an option, instead, you can zip line, mountain bike, or take the classic route, hike. Now, do you see what we mean by destination dictates the adventure?

Research

Always, always, always research your destination. You might think that you know all there is to know about it but you will be surprised at what you find when you hop on the internet and do some research. Maybe you didn't know that Poison Ivy is indigenous to the destination you picked or that it is closed off due to a wild fire. Research facts about where you are going. Here are a few other thing you will want to look up:

Seasons

You have a location and an activity, now figure out the best time to go. Is it during the spring when the snow has began to melt and the rivers are flowing? Or, maybe it is early December when the bears are hibernating. There are so many possibilities.

Destination

You're probably thinking: Destination? I thought I already settled that. Well what we mean here is an EXACT destination. Maybe you picked Santa Barbara, CA as your destinations, but where in Santa Barbara are you going to camp? 

Google Earth is your best friend! You can hone in on a specific area to camp, hike, raft, surf, fish, and so on by using satellite imagery. Just zoom in on an area and photos that have been geotagged with the location you are looking at will pop up so you can have a more detailed look.

Nothing beats a real map though. Search for maps you can print of the area. If that is not an option, make your own. Don't rely on your phone for google maps because it is highly likely that you will not have service where ever you go.

Have a Clear Route

This is a big one. You might think that off roading and exploring routes and paths as you go sounds like a fun and easy plan, but I assure you, this is the most dangerous plan. Not only will you want to make sure that you know how you are getting to your destination whether it is on airplane or bus, but you'll also want to know which route you're going to take to get to the exact destination (where you will be setting up camp).

Most times, you will have to hike to the place you decide to pitch a tent. To avoid getting lost and even stranded, please print out a clear route of how you will get to and from your campsite. The same goes for any hikes or adventures you go on. You don't want to be that person that get's lost on a hike and needs a rescue team!

Having a clear route also means having a clear plan. By having a clear plan you are basically solving problems ahead of time by being prepared. Our advice to you is to always have backup everything. Whether it is a backup spare tire incase your car breaks down or duct tape for patching up holes. Being prepared and having a plan is key.



Check as you Pack

We won't go overly in depth about this because it is the most tedious part of planning a trip. This is where a camping checklist comes in handy! Depending on what you are doing and where you are going, your packing list can be slightly different every time you go on a trip. No matter what you decide to bring, the easiest way to ensure that you do not forget anything is to make a checklist and check each item off as you pack.

Remember Why

Planning an adventure can take so much out of you. The stress of budget and logistics of the whole trip is distracting. SO, remember the reason your are doing this in the first place. You have chosen to go on this adventure for a reason, all the other details are just stepping stones to have the most epic adventure of your life!