How to Plan a Multi-Day Backpacking Trip (Step by Step)
A practical, step-by-step guide to planning a multi-day backpacking trip — from picking a route and setting daily mileage to permits, water, food, and gear.
Read more →The Trailfold Blog
Practical guides for planning better multi-night backpacking trips.
GPX Files for Backpacking: Import, Export, and Why They Matter
What GPX files are and how backpackers use them — importing and exporting routes between tools, and the plan-at-home, navigate-in-the-field workflow.
Read more →Planning Water on a Backpacking Trip
How to plan water for backpacking — finding reliable sources, sizing your carry capacity, handling dry stretches, and building your itinerary around water.
Read more →How to Read a Topographic Map for Backpacking
Learn to read a topographic map for backpacking — contour lines, spotting ridges and valleys, judging steepness, and turning a topo into an elevation profile.
Read more →Backpacking Permits Explained: How to Find and Get the Ones You Need
A clear guide to backpacking permits — when they're required, where to find them on Recreation.gov and NPS sites, and how lotteries and walk-up permits work.
Read more →How Many Miles Should You Hike Per Day Backpacking?
How far to hike per day backpacking, and why mileage alone lies. How pace, terrain, and elevation change the math, and how to build a realistic daily plan.
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