BACKPACKING 101
If there's one thing I've learned over the past few years, it's that you don't have to be an expert to start backpacking, you just have to be willing to take that first step.
For years, I dreamed about venturing into the backcountry, but I convinced myself I wasn't experienced enough or didn't know enough to do it. Once I finally took the leap, I quickly realized that every backpacker starts somewhere. Since then, I've fallen in love with the adventure and have been lucky enough to share some of my favorite trails with friends and family, helping them experience their first backpacking trips too.
I'm not a professional guide or outdoor educator. I'm simply someone who loves being outside, loves learning, and loves sharing what I've learned along the way. Everything you'll find here comes from my own experiences, Wilderness First Aid training, countless hours of research, and, admittedly, a fair share of trial and error.
My hope is that if you've been dreaming about spending a night in the backcountry but aren't quite sure where to begin, this page gives you the confidence to get out there. You'll find resources I've created to make planning your first trip a little less intimidating, including:
A Backcountry Guide for Those Who Wander (Downloadable PDF) - A comprehensive Backpacking 101 Guide
How to Build Your Own Wilderness First Aid Kit, complete with my Amazon shopping list
Gear guides and packing lists
Backpacking itineraries, tips, and lessons learned from the trail
More resources as I continue learning and exploring
Backpacking has introduced me to some of the most beautiful places I've ever seen, challenged me in ways I never expected, and given me confidence that extends far beyond the trail. I hope it does the same for you.
And if you're local and looking for someone to help you take those first steps into the backcountry, I'd genuinely love to hear from you. One of my favorite parts of this community is helping others discover just how incredible these wild places can be.
Downloadable Guides and Itineraries
A Backcountry Guide for Those Who Wander is a 50 page practical and approachable introduction to backpacking, created for anyone who has ever dreamed of spending a night beneath the stars but wasn't quite sure where to begin. Built from years of personal experience, extensive research, and guidance from trusted organizations including the National Park Service, NOLS, the American Red Cross, and Leave No Trace, this downloadable guide is designed to help you build the knowledge and confidence to take that first step into the backcountry.
Inside, you'll find guidance on trip planning, choosing and packing gear, food and hydration, water filtration, Leave No Trace principles, backcountry hygiene, first aid, wildlife safety, navigation, and the most common mistakes new backpackers make. Rather than overwhelming you with technical information, this guide focuses on the practical skills, habits, and mindset that will help you feel prepared before you ever step onto the trail. Along the way, I've included lessons learned from my own adventures, personal recommendations, and tips I wish someone had shared with me before my first backpacking trip.
Whether you're planning your very first overnight adventure or looking to build confidence before tackling longer backcountry routes, my hope is that this guide helps you spend less time wondering if you're ready and more time experiencing the incredible places that await beyond the trailhead.
Coming Fall 2026: An expanded hardcover edition will feature beautiful full color photography, recommended beginner and advanced backpacking routes, printable packing checklists, gear recommendations, trip planning worksheets, and even more stories, tips, and resources to help you confidently explore the outdoors.
Because every great adventure starts with taking that first step.
This itinerary is based on my 2025 adventure through Glacier National Park and southwest Montana, including a five-day backpacking journey on Glacier's iconic North Circle Loop and several days exploring Bozeman afterward. Designed using information from the National Park Service, Recreation.gov, trail reports, and firsthand experience, this guide combines trip logistics, daily mileage and elevation profiles, lodging recommendations, maps, and planning resources into one easy-to-use document.
Whether you're preparing for your own North Circle Loop adventure or simply looking for inspiration for a Montana road trip, this itinerary is intended to remove some of the guesswork from planning. Inside you'll find day-by-day hiking breakdowns, campground information, route notes, estimated hiking times, lodging recommendations in St. Mary, East Glacier, and Bozeman, along with my personal recommendations for restaurants, coffee shops, grocery stores, outdoor outfitters, and local favorites discovered along the way.
The North Circle Loop is widely considered one of the most spectacular backpacking routes in the United States, crossing high alpine passes, glacial valleys, wildflower meadows, and some of the most remote landscapes in Glacier National Park. This guide follows the exact route I completed: Many Glacier → Elizabeth Lake Foot → Stony Indian Lake → Fifty Mountain → Granite Park → Many Glacier.
My hope is that this itinerary helps you spend less time researching and more time experiencing the incredible beauty of Montana. From the rugged wilderness of Glacier National Park to the welcoming mountain-town atmosphere of Bozeman, these are the places, trails, and experiences that made me fall in love with Montana and keep drawing me back year after year.