When anxiety and depression take over, your mind can feel impossible to quiet. This guide explores how hiking and time in nature can ground you, regulate your nervous system, and bring you back to the present—one step at a time. You don’t need a long trek, just a willingness to step outside and begin.
Category: Backpacking
Backpacking Then and Now: How Hiking Gear Has Evolved from 1950s to Today
From canvas rucksacks and canned food to ultralight gear and GPS apps, backpacking has come a long way since the 1950s. This article traces the history of hiking culture, honoring pioneers like Grandma Gatewood and exploring how gear—and the mindset behind it—has evolved along the Appalachian Trail.
5 Tips for Staying Hydrated on the Trail
Staying hydrated is essential—especially when you’re logging miles under the sun or climbing steep switchbacks. Dehydration can sneak up fast and hit hard, affecting everything from your mood to your muscle performance. Whether you’re heading out for a short loop or a multi-day trek, these five hydration tips will help keep your energy up and…
How to Cowboy Camp: A Beginner’s Guide to Sleeping Under the Stars
Cowboy camping—no tent, just stars overhead—is one of the purest ways to experience the outdoors. This guide breaks down what it is, how to do it safely, and why so many hikers swear by it.
Backpacking Basics: Everything You Need to Know Before Your First Overnight Hike
There’s nothing quite like the feeling of loading up a pack and setting off into the wild—everything you need on your back, the sound of boots on dirt, and miles of open trail ahead. But if you’re new to backpacking, it can feel equal parts exciting and overwhelming. From gear choices to trail etiquette, it’s…
The “Next Stump” Method
There is a better way of accomplishing our goals—what I like to call the Next Stump Method. It’s all about taking the impossible and breaking it down into something possible to achieve.
5 Helpful Tips for Plus-Size Backpackers
Backpacking offers a wonderful opportunity to explore nature, disconnect from daily stressors, and enjoy some revitalizing exercise. However, plus-size individuals often face unique challenges when it comes to hiking and backpacking. Fortunately, with the right preparation and mindset, you can have an enjoyable and fulfilling outdoor experience. Here are five essential tips to help plus-size backpackers make the most of their adventures.
Hike Your Own Hike: What it Means to Me.
It’s about more than pace. One of the most used phrases in the hiking community is hike your own hike. It basically means to go at your own pace and to experience the trail in your own way. For me, a plus-size backpacker, the phrase hike your own hike is about much more than keeping…
Lessons Learned On My First Backpacking Trip.
1. Make sure someone knows your plans! It’s not enough to announce, “I’m going off to hike the Appalachian Trail.”, unless of course you’re planning to hike the entire 2,198 miles of it. If you are planning a solo backpacking trip, it is crucial that someone knows where this adventure is to take place. When…