Destination & Route planning – Car camping or backapacking

It’s time to plan your first camping trip and you are researching all the the beautiful destinations. In the camping world, there are two options, 1. Travel by car and camp in or near your vehicle (car camping), and 2 Backpacking, where you travel by foot to your camp destination.

Your decision ultimately comes down to your preference and your appetite for adventure.

As mentioned in previous posts, there are various sites you can visit to reserve a camping spot. Many destinations are considered BLM or Yellow Post. In either case of BLM or YP, it’s first come first serve and there are no fees to camp. Another way to categorize these types of destinations is “dispersed camping”. This applies to both Car camping and Backpacking.

Car Camping

The destination for car camping should be predicated on the capabilities of your car/truck. Most places are accessible by a mid-size SUV, and a little ground clearance. Add 4WD capabilities and you can go a little further. Some of the “dispersed” sites will require a slight lift. Many websites (and apps) will provide route details and conditions, see below for site recommendations.

Backpacking

Backpacking requires a basic level of endurance. You will need to be able to carry all of your camping equipment in a backpack and hike to your ultimate destination, I will provide a detailed list in a future post. The route and final destination for backpacking should be driven purely by your ability to reach your destination.

Things to consider when planning your backpacking route:

  • Round trip distance (Hike in and hike out)
  • Water along your route
  • Elevation
  • Permits
  • Weather

Not all backpacking destinations require permits. Angeles National Forest, for example, is available to anyone without a permit. Other areas will require a permit. Permits can be found on recreation.gov.

Websites to help you plan your route:

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