Suggestions for a beginner backpack

pixie1339

Desperately Seeking Sandstone
Joined
Jan 21, 2012
Messages
1,692
Good morning BCP people! I could use a little help. I’m in the process of getting a couple things together for my fiancée so he can go backpacking with me this year. He’s never backpacked before, and I really want to make sure he enjoys his first trip. I’m hoping we can do our first pack in late March somewhere in southern Utah. I’d like to limit the hike and out in to 4 miles or less each way, and camp somewhere that will be relatively warm at night (above freezing). The ability to have a fire would be wonderful. Any suggestions for a place we can go that would meet those criteria?
 
Willow Gulch.
No fires but its a really short hike to a great camping spot and you can day hike from there.
 
x2 on Willow, and it's warmer than a lot of other possibilities too. Only downside is the long drive down Hole in the Rock Road.

Legal fire and someplace relatively warm in March could be a tough combination. Definitely look to the lower elevations though. The canyons that run into Lake Foul are a good place to look. Chesler Park would be a killer noob trip with all the route options, but depending on the weather, could be a bit cold.

Stoked he's going to start backpacking with you!
 
Thanks for the suggestion guys! I was already planning on doing Willow Gulch this spring.:) I may wait until late April for that one though so it can green up a bit more first. I'll have to take a look at the options in the Lake Foul area. Fire isn't a necessity, but it would be a plus for him since his favorite part of camping is having a fire. I wonder if there are any places in the Swell that might work...
 
While I haven't backpacked here, there should be plenty of places to camp once you get down to the shelf above the river, which is only a couple of miles. There are some slickrock areas on the bottom that I would probably camp on. If you guys are up for it, there is camping in Robber's Roost Canyon. It's less than 4 miles to the canyon, but you do have to cross the Dirty Devil. As long as the spring run-off isn't too bad, then that shouldn't be much of a problem.

If the river is up or you don't want to cross it, though, then you should be able to find sites along the shelf above the river. It's flat desert terrain on the shelf, so I think you would be able to find campsites on the slickrock or on the desert sand.
 
While I haven't backpacked here, there should be plenty of places to camp once you get down to the shelf above the river, which is only a couple of miles. There are some slickrock areas on the bottom that I would probably camp on. If you guys are up for it, there is camping in Robber's Roost Canyon. It's less than 4 miles to the canyon, but you do have to cross the Dirty Devil. As long as the spring run-off isn't too bad, then that shouldn't be much of a problem.

If the river is up or you don't want to cross it, though, then you should be able to find sites along the shelf above the river. It's flat desert terrain on the shelf, so I think you would be able to find campsites on the slickrock or on the desert sand.

Awesome! Thanks so much for the info. This could really be a good option for us.
 
Similar threads
Thread starter Title Forum Replies Date
G Escalante area 4-5 night backpack trip suggestions in late September. Loop if possible. Limit technical sections if any. Thanks! Backpacking 6
B Southern Utah March suggestions? Trip Planning 5
Kullaberg63 Suggestions for Escalante east of river, south of Choprock Trip Planning 4
2eez4life Suggestions: Uintas Backpacking with some rock climbing routes Trip Planning 0
seaview53 Chinese Wall - ridge walk thoughts and suggestions Trip Planning 2
Ymyr Suggestions in a Yellowstone and a Beartooth trip Trip Planning 29
D Need suggestions -Beaverhead-Deerlodge National forrest, and Phillipsburg, MT Trip Planning 5
bouldermtn May/June trip suggestions Trip Planning 0
M Suggestions for early April in Arizona, 2-3 nights Trip Planning 2
swmalone Microspike suggestions Gear 11
Rockskipper Car Camping Tent Suggestions Gear 37
Perry Henry's Fork Basin - Camp Site Suggestions Trip Planning 3
Perry Sunrise/Sunset Uintas Marriage Proposal Location Suggestions Trip Planning 25
swmalone Restaurant Suggestions for Escalante or Boulder General Discussion 11
J Trip first week of April 2021 Southern UT/Anywhere AZ - Death Hollow, Coyote Gulch, or other suggestions? Trip Planning 9
swmalone Camping suggestions for Escalante in May Trip Planning 2
Perry Need Some Last Minute Suggestions. Trip Planning 13
M Suggestions for a 10 day backpacking trip in early June Trip Planning 8
JBPHXAZ Suggestions for day hikes in Cedar Mesa area Trip Planning 4
westy Smoke is really ....... me off. Any suggestions? General Discussion 3
RyanP 5-day Winds trip in early Sep---suggestions? Trip Planning 18
Dhuff3243 Technical canyons suggestions for summer Trip Planning 0
andyjaggy Suggestions for 3 day 2 night trip in March or April. Trip Planning 2
JBPHXAZ Suggestions for 4-5 days Backpacking in the Southwest Trip Planning 2
D Need suggestions for a backpacking trip with a base camp Trip Planning 10
Eugene Suggestions for mid-Nov backpacking trip Trip Planning 2
JBPHXAZ Canyonlands Needles Backpacking Suggestions Trip Planning 8
4 Suggestions for 5-6 day trip in the Bob Trip Planning 10
fossana CO Plateau backpacking suggestions for spring run-off season Trip Planning 14
D Colorado advice?? Other trip suggestions?? Trip Planning 15
fossana Superstitions 8-25 mile hike suggestions Trip Planning 19
JBPHXAZ Needles District Car Camping Suggestions Trip Planning 3
Stephanie B Suggestions for Maze Hikes and Range Canyon Intel? Trip Planning 2
Jazzy Joe Looking for Escalante Area Short Backpacking Suggestions Early Spring Trip Planning 21
Eugene Backpacking suggestions for May 2019 Trip Planning 18
C hiking suggestions for Denali Trip Planning 6
P Any Quiet Camping Suggestions? Trip Planning 2
KevinBoyer New Water Filter Needed...Suggestions?? Gear 48
mathew suggestions on where to go Trip Planning 1
Rockskipper Any GPS suggestions? Gear 22
swmalone Snowshoe Suggestions Gear 12
Rye Jones Backpack Suggestions? Gear 4
pixie1339 Suggestions for carrying ashes in a backpack General Discussion 13
S Central Utah high alpine suggestions Trip Planning 2
Perry Suggestions for 3-day/2-night Uinta's Route Trip Planning 10
Tanasi 50 mile trip suggestions for 1st week of August? Trip Planning 19
Georgia Yankee Utah camping/hiking in June--suggestions? General Discussion 9
Stephanie Backpacking suggestions? 1 night Trip Planning 2
Perry Capitol Reef NP Hiking and Road Trip Suggestions Wanted Trip Planning 1
jkgear Campsite suggestions for Teton Crest Trail Trip Planning 18

Similar threads

Back
Top