Spring Camping: America's Best Spring Backpacking Trips
Who doesn’t love a spring backpacking adventure?
The air is perfectly crisp—refreshing compared to the summer heat and winter freeze. The crowds are thinner, too, with the full-season swing still a couple months away. And to be honest, spring flowers and snowmelt waterfalls are hard to beat.
But where should you go backpacking this spring?
Don’t worry, we’ve got some ideas. Here are 5 great spring backpacking trips for you to choose from, with one from each region of the US!
1. Northern California Backpacking
Northern California has several wonderful places to backpack in the springtime. It is a fantastic time to visit Yosemite. The temperatures are just right, with wildflowers blooming and the waterfalls flowing strong. And there are a lot of great trails. One challenging, but breathtaking, hike is the Clouds Rest trail, leading up to the summit of Clouds Rest—where you'll be treated to a 360 degree view of Half Dome, Tenaya Lake, Mt. Hoffman, and more. The trail is 12.5 miles—perfect for an overnight trip. Just make sure you're packing a trusty Jetboil, like the MiniMo, for a victory meal at the summit.
2. The Narrows in Zion National Park - Utah
The Narrows is on a lot of backpackers' bucket lists for good reason. This 16 mile loop takes you through the narrowest (see name) section of Zion Canyon, where towering walls of sandstone rise around you, getting as high as a thousand feet and as tight as 20-30 feet. It’s an entirely unique backpacking experience.
For this hike you'll want to shoot for late spring—early enough to avoid the swollen crowds, but late enough for the river to come down.
3. Flume Trail in the Black Hills National Forest - South Dakota
The Black Hills National Forest is made up of a massive 1.2 million acres of forested hills and mountains, full of ponderosa pines and rugged rock formations. The Flume Trail, however, is one of the forest's most unique experiences, taking you back to the mining boom of the 1880s. For most of its 20-mile round trip length, the trail follows the flume bed used by miners to collect over $20 million in gold, also running through a mining tunnel and passing other historical artifacts.
4. Franconia Ridge Loop in the White Mountains - New Hampshire
Franconia Ridge Loop is one of the most breathtaking hikes in New England. Waterfalls. A lake. Fantastic views of the White Mountains. The loop is about 9 miles and traverses Mount Lafayette, Mount Lincoln, and Little Haystack, so you’ll want to plan for a hearty breakfast to keep you fueled all day. Like the Narrows in Zion, this is a popular trail, so visiting in the spring will help you take in the incredible sights while also beating summer crowds.
5. Cumberland Island - Georgia
Cumberland Island is a beautiful, deserted stretch of the Georgia coast, with over 50 miles of beaches, oak forests, wild horses, and the ruins of an old mansion from the late 1890s. There are several trails and loops to choose from, and in the spring, you'll enjoy more moderate temperatures and fewer mosquitos. But because campfires are only allowed at the front-country campsite, remember to bring a reliable backpacking stove and ample fuel for camping in the backcountry.
Now Get Out There
You heard us! Spring is here, and it's time to get backpacking. So plan your trip, tap us for any cooking gear you need, and head out!