The backpacking canon

[Chris K]

Thought it might be fun to compile a “definitive” list of backpacking books. A list to start below. Some are not explicitly about backpacking but are still worth including due to backpacking playing a role in the narrative. What would you include?

Wild by Cheryl Strayed

The High Sierra: A Love Story by Kim Stanley Robinson

The Dharma Bums by Jack Kerouac

Freedom by Sabastian Junger

The Book of the Bivvy by Ronald Turnbull

Thru-Hiking Will Break Your Heart by Carrot Quinn

The Lost Grizzlies by Rick Bass

A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson

Multiple books by:

Ray Jardine

Colin Fletcher

John Muir

J.R.R. Tolkien?

[Rob P]

Chris Townsend

[Jerry Adams]

Jon Krakauer

Into the wild, into the void,…

I also like his story about a variant of the Mormon church

[Matthew / BPL]

Mike Clelland

The Last Season by Eric Blehm

[MJ H]

J.R.R. Tolkien? 

They blue blazed a huge chunk of the trail. Can’t count that.

[Glen L]

Good to The Dharma Bums on your list, one of my favorite backpacking books and really my favorite Kerouac.

Craig Childs has some very good books that include backpacking and wilderness travel. Soul of Nowhere, House of Rain, The Way Out are a few favorites.

David Roberts wrote quite a few good books. In Search of the Old Ones and Sandstone Spine and his journey over the length of Comb Ridge with some friends and rather heavy packs are a couple. He wrote some good mountaineering books too.

[Jerry Adams]

To build a fire by Jack London

I like how when the human dies of hypothermia, the dog then goes back to the settlement without problem

and other Jack London stories

[Monte Masterson]

[Mina Loomis]

Thirst

Mud, Rocks, and Blazes

both by Heather Anderson

[Bob K]

The Places in Between by Rory Stewart

[jscott]

Moments of Doubt, David Roberts. This is more about climbing/mountaineering than backpacking, but very good. A lot more considered and complex than the usual climbing books.

Camp 4, Steve Roper

I’ll think of others soon. Krakauer is really good, as Jerry says. So is The Last Season, already mentioned.

[Alex H]

I concur on Fletcher, Townsend and Childs

Skurka’s Gear Guide

Abbey and Thoreau

[Mark Verber]

I won’t repeat what others have posted.  I would add

Several books by Paul Stutzman https://www.paulstutzman.com/books

Ray Jardine

Mountaineering: The Freedom Of the Hills

 

 

I would also include books not about backpacking but about the world we are walking in: McPhee, Barry Lopez, etc.

 

[Author]

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