Welcome to the Backpacking Trip Planning Resources Trailhead
How to plan a backpacking trip? That’s the biggest question – more than “what gear to use” or “what trails to hike” – that beginning backpackers ask. Planning a backpacking trip, even a short one, can feel overwhelming. That’s because there’s a large variety of tools and skills to learn, and it’s hard to know where to start.
This article is one of Backpacking Light’s curated gateway pages (a trailhead, so to speak). Think of it as a starting point. Here, you’ll find information and resources about how to plan a backpacking trip. We’ve got lists of our favorite software, gear guides for navigation and trip planning, video and podcast embeds, and other trip-planning resources. You’ll learn how to spot potential water sources on a map, how to anticipate elevation gain, how to plan for longer trips, how to identify great backpacking trails, and more. You might be planning your first backpacking trip or your 50th, but either way, we think you’ll find something useful.
About this Trailhead: Curated and maintained by our staff, this Trailhead page includes an overview of the topic and links to information and resources at the Backpacking Light website. Those resources may consist of gear reviews, technology and testing, research, skills articles, online education (webinars, masterclasses, or other types of online courses), podcast episodes, forum threads, product recommendations, and other discovery tools, including our Gear Finder, Gear Shop, and Site Search engine.

Backpacking trip planning education at Backpacking Light
Gaia GPS is our favorite trip planning and navigational software. We recently launched the How to Use Gaia GPS Masterclass detailing its use and features.

For a detailed overview of the skills and tools you need for trip planning, check out the Trek Planning Masterclass.

And don’t miss How to Use the Garmin InReach, our other highly useful masterclass.
Overwhelmed by electronics? Watch our Member Q & A:
Backpacking trip planning software
- Gaia GPS Software – online mapping, beautiful map layers, premium version, very nice user interface, powerful route planning features, GPS import/export, desktop and mobile versions, and regular updates. In addition to route planning, we use this for real-time navigation on a smartphone as well.
- Caltopo – Powerful and feature-rich mapping software. Also has a mobile app.
- Fatmap -beautiful and user-friendly 3D maps that can download to your phone for offline functionality.
- FarOut (formally Guthook) – trail resources for popular long-distance trails. The go-to choice for thru-hikers.
- Orbit Satellite Tracking – a smartphone app used to monitor satellite positions, which can help optimize your use of a satellite communicator or GPS device.
- Windy and Meteoblue – wind and weather forecasting.
For more in-depth information on trip planning software, read our Navigation and GPS App gear guide:

Podcasts about backpacking trip planning, navigation, and route design
Episode 33 | Digital Route Planning – Traditional route planning tools like paper maps are still useful. But once you combine them with modern digital tools, you’ve created a powerful and flexible route-planning system.
Episode 5 | Navigation – General navigation advice using one of Backpacking Light’s Wilderness Adventures treks as a case study.
Episode 56 | Portable Battery Chargers for Backpacking – Electronic navigation tools need charging. This podcast dives into portable battery chargers, their pros and cons, and tips to keep them functioning well in the backcountry.

Skills articles on backpacking trip planning and navigation
An in-depth look at the process of route planning with a focus on off-trail adventures:
Two alternate methods of backcountry navigation:
- How to Use Turn-by-Turn Directions for Simple Backpacking Navigation
- Navigating Without a Compass, Map, or GPS
An article that looks at trip planning from a logistical rather than an electronic standpoint.
A look at the implications of using a popular 3D map software to plan trips:

Gear for navigation and trip planning
The Garmin inReach Mini 2 – the lightest and most reliable satellite communicator:
- Read our review.
- Check out our interview with Chip Noble, Senior Product Manager at Garmin
The Garmin Fenix series of watches integrate with the Mini, offer tracking, fitness monitoring, altimeter & GPS, solar power, and more:

Conversations in our community about how to plan and navigate backpacking trips
We have an entire forum topic dedicated to Trip Planning. The best use case is soliciting ideas and feedback about specific locations from other community members:
Backpacking Light members discuss the recent updates to the Garmin inReach Mini:
Our community compares popular satellite communication devices:
Other threads of note:
- phones with built in satellite communication?
- Iphone vs Android for GPS?
- Altimeter Watch Accuracy
- Anyone use ZOLEO satellite communicator device?
- iPhone built-in compass not that good?
- Apple Watch vs IPhone for GPS

Stories about backpacking trip planning and navigation
A story about planning a solo backpacking trip for the first time:
An essay about using bicycles to access interesting new areas:
Four stories that heavily feature off-trail navigation:
- Canyons and Contemplation
- Blood Moon on the Border
- Escape from Covid-19 at Corona Ridge
- Packrafting Without a Good Map

Search and Browse: More Discovery Tools
- Search for trip planning articles in our archives
- Browse the Navigation and Electronics category in our Category Browser to find more articles, Member Gear Swap listings (classified ads for used gear), Member Gear Reviews, and more.
- Search the Forums for all forum threads about backpacks.
- Browse our curated recommendations for navigation and electronics in the Backpacking Light Gear Shop. The Gear Shop is a product research & discovery tool to explore Member gear reviews, Gear Swap (used gear) listings, and more info about specific products recommended by our staff and members.
- Find navigation and route planning tools on sale using our Gear Finder search engine.

Help us Maintain this Page
If you found value in other related resources at Backpacking Light that you’d like to share with our community, please post them in the comments section below. No external links or resources, please – there are other places in our forums appropriate for that.
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