If you’re planning a trip to a US National Park, our hiking essentials guide has you covered! We’ve been lucky enough to hike in some of America’s most incredible National Parks, from the likes of the Grand Canyon to lesser-known gems like Lassen Volcanic.
Over time, we’ve built up our go-to kit that we actually use on the trail. This, of course, adapts based on where we’re visiting, but this day hiking gear checklist is our go to time and time again.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re looking for hiking gear for beginners or hiking day pack essentials to keep you covered. This article covers everything you need to know from our personal experience (and some of the mistakes we’ve made along the way to get here too).
Use this guide as your starting point. The best hiking gear for National Parks in the US will depend on your location. Day hikes in Joshua Tree National Park have a very different feel to day hikes near Seattle!
This can really help you navigate what to wear hiking in National Parks, and our individual National Park hiking guides go into the nuances of each area and park in more detail.
Read on for the essentials that will make your National Park hiking go smoothly so you can focus on the views!
Our Essentials Checklist: What We Take in Our Daypacks
What we bring in our daypacks varies depending on where we’re hiking. Over time, we’ve found that through the places we’ve explored in the US that the climate can shift dramatically.
That’s why it’s important to be prepared for the conditions on the ground of the specific National Park you’re visiting. You may have a good idea already, but there are certain nuances that you might not be prepared for.
For example, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado and the hikes near Denver and hikes near Boulder may seem like in summer they’re going to be really hot and sunny. But we experienced plenty of afternoon thunderstorms that mean you’ll need to plan more rain gear than you might think.
Likewise, when we were hiking in Lassen Volcanic National Park in California, we found that when hiking Mount Lassen, the exposure of the trail combined with its summit altitude meant we were adding more layers by the top.
So always check relevant weather reports and information such as the kind of altitude you’ll be hiking at to help you tailor your hiking day pack essentials. You can also use our day hiking checklist and what to wear hiking guides to help you here.
Below, we’re sharing with you our base level day hiking gear checklist that you can use as a starting point. Every recommendation is gear that we’ve tested over years and trust with complete confidence.
Daypacks and Larger Backpacking Packs
Of course, your daypack is pretty important when it comes to hiking US National Park trails. This choice will set you up for everything you’re going to carry.
For day hikes, it doesn’t matter where you’re heading to, you want something that is lightweight and has good ventilation to help prevent sweat. Look for good shoulder padding too, as this makes all the difference!
We’d also recommend that you buy a basic rain cover that you can put in your daypack if conditions turn worse. This is the one we use for packs that don’t come with one automatically.
We tend to carry more camera equipment with us than a lot of hikers. So, we like a pack that has a strong support and back suspension system to carry the extra weight.
Matt’s favorite daypack is the Gregory Citro 24, which we’ve reviewed in detail. This pack is incredibly comfortable and exactly the right size for that little bit extra gear, layers and plenty of water.
Fay’s all-time favorite is the Osprey Talon 22, which we’ve also reviewed. This pack is ultra comfortable, has plenty of room for everything and it just keeps becoming more comfortable over time. Which we actually didn’t know was possible.
If you don’t need to carry quite as much weight as we maybe do, for shorter days or days where we don’t bring as much weight, we really love the Gregory Maya 25 or the Rab Tensor 20, both of which we’ve tested and reviewed in detail too.
Ultimately, we’d best advise you to think about where you’re hiking, the length of the trails you’ll be tackling and on the ground information. This will help you get a better idea of the type of pack that will be best for you to bring.
If you need some help choosing one, we have a whole guide on the best daypacks for hiking. This covers all our tried and tested favorites for daypacks that we’ve actually used.
We also go into detail about the type of conditions they best work for and lots more information on how to choose the right daypack for your hike. So if you want to dive into more detail and get set up for years to come on the trail, we’d recommend checking out these guides.
If you’re planning on backpacking when you’re hiking in National Parks, then you’ll need a whole different pack entirely. We’ve done plenty of backpacking in places like Joshua Tree National Park and Kings Canyon National Park.
What we’ve learned is that fast and light is the best here, especially so when we were hiking at altitude in Kings Canyon and the Sierra Nevada. You want a pack that allows the essentials and really fits well to make carrying heavier loads for a couple of days or even one overnight comfortable.
Fay’s favorite backpacking pack is the Osprey Kestrel 48, which we’ve reviewed in detail. This pack just feels comfortable and easily fits everything you need for 2-3 nights on trail.
Matt loves the Gregory Baltoro 65, which we’ve tested and reviewed. It gives us that little bit extra room and suits his taller frame better. It’s ultra comfortable to wear and all of the pocket positioning feels very ergonomic.
Our guide to the best waterproof hiking backpacks covers larger, backpacking packs in more detail. It also includes detailed reviews on all of the packs we’ve tested out in the real world on backpacking trips. So this should help you hit the ground running if this is the type of hiking you’ll be doing!
Water System
The amount of water you’ll need to bring with you will vary wildly based on where you’re hiking. From our experience, we found that when hiking around places like Zion National Park, we needed a lot more water than we needed for cooler climates further North.
As a general rule for day hikes, we always bring at least 1 liter (32 oz) for each of us. If we know it’s going to be hot, and we know the trail is longer than about 5 miles, then we bring 2, or a water reservoir.
We generally prefer to use Hydro Flask 32oz bottles for day hikes. We love them and have used them – bashes and all – for years. We love that they keep your water cold on hotter trails and at a good drinking temperature on colder trails.
If we’re hiking somewhere hot where we know we’re going to be sweating a lot, we’ve found that adding electrolytes really helps us keep feeling hydrated. We pretty much only use the Nuun Sport ones now, as we think they work the best from years of trial and error!
A little tip we would recommend if you’re not hiking alone is to get the straw lid for your Hydro Flask. Then, put your bottle in your partners side pouch, and theirs in yours. That way you don’t have to take your bottle out when hiking.
For longer or hotter trails where we know we need more water, we go for a water reservoir each. We use the Osprey 2.5L one and find this the best we’ve used. No leaks after years of use!
If we’re backpacking or completing a much longer trail, we’ll also factor where we can get water from into our hike planning. This information for longer trails should be available on NPS websites.
For filtering water, we’ve grown to love using the Sawyer Squeeze as our preferred piece of kit. It works really reliably for us, which has been very important. We used this to filter liters and liters of water whilst we were backpacking in Kings Canyon National Park.
What to Use for Navigation
Whilst it’s lovely to expect everybody is going to use a paper map and compass, the majority of the time, you’ll use your phone. Don’t feel bad about this (as much as some sites might try and say) it’s normal.
Though, we think you shouldn’t let this be your only option. We generally plan and download all of the maps we make in a combination of AllTrails and Outdooractive.
We sometimes prefer planning routes through Outdooractive, as AllTrails is well known for underestimating and overestimating mileage on a trail. So, we use this as a starting point rather than our only method.
Most of the maps we provide in our hiking guides are either using AllTrails or Outdooractive, and these will give you a good starting point that you can download to use.
Always make sure that your map is downloaded before you go. We pretty much always switch to Airplane mode when we set off to conserve battery.
For more involved trails where we’ll be offline for a good long while, we also bring our Garmin inReach, which just gives that extra peace of mind and safety should anything happen that would need us to get assistance.
Thankfully, we’ve never been in a situation where we’ve needed it, but it’s certainly a nice to have (though they can be pricey). Unless you know you’re looking at backpacking regularly, then save it for when you feel you really need that extra level of safety.
We do recommend bringing a map and compass as a backup. This does not add much at all to your daypack in terms of weight, but knowing how to use a compass and read a map properly is gold.
This also makes it easier to plan some of your own routes over time. Our guide to the best compasses for hiking gives a good overview of what’s available. They’re a cheap addition to your kit that add an extra layer of safety.
What to Wear for Hiking in US National Parks
If you’re wondering what to wear hiking in National Parks, well, this can be a tricky one as it will vary depending on where you’re going. There’s also a good chance that if this is a wider trip, you may not want to spend a ton of money on new gear.
So, this can really be about seeing what works based on what you have and making some new additions where you have any gaps. It doesn’t need to be complicated and 9 times out of 10, you can adapt.
Our list below covers what we know works from our experience hiking in US National Parks. Use this as a starting point, and we’ll go over some of the considerations based on climate in each section.
Base Layers
Your base layer will vary quite a bit depending on where you’re hiking, and also the time of year you’re hiking. In winter, or in colder situations, we always veer towards merino base layers.
These always give us a base level of warmth and also help to wick moisture. They’re also great to wear in shoulder seasons, or on climbs that finish at higher elevations.
We found that for many of our hikes at higher altitude in Lassen Volcanic National Park, a merino base layer really helped take the exposed chill off. Especially when it got windy near the summits.
When we hiked Mount Lassen, this actually really helped us feel a lot more comfortable. Even though temperatures were much warmer at the trailhead.
We both absolutely love the Rab Conduit Base Layer. It fits really well and is incredibly well stitched. It wicks well and washes up perfectly. We know that this may be a bit over budget for some – we do also use the Merino.tech layers which are a good alternative.
For trails where we know we don’t need that extra body heat, we recommend general gym t-shirts. We often wore really expensive hiking specific ones for years, but more recently we tried a cheaper pack and found them excellent!
These ones are such good value for money and work just as well for all genders. They wash well, dry quickly and wick moisture when you’re likely going to be sweating on hotter trails.
We go into a lot more detail about base layers in our what to wear hiking guide, and also in our winter hiking tips articles, if you want to take more of a deep dive.
Mid Layers
Depending on the temperature and conditions of where you’re going to be hiking, a mid-layer will give you a solid layer of insulation that you can put on or take off as you need it. In many ways, this is one of the most important areas to get it right.
We’ve spent years of trial and error getting a system that works for both of us, and we have a couple of go-to products that we think work depending on the altitude and climate of the trail.
If we know we are hiking somewhere much hotter, we will bring our lighter mid layer and if we know we will be hiking somewhere colder or with much higher summits we will bring our colder mid layer. Though most of the time we will bring both.
From our experience of hiking a lot of peaks that are at altitude in National Parks like Kings Canyon National Park, Lassen Volcanic National Park and Sequoia National Park we think it’s best to have solid options you can layer on. Wind can take over and change the whole dynamic really quickly.
We both love the Rab Nexus Hoody as a lightweight mid layer. It’s really warm, super easy to zip up and on for changes on the trail and it’s just so comfortable. It washes beautifully over time too.
For cooler days or more exposed summits, we both have our own favorites when it comes to thicker mid layers in our own systems. Fay loves the Rab Xenair Alpine Light Jacket.
It feels perfect paired with a strong system for windier trails, and we found it worked perfectly on some more exposed days in the Sierra Nevada. It also worked perfectly when we visited Joshua Tree National Park in the winter and had snow!
Matt loves the Salewa Ortles Hybrid Jacket. It fits really well, packs down ultra small when not wearing and gives him a really fantastic level of warmth for such a lightweight layer. We were actually fairly impressed with its price to performance ratio.
Depending on temperatures, you could also go for something fuller on here too. For example, if you’re going to be hiking, or even snowshoeing in much colder temperatures, you should look at a mid-layer that has a higher level of insulation.
We both love the Rab Nebula Pro jacket, which has served us through a lot of colder hikes. It wicks moisture incredibly and feels lightweight and pairs wind proofing too.
Outer Layer
Your layering system will be complete with the right outer layer. Most mid layers aren’t waterproof as they’re more about giving you insulation.
Of course, if you know 100% that the National Park you’re visiting won’t have any rain and there’s little chance of wind, then you can skip this step. But we always advise to err on the side of caution.
We’ve found on so many hikes in National Parks that the conditions can be changeable, and so having a layer you can slip on if needed is really important. For example, in Rocky Mountains National Park, we experienced a lot of intermittent thunderstorms with quick downpours.
You never know when an outer layer might come in handy though. When we were hiking in April one year in Joshua Tree National Park, a bitter front of wind came through and meant that our day was a lot more comfortable because our waterproof jackets doubled as wind shells.
We’ve spent a lot of time testing out outer layers and rain jackets for hiking. Our home base sees a lot of rain, so this is the perfect testing ground in the first place.
Over time, we’ve come to really know and trust specific rain jackets. We both absolutely love the Rab Downpour Plus Waterproof Jacket. They have kept us dry in the most torrential of rains and the windiest of days out on the trail, and we trust them completely.
This might not be to everybody’s budget. Truth is, you don’t need to spend a fortune to get an incredible rain jacket. We hike a lot, so we justify the price based on this.
Our guide to the best waterproof rain jackets goes into a lot more detail about what you should look for depending on your hiking and budget and includes an in-depth, real-world review from us of each one.
Pants for Hiking
We’d recommend always having a pair of waterproof rain pants in your day pack just in case the weather turns. These are really helpful to put on easily mid trail.
We love the Rab Downpour Eco Pants, which we’ve reviewed in detail. We both have them, and they’re our go to pair. We have a whole guide on the best waterproof rain pants for hiking which covers everything you need to know about rain pants in more detail including detailed, real world reviews.
For general hiking, we both have our own favorites and go to options. Fay generally prefers hiking in leggings – the Under Armour HeatGear leggings to be exact. They just fit well and feel stretchy to get outdoors in.
Matt really likes soft shell pants and has been wearing the prAna Brion Pants for years. They handle incredibly well in the desert as well as they do on the mountain – they’re so versatile and comfortable.
Hiking Footwear
If there is any section that’s more important than the rest, it’s hiking footwear. Whilst it might be tempting to wear your usual trail runners, we’d advise against it.
Many of the trails in US National Parks are pretty rugged and you want to make sure your feet are protected from ankle rolls, but also that you’re comfortable so you can focus on the views.
This has been one of the most important things for us. Finding hiking shoes that are right for the trail makes all the difference. Though this does change based on where you’re hiking and personal preference.
We also both have shoes and boots, depending on what we’re doing. Fay generally prefers a more flexible option and will go for a shoe over a boot where possible.
Fay absolutely loves (probably more than any other hiking shoe) the Danner Trail 2650 hiking shoe, which we’ve written a full review of. It’s waterproof, feels almost too comfortable to be real and keeps trail debris out.
These worked just as well for sandy desert trails around the Grand Canyon through to mid-level hikes in the alpine wilderness of Great Basin National Park. They’re a great, all-rounder!
In terms of boots, it’s the Danner Mountain Leaf 600 GTX that gets pulled off the shelf more times than not. They’re just so comfortable and have worn so beautifully over time. They’re also very much waterproof.
When things get colder, the Scarpa Ribelle Lite HD is a go to, as it’s intended for rockier trails and colder climates. These have been put to good use in the High Sierras in winter!
Matt generally prefers more rigid choices overall and loves a boot most of the time. His go to favorites and ones that he keeps coming back to time and time again for the whole variety of trails we take on are the Salewa Men’s Alp Trainer and the Danner Crag Rat EVO for more full on winter trails.
Matt loves high altitude trails and finds that the Danner Crag Rat EVO boots are some of the best he’s tested and grown to love. They were perfect for handling trails in the High Sierras and Lassen Volcanic National Park.
We have a whole range of guides to hiking footwear. This includes our guide to the best hiking boots, the best hiking shoes and the best waterproof hiking shoes.
Every single shoe and boot, we’ve tested in detail outdoors and our guides go into a lot of detail about each product’s advantages and disadvantages. We also have a full review of each product and plenty of information to help you make the right decision for your needs.
Safety Essentials We Bring When Hiking in National Parks
Whilst one of the most important things for your trip is to enjoy the views, doing it safely is more important. Let’s be honest, nobody really goes out expecting to have an accident and doesn’t exactly want to be unsafe.
So rather than preaching – which is something we hate – we’re just going to cover a few key items of hiking safety gear and emergency hiking gear we bring for peace of mind. This will get you set up in no time.
First Aid Kit + Survival Basics
You don’t need much when it comes to first aid, just a few basics. But make it specific. Whilst you can get your own first aid kit online for hiking, we would just recommend actually making a small one up from drugstore supplies.
There’s a reason for this – not everyone gets on well with all types of things in these off the shelf kits. For example, when we were hiking in Zion National Park, we’d bought one of these kits.
Fay got a grazed leg from some trail scrub and needed a plaster. Fay is actually allergic to something in the coating of waterproof plasters and couldn’t use any of the ones included. If we’d brought fabric plasters, we’d have been fine.
We’d recommend bringing a small pencil case with some bandage, plasters, hand sanitizer, scissors, tweezers, blister pads and a tick remover. This will mostly have you covered until, if you need it, you can get more help.
Head Torches and Power Backups
We pretty much always have a head torch in our daypacks, but also for overnight and backpacking trips. For the latter it’s more a necessity. For the former, it’s a nice to have but sometimes essential!
We have tried many over the years, but have found over time that we’ve landed on the trusty Petzl Actik Core. It just works. It charges up via USB really quickly and lasts for ages.
We’ve been using these head lamps for years now. We’ve done lots of early morning starts and late finishes in the High Sierras and Great Basin National Park where these have helped us out no end.
We also pretty much always bring a power bank with us to keep our phones charged or other items we may need for backpacking trips. We actually personally use a brand that isn’t available to buy anymore (which is a shame).
However, many of our other hiker friends when we asked them really recommend the Anker Power Banks, and to be honest, this is what we’ll move onto when our older ones inevitably break.
We’d say that these items aren’t essential for all hikers. It really depends on where you’ll be hiking and the kind of trails you’ll be on. However, they are worth the investment if you hike a lot, or plan to.
Bug Spray and Sun Lotion
Depending on where you’re hiking, bugs can be a really big problem. This is especially so in the Pacific Northwest. We found bugs to be a major problem when doing a lot of day hikes near Seattle, especially in North Cascades.
We always use Sawyer Picardin Lotion as our go to here. We prefer this to a spray as we sometimes find spray versions really take our breath away!
We’ve also found bug spray is super important if we are backpacking near a lake. When we backpacked around the Palisades Glacier around Kings Canyon and Sequoia in the High Sierras, we stayed up by lakes for water. But in the evening, it was a bug frenzy!
Sun lotion is also really important. Not just if you know it’s going to be hot and sunny, but also if you’re at altitude. This increases the UV intensity, so we’d recommend a high factor.
We almost always use this Neutrogena lotion for our bodies. It comes in a high factor and is non greasy.
We don’t like that greasy lotion feel much anyway but found it particularly a life saver when hiking in Joshua Tree National Park where sand would stick to literally everywhere otherwise!
We’ve also more recently discovered power sun lotion (this is the one we use) that can be used to stop your scalp burning without making it greasy. We now use this on our faces too. This product honestly feels like it was sent from the gods.
In terms of protection from specific animals (like bears) that may be of concern, you should always read information on the National Park’s website. Many sites do not allow bear spray and have specific rules on food, scented items etc. This is incredibly important to understand before you go.
Food, Drink and Keeping Up Your Energy on the Trail
One of the most important things to bring with you is enough food, water and hiking snacks to generally keep your energy up whilst you’re enjoying the views. This is key for enjoying it or wishing you’d turned back.
If you’re wondering what’s best to take out on the trail, don’t rely on visitor centers. These are often really overpriced and to be honest, not nutritionally balanced.
So, if you’re wanting to get on top of this, and want to know how much water to bring hiking, then we’ll share with you below everything we’ve learnt about tasty treats on trail. Because it’s all about the snacks.
Meals for Hiking and Snacks to Enjoy
For your main meal whilst hiking, we always go for a high calorie, high protein lunch that is easy to make. When we’re traveling in National Parks, we may only have access to a small grocery store or gas station, which means you get more creative with what you can do.
We also have been known to bring our camping stove with us to set up an impromptu cooking area to make the next day’s lunch outside a motel room. This has allowed us in so many situations to put together delicious, nutritious and low-cost meals.
We have a few guides on meals and nutrition for hiking, but we think the one that would be most useful for you here is called backpacking meal recipes. Whilst a lot of it is more focused on backpacking, our first section on easy DIY backpacking meals applies well here too for some ideas.
Generally, though, we’ll often make trail burritos or pasta dishes that can transport well. This often makes easy use of limited elements and can be made to suit all (easily vegan, easily meat heavy etc.).
These kinds of dishes get the balance right – they’re full of protein and full of carbs which will keep you satisfied. We’d also add in some non-perishable veggies like bell peppers and mushrooms to keep it varied and full of vitamins.
You want to be eating about 200 calories or so per hour on the trail, so snacks are important too. We usually opt for Cliff Bars. We just love the flavor of the peanut butter filled ones.
It’s important to find snacks you like, and they don’t have to be hike specific. We often bag up portions of peanut butter filled pretzels from Costco to have and this work just as well.
Make it something you’re going to look forward to and enjoy. You don’t want to have to force yourself to eat – and this does become more of a thing if hiking at altitude.
Keeping Hydrated
We cover more about staying hydrated earlier in our section about water systems, how much water to bring, and our favorite containers. However, it’s worth brushing over this again in a slightly different context.
We’ve learned over the years that hydration isn’t just about water, especially when you’re at altitude or in hotter climates. It’s an incredibly important thing to consider.
Some of the hikes we’ve done in Death Valley National Park have really pushed us to our limits in terms of the heat we can take, even in ‘cooler’ season. We found that when we added electrolytes to our water, we felt a lot better overall.
Since this, it’s become pretty much a no brainer for us to bring a pack of Nuun Hydration tablets with us. They may be more expensive than some other brands, but after testing a lot, we feel they work the best.
Keeping hydrated and consistently drinking your water is one of the best ways you can keep feeling well at altitude, especially if you aren’t used to it. We find it makes all the difference.
The Best Apps for Navigation
When it comes to hiking in US National Parks, we think the best hiking apps for route navigation are AllTrails and Outdooractive. Outdooractive is less well known in the US but works amazingly well.
We’ll also sometimes transpose a trail from AllTrails into Outdooractive as the mapping is often more accurate. AllTrails can have a tendency to underestimate or overestimate the trail!
We actually, on the whole, prefer it for mapping our own trails and making adjustments. We’re avoiding a deep dive here into apps, as we’ve covered this earlier in our ‘What to Use for Navigation’ section.
However, the bottom line is, always make sure that your maps are downloaded offline so that when you get on the trail, you’re ready to go. Not all areas have cell service, and this catches many hikers out.
Nice-to-Haves That Make a Big Difference
Some people may say these are essential, others not so much. It really depends on the kind of hiking you’re doing and what specific things you want to explore as well as your interests.
This is a limited list based on our personal experience, and we’d really encourage you not just to think about what you think you should bring, but what you also want to bring. Remember, this should all be about having fun!
Trekking Poles
Depending on your sense of comfort and balance as well any specific medical concerns, trekking poles aren’t always needed for some hikers. However, we love them. Fay particularly loves them and pretty much uses them for most hikes with an incline.
We’ve spent a lot of time testing out hiking poles, and we have a whole guide to the best trekking poles for hiking. These have all been tested in real world scenarios in some of the National Parks you’re likely getting excited about hiking in.
It also covers more detailed information about which poles to go for depending on your specific needs and the kind of circumstances you’ll be hiking in. We’d also recommend reading our how to choose the right trekking poles article to go into more detail here.
We actually have a couple of pairs that are our go-to depending on where we’re hiking and the kind of trail. We particularly like the Leki Cressida FX Carbon AS Trekking Pole, which we’ve reviewed in detail.
This is a good all round trekking pole as it is foldable and packs down small on the side of your day pack. This is really perfect for exploring places where you may not need them all the time.
We also love the MSR Dynalock Explore Backcountry Poles, which have become one of go to pairs after reviewing and falling in love with them. We found their extended length is perfect for tackling steeper descents, like the ones you’ll find in the High Sierras or the Pacific Northwest.
Camera Gear
As photographers, first and foremost, we’re hiking in US National Parks to get lots of beautiful landscapes. That’s really how we got into hiking in the first place.
We’ve actually covered this in more detail in our “Daypacks and Larger Backpacking Packs’ section above when it comes to the kind of support you need from your daypack for carrying camera gear. So we’d recommend skimming back to this if you want to think more about the right pack here.
In terms of camera gear itself, we’d recommend to anyone to look at moving beyond your phone. But this is a huge subject in its own right (and one we’re sure we’ll cover one day).
We think the most important thing when it comes to camera gear, is thinking about all the other layers and items you need to bring and making sure that whatever pack you bring with you, you have enough space. This is one of our primary considerations when choosing what pack to bring on all our hikes.
As we both use the same camera system, we also share lenses and share the load between our daypacks. This is something we developed with all our gear when backpacking in the Sierras in California and it’s just followed through here too.
Cold Water Swimming Gear
We both love swimming – especially Fay. There is something pretty incredible about hiking up to an alpine lake and taking a swim.
One of our favorite memories here actually is in Great Basin National Park. We had been hiking all day and we got to this stunning, glistening lake and just couldn’t resist. It felt perfect.
If you love the idea of swimming, we’d recommend you read our whole guide to essential gear for cold water swimming. This doesn’t need to be complicated, but it’s a whole subject worth considering how to do it safely and with Leave No Trace in mind.
Backpacking, Overnight Hiking and Longer Distance Trails
One of the most incredible things about some of the US National Parks is the wealth of longer-distance trails on offer. Some of the backpacking trails we’ve tackled are among the most rewarding and memorable things we’ve done outdoors.
In this section we’re sharing all our tips on overnight hiking gear from backpacking tents to sleeping pads and backpacking meals. Multi-day trails can seem daunting, but we’re going to break it down for you, so it feels more manageable.
Backpacking Tents
When we started hiking and wanted to take on an overnight trail, we had little idea what on earth we were doing. We headed to a store and bought a tent that was (admittedly within a small budget), and it didn’t fit in either of our packs.
That first backpacking trip in Joshua Tree National Park was made so much harder by our heavy tent that took up way too much room in our packs. So much so, we had to really divide it between the two of us.
As we got more experienced in the outdoors, tested more gear, and to be honest, became way geekier with it, we started to learn exactly what was important when it came to backpacking tents. Choosing the right backpacking tent doesn’t have to be complicated.
Over time, we put together our guide to the best small 2 person backpacking tents. Every single one has been tested in detail, including taking into consideration things like price and durability.
Eventually, we decided that the MSR Hubba Hubba (which we’ve reviewed) is one of the best tents you can buy. It’s treated us well on so many trails – from Death Valley to Lassen Volcanic.
We’d also recommend reading our guide ‘Do Backpacking Tents Need a Footprint?’, as this is pretty dependent on where you’re staying. Though we’d generally say it’s a yes!
Sleeping Pads and Sleeping Bags
This may be more a thing as we’ve gotten older, but our sleeping pads and sleeping bags have become more important to us than a lot of things. Waking up after a good night’s sleep, knowing you can take on the trail, is one of the best feelings.
There were many times on our earlier backpacking trips where we took a super cheap, very uncomfortable and heavy sleeping pad. We also took sleeping bags that were way too bulky and didn’t fit well in our packs.
We didn’t sleep well and woke up feeling like zombies. This was actually really upsetting (again) in Joshua Tree National Park, as we didn’t really enjoy the next day of the first few trips we did. So, we knew it was time to make a change.
Since then, we spent a lot of time testing out the best sleeping pads for camping for all budgets and comfort levels. We worked with a couple of our hiking friends on this too which meant we could test out even more sleeping pads.
We each had our favorites, but Fay’s is without a doubt the Rab Stratosphere 4, which we’ve reviewed in detail. Matt’s is the Nemo Tensor All Season which he tested in detail and fell in love with.
We love these two sleeping pads as they both handle colder temperatures well and are a good all-round pad for the kind of conditions we find ourselves in when backpacking. They also pack up impressively small!
When it comes to sleeping bags, we’re both pretty set on the Big Agnes Anvil Horn. We both sleep pretty cold, and this has been a life saver. Fay gets really grumpy when cold, so this also helps Matt get a better night’s sleep too.
Do yourself a favor too, and don’t scrimp on a pillow. We love the Nemo Fillo Pillow. It’s so light you won’t even know it’s in your pack but it makes a big difference.
A little luxury too would be in the way of the Nemo Moonlite Chair. Since adding both of these to our kit when backpacking in Lassen Volcanic National Park, they’ve been in our backpacking gear list ever since.
Backpacking Meals + Food Storage
This is an area that we’ve really honed in on when it comes to backpacking. We’ve tested a lot of backpacking meals that you can buy online in our best freeze dried meals for backpackers article.
They’re great, but we always miss home cooked food when we’re on the trail, and that’s our personal preference. So we started doing a lot of dehydrating and creating our own meals.
This meant that for a whole week while backpacking in the Sierras and Kings Canyon, we felt really balanced, happy and healthy. With lots of treats to remind us of home.
This also allows you to meet your specific dietary needs. It’s much easier to get really good vegan meals that you make yourself than buying them in. Our lightweight backpacking food guide covers this whole subject in a lot more detail. Either option works, it just depends on your preference.
Another area to consider is if the National Park you’re visiting requires bear proof storage. A bear canister is required for any scented items in a lot of National Parks. Check this well in advance to help you prepare.
Whenever we’ve hiked and backpacked in places like the Sierras and Lassen Volcanic, we’ve needed to use a bear can for overnight trips. You often need to store all scented items in bear lockers at trailheads even for day use in these areas too.
Mindset: How We Prepare Ourselves Mentally for Hiking Big Trails
We have written a lot about the hiking mindset, and we honestly feel that this mostly comes down to feeling prepared. Having a solid plan, but also having space to adapt and know when things need to change will really help you take on the bigger trails.
We’ve got so many guides and articles on hiking preparation tips that we’re going to link to our main ‘Planning and Prep’ page. If you scroll through, you’ll find lots of guides to help you get confident in areas that you perhaps aren’t.
FAQs: National Park Hiking Essentials
While we’ve covered things like what to wear hiking in National Parks and day hiking essentials, there are still likely many questions going through your head before your trip.
Below we’ve covered a number of questions that you may still have in a short and easy to find format to make your planning easier.
What are the 10 hiking essentials?
Whether you’re looking for hiking gear for beginners, building your kit or working out what to bring here are the essentials we think you’ll want to bring (not in order of importance):
- Daypack
- Water (at least a 32 oz, preferably more)
- Base layer
- Mid layer
- Waterproof layer (both jacket and pants)
- Hiking pants
- Trail map downloaded offline
- Sun protection, bug spray and sunglasses
- Food and snacks
- Hiking shoes
What to wear hiking in national parks?
We’ve covered this in much more detail earlier on in this article, and we also have this covered in our what to wear hiking and day hiking checklist articles. These all give you a solid breakdown of what you should consider based on the climate and altitude of where you’ll be hiking.
Do I need hiking boots or trail runners?
We recommend wearing either purpose-built hiking boots or hiking shoes for hiking. Trail runners are great for certain trails, but as soon as things get rocky, they do hit their limits.
We always recommend something more rigid to help with comfort and to give you a better level of support. We cover this in more detail earlier on in this article to give you the full low down.
How much water should I carry?
This really depends on the length of trail you’ll be completing and where it is. If you’re hiking in hotter climates, then you will naturally need more and should drink regularly.
We’ve covered this in more detail earlier on in this article, but as a benchmark, a 32oz bottle is the minimum we would bring for a hike that is up to 5 miles with mild temperatures.
What should beginners pack for day hikes?
We would really recommend reading our what to bring on a hike article to get a true understanding, from our tried and tested experience, of what to bring. This goes into a great amount of detail and covers everything you need to know to get out safely and enjoyably.
Can I hike solo in a National Park?
You can absolutely hike solo in a National Park! We’ve both done it, it just takes a bit of thoughtful safety information to get it right. Of course, this is conditional on your personal circumstances, so consider this in detail before you do. You should always stick within your limits and current ability and always let someone know where you are.
US National Park Hiking Gear Essentials: Our Final Thoughts
We hope our guide has shown you that you don’t need everything, you just need what really makes sense for your hike and the National Park you’ll be visiting. Our aim with this article was to take our experience of hiking in US National Parks to remove the stress from planning your trip.
Whether you’re new to hiking in National Parks or not, your list of what to bring will become more refined over time, just like ours has. One of the first National Parks we visited was Zion National Park. We were so new to hiking and brought way too much and not enough of the right thing.
Over time, we’ve tested so much gear and hiked so many trails that we just know what works for us, and the same will happen for you too. You’ll end up with go-to gear that you think of the instant you start prepping for a particular trail.
Remember, the main reason you want to get a hold of your gear is so you can enjoy those beautiful National Park views and hike to places that fill you with happy memories. The gear you use won’t make the memories, but what it enables you to do will.
Disclaimer: This article contains Affiliate Links. You won’t pay any more for buying through these links, but we may receive a commission from any purchases made through them. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you choose to support us by buying through our links, we thank you as it helps us to continue providing the resources we do to help you enjoy the outdoors more!