Fundamentals of Backpacking

WHERE SHOULD I GO?

Determining where you want to go on your backpack adventures can be almost as much fun as actually going. Reading books, searching the internet, and spreading maps out on the floor can give you a thrill of anticipation. The more time you spend researching your destination, the more enjoyable your trip will be. Only you can tell how intense your trip should be.

Some people have spent their entire lives walking and dayhiking. They are probably more than ready to begin backpacking. Others have seldom taken a hike into the forest. For them, a few day hikes will provide the experience needed to make that first backpack trip a pleasant adventure. There are ample dayhiking locations near Collierville: Shelby Farms, Wolf River Trail, Shelby Forest, Herb Parsons Lake, or Big Hill Pond.

Your first few backpack trips should probably be short, weekend trips, not to far from home. There are several nice weekend destinations within a couple of hours of Collierville. Just to name a few: Big Hill Pond (one of my personal favorites), Natchez Trace State Park, Fort Pillow State Park, or Village Creek State Park.

After a few weekend trips, you will be ready for long-weekend, or week-long trips to destinations such as the John Muir Trail or Fall Creek Falls Trail in middle Tennessee. Perhaps the Oachita Mountains in Arkansas or the Appalachian Trail (another one of my favorites) in the Great Smoky Mountains will appeal to you. Wherever you choose, do your homework!