Embrace the Adventure: A Guide to Start Planning and Get Inspired for Your Outdoor Trip

We love to be spontaneous, but we have also found that (sometimes), a voyage is only as possible as the planning. This is by no means a complete list of what you might want to do for trip prep, but we hope it serves as a starting point of motivation and inspiration to explore more. 

Define Your Trip Goals

Identify the purpose of your trip, whether it’s relaxing in a cabin, snowshoeing amongst the trees, skiing the backcountry, or headstands in the desert. All adventures are valid! There’s no reason to make your trip anything besides what you want from the adventure.

Create a List of Potential Destinations 

Based on your preferences, considering activities, proximity, and so forth, ask yourself, what do you want to see?

Here are a few of our favorite destinations as a starting point: 

• Gunnison, Colorado for epic skiing at Crested Butte and the best wildflowers in Colorado 
• Leavenworth, Washington for gorgeous hiking in the later summer and fall, world-class climbing in the spring and fall, and some of the biggest Oktoberfest and Holiday festivals in the country. 
• Vermont for “leaf peeping” aka admiring the beautiful changing colors in the fall. 
• Glacier National Park and the surrounding areas in Montana are absolutely stunning and worth the trip. 
• Idaho for fabulous hot springs. They’re especially lovely for an early spring road trip when it’s still a little snowy. 

Choose the Right Time

• Determine the travel dates based on your desired activities and weather conditions.
• Keep an open mind about destinations! Sometimes the best places are off the beaten path.

Create Your Gear List! 

• Categorize your items by,  clothing (Go There Pants, of course!), navigation, safety items, and cooking material. 
• And of course, can’t forget The Kula Cloth.

 Budget and Booking

• Set aside a budget so there are no surprises. You can use gas calculators to estimate your total gas expense, which can be a major part of your budget if you’re heading out on a road trip! 
• Research your lodging. Even if you’re brave enough to winter camp, you might need a permit in the slow season! 

Once you have the location and activity dialed, info should be easy to find at your search engine fingertips.

Leave No Trace 

• As always, don’t forget to bring the 7 Principles of LNT. As outdoor recreation increases, so does the impact on nature. Be a steward of the land on your adventures, and earth will thank you. (So will the park rangers.)