If you’re new to hiking, the task of planning a backpacking trip can feel uncertain, daunting, and maybe even impossible. Today I will be covering how to plan a backpacking trip, as well as some of my best tips for staying organized. Step 1: Get Organized Planning an outdoor adventure
One question I hear pretty frequently is, “What do I need in my first aid kit for hiking?” The honest answer to this question is that it depends on a few things: where you’re going, who you’ll be going with, the planned duration of your hike, your level of knowledge
Continue reading…Here’s What’s in My First Aid Kit for Hiking
The last stop on the beach camping road trip I took with Patronus was to Kitch-iti-kipi. According to the Michigan DNR, Kitch-iti-kipi is Michigan’s largest freshwater spring. Its crystal clear water remains at a constant 45 degrees Farenheight. Just in case this is an added bonus for you, it’s also
Fayette Historic State Park, located in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, is home to a collection of abandoned buildings dating back to the second half of the nineteenth century. If you read my post about backpacking South Manitou Island from a few years ago, or our tour of Eloise, you probably know
Continue reading…Exploring a Ghost Town at Fayette State Park
Although we’ve managed to get in a handful of day hikes this year, I’ve been itching to get out on another backpacking trip ever since my winter hike of the Potawatomi Trail back in early March. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic hit and everything changed. As things in our state began
There’s a bit of a learning curve when it comes to getting used to how to hike in winter, but once you get the hang of it, it can actually be quite enjoyable. If you’re reading this post, I’ll assume that it’s likely you’re new to hiking, or at the
In 2019 I hiked 100 miles of the North Country Trail AND completed the 52 Hike Challenge. Along the way I took at least one photo and/or video clip for each hike that I went on, then at the end of the year created this video using the app 1
I awoke bright and early at my friends’ cottage on a cold, snowy, Saturday morning in November, brewed myself a cup of coffee, and ladled out a big bowl of oatmeal. I am by all means NOT a morning person, but I was eager to get moving, because my friend
When I started off 2019, one of the things that wanted most for the new year was to spend less time trying to hit arbitrary self-made personal “goals” and more time going on adventures and creating happy memories. To help hold myself accountable, I decided to take on the 52
On a whim, my friend Megan and I decided to take an impromptu road trip to the Mackinaw City area to soak in the beautiful colors of the northern Michigan fall foliage. Naturally, we thought the best way to experience fall “up north” would be to get a few hikes
Continue reading…Fall Camping and Hiking at Wilderness State Park
For the third and final hike of our North Country Trail fall foliage camping and hiking trip, Megan and I decided to hike an out-and-back section of the Jordan Valley Pathway. While the trail system offers a hikers the option of doing a short, 3 mile day hike or a
It was nearly 11:00 A.M. on the second day of our camping trip when Megan and I pulled into the muddy parking lot for French Farm Lake to begin our 10 mile hiking adventure along the North Country Trail. I use the term “parking lot” loosely. After getting out of
To celebrate our second anniversary, Luke and I decided to seek out a secluded cabin in the Hocking Hills so we could spend the week of Halloween hiking, exploring, relaxing, and watching scary movies. We decided to bring Patronus and Naga along too, of course! While Patronus is pretty much
Finding cute orange hats to wear outdoors in the late fall can be a bit of a challenge because…well…most of them are pretty manly. After spending many hours poring over the internet in search of finding one, I decided to simply DIY my own hat, and I’ve included my free
Fall hiking might seem a bit intimidating if you’re new to the activity, and rightly so. Between figuring out how to plan a hike, what to wear in those weird, in-between temperatures, and what (if anything) you actually need to bring along, it’s totally normal that fall hiking might seem
Remembering everything you need to pack for a camping or backpacking trip can sometimes be stressful, so I decided to create a printable backpacking checklist to help me stay organized while I’m preparing for my next adventure. After having backpacked South Manitou Island, the Pictured Rocks, and the Potowatomi Trail,
Continue reading…My Backpacking Checklist (Printable + Dog Friendly)
Luke and I packed up the car late on a Friday afternoon, got Patronus ready, then headed out for another trip to northern Michigan. Both of us were ravenously hungry after a long day of work, so we made a pit stop at Burger King along the way. Luke got
Patronus and I pulled in to the parking lot for the trailhead just after 3:00 P.M. After taking some time to get our packs situated, we made our way to the edge of the lake where the trail begins. We had a 7 mile hike ahead of us before we
The spring segment of my 52 Hike Challenge ended up being…a bit challenging. The season began with a couple of muddy hikes with Patronus. In April I got injured. I still wanted to keep hiking, so Luke and I decided to take Patronus to visit Belle Isle State Park in
Luke, Patronus, and I headed up to northern Michigan to spend fourth of July weekend with our friends, Matt and Amanda and their two dogs. We spent Friday just hanging out, catching up, and relaxing with a bit of stargazing thrown in for fun. I was amazed at how clear
If a road trip across Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is on your bucket list, consider Tahquamenon Falls as one of many noteworthy places to stop. On a gloomy Saturday in late May, my friends and I made our way to Tahquamenon Falls State Park to enjoy some camping, hiking, and a