Backpacking is an outdoor recreation activity where you carry gear on your back and hike for more than a day. It is a grand and incredible adventure as well because you’ll be surprised that your feet can take you to the most amazing places and see wonderful views. While backpacking, you might find that you have a lot of time to spare. And to avoid being burned out with the constant hiking and navigating, you can try different activities for you to stay entertained as you make your way through the great outdoors.
On your next backpacking adventure, you can try these activities with your friends or family so that all of you will stay entertained on the trail.
1. Photography
Photography and hiking really go together. Since there are so much out there to see when you go backpacking, taking photos will be fun and bringing photographs home is the best way to share the beautiful place you’ve seen with others. It is also a way to prompt your own memories of how wonderful the places you’ve been are.
But don’t get too carried away with taking photos because you might forget to admire the natural beauty of the place with your own eyes.
2. Fishing
Do not assume that just because you’re off the beaten track, the lakes and streams are dry because, in fact, it’s quite the opposite. Semi-remote lakes usually have plenty of native fish and sometimes, the local department of fish and game may even stock them. But before you go fishing, make sure that you understand the rules of your local fishing regulations and have your fishing license with you just in case.
3. Play Some Games
If you’re backpacking with friends or family, you can play games with them while on the trail. You can have impromptu entertaining games such as treasure hunts, hide-and-seek, or maybe some quizzes. Aside from that, you can also play proper games and sports activities like baseball. There are lots of choices when it comes to games and sports you can play while you’re out trekking the wild countryside.
4. Camping
Camping is one of the easiest activities you can do while you’re out in nature. This can be the main attraction of your voyage. You can cook over an open fire, tell stories around the campfire and relax under the stars. But make sure that you are following all the necessary precautions and rules of the campsite to avoid accidents and dangers. To experience all of this, you can try out our Pawna Lake Camping and be close to nature’s beauty.
5. Make Some Music
If you wish to have some relaxing time while camping, nothing is more relaxing than playing an instrument while sitting near a bright campfire under a breathtaking starry night sky. You can take an instrument with you when you go backpacking such as a guitar, flute, ukulele, and more and play music while getting closer with nature.
6. Rock Climbing
If you have some extra room in your pack, you can bring a light rock climbing gear. When you go backpacking through the mountains, it will inevitably lead you to a rock face conquer. But when you try rock climbing, make sure that you know what you’re doing and as much as possible, do it with a companion who is trained to rock climb. This is a great activity to break up the monotony of the trail.
7. Bird Watching
When you take a break during your hike, you can sit and relax and bird watch for a moment. You might also want to bring with you a pair of binoculars because it can provide you hours of entertainment.
8. Water Sports
You can cool off and enjoy the excitement of nature during a backpacking trip through rushing down a river for an adrenaline-pumping good time. You and your friends can have fun in canoeing, kayaking, and water rafting activities. However, you should only attempt these activities if you are a seasoned professional or if you are traveling with a certified group.
9. Geocaching
Geocaching is like a treasure hunt game where you use a GPS receiver to hide and seek containers which are called geocaches or caches at specific locations marked by coordinates all over the world. These containers are usually waterproof and contain a logbook or sometimes a pen or pencil. You will sign the log with your established code name and date it to prove that you found the cache. After signing it, the cache should be placed back in the exact place where you found it. They also sometimes contain items for trading like toys or trinkets. It is a really fun activity to try while backpacking.
10. Swimming
Your backpacking trip will not be complete without swimming in open lakes and splashing around in rivers and streams. But before you go swimming, make sure that it is allowed in those waters and make sure the water currents are not too dangerous. Aside from swimming, you can also play water games in the cool and refreshing waters of the wild.
These are some of the fun activities you can enjoy while backpacking. It’s easy to pass the time during a backpacking trip especially if you have a plan. But while you’re up to all these activities, make sure that you don’t leave any opportunity to explore nature to the fullest extent. Just always take caution in every activity and remember that safety should always come first. We hope the information we shared gave you an idea of what activities to try on your next backpacking adventure.