Walk in the Woods: 13 Backpacking Essentials
Gregory Amber 44L Backpack, $169.95, and Therm-A-Rest Women's Prolite Plus, $99.95, at BlueZone Sports, 392 Roseville Square, Roseville, 916-516-1095, bluezonesports.com
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: 3.6 miles out and back; nestled within a small coastal grassy valley with beach access; potable water and pit toilets; each site (14 total) must be reserved at recreation.gov and includes a charcoal BBQ grill, picnic table, and food locker.
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: 7.6 miles out and back; easy, well-maintained trail through forests and open areas surrounded by granite; vaulted toilets at the trailhead parking lot.
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: 2.5 miles out and back; multiple lakes, marshy meadows, and beautiful views along the way; easy, well-marked trail.
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: 4 miles out and back; moderately trafficked trail features granite slabs, lush forests, and an amazing alpine lake; 1,200-feet elevation gain; parking fee is $8.
Gregory Amber 44L Backpack
Therm-A-Rest Women's Prolite Plus
Ultra Lite Chair, $69.99 at Kamp-Rite, 8615 23rd Avenue, Sacramento, 916-383-9460, kamprite.com
Ultra Lite Chair
Gentlemen's Hardware 9-in-1 Wilderness Multi-Tool, $22 at Strapping, 3405 Broadway, Sacramento, 916-476-3376, strappingstore.com
Gentlemen's Hardware 9-in-1 Wilderness Multi-Tool
Marmot Sawtooth 15° Sleeping Bag, $257 at Sierra Mountain Outdoors, 465 Main Street, Placerville, 530-985-4431
Marmot Sawtooth 15° Sleeping Bag
Bamboo Home Collapsible Water Bowl, $9.99+ at sBarkles, 850 E Bidwell Sreet, Suite 150, Folsom, 916-984-0102, sbarkles.com
Bamboo Home Collapsible Water Bowl
Perky Jerky Turkey Jerky, $5.25 at Sunrise Nature Foods, 1950 Douglas Boulevard, Roseville, 916-789-8591; 2160 Grass Valley Highway, Auburn, 530-888-8973, sunrisenaturalfoods.net
Perky Jerky Turkey Jerky
Steeped Coffee 5 Pack, $10 at Chocolate Fish Coffee Roasters, 25055 Blue Ravine Road, Suite 100, Folsom, 916-358-9950, chocolatefishcoffee.com
Steeped Coffee 5 Pack
Women’s Corsica Hiking Shoe, $49.99 at Rack Room Shoes, 13000 Folsom Boulevard, Suite 1002, Folsom, 916-985-4431, rackroomshoes.com
Women’s Corsica Hiking Shoe
Eureka! Spitfire 2 Tent, $153 at Sierra Outdoor Center, 440 Lincoln Way, Auburn, 530-885-1844
Eureka! Spitfire 2 Tent
How to Survive Your First Trip in the Wild: Backpacking for Beginners by Paul Magnanti, $12.99 at Face in a Book, 4359 Town Center Boulevard, Suite 113, El Dorado Hills, 916-941-9401, getyourfaceinabook.com
How to Survive Your First Trip in the Wild: Backpacking for Beginners by Paul Magnanti
Garmin Instinct Solar GPS Watch, $324.99 at Gold Country Run + Sport, 4370 Town Center Boulevard, Suite 150, El Dorado Hills, 916-303-4786; 7610 Folsom-Auburn Road, Suite 160, Folsom, 916-817-1151, goldcountryrunandsport.com
Garmin Instinct Solar GPS Watch
Jetboil Flash Cooking System, $109.95 at The Supply Sergeant, 469 Main Street, Placerville, 530-622-3414, thesupplysergeant.com
Jetboil Flash Cooking System
Beginner Backpacking Spots
Coast Camp
GETTING THERE: Located in Point Reyes National Seashore; drive 5.9 miles along Limantour Road until you reach the Laguna Road junction (look for the “Hostel and Education Center” sign); turn left and drive .5 miles to the Laguna Trailhead.KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: 3.6 miles out and back; nestled within a small coastal grassy valley with beach access; potable water and pit toilets; each site (14 total) must be reserved at recreation.gov and includes a charcoal BBQ grill, picnic table, and food locker.
Loon Lake
GETTING THERE: From Highway 50 East, take Ice House Road exit; continue on Ice House Road for 29 miles to Loon Lake Campground.KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: 7.6 miles out and back; easy, well-maintained trail through forests and open areas surrounded by granite; vaulted toilets at the trailhead parking lot.
Island Lake
GETTING THERE: From Highway 80 East, take the Highway 20 exit and continue for approximately 4.2 miles. Turn right on Bowman Lake Road for approximately 7 miles and turn right on Forest Route 17 for 3 miles (note: this road is unpaved) until reaching the Carr Lake Trailhead.KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: 2.5 miles out and back; multiple lakes, marshy meadows, and beautiful views along the way; easy, well-marked trail.
Wrights Lake to Grouse Lake
GETTING THERE: From Highway 50 East, take the Wrights Lake Road turnoff (just past Kyburz); continue for 8 miles and park at the trailhead.KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: 4 miles out and back; moderately trafficked trail features granite slabs, lush forests, and an amazing alpine lake; 1,200-feet elevation gain; parking fee is $8.
Loch Leven Lakes
GETTING THERE: From Highway 80 East, take the Big Bend exit; turn left on Hampshire Rocks Road and park 1/8 mile east of the Big Bend Visitor Center.KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: 7 miles out and back to the top lake (the middle lake is just under 3 miles one way); moderate hike (1,800-feet elevation gain) through meadows, old growth forest, and 1860s Central Pacific railroad tracks.
Items subject to availability and prices subject to change.
by Megan Wiskus
Coast Camp photo by Megan Wiskus. Loon Lake photo by Josiah Velasquez. Island Lake photo by Navigating The Wild LLC. Grouse Lake photo by Nicole Montoya @nicole_fit_74. Loch Leven Lakes photo by Suzie Dundas. Other photos courtesy of their respective companies or organizations.