Experiences
About Our Experiences
Put simply, we provide guided multiday backpacking trips on public land. This involves outfitting you with some essential gear and hiking several miles to a backcountry campsite that will act as our home for the next few nights. On our last morning, we’ll pack everything up and head out the way we came as if no one was ever there.
But we’re striving for something deeper at Backpack Arizona!
For us, backpacking is only a vehicle for engaging the natural world absent of artificial stimuli and influence. In that context we’re giving guests an opportunity to connect with nature through an immersive lens that is not easily available to most people.
What It’s Like
Joining us in the backcountry is kind of like leaving your home country for the first time.
Before departing, you probably research your destination’s climate, get a sense of the culture, and learn a few key phrases in the local language. With all the necessities packed, you likely feel a combination of excitement and anxiousness but are confident you set realistic expectations for what’s ahead.
Then you arrive, but something doesn’t sit right as you try acclimating to the new environment. The train station is a confusing maze of indecipherable signs, you have no idea what anyone is saying, and literally everything about your surroundings feels alien. Even if you’re with family or a friend, you’re struck by the realization that this is the furthest from home you’ve ever been and it’s too late to turn back.
But luckily you’re traveling with an expert guide who speaks the language and navigates the terrain like a pro. This person has not only been in your shoes, but has the tools and knowhow to help you be successful during this journey.
Once you arrive at your accommodations, you have a hardy meal and catch a rejuvenating night’s sleep. With everything about you feeling better and knowing your guide is there to back you up, the real fun can begin!
While the setting is different, much of the same applies to our wilderness experiences. We’re intimately familiar with being apart from traditional comforts, and the human emotion that often follows.
But that’s why we’re here. Backpack Arizona exist to support and enable confidence in guests so they are successful in the backcountry.
Bottom line, we have your back!
Where We Operate
Backpack Arizona currently operates in the Coconino and Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests, covering the Mogollon Rim and White Mountains region. The backcountry trails we hike and campsites we occupy are in alpine zones ranging from 6,000-to-8,000 ft above sea level. They are primarily forested with ponderosa pines, while Blue & Engelmann spruce, White fir, and Rocky Mountain Douglas-fir can also be found.
All our experiences occur near perennial streams and canyons, giving guests the opportunity to swim, fish, and explore however they wish to. There are also chances to encounter wildlife such as deer, elk, turkey, snakes, bald eagles, black bears, and loads more.
The locations we choose to share were selected after meticulous research and field testing. We not only need to ensure guests can safely access these spots, but they meet certain conditions to help ensure we’re able to provide unique and special experiences.
This means we deliberately avoid guiding the popular destinations in the state. Sure, the Grand Canyon and Sedona are beautiful outdoor paradises worth a visit, but we prefer taking the literal off beaten path to the gems less trafficked and influenced by humanity. Doing so helps ripen the conditions for us to better connect with nature and our surroundings, in addition to other travelers and ourselves. The benefits of this process cannot be overstated. It’s not easy to fully comprehend unless you decide to submit to the experience yourself!
Difficulty
We pride ourselves on providing backcountry adventures for everyone to enjoy regardless of experience level. There are trails ideal for beginners or first time backpackers that require less technicality and cover easier terrain. Of course we have options for more experienced outdoors people and those really wanting to get far out there!
All our operating locations vary in difficulty which can often be adjusted during a trip if someone wishes to turn up or down the intensity. But rest assured, we won’t plan anything without our guests’ knowledge and input first.
