Backpacker and Camper Websites

Posted by Jeff Wetherington Feb 8, 2007

An enjoyable backpacking or camping trip begins with careful planning. These websites can help you make your outdoor trip and activities much more fun by giving you the information you need to make knowledgeable decisions.

www.mapquest.com - If you're heading to a new locale to hike, backpack or camp, Mapquest will give you directions from your door to your destination. Just click the "Directions" icon, enter your starting point and destination and soon there will be a detailed map on your monitor complete with written directions, the number of distance miles (total and segment) and how much time it should take you to make the drive. Advanced options allow you to choose shortest time, shortest distance, avoid toll roads, avoid highways and show seasonally closed roads, or to convert your map to a satellite view with road graphics overlaid.

www.weather.com - Knowing how to get where you're going is only part of the plan. You'll also want to know what the weather will be like when you arrive and while you stay at your destination. This website is the online version of The Weather Channel, which is a standard on almost every cable TV lineup around the world. This site will answer just about any weather forecast question for almost any destination that you can imagine. You can find out the current conditions and forecasts for the coming weekend, 10 days ahead or a month ahead, so planning ahead for the weather systems on your next hiking, backpacking or camping trip is easy.

www.reserveamerica.com - It's hard to beat the convenience of this site when it comes to reserving your chosen campsite. If you're not familiar with campsites and/or parks in the area you plan on visiting, you can perform a search based on different criteria, according to the specific amenities or features you are interested in enjoying. If you know the park you're planning to stay at, it's easy to book a site or sites for the number of nights and people you need. There is a wealth of helpful information available including directions, maps of parks, regional maps showing other parks, whether pets are allowed, and if sites are primitive or not, as well as many other useful functions. Yes, there is a service charge when booking sites, but the convenience ReserveAmerica offers is worth it. See this article for a more detailed look at this site.

www.gaspricewatch.com - If you're taking a long enough drive, either to your ultimate destination or camping along the way, this site will help you find the least expensive gas for your vehicle. With 128,000 gas stations in their database, chances are you'll drive past a few.

Part of the fun of a hiking, backpacking or camping trip is in the planning. These sites will help you start enjoying the fun a lot sooner and a lot easier.