How to Take a Last Minute Backpacking or Camping Trip This Summer

Whether you applied for advance permits meticulously early in the year and lost out on reservations or enjoy more spur of the moment trip planning, there are countless outdoor adventurers and aspiring explorers looking for ways to get outside at the last minute this summer - maybe more than any summer before.

It is becoming undeniably more difficult to find outdoor spaces to recreate in on weekends and holidays, especially during the summer months. Online reservations on big platforms like Recreation.gov and ReserveAmerica are accounted for months in advance and unless you get unbelievably lucky with a last minute cancellation, it can be discouraging to search online. But this doesn’t mean you can’t spend your free time camping or backpacking outside! 

Here are four tips to help you plan a last-minute camping or backpacking weekend:

First Come First Serve

If you are set on visiting a specific park or area, your best bet is first come first serve camping or permits.

Camping: First come first serve camping means some or all of a campground’s sites are not available for advance reservation and are available to those who arrive first on any given day. If you are going to try for a first come first serve site, call a ranger in advance and ask what time the sites typically fill on busy weekends and arrive well before then. Always make a backup plan as it can be risky to road trip to your desired location only to be turned away. If it works out, you can score some of the most desirable sites in the country at the last minute.  

Backpacking: Most public lands with permitting processes offer walk-in or first come first serve wilderness permits. A certain percentage of the total permit quota is held for backpackers to walk in and obtain a permit based on availability no more than a day in advance of the trip. In certain parks up to two thirds of permits are saved for walk-ins. These permits are typically up for grabs at wilderness permitting offices but the process differs by area so do your research. If the permits you were interested in have already been snagged, rangers can help you plan a similar trip to somewhere that still has availability. This year, many parks and wilderness areas are releasing their first come first served permits online due to ongoing covid protocols - this is a great way to grab last minute permits without needing to be physically present a day before the trip.

Non-permitted or Quota-free Destinations

There are a handful of national parks and wilderness areas throughout the country that get all the attention - and therefore have very competitive permitting processes - but there are endless lesser known options for camping and backpacking, many of which are last-minute friendly.

Camping: Large concentrations of publicly owned land controlled by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) or the Forest Service offer dispersed camping. Dispersed camping means camping in an area with no official campgrounds (i.e. no water, garbage or bathroom services), often along the sides of forest service roads. Many of these BLM and Forest Service lands require no permit and are completely free. These lands are often located next to national parks or other popular outdoor areas, so you can camp away from the crowds but are still able to access popular trailheads or desired locations. 

Backpacking: Many less popular wilderness areas and national forests have a wilderness permitting process in place but do not restrict the number of permits that are issued with a quota system. This means you can pick up a permit the day before or morning of your entry date and do not need to worry about whether there will be permits available. These areas offer expansive amounts of scenic backpacking options with less crowds and allow for spontaneous trips! 

A tip from the Somewhere Outside team: As you learn more about the areas you are interested in visiting, start a ‘last minute wish list’ that you can add to over time. When you drive past a campground that has first come first serve sites available or stumble across photos of a backpacking trip online only to discover the location doesn’t have a permit quota, add it to the list of potential last minute locations. That way, when you want to head out on a last minute trip you know exactly what your options are!

Privately Owned Land and Campgrounds

Camping: Try a service like Tentrr or Hipcamp - the Airbnb’s of the outdoor world. These platforms connect you with landowners to book outdoor camping, RV and glamping trips on privately owned land. These private land options are a little bit more expensive but provide incredible solitude and frequently have last minute availability. There are thousands of sites available across the country which can be booked directly on each company’s website.

There are also privately owned campgrounds sprinkled throughout each state. These campgrounds are often not listed on ReserveAmerica and Recreation.gov alongside the regional and federal campgrounds and need to be booked separately. These sites are more expensive than camping on public lands but they don’t fill up as quickly. Many private campgrounds have better amenities or offerings and are still located close to trailheads or desired destinations. For example - there are only two campgrounds in Bryce Canyon National Park which fill quickly in high season but there are many privately owned campgrounds a 15 minute drive from the best trailheads in the park. 

Somewhere Outside

If you are having trouble making plans or stuck on ideas of where to go on a last minute camping or backpacking trip, use a service like Somewhere Outside. Our team members are expert last minute planners - from finding privately owned campgrounds with availability on the busiest summer weekends to booking beautiful quota-free wilderness trips you didn’t know existed to recommending the best places to take advantage of public lands. Reach out to us here to book a trip this summer - it’s never too late for an outdoor adventure!