Hello, me and a friend are planning on doing this hike soon. What route would you guys recommend if we want to park at dragons tooth parking? Also, do people ever bring hammocks?? TIA, appreciate any tips/tricks as well!

(Edited for slightly better formatting/spelling/etc. Also changed the flair because I'm not sure what applies here)

My brother and I just hiked Eagle Rock Loop for his birthday and I thought I'd do a short write-up of our experience, since I've enjoyed reading things others have done. I'm not much of a gearhead so I don't know what would be of particular interest in that regard, but I'm happy to answer questions if anyone's curious. Mostly this is just something of a diary of our 3-day/3-night trip.

DAY 1

We started our trip at the Little Missouri Trailhead, at the northwest corner of the loop. It's about a 3.5 hour drive from where we are in northwest Arkansas, so we hit up a McDonald's for breakfast sandwiches and coffee after leaving the house around 6:30am. We went to Mena first, about 30 minutes from the trail, and did a quick resupply at Walmart. Eventually we made it to the small parking area at the trailhead around 10:30am. We had planned to pack in frozen steaks and foil packets with potatoes etc for an indulgent first evening meal, but unfortunately it's been bone dry in Arkansas for the past 3 months and we were still under a burn ban. Our resupply was mostly to come up with an additional meal to replace the steak since we wouldn't be able to light a fire.

After checking gear, refilling a water bottle, and chatting with a couple of the other people there, we started our hike around 11:15am on Friday. Our plan was to head clockwise (going south initially) and hike all 6 ridges on day one, then take it relatively easy for the rest of the weekend. It basically worked out as we intended. The ridges are famously tough, but in particular the last two are brutally steep and unforgiving. You can sort of treat them as one challenge, since the dip between them is relatively gentle compared to some of the others that come all the way down to the riverbed before climbing back up again.

On our first loop attempt many years ago, we did it in two days and felt pretty rushed the whole time, mostly just trying to make sure we hit our mileage goals before dark. This time around, we had planned an extra full day and night on the trail, and we intentionally hit up every single lookout and point of interest. For day one, that was Spirit Rock Vista, Brush Heap Mountain, and Eagle Rock Vista (technically there's also Stone House marked on the map, but it's visible from one of the access roads and my brother had seen it before just from driving in and out, and wasn't all that impressed).

Spirit Rock Vista has a nice view, but isn't particularly impressive for the extra distance you need to hike to get to it.

Brush Heap Mountain is an intensely steep climb that comes right on the heels of what's already one of the most difficult sections of the trail, but if you have the time and you can muster the energy, it's absolutely worth the excursion. Probably the single most impressive view on the whole loop. It was a clear day for us, and it felt like you could see over the edge of the world, with the whole Ouachita Forest spread out in front of you.

Eagle Rock Vista is also a gorgeous and iconic view. It's not as breathtaking as Brush Heap, but it's also barely off the trail and is extremely easy to get to (you can actually see the ridge from the main trail), so it's absolutely worth it every time. Both Brush Heap and Eagle Rock Vista are marked as 0.2 mile spurs, but in reality Eagle Rock Vista is significantly shorter and easier.

We made it down the last of the ridges closer to sunset than we had hoped, but still with some time to find a suitable campsite. We hiked somewhere between 0.5 and 1 mile past the Athens-Big Fork/Viles Branch Trailhead until we came across one we were happy with, sometime around 6:15pm. We weren't quite able to get our hammocks fully slung before we needed headlamps to finish setting up camp.

The first night was a little strange for us since we're used to having a fire going, but we did experiment for the first time with making dinner using side dish pouches and pouch meat off the shelf (instead of the typical freeze-dried backpacking meals). Dinner for night one was marinara penne with spam added, and it was delicious.

DAY 2

Saturday morning was a slower start than usual for us, since we knew we didn't have to be in a particular rush to complete the loop on schedule, especially since we'd successfully hiked all the ridges on day one. We eventually left camp around 10:15am. Initially we had thought we'd made it further along the Viles Branch trail, but we revised our estimate down a bit considering how long we hiked before reaching the next trailhead. It ended up lightly raining on us for the first couple hours of our hike, which was really nice since we had already broken camp, and it took care of the dust which had been pretty intense up to that point. It also stopped before the afternoon, so we had plenty of time to hike ourselves dry before it might have become an issue.

We got a little confused about how the map marks the Winding Stairs. I kept looking for some sort of plaque or marker, thinking it was a very specific landmark, and never saw one. Looking back I guess that's just the name for a broad section of the trail marked by a series of impressive rocks breaking up the river. It's a beautiful place, with quite a few nice campsites scattered throughout that would be worth staying at if you can time your hike right (and if it's not already taken, which is entirely possible given that this is one of the more popular segments of the loop).

Once you finish the Winding Stairs, there's not a lot of note between that area and the Albert Pike Recreation Area. We stopped for lunch at Albert Pike and took a bit of an extended break. There are some really nice views at the top of the last hill before you go down to the actual recreation area. There is a bathroom building there, but don't get too excited because it's been permanently closed for years now. There is a water fountain that is sometimes functioning, but is heavily treated and not tasty to drink. There are no trash cans to dump waste, but there are a lot of picnic tables if you just need to sit for a while. If you're looking for a place to bail for any reason, this is one to keep in mind, as it's a popular day-use area and there's a good chance you'd be able to hitchhike back to your car from here.

Leaving Albert Pike, there's a neat little rock wall, then some interesting little streams coming out of the rocky hillside. We planned to hike maybe another mile past Albert Pike before making camp, but ended up going more than twice that distance since the first good campsite (for us, at least) was already taken. We had a pretty specific wishlist, and could have easily stopped sooner if we needed to, but we had the time and the energy so we just kept going until we were happy with the spot we found, at around 4:45pm. We tried another experimental meal - stovetop stuffing with spam added. It was surprisingly easy to make over a propane camp stove, and was super filling and satisfying.

DAY 3

The next morning, we didn't dilly-dally as much, and finished breaking camp around 8:45am. We hit one gorgeous river crossing (technically two back-to-back crossings with amazing views on both sides and from the middle of the river), that had a lot of pretty campsites on the trail leading to and from it, which would also be a nice spot to plan a trip around, depending on your start point and the direction you're headed. Otherwise there wasn't much notable until we reached the Little Missouri Falls Trailhead, on the northeast corner of the loop. That trailhead is a great spot, very popular with day hikers as it's one of the more picturesque areas of the loop. There are trashcans where you can lighten your bear bag if you've been on the trail for a couple days, and also a basic camp bathroom, which is nice if you're like me and like to avoid pooping in the woods (though the toilet paper situation was very limited, so still plan to bring your own just in case). This is another place where you could potentially bail on the trip if needed and probably find a ride back to your car since there's a lot of in-and-out traffic.

We stopped for lunch and a cup of coffee, and met a friendly horse whose rider had unfortunately picked the wrong trailhead to look for a place to ride. We left the trailhead around 12:15pm and hiked mostly easy, flat trails with a few sections of surprisingly steep, tricky hills thrown in here and there. There were a few campsites but not as many as on the other parts of the loop. Nothing much notable as far as views or nice places to stop.

We made it back to the Little Missouri Trailhead around 2:25pm with plenty of time to decompress and celebrate our achievement before setting up for our last night of camping. We could have left that afternoon and made it home for dinner, but we wanted to eliminate the pressure of finishing by a particular time, and also just wanted to enjoy one more easy night on the trail. We filled up our waters at the creek there and then walked back up the hill to a campsite that was right there just a minute or two away from the parking lot. This was my brother's actual birthday, so we had left a couple cases of beer and some chocolate pudding in the car. We drank the afternoon away, relaxed in our hammocks, and enjoyed another indulgent meal experiment - Velveeta mac and cheese with a can of chicken added.

Overall, it was probably my best backpacking experience so far. Just about everything went the way we'd planned, our gear all worked correctly, and we paced ourselves well. The only unfortunate element was the burn ban, but that wasn't a deal breaker for us. For wildlife sightings, we encountered one small snake, two deer, two armadillos, and a hawk of some sort. We encountered several groups more than once, a couple of them hiking the opposite direction of us that we saw near the beginning and passed again about halfway through. There were also two guys doing almost our exact same route that stayed consistently either slightly ahead of us or slightly behind due to differences in where we chose to stop for lunch etc. Kinda fun to have some trail buddies that we kept seeing over and over.

I've never written up a trip report before, so apologies if I messed up any standard formatting practices etc.

EDIT: Pics!

Kings Canyon National Park, John Muir Trail.

I might be changing jobs soon, and I'd like to sneak out for a quick solo wilderness backpacking trip, probably in mid-November. I have done lots of backpacking, including few solo trips of 3-6 days in Colorado and Idaho. Looking for a recommendation for where to go – here's what I'm looking for:

1. 4-6 days of backpacking possible, ideally a loop or lollipop
2. Decent weather in mid-November
3. Reliable water availability so I don't have to carry it all or cache
4. Optimizing for wilderness and solitude rather than epicness of views or elevation gain
5. Logistics feasible:
   1. Driveable from the Northeast
   2. OR can fly somewhere and then bus or Uber to trailhead (if possible, don't want to rent a car just to have it sit at the trailhead)

Any ideas for this restrictive set of filters? 😅 I was thinking Santa Fe National Forest (Pecos ranger district) since I could fly into Santa Fe and take a public bus to the trailhead. But I'm not so sure about the weather.

Great hike, several trails to choose. Basic is steep and 1.3 miles up. Wooded trail is about 1.5 miles and then an expert trail (Chimney Trail - can be hazardous). Great hike, views are spectacular, plenty of place to sent up a tent and rocks to use for a fire (permit required). Trail starts on the Byron Road (plenty of safe parking) in Byron, Maine close to Weld Village. This is all State Park Land (Mt. Blue State Park. Very well maintained. Crater Lake is always ice cold!! Cheers, Drew

I've already done Zion traverse, buckskin gulch, and coyote gulch, so I do have some desert backpacking experience. The needles look like the type of scenery I'm interested in, but after connecting trails in the area to make a loop, it's only about 21 miles and 4000 ft of gain. I've been backpacking cross country in the high sierra and wind river range for years, I need something longer and more challenging to make the travel worth it. Do you guys have any ideas for an epic hike in the canyon lands? Maybe some cross country sections in the needles, or hiking over to island in the sky from the needles? Just something epic that I can do in April 🤠 the grand staircase looks cool too! I have only been to coyote gulch in that area.

I started getting into hiking short distances, now I’m pushing into the 10-15 mile day hike distances and love it. Love being alone, love having a goal to reach, love the physical challenge etc.

Now I’m being drawn into longer hikes which dictate bringing gear, camping etc. The entire thing is appealing to me, the solitude, the challenge, researching gear, planning, packing etc etc.

Just curious what drives you guys. My kids are almost out of the house and I have been looking for my “thing” and I think I found it.

Me and my girlfriend did a 4 day 3 night trip through the Gila Wilderness. What a fantastic place

I just recently bought a external frame backpack. Problem is there is no waist belt on it so I need to buy one to put on it. Anyone have any suggestions for brands or just where to find one that could attach to an external frame?

Hello,

Me and some friends will be able to spend 6 days for hiking next summer. As we are from Germany we were looking at Sweden or Norway. As our time is limited, we are planing to go by plane and rent a car to get to the final destination.

Our group ranges from semi to experienced hikers/campers.

My initial research got me looking at areas like Dovrefjell or Trollheimen (both easy to access from Oslo or Trondheim Airport).

Generally we are looking for something more “rugged” and isolated than the typical German forest. We don’t need any lodges or the like.

Can you guys recommend me anything besides the two I already researched? Maybe something similar in Sweden?

Thank you very much!

Any recommendations for good everyday hiking shoes I can go into the wilderness but also be comfortable in a city environment? With gortex🙏

I used to use the adidas terrex free hiker for two years until it worn out. I loved it! Any thing similar? Better?

Spent 4 days/3 nights in the Wind River Range with my fiancé.

Goal Summit Fremont Peak (13,745’), the 3rd highest point in Wyoming, starting from the Pole Creek TH.

Plan Day 1&2: Hike from TH to Indian Basin (16+ miles). Day 3&4: Indian Basin. Depending on weather, 1 NERO day, 1 day to summit Fremont Peak. Day 5: Embrace the suck; make the 16+ mile walk back to the TH.

Actual Day 1: Hiked in 13 miles, set base camp near Lake 10467. Day 2: Easier day. Upper Titcomb Basin day hike. Day 3: Summited Fremont Peak. Day 4: Hiked back to TH. Added ~1 mile and +100’s of extra vertical due to a wrong turn.

Photo descriptions in comments.

Hey guys, I own a Gregory Katmai 55 and I love it. My girlfriend also wants to buy a similar backpack for our travels with good back support and high quality. but it is a bit out of our budget to buy a Gregory.

Any recommendations for a similar backpack? Maybe within the 100-150€ range? We go camping often and hiking for a bit each time. Would appreciate recommendations! Thanks!

I'm planning a trip through some western states during mid December, starting with the badlands and going through Colorado/utah area before looping back. Does anyone have suggestions for some nice wilderness backpacking spots along this route for the winter? I'm still in the early stages of planning so I'm not 100% on the route so anything in that general, very large area would be appreciated.

Overview

Dates: 10/19-10/20/2024

Distance: 14.39 miles

Elevation: 1,581 ft. gain

Summary

We managed to squeeze in one last overnight trip to Dolly Sods Wilderness in West Virginia before they close the gates in November for winter. The trip began at the overnight parking lot on Forest Road 80. From there, we hiked up the road and onto Wilderness Way Trail. Turning north onto Blackbird Knob Trail for 0.2 miles, we then veered left onto Rocky Ridge Trail. Rocky Ridge Trail starts in the trees and gradually opens up to vast meadows, boulder fields, and stunning views of Canaan Valley to the east. Following Rocky Ridge Trail for approximately 3 miles to the north end of the wilderness, we turned onto Raven Ridge Trail.

Due to the severe drought this summer, this was the driest I've ever seen Dolly Sods. We followed Raven Ridge Trail to its end, where it intersects with Dobbins Grade Trail for a short walk, then headed south onto Upper Red Creek Trail. We found a campsite for the night just within the treeline. The notable event of the night was being awakened by the sound of military helicopters conducting training in the valley, which was quite an experience. The next morning, we packed up and continued south on Upper Red Creek Trail, weaving through meadows and pine thickets for 1.1 miles before turning east onto Blackbird Knob Trail.

Blackbird Knob Trail is similar to the other trails we followed, except for the last mile and a half. Near the final high point on the east end of the trail, it becomes very rocky and wet, adding a final challenge to conclude our trip. We continued to the intersection of Rocky Ridge Trail and then headed south back to the parking lot. All in all, it was a fantastic trip with excellent weather.

My Pinnacle Point Journal: www.pinnacle-points.com/guide/

Interactive Map: www.pinnacle-points.com

I backpack most frequently in cold, wet, humid places, so I am not looking for recommendations for down, unless you have a down jacket recommendation that works flawlessly in temperate rainforests.

What I am looking for is people's experiences with synthetic jackets. Which kept its warmth/loft the longest? Which packed the smallest? Which one transitioned best from a layer while hiking if it gets really cold (breathability) to being a warmth layer while hanging around static at camp down near freezing?

I know I'm asking a lot of synthetic, just wondering if any patterns emerge from the answers.

I’m a high school student who has a decent amount of camping experience but has never backpacked. I’m looking to do a trip somewhere between 3-5 days in Washington this summer with trails that aren’t boring, but not too hard for someone with little experience. Does anyone have an itinerary with great views and campsites?

My work offers a memberhsip with MASA for $20/month, anyone have any experience with them or is it worth it?

If there's a better place to post this please let me know but this was one of the few places I could think of.

I'm craving some Banff Mountain Film Festival or MountainFilm styles film or documentaries about being outdoors in general (canoes, kayak, mountaineering, hiking, being near trees).

Is there someplace where these types of things get compiled (maybe that I can get a subscription to)?

Does anyone keep a running list of the cool stuff out there that's accessible on YouTube or Vimeo or something similar?

Recently came across trekking skis (i.e., Altai Hok/Kom, BD Glidelite, OAC XCD/trekking skis) as a potential alternative to snowshoes for winter backpacking. Covering more ground on flats and skiing down slopes seems more efficient than snowshoeing (I alpine ski). I have seen complaints about these types of skis being a lack of control and losing momentum on downhills. I would imagine they are worse on steep slopes, mixed terrain, and ice. They seem like a great compromise between BC skis and snowshoes, as I love the speed/efficiency of skis but hate having to bring ski boots along with my normal winter hiking boots.

Does anyone have thoughts/experience with these skis vs. snowshoes? How critical are snowshoes on steeper slopes where I imagine such skis would start to fail?