The only items we purchased for our Southwest adventure were our Altra Lone Peaks. My parents did the entire Grand Circle tour in the Spring of 2022 and had the same shoes for their hiking adventures. These shoes were amazing! They had incredible grip for some of the tough terrain we hiked (snow included), and they have a wide toe design which provided extra comfort during our long hikes. This proved to be a game changer and kept my feet from swelling at all.
Spring is a gorgeous time to visit the Southwest. Mornings were cool, 30-40’s, but by midday, we experienced 60’s and 70’s. When you’re hiking, this is idealic.
Hydration is the #1 thing you need to stay on top of. The dry heat is very different and our skin reflected that by the end of the week.
Layers will be best for your daily hiking attire. For example, I typically was in an athletic tank top, layered on a long-sleeved athletic top and either my Patagonia Nano Puff vest or light windbreaker jacket. All of these items rolled up and fit in either my camelbak or Adams, or I tied my shirt around my waste.
Adam started out each morning in a pair of the hiking convertible pants from Outdoor Ventures and unzipped the leg when it warmed up during our hikes. I know what you’re thinking, convertible pants aren’t your jam? Consider Adam a converted believer in them. He borrowed 3 pair of my dad’s pants and now wants his own. He also layered his tops the same way I did.
We wouldn’t have changed a thing with the way we packed layers for hikes.
One of the best decisions we made was to take our Rtic backpack cooler. Adam used it as his second carry on item which fit under the airplane seat perfectly. When we were between destinations, we never had to worry about our items not staying cold. We love this cooler!
Some other basic things to remember to pack are sunscreen, lip protector/chapstick and possibly a small portable phone charger like this one.
I hope you have fun exploring your destination.
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