Picnic hikes will be an effective way to spend a summer time afternoon stress-free by an alpine lake or get pleasure from a sundown out of your favourite overlook. However for those who’ve by no means packed up a meal for the backcountry, you could be questioning what to pack for a picnic hike.
It’s all about discovering the precise stability between what you want for the hike itself and what you want for the picnic, all whereas preserving it as light-weight and manageable as potential.
On this submit, we stroll you thru the method of packing in your picnic hike and supply suggestions and strategies to make your expertise as pleasurable as potential.
Be part of our neighborhood for entry to our free member assets!
Obtain Helpful Out of doors Packing Checklists & Journey Planning Guides
How To Plan Your Picnic Hike
Earlier than you begin packing your climbing backpack, it’s important to get a transparent plan in place in your picnic hike – identical to another hike you may go on.
Your plan ought to account for quite a lot of components, which is able to finally dictate what it is advisable pack. Right here’s what you need to contemplate:
Save 30% on AllTrails+
Get 30% off an AllTrails+ membership so it can save you maps for offline use, get alerts for going off-trail, preview the hike in 3D, and extra.
Meals Concepts for Picnic Hikes
So that you’ve picked out an awesome path with a pleasant picnic spot, however what must you pack to eat?
The traditional is a PB&J, however for those who’re studying this, chances are high you need one thing a bit extra subtle.
When packing in your picnic lunch, select meals which might be comparatively light-weight, can stand up to some jostling round, and received’t soften or perish in just a few hours. All the time search for objects that don’t create a ton of mess or require elaborate setup.
Listed below are our high picks for what to pack for a picnic hike:
Have extra concepts? Share your favourite picnic hikes lunches within the feedback!
Tip: Take away as a lot extra packaging and plastic earlier than heading out in your hike so you chop down on the trash you’re needing to pack out!
What To Pack For A Picnic Hike
Along with the 10 necessities you need to pack on each hike, there’s just a few issues it is advisable elevate your climbing recreation on a picnic hike.
You possibly can in all probability cobble collectively every thing you want in your picnic hike with what you’ve in your kitchen and equipment closet, however for those who’re trying to make your expertise additional particular, listed here are our favourite objects for a pleasant picnic on the path:
1. Picnic blanket
Whether or not you’re headed to a distant seaside or a rocky peak, the is the right picnic companion. It weighs only a pound and a half and might simply be stuffed into your day pack.
The underside layer has a water resistant end to maintain you dry whereas the highest is made of soppy microfleece, nice for having fun with a post-picnic nap.
Store the REI Out of doors Blanket at:
2. Swiss Military Knife
Each out of doors adventurer ought to have a superb Swiss military knife. They come in useful on picnics when it is advisable slice a block of cheese, pop that half bottle of wine, lower open a package deal, and even choose a pesky morsel of meals out of your tooth with a toothpick.
The Swiss Military Camper Knife options quite a lot of helpful instruments whereas nonetheless being compact and light-weight.
Store the Swiss Military Camper Knife at:
3. Hydro Flask Cooler Cup
The is a intelligent design that retains drinks chilly in your hike in after which doubles as a cup when it’s time to drink them.
For added chill issue, refrigerate the containers the evening earlier than so that they’re additional chilly while you head out.
Store the Hydro Flask Cooler Cup at:
4. Picnic Flatware
Elevate your picnic expertise by bringing chrome steel flatware as an alternative of low-cost plastic utensils.
This comes with its personal carry sleeve that retains your forks, knives, and spoons organized and straightforward to seek out.
Store the Hydro Flask Flatware Set at:
5. Plates
You should use any non-breakable plates in your picnic hike, however if you would like a set that cleans up nicely and appears good, try the.
Store the Hydro Flask Camp Plate at:
6. Bee’s Wrap
I’m at all times looking for methods to scale back single-use plastics, so I used to be actually excited to find , which can be utilized in lieu of plastic wrap.
These sheets are coated with a skinny layer of beeswax and can be utilized to wrap up sandwiches, cheeses, veggies, fruits, or another meals objects you’ve deliberate in your picnic.
To wash them, merely rinse them with cool water and allow them to dry earlier than reusing them!
7. Stasher baggage
These reusable silicone are excellent for carrying picnic goodies like chopped fruits and veggies, sandwiches, path combine, or different picnic provides.
In contrast to regular ziplock baggage, these are supposed to be reused, so merely rinse them out and repeat!
8. Loopy Creek Chair
For a picnic occasion, my Loopy Creek is my go-to chair. It takes about 5 seconds to place collectively and supplies greater than ample again assist. It additionally has hook-and-loop straps to connect to your backpack so that you will be hands-free in your hike.
This chair can also be excellent for out of doors live shows and films and particularly useful on river journeys the place you might be sitting upright in a ship all day.
Store Loopy Creek Camp Chair at:
9. Moist Wipes
Moist wipes are at all times helpful to have round. They’re nice for cleansing up post-picnic when it is advisable wipe off soiled utensils or plates. These Surviveware moist wipes are good and thick and enormous sufficient so that you solely want to make use of 1 or 2.
Please bear in mind to pack out all used moist wipes and eliminate them in a trash can, even when they are saying biodegradable.
Store Surviveware Moist Wipes at:
10. Hand sanitizer
Deliver a small bottle of hand sanitizer with you to wash your fingers earlier than you eat your picnic. I like this travel-sized bottle of Dr. Bronner’s Hand Sanitizer.
Store Dr. Bronner’s Hand Sanitizer at:
11. Bug repellant
Nothing can spoil a pleasant picnic quicker than a swarm of mosquitos or pesky gnats. Be ready to fend off bugs with some good bug repellant.
Natrapel is a plant-based, non-toxic bug repellant that works fairly nicely. Nevertheless, if you already know biting bugs can be an issue, you may need to go along with one thing that incorporates DEET.
Store Natrapel Insect Repellant at:
Learn Extra
Extra Picnic Hike Gear Suggestions
Depart No Hint on Picnic Hikes
It’s necessary to say the 7 Depart No Hint rules so you possibly can observe good environmental practices in your picnic hike.
They’re:
- Plan forward and put together
- Journey and camp on sturdy surfaces
- Eliminate waste correctly
- Depart what you discover
- Reduce campfire impacts
- Respect wildlife
- Be thoughtful to different guests
You possibly can learn extra in regards to the 7 Ideas and discover examples in our Depart No Hint weblog submit.
Have an awesome hike!
On the lookout for extra out of doors journey concepts? Try these associated weblog posts:
We hope this submit helps you propose a memorable picnic hike! What are your finest picnic hike suggestions and necessities? Do you’ve a favourite hike or expertise to share? Tell us within the feedback!
Associated
