$395
Wander Women backpacking trips are designed for folks who are new to backpacking, looking for others to backpack with, or looking to explore Iowa from a different point of view. You’ll learn basic backpacking skills while on the trail, building confidence and knowledge as the weekend progresses. Our expert guides will help you with any questions or worries you have to ensure you feel confident after the weekend!
During the weekend, you’ll learn backpacking basics like:
Packing for a backpacking trip, and packing everything in a backpack
Filtering water
Pooping and peeing in the woods
Basic navigation and map reading
Backcountry camp cooking
Trail safety
And more!
If you’ve ever thought, “I wonder if you can backpack in Iowa…” or have been looking to get into backpacking and want a non-intimidating introduction, then you’re in the right place!
Trip Details
Adventure Rating: Beginner/Intermediate
Main activities: Hiking/Backpacking
Hiking information: Around 8 miles / ~1250ft elevation gain
Camping details: Backcountry camping spots with no access to toilets. Participants must carry all supplies in and dig cat holes for going to the bathroom. There are modern restroom facilities available at the nature center, but it is about a one-mile hike back to that area. There are not a lot of natural water access areas in the park to filter water from, so we will be carrying a lot of water in our packs to make sure we have enough.
Skills learned on this trip: Packing a backpack, properly fitting and carrying a backpack, filtering water, pooping and peeing in the woods, basic navigation and map reading, Leave No Trace, backpacking planning, preparation, and safety, backcountry camp cooking, fire starting, proper use of hiking poles
Backpacking with Wander Women: Things to Consider
Wander Women backpacking trips are physically exerting as you will be carrying up to 25-30 pounds of weight in your backpack while hiking in hilly terrain.
If you are looking for a trip where you can sneak away for lots of alone time, this is probably not the trip for you. Although, there will be chill time built into the trip!
This is a very hands-on trip. You will be expected to help with different aspects of setting up and tearing down camp, and general camp duties. This will all be done under the guidance of experienced guides.
There will be personal items you will need to pack. We will provide you with a detailed packing list prior to the trip.
Be prepared to camp in all types of weather (rainy, cold, hot, stormy)
About Hitchcock Nature Area
Nestled on the rugged western edge of Iowa's Loess Hills, Hitchcock Nature Center (HNC) currently consists of 1,268 acres located near the center of the globally significant Loess Hills landform. The Loess Hills harbor some of the largest remaining prairie remnants in Iowa and provide refuge for plants and animals found nowhere else in the state. Hitchcock is open every day of the year for hiking, camping, picnicking, bird watching, snow sledding, star gazing, or simply enjoying nature.
The Loess Hills of Iowa are a globally significant landform located along the eastern edge of the Missouri River Valley. Westerly winds carrying silt and glacial material from the floodplain were deposited into massive drifts. Following this deposition, periods of erosion sculpted the land into the steep ridges and rolling hills we see today. The Loess Hills are characterized by this rugged terrain and deep deposits of loess (60-200 feet deep). The unique nature of the Loess Hills landform enables it to support rare plants, animals, and biological communities. Source: Pottawattamie County Conservation
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Wander Women trips are designed to be restorative and relaxing, full of connection and knowledge building. Days are filled with activities ranging from skill-building workshops (like fire building or plant identification), hammock reading and card playing, to group hikes, impromptu yoga sessions and creek stomping. Nights are spent around the campfire sharing in storytelling, often digging deep into ourselves and our place in nature.
Please know that to us, there’s no right way to wander. We ask that you come as you are — you don’t need to have the gear, the knowledge or anyone else with you to make this trip great. We grant participants and ourselves the right to be imperfect or nervous, and encourage a “challenge by choice” mentality — letting you decide when you’ll step outside your comfort zone, knowing it’s often rewarding when you do. By the end of the weekend, we want you to feel confident in newfound skills, your place in the outdoors and your part in this community. That’s what these trips are all about!
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Each Wander Women trip has an Adventure Rating attached to the trip to give Wanderers a better idea of the activity level and physical requirements of the trip. These ratings are based on general Wanderer ability. If you have specific questions about a trip’s difficulty or specific accessibility questions, please reach out to us at hello@wanderwomenmidwest.com!
Beginner: This trip is designed for the low-key adventurer. Hikes will be taken at a leisurely pace and include small elevation changes on easy to navigate trails (wide, free of roots and other obstacles). Plenty of down-time built into this trip for participants to relax and create time for themselves. No prior outdoor skills required.
Moderate: This trip is designed for the adventurer looking for a jam-packed weekend or in-depth, hands-on skill building. Hikes will be longer (6+ miles) and taken at a moderate pace. There may be other recreation activities (paddling, paddleboarding, fishing, etc.) that are beginner-friendly but require moderate physical strain. There will still be plenty of down-time built in for participants to relax and create time for themselves, but there may be optional additional adventures offered. No prior outdoor skills required, unless otherwise noted.
Challenging: Participants are expected to hike, backpack or paddle long mileage days, often with weight on their backs or in their boats. Terrain will be challenging and have elevation changes or tricky parts to navigate. Previous hiking and paddling experience is strongly recommended.
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Your trip fee includes:
Delicious meals cooked for you all weekend
Campsite and/or cabin reservations (note: most out-of-Iowa trips will require car tags or park fees — you’ll be made aware when you’ll be responsible for those)
Guided, hands-on outdoor skills instruction and facilitation from our expert guides
A Wander Women swag bundle with goodies for you to enjoy during and after the trip
Communal gear, like camp chairs, cooking equipment, guide books, activity boxes, and more
Membership in our private Facebook group and exclusive access to Wander Women day hikes, educational opportunities, and other special events
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We are once again offering gear rental this year! We know that buying camping gear on your own can be very expensive and cost-prohibitive, so we’re excited to offer affordable gear rental while maintaining the highest standards for comfort and durability.
Choose between shared tent (Wanderers who opt to share a tent will sleep in a spacious 4-or-6 person tent with one other participant during their trip), solo tent or backpacking gear.
Note: All participants signed up for backpacking trips will have their own tent.
Gear Rental: What’s Included
Frontcountry trips: Tent (solo or shared), sleeping bag, sleeping bag liner, sleeping pad and/or cot, tent lantern, camp chair, dining mess kit
Backpacking trips: Backpack, tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, backpacking stove, utensil kit, water bottles, trekking poles
*At this time, we do not have the ability to rent gear a la carte. If you have a backpacking tent but no other gear, you will still need to rent the full gear package.
HOW IT WORKS
During sign up, select your gear rental choice as an add-on to registration right in the trip page. Super easy!
Gear Rental (Solo Tent): $40
Gear Rental (Shared Tent): $35
Gear Rental (Backpacking): $45
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We want our trips to be accessible to all Wanderers. If you’re not able to afford the full trip fee now, WeTravel (our booking platform) easily lets you make a downpayment (this is also your non-refundable trip deposit!) and pay in installments throughout the year! There is NO fee for choosing the payment plan option!
All participants are subject to the Wander Women Trip Cancellation Policy.