Gila Wilderness Backpacking

May 29- June 06, 2010

Black Bear trips are available to the general public.  To learn more about this trip and to sign up, please visit the registration page.

 
A classic backpacking trip to America's first designated Wilderness area.

*We are offering 2 options, Beginner and Advanced* More details below!

Trip Details

• Five full days of backpacking in the Gila Wilderness
• Van transportation from Dallas, Austin or Houston, TX
• Gourmet backpacking meals included
• Tour Carlsbad Caverns, Gila Cliff Dwellings and Guadalupe Mtn. National Park
• Wilderness savvy guides, medically trained
• Hotel accommodations and celebration dinner on final night
• Bring your own backpacking gear

Itinerary

Day 1- Drive to Carlsbad, NM/ Camping at Carlsbad.

Day 2- Tour Carlsbad Caverns, drive to Gila Wilderness/ Camping at Gila NP.

Day 3- Tour Gila Cliff Dwellings, begin backpacking hike/ Wilderness camping.

Day 4- Full day of hiking/ Wilderness camping.

Day 5- Full day of hiking/ Wilderness camping.

Day 6- Full day of hiking/ Wilderness camping.

Day 7- Hike back to trail head, dinner at restaurant/ Hotel accommodations.

Day 8- Drive to Guadalupe National Park, summit hike.  Camping at Guadalupe NP.

Day 9- Return trip home.

For a more detailed Itinerary, please visit the itinerary page on the Black Bear Explorers website.

Carlsbad Caverns!

Beginner Option

This group will be traveling at a gentle (Easy/Moderate) pace of 2-4 miles per day This route is perfect for:

• Beginners Perhaps backpacking is an activity you've always wanted to try. We are honored to have taken many first-timers on their first multi-day wilderness camping trip. Your experienced guides will show you the ropes: how to pack and adjust your backpack, how to safely approach a river crossing, how to minimize your impact on the land as you move through this precious natural wonderland.
• Bird watchers Think you just spotted a Western Sandpiper? Stop and get our your binoculars!

• Photographers Take your time setting up great shots. Get to camp early so you can hike up the valley with your tripod (leave your heavy pack behind!) and catch a great sunset view.
• Families Getting your kids immersed in the wild is possibly the greatest gift you can give, and an experience that will be remembered for a whole lifetime! Spend time at camp together, cooking, snuggling, exploring, fishing in the river, and learning about wildlife.
• Slow-paced hikers You probably come to the wilderness to get away from the fast pace of modern life, the imaginary deadlines. So take your time and soak in the stunning scenery on your hike through a remote, untouched, classic American wild-land.
• Maybe you love hiking but just don't like the idea of carrying all that weight all day long... Group One will be hiking short days with our fully-loaded backpacks and taking breaks whenever needed. We'll be getting to camp early so we can enjoy fabulous day-hikes with just a small backpack or fannypack.

Advanced Option

 This group's hike is rated 4 of 5 in terms of difficulty.  You should be in very good physical and mental conditioning to attempt this hike.  At a minimum, you should be able to run 1 mile without stopping, carry a pack that is 25% of your total weight, and be flexible to changing weather conditions including rain, snow and cold temperatures.  

For more information about the Gila Wilderness and this trip, check out the Gila Backpacking page on our website!

This is a kid friendly trip.