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We don't, but we also check the hike-bike site locations beforehand, grab all the necessary backcountry permits, and also try to hoof it in early to maximize ch

We don't, but we also check the hike-bike site locations beforehand, grab all the necessary backcountry permits, and also try to hoof it in early to maximize chances of getting a site. Of course since we're on bike we plan a lot more than most visitors in a car (since we plan out water stops, food, clothing changes, etc etc.) We've definitely encountered the occasional ranger but they're usually much friendlier to bikers than drivers in my experience.

solardev 3y ago
That's good to know! Can't wait to try to my first bikepacking trip :)
- Karrot_Kream 3y ago
  Absolutely! I can't recommend backpacking through the parks enough. A petty part of me can get quite smug biking or backpacking past a traffic jam near the entrance haha. Also, the views you get on foot are absolutely marvelous and there's a sense of "earning" your mileage that I find unparalleled. You'll need to be more careful with planning of course (also don't forget things like bear-proofing food and accounting for wind if you're on a bike), and even the best laid plans will fail and you'll end up camping some place you didn't intend on, but it's all part of the journey!
  - solardev 3y ago
    I've done a lot of backpacking (from a car or shuttle), but never bikepacking or biking-to-backpack. Is the latter possible, like is there a good way to fit a backpacking pack, bear can, etc. inside panniers or otherwise tethered to a bike?
    - Karrot_Kream 3y ago
      Absolutely. You can look online to see all sorts of cool loadouts that folks have, but the easiest way to do it is to just get a bunch of bungie cords and large panniers and stuff things inside. The trick is to distribute the weight evenly among your panniers so that you don't unbalance the bike. A huge loadout can have up to 4 large panniers (2 in back, 2 in front) along with stuff hitched to a rear rack up top. My partner and I tend to do 2 panniers each, where we each take our stuff and I take some of the heavier/larger common stuff (bear cans, tent.) There's a whole world of bikepacking and bike/backpack loadouts out there.
      - solardev 3y ago
        Great advice. Thank you!

solardev 3y ago

That's good to know! Can't wait to try to my first bikepacking trip :)

Karrot_Kream 3y ago
Absolutely! I can't recommend backpacking through the parks enough. A petty part of me can get quite smug biking or backpacking past a traffic jam near the entrance haha. Also, the views you get on foot are absolutely marvelous and there's a sense of "earning" your mileage that I find unparalleled. You'll need to be more careful with planning of course (also don't forget things like bear-proofing food and accounting for wind if you're on a bike), and even the best laid plans will fail and you'll end up camping some place you didn't intend on, but it's all part of the journey!
- solardev 3y ago
  I've done a lot of backpacking (from a car or shuttle), but never bikepacking or biking-to-backpack. Is the latter possible, like is there a good way to fit a backpacking pack, bear can, etc. inside panniers or otherwise tethered to a bike?
  - Karrot_Kream 3y ago
    Absolutely. You can look online to see all sorts of cool loadouts that folks have, but the easiest way to do it is to just get a bunch of bungie cords and large panniers and stuff things inside. The trick is to distribute the weight evenly among your panniers so that you don't unbalance the bike. A huge loadout can have up to 4 large panniers (2 in back, 2 in front) along with stuff hitched to a rear rack up top. My partner and I tend to do 2 panniers each, where we each take our stuff and I take some of the heavier/larger common stuff (bear cans, tent.) There's a whole world of bikepacking and bike/backpack loadouts out there.
    - solardev 3y ago
      Great advice. Thank you!