Forest Canyon Backpacking Expedition
Expedition Overview
Our multi-day remote backpacking trip, Forest Canyon Expedition, is easily the most rugged and adventurous trip available in Rocky Mountain National park. On this three or four day journey across the vast wilderness of central Rocky, you’ll hike your way into a true wilderness experience with a majority of this trip crossing completely trail-less landscapes.
Better yet, every evening we will camp in the cross-country zones of Rocky, meaning we’ll find a simple spot to camp, choosing under which stars we sleep. We’ll take extra care as we travel through these pristine landscapes, minimizing our impact on the area through careful route planning and diligent Leave No Trace practices. If you’ve ever wanted to journey to the wild heart of Rocky and see the parks densest forests, visit its most remote alpine lakes and drink its purest waters, this trip’s for you!
Group Size
5 People Max
Duration
3 Days or 4 Days
Price
From $850 Per Person
Distance
23+ Miles
What’s Included
• Professional mountain guide and small group sizes
• Safety equipment such as medical kit, Garmin InReach, & Maps
• All group equipment (stoves, fuel, tarp, etc.)
• Carpooling between start/end trailheads
• Trowel, biodegradable soap and a hand washing station
• Backpacking permits and camping permits
• Water purification tablets and boiled water for your meals
• 2021 Annual Conservation Donation (At least 10% of our profits)
What’s Not Included
• Personal Gear and Clothing (Sleeping bag, tent, utensils, TP, etc.)
• Hotels or lodging before and after trip
• Transportation to/from the trailhead
• RMNP entrance fee ($20: 1 person or $35: max per group)
• Trip Insurance (Recommended)
• Guide Gratuity (15%+ of expedition cost recommended)
• All meals and snacks (All-inclusive meal options available at an additional cost, see our Meal Planning section below for details.)
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Uncommon Adventures for Conservation
Trip Itinerary
Our expeditions are wild and rugged, yet you need not be an expert backpacker to join — beginners welcome!
Day 1
Alpine Visitors Center to Remote Rocky
We’ll meet at the Bear Lake Trailhead for introductions and gear checks. Then, we’ll carpool to the Alpine Visitors Center, the starting point of this expedition. Today, we’ll start our hike across alpine terrain and end the evening camping deep in remote Rocky.
Accommodations: Off-Trail Camping (No Site)
Meals Provided: None (Meal Options Available)
Quick Stats: 5 Miles & 800 ft. gain
Day 2
Exploring Remote Rocky
Today we’ll hike completely off-trail, visiting several alpine lakes, hidden waterfalls and some of the most difficult-to-access terrain in the park. We’ll set our sights on some of the hidden gems of this wild corner and camp off-trail in a cross-country zone.
Accommodations: Off-Trail Camping (No Site)
Meals Provided: None (Meal Options Available)
Quick Stats: 7 Miles & 2,900 ft. gain
Day 3 (Only on 4-Day Itinerary)
Exploring Remote Rocky
Today we’ll hike completely off-trail, visiting a towering waterfall at the base of one of the parks most remote mountains, we’ll explore the regrowth of a recently burned landscape and camp off-trail in a cross-country zone.
Accommodations: Off-Trail Camping (No Site)
Meals Provided: None (Meal Options Available)
Quick Stats: 7 Miles & 3,000 ft. gain
Final Day
Remote Rocky to Bear Lake Trailhead
Today, we’ll watch the sunrise over a remote unnamed lake, deep in one of the wildest landscapes the park has to offer. After sunrise, we’ll finish our journey by hiking into the alpine and end our journey at the Bear Lake Trailhead.
Accommodations: None
Meals Provided: None (Meal Options Available)
Quick Stats: 10 Miles & 2,300 ft. gain
Notes: Please see the Meal Planning section below to learn more about meal preparation and all-inclusive meal options. This expedition uses cross-country zones exclusively for camping. We will camp off-trail in remote areas of the park. To protect Rocky, detailed routes of our travel through remote areas will not be shared online, ensuring that pristine landscapes of the park stay wild.
Your Experts in Off-Trail Adventure
Additional Information
We strive to make your experience in Rocky Mountain National Park as organized and adventurous as possible. Once you’ve enrolled in an expedition, we’ll discuss pre-trip packing, training and preparedness, local sights to see before and after your expedition, meals during your expedition, and more. Please read about our key expedition logistics below as you begin to plan your trip to Rocky Mountain National Park and prepare for the adventure of a lifetime!
Meeting Location
The morning of the expedition, we will meet at the Bear Lake Trailhead for equipment checks and orientation. Then, we’ll carpool to the Alpine Visitors Center to start our adventure. Full travel details will be discussed upon purchase of an expedition. To better acclimate, we recommend spending at least 48 hours in Estes Park prior to your expedition. We’d be happy to assist you in planning to visit other sights in the area prior to our departure!
Itinerary Changes
Rewilding Expeditions makes every effort to uphold the scheduled itinerary but does not guarantee completion of the scheduled itinerary. After departure, we reserve the right to alter, omit or adapt any part of the itinerary, without allowance of refund, for reasons beyond our control (weather, natural hazards, participant fitness, etc.) or due to the needs of the group.
Age Guidelines
Participants age 16 & 17: May participate in mixed-group trips if accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.
Participants age 15 and younger: May only participate in private trips and must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.
All minor participants must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian throughout the entirety of the expedition. If either the minor or the guardian needs to exit at any time during the expedition, both must exit together.
Our Guides & Gratuities
Our guides are experienced mountain professionals who work hard to ensure your safety in the wilderness. They are friendly, supportive, and dedicated to providing an unforgettably wild experience! All lead guides must carry Wilderness First Responder certification for our cross-country zone trips.
If you love your experience, gratuities are an excellent way to show your appreciation. An average tip is 15-20% of the expedition cost per person. If you prefer to transfer funds electronically, please send via Venmo (@rewildingexpeditions).
What to Bring
We provide the following group gear for this expedition: cooking stoves and water filtration tablets (if needed), first aid kits, emergency communication devices, and group rain tarps.
We ask that you supply a backpack, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, 1+ liter water bottle, headlamp, hiking boots, personal clothing, etc. We’ll provide a full gear list upon purchase. We are happy to help you find any rental equipment you may need, upon request.
Training
Creating a pre-trip exercise plan will help build the endurance and strength that will make your time in the mountains that much more enjoyable. Our days in the backcountry are long and strenuous, so your pre-trip preparation should match trip distance and elevation profiles.
We’re happy to help prepare you for your adventure and give you training recommendations. Please ask for assistance, if needed. With proper conditioning, you’ll have a much more fulfilling trip!
Meal Planning
You will need to provide all of your own meals and snacks. When preparing lunches, please do not bring food items that require cooking or extensive preparation. To limit contamination, clients are encouraged to bring their own stoves and fuel; however; hot cooking water will be provided for breakfast and dinner, if needed.
If you’d like to purchase an all-inclusive expedition, a trip that includes all meals and snacks, we will charge an extra $40 per day per person. Our guides will distribute freeze-dried meals (breakfasts and dinners), an assortment of snacks (for lunches, snack breaks, and desserts), and hot drink mixes during the pre-trip orientation. Meal selection and all-inclusive expedition details will be discussed in more detail after purchasing your trip. All-inclusive expeditions include the following meals and snacks:
3-Day Itinerary: Breakfast (2), Snacks (3) and Dinner (2)
4-Day Itinerary: Breakfast (3), Snacks (4) and Dinner (3)
Conservation Commitment
We donate at least 10% of our profits from all expeditions to non-profit environmental conservation organizations. This donation will support the rewilding of ecosystems and expansion of terrestrial and marine protected areas around the world.
The Wildest Expeditions in Rocky
Who’s This Expedition For?
Beginners, experts and everyone in-between who can hike 6-12 miles per day, scrambling off-trail across steep terrain and boulders, with 2,000-3,500 feet of elevation gain per day and a 40+ lb. backpack. You must be able to hike continuously for two hours at a time with ten minute breaks for up to twelve hours per day. We’re happy to talk in detail about what our expeditions require.
