Recreation enthusiasts from around the world often seek pleasure inside Yosemite National Park. This wedge carved out of the Sierra Nevada includes more than 800 kilometers of hiking and trekking trails. Surrounding every inch from the trailhead to the trailhead, dramatic mountains undulate into steep valleys.

From Yosemite Valley with its waterfalls to Mariposa Grove with its old-fashioned redwoods, Yosemite National Park represents a wilderness of its own. If you only get a chance to visit Yosemite once, be sure to pack properly for this ultimate camping vacation.

Depending on the type of camping you’ll be doing (car, RV, camping, rural, etc.), you’ll want to pack appropriately. Due to the obstacles to hiking in Yosemite National Park, let’s assume you’ll be on blazing trails for at least a few days. Given this scenario, here are some tips for packing for your best Yosemite camping trip.

First of all, novice hikers will need to learn how to pack for camping. If you don’t mind sharp objects in your back, blisters around your shoulders, and back and neck pain, read no further. However, rigorous packaging is a time-honored skill that requires years of trial and error. The former keeps you jumping hard; the latter keeps you limping to a stop.

No matter what camping gear you take camping, be sure to load your backpack with these three rules in mind: 1.) Keep the heaviest camping gear between your shoulder blades, near your upper back. 2.) Put the lightest camping gear in the bottom of your backpack. 3.) Keep camping supplies you need regularly, binoculars, knives, small water canteens, etc., on top. Use your compression straps to keep your pack taut (taller than wide). These aforementioned camp packing protocols will keep you strong and mobile for all Yosemite releases.

Now that you know where to put all that camping gear [http://www.merelycamping.com], you’ll need to know what to pack for camping. From the twenty-mile Alger Lake Trail to the fifty-eight-mile Benson Pass, his stay in great Yosemite will be a long-talked-about highlight of his adventurous life. Follow these last tips and keep more space in your backpack.

*Hiking boots: If you had to get rid of all your belongings, the last thing you want to give up is those trusty boots. Although wilderness hiking is not recommended here, make sure your boots are broken in for at least a month before venturing into Yosemite.

* Camping Stove/Cookware – A stove and cookware give you the power of a sous chef and executive chef all in one. You’ll wake up with coffee and sleep with hot chocolate. Also, you can store clothes inside during the day.

*Tent: It is difficult to pack a tent correctly. If there are two or more people in your party, be sure to split the weight. If you’re going to be trekking alone in Yosemite National Park, then keep the tent out of your bag. The best way to pack your tent is to put it in your backpack. This helps distribute the weight more evenly. Keep the tent poles in the middle of your backpack, along your spine.

* Sleeping mat: Rolling, folding, or whatever is often the big question here. One of the best ways to carry these necessary but cumbersome essentials is to roll them up neatly and tie them to the bottom of your backpack. If your sleeping mat is the inflatable version, then a PVC sack (like the ones used for kayaking in Maine, for example) will keep scuffs, punctures, and holes at bay.

*Hydration Pack: These water bladders allow you to store water not only on your back but also in your backpack. Wrapping a white pillowcase or t-shirt, for example, will keep the water cool longer if it’s out in the sun. Not to mention that malleable sacks can be folded up and stored after daily use, which is sometimes difficult to do with a canteen.