Learn to make a cross-country route in caltopo. Navigate remote canyons, scramble on slickrock, hike in streams. Follow use trails and sleep on warm sand under the moon. Leave feeling confident enough with your new skills to plan a similar desert backpacking trip of your own. Two trips- one for women, trans and non-binary people and one open to everyone. An extremely good time!
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Read about my other guided trips here.
Read reviews from past participants of my trips here.
Dates:
Session one (for women, trans and non-binary people): October 2-7, 2026
Session two (open to everyone): October 9-14, 2026
8 spots available in each trip (If there are more than 5 people in each group, there will be a second guide)
Cost: $1,750 (paid all at once or via payment plan- $175/month with the remainder due before the start of the hike)
After you apply, I’ll email you within a few days with the link to register.
Itinerary:
In the months before the trip: I’ll have two one-hour zoom calls with each hiker, helping you put together your gear and food and answering your questions about the trip, and I’ll also teach you to make cross-country routes in caltopo, the app we’ll be using to navigate on trail.
The first evening of the trip: The trip starts at 6pm on day one. The group will meet in Escalante, Utah. We’ll go through all of our food and gear, making sure we feel good about everything.
The next morning: I’ll drive everyone to the trailhead. We’ll start hiking by 8 am. We’ll spend five days and four nights hiking, traveling cross-country (without a built trail) through sandy washes and beautiful slickrock canyons, around deep pools and across sagebrush plateaus, using caltopo to stay on our route. We’ll walk 8-10 miles a day. There will be water at camp every night, plus extra water sources during the day.
On the evening of day 6 (day 5 of backpacking) we’ll arrive at our ending trailhead, where our van will magically appear (a shuttle will have moved it while we were hiking). I’ll drive us back to Escalante, and the trip ends.
FAQ:
What’s special about these trips? the goal of my guided trips is always to help you feel more confident in planning your own trips of this style in the future; to this end, I include as much education as possible (in the zoom calls, in the evening before the trip, and while on the trip itself). Before the trip, I help hikers put together their own gear lists consisting of modern long-distance hiking equipment, so that everyone’s base weights (what you’re carrying besides food, water and fuel) is 15lbs or less, preventing injury and maximizing fun- this is backpacking in the style of long-distance hiking, so if you don’t already backpack in this way you’ll now be prepared for whatever trail, long or short, that you decide to tackle in the future. I also help you figure out your trail menu, and teach you to make routes in caltopo, so that you can use it on your own in the future. On the hike itself you’ll practice navigating cross-country, finding the best way forward through whatever canyon, stream or brush that we happen to find ourselves in. You’ll also practice scrambling on slickrock, pitching your shelter in deep sand, planning water carries in the desert, and so much more.
Is previous backpacking experience required? While some backpacking experience is helpful, I find that if you have any outdoors experience at all (skiing, camping, rafting, etc), you’ll be able to learn the skills needed for this trip- I’ve had people join who’ve never backpacked before, and they had a great time! This requires two things- we use the zoom calls to build your gear list and menu (this might require that you buy some new gear, which can be an added expense), and you train (see the next question). If you’re still not sure if you’re a good fit for this trip, email me at carrotquinn4@gmail.com and we can talk about it!
How fit do I need to be to do this hike? Good hiking fitness is necessary. I ask that each hiker work up to walking/running/hiking at least 25 miles/week by the time of the trip. If you can do that, you’ll be golden. We can use the zoom calls to help you create a training plan for this, if you’d like!
I have backpacking gear, but it’s pretty heavy. Can I bring it? I ask that each hiker get their base weight (everything they’re carrying except food, water and fuel) down to 15lbs or less, to minimize risk of injury and maximize fun. This might require you to purchase some new gear (although I do have Superior Wilderness Designs packs to loan out, if you’d like to borrow a pack). We can use the zoom calls to put together a gear list tailored perfectly to you.
Where is there to stay in Escalante before and after the hike? Escalante has great camping- both developed campgrounds with showers and free dispersed camping on public lands- as well as several wonderful motels.
Where can I eat in Escalante? Escalante has a couple really good restaurants, with options for dietary restrictions. They also have a small grocery store with a surprising amount of options for dietary restrictions and preferences.
Can I leave things in Escalante while we’re hiking? You can leave things in our shuttle van while we’re hiking.
Do you provide gear for this trip? I have wonderful lightweight packs from Superior Wilderness Designs to loan out, but you will be responsible for acquiring the other lightweight gear you may need to get your base weight (everything you’re carrying except food, water and fuel) down to 15lbs or less. We can use our zoom calls to put together a gear list for you, if that’s helpful.
How do I get to Escalante? You can fly into Las Vegas or Salt Lake City- from there it’s about a five hour drive to Escalante. I’ll connect everyone in the group before the trip starts, so that people can coordinate sharing a rental car if they’d like.
How many people will be in each group? There will be up to eight hikers in each group. If the group is five hikers or less, I’ll be the only guide. If the group has 6-8 hikers, I’ll have a co-guide.
What will the temperature be this time of year in the Escalante area? Nights can be cool, and days can be sunny and warm. Occasionally a storm will blow through. I’ll help you build your gear list so that you’re warm and comfortable on the trip in all possible conditions.
How far will we hike each day? 8-10 miles
What does a typical day on trail look like? I’ll wake everyone at 6:30 am, and we’ll start hiking by 8 am. We’ll take frequent breaks to rest, eat snacks, gather water and tape blisters if needed. We’ll take an hourlong lunch break. We’ll arrive in camp by 6pm.
What will the terrain be like? The hiking will be cross country, along sandy canyon bottoms and small creeks and across slickrock and sagebrush plateau.
What about water? We’ll camp at water each night, and there will be water during the day as well.
Do you offer a payment plan for those who can’t pay all at once? Yes! The payment plan is $175/month with the remainder due before the start of the trip.
Do you offer refunds? I do not offer full refunds, although if you cancel your payment plan you won’t owe me the remainder.
What airport do I fly into? Las Vegas or Salt Lake City
I don’t think I have the right gear for this hike, and I hate the food I eat on trail. I also feel overwhelmed by the idea of planning around water in the desert. No worries! We can use our zoom calls to put together a gear list that makes better sense for you, and troubleshoot your trail menu, as well as talking about how we’ll plan around water on our hike, and anything else you want to go over.
What will we use to navigate? The caltopo app
I’ve never used that app before. It rules! And don’t worry, we can practice using it in our zoom calls, and we’ll also have plenty of time to practice using it together.
Should I get travel insurance? I highly recommend it. If you get sick or injured at the last minute and can’t join the hike, travel insurance can help cover your expenses.
Gear you’ll need:
-I ask that everyone have a base weight (everything you’re carrying except food, water and fuel) of 15lbs or less, in order to prevent injury and maximize good times. If the gear you have right now is heavier than this, it may be necessary for you to buy or borrow other gear for this trip. I can walk you through all the gear options in our zoom calls, and help you find new gear choices that are a good fit for you.
-I ask that everyone carry a garmin inreach. You can rent one of these if you’d prefer not to buy.
-We’ll be using the caltopo app to navigate, and you’ll need the paid version so that you can use the maps on trail.
-I ask that everyone pack at least 3,000 calories a day of food. I can help you build your trail menu.
Dates:
Session one (for women, trans and non-binary people): October 2-7, 2026
Session two (open to everyone): October 9-14, 2026
8 spots available in each trip (If there are more than 5 people in a group, there will be a second guide)
Cost: $1,750 (paid all at once or via payment plan- $175/month with the remainder due before the start of the hike)
After you apply, I’ll email you within a few days with the link to register.
What’s included in this trip:
-A ride from Escalante to the trailhead and back to Escalante at the end
-Two hours of one-on-one zoom coaching with me in the months before the hike, where we can talk about your gear, desert hiking, your meals on trail, cross-country navigation or anything else that would be helpful for you
-A siccc loaner pack from Superior Wilderness Designs
-FUN
What’s not included in this trip:
-Your transportation to and from Escalante
-Your lodging and meals while in Escalante
-Your gear and meals while we’re hiking (although I can help you plan your gear list and/or your trail menu)
-A garmin inreach (I ask that everyone have one)
-The paid version of the caltopo app (you’ll need this for navigation)
Things we’ll talk about in our zoom calls:
- What gear to bring
- Pitching your shelter
- Choosing footwear
- Planning water carries in the desert
- How to make a route in caltopo
- How much food to bring and what sort of food (including meals for dietary restrictions)
- How to schedule your hiking day
- How to pack your pack
- Pooping, peeing and having your period while in the nature
- How to prevent and care for chafe and blisters
- Keeping your gear dry in the rain and preventing hypothermia
- Keeping cool in the desert and preventing heat exhaustion
- Campsite selection
- What clothing to bring
- So much more!
Here are a few reviews from previous participants of my Utah trips:
Mina says: Carrot’s trip was all I had hoped for and then some. We hiked over slickrock uplands and passes, through canyons and, yes, in the creeks, an adventure in itself. So much geology and interesting plants. A bit of scrambling on creek banks and up and down rocks. Just the right amount of challenge. Interesting problems to work out–how are we going to reach that water source down in the pothole? Get past that water slide in the creek? Thread a route to that pass around the impassable pouroffs? Through it all, Carrot radiated an infectious joy, making even admittedly hard work feel like a kind of play. And Carrot and all our participants were so kind and accepting of one another. Plus, everyone had great stories! Yes, you do want to sign up for the next Carrot Quinn Adventures trip!
Renai says: I had such a wonderful time on Carrot’s Utah trip. The route was incredibly beautiful, and felt challenging in all the right ways. Carrot does a fantastic job of making sure that everyone feels safe, prepared, and capable. Truly a 10/10 experience.
Kai says: I had a great time on the Utah trip! Carrot made everything from gear to food very approachable and had great tips and suggestions when I did have questions. Transportation from the airport, staying in the AirBNB, and having an itinerary made it non-stressful and allowed us to learn about navigation and also have time to enjoy ourselves. The vibes on the trail were so good and the hike was challenging but never pushed anyone beyond their limits – I always felt like we were very safe and where we were as a group was being taken into account to plan our mileage. I learned so much from the other hikers and Carrot and enjoyed the trip so much!
Jina says: Not only are Carrot’s hikes a great adventure but I also learn so much from her about gear, techniques, and navigating stresses in the wilderness. I don’t have the courage to do trips like this alone (yet!) so this gives me a great place to expand my horizons for future hikes.
Michelle says: This trip gave me a safe space to experiment with backpacking and get a feel for whether or not I want to take longer trips in the future. It was the perfect amount of time to test my body, my gear, and my mental fortitude in a supportive environment while the stakes didn’t feel super high.
If you have any questions about these trips at all, please email me at carrotquinn4@gmail.com !
About me:
I’ve long-distance hiked eleven thousand miles, including the Pacific Crest Trail (twice, the Washington section four times), the Continental Divide Trail, the Hayduke Route, the Lowest to Highest Route (2.5 times), the Mogollon Rim Trail, the Kings Canyon High Basin Route, the Tahoe Rim Trail, the Arizona Trail, the Wind River High Route, as well as 40 days walking in the Brooks Range on routes I created myself. I lead guided backpacking trips in southern Arizona, southern Utah and Alaska’s Brooks Range. I have my Wilderness First Responder certification. I LOVE sharing my love of long-distance hiking with others.
CARROT QUINN 
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