KEEP IT LOCAL

Walk in the Woods 13

Backpacking Essentials

by MEGAN WISKUS

Gentlemen's Hardware 9-in-1 Wilderness MultiTool, $22 at Strapping, 3405 Broadway, Sacramento, 916-476-3376, strappingstore.com

Bamboo Home Collapsible Water Bowl, $9.99+ at sBarkles, 850 E Bidwell Sreet, Suite 150, Folsom, 916-984-0102, sbarkles.com

Perky Jerky Turkey Jerky, $5.25 at Sunrise Nature Foods, 1950 Douglas Boulevard, Roseville, 916-789-8591; 2160 Grass Valley Highway, Auburn, 530-888-8973, sunrisenaturalfoods.net Gregory Amber 44L Backpack, $169.95, and Therm-A-Rest Women's Prolite Plus, $99.95, at BlueZone Sports, 392 Roseville Square, Roseville, 916-516-1095, bluezonesports.com

Marmot Sawtooth 15° Sleeping Bag, $257 at Sierra Mountain Outdoors, 465 Main Street, Placerville, 530-985-4431

Steeped Coffee 5 Pack, $10 at Chocolate Fish Coffee Roasters, 25055 Blue Ravine Road, Suite 100, Folsom, 916-358-9950, chocolatefishcoffee.com

Eureka! Spitfire 2 Tent, $153 at Sierra Outdoor Center, 440 Lincoln Way, Auburn, 530-885-1844 Ultra Lite Chair, $69.99 at Kamp-Rite, 8615 23rd Avenue, Sacramento, 916383-9460, kamprite.com

Women’s Corsica Hiking Shoe, $49.99 at Rack Room Shoes, 13000 Folsom Boulevard, Suite 1002, Folsom, 916-985-4431, rackroomshoes.com

How to Survive Your First Trip in the Wild: Backpacking for Beginners by Paul Magnanti, $12.99 at Face in a Book, 4359 Town Center Boulevard, Suite 113, El Dorado Hills, 916-941-9401, getyourfaceinabook.com

Garmin Instinct Solar GPS Watch, $324.99 at Gold Country Run + Sport, 4370 Town Center Boulevard, Suite 150, El Dorado Hills, 916-303-4786; 7610 FolsomAuburn Road, Suite 160, Folsom, 916-817-1151, goldcountryrunandsport.com

Jetboil Flash Cooking System, $109.95 at The Supply Sergeant, 469 Main Street, Placerville, 530-622-3414, thesupplysergeant.com

BEGINNER BACKPACKING SPOTS

Coast Camp

GETTING THERE: Located in Point Reyes National Seashore; drive 5.9 miles along Limantour Road until you reach the Laguna Road junction (look for the “Hostel and Education Center” sign); turn left and drive .5 miles to the Laguna Trailhead.

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: 3.6 miles out and back; nestled within a small coastal grassy valley with beach access; potable water and pit toilets; each site (14 total) must be reserved at recreation.gov and includes a charcoal BBQ grill, picnic table, and food locker.

Loon Lake

GETTING THERE: From Highway 50 East, take Ice House Road exit; continue on Ice House Road for 29 miles to Loon Lake Campground.

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: 7.6 miles out and back; easy, well-maintained trail through forests and open areas surrounded by granite; vaulted toilets at the trailhead parking lot.

Island Lake

GETTING THERE: From Highway 80 East, take the Highway 20 exit and continue for approximately 4.2 miles. Turn right on Bowman Lake Road for approximately 7 miles and turn right on Forest Route 17 for 3 miles (note: this road is unpaved) until reaching the Carr Lake Trailhead.

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: 2.5 miles out and back; multiple lakes, marshy meadows, and beautiful views along the way; easy, well-marked trail.

Wrights Lake to Grouse Lake

GETTING THERE: From Highway 50 East, take the Wrights Lake Road turnoff (just past Kyburz); continue for 8 miles and park at the trailhead.

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: 4 miles out and back; moderately trafficked trail features granite slabs, lush forests, and an amazing alpine lake; 1,200-feet elevation gain; parking fee is $8.

Loch Leven Lakes

GETTING THERE: From Highway 80 East, take the Big Bend exit; turn left on Hampshire Rocks Road and park 1/8 mile east of the Big Bend Visitor Center.

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: 7 miles out and back to the top lake (the middle lake is just under 3 miles one way); moderate hike (1,800-feet elevation gain) through meadows, old growth forest, and 1860s

Central Pacific railroad tracks.