About us
Destination Backcountry is a wilderness guide service founded in 2011 and operated by outdoor professionals who have dedicated their lives to sharing their passion for wild places with others. We all love the woods in different ways, from thru-hikers to canoe experts and deep wilderness explorers, but what we love most is teaching and helping everyone find the same joy in the outdoors that we have.
If you see a trip you'd like to join, please follow the link listed in that trip's description and sign up on our website. You will then receive an email with all of the trip details.
Follow along with our adventures on Instagram @destinationbackcountry and sign up for our email newsletter to receive updates on upcoming adventures and discounts.
Upcoming events
19
First Wildflowers of Spring (5/9)
Location not specified yet### A restorative and chill day hike in the Catskills
Enjoy a gentle ramble through open meadows filled with fiddleheads and the first wildflowers of the season. Explore the cascades and pools of the Batavia Kill mountain book on this gentle hike through a vast, beautiful forest. We'll have plenty of time to take pictures, dip our feet in the stream, and listen to the peaceful chorus of spring peeper frogs on this mellow day in the wood spent connecting with nature. This day hike is perfect for first-time hikers and anyone looking to enjoy the forest at their own pace.
### Hike stats
🥾 3-5 mile easy hike along the Batavia Kill spring in the northeastern Catskills
⛰️ Minimal elevation change
🧭 Difficulty: Easy. On-trail hiking on gentle### The Destination Backcountry Difference
Why hike with us? Expert guides. Founded in 2011, our NY State-licensed guides are not merely hike leaders, they are ambassadors for the outdoors, dedicated to sharing their passion for nature with others.
A FULL day of adventure: Our all-inclusive day escapes include transportation, meals, and a full day of hiking and adventure. Make your escape upstate worth every minute!### The perfect day for
🌼 Fields of wildflowers! Including spring beauties, trillium, dutchman's breeches and more
🥾 Perfect pacing: your lead and apprentice guide will offer multiple paces so everyone can hike at a pace they feel comfortable with, plus, they'll offer tips and guidance along the route.
🌲 Incredible observations about the forest and wildlife we may encounter.### What's Included?
🚐 Transportation to and from NYC
☕ Breakfast: Your adventure includes a breakfast of fresh fruit and donuts and a selection of coffee and tea for the drive to the trailhead
🧀 Lunch: We will provide a healthy, gourmet lunch and snacks during our adventure. We offer vegetarian and vegan options, and we’re happy to accommodate any dietary and allergy needs.
🌄 On trail guidance from an expert NYS licensed guide### Schedule
6:30 Brooklyn Pickup near Barclays
7:00 Manhattan Pickup at Grand Central
~8:30 Rest Stop
~9:45 Arrival at Trailhead
~12:30 Lunch along a gorgeous stream bank
~1:00 Hike out
~3:30 Van returns to the city
~4:30 Rest stop
~7:00 Manhattan Drop Off
~7:30 Brooklyn Drop Off*All times are estimates. We adjust every adventure to the pace and needs of the group. Travel time are subject to many factors, including weather and traffic.
### What Do I Need to Bring With Me?
Must have
💧 2, 1-liter water bottles
🎽 Wear: Comfortable, breathable clothes. Standard workout clothes are great for hiking
🥾 Footwear: Sturdy sneakers, trail runners, or hiking boots. We’ll let you know well in advance if conditions call for special footwear.
🧣A few extra layers of clothes for breaks
Good to have
🌧️ Rain shell
🕶️ Sunglasses
🧢 Hat### FAQs
What happens after I book my adventure? You will receive a confirmation email for your adventure within 24 hours of booking. Your guide will reach out 7-10 days before your adventure with an update on trail conditions, weather, a final packing list, our adventure waiver, and more.
More questions? Visit our FAQ page here.2 attendees
Blackhead Mountain (5/9)
Location not specified yet### Summit Blackhead Mountain in the Catskills!
Journey to the northeastern Catskills on this challenging and gorgeous hike. Our trail wanders past the magical Batavia Kill brook before ascending to fun scrambles and sweeping views over the Catskills and Hudson Valley, with a profusion of spring wildflowers along the way. We'll summit between 1-3 Catskill 3500' peaks among Blackhead, Black Dome, and Thomas Cole and make a stop at a backcountry spring for a taste of the purest mountain water.
### Hike stats
🥾 5 mile loop from Big Hollow Road to Blackhead summit; we will have the option to hike an additional 1-3 miles to the summit of Black Dome and/or Thomas Cole
⛰️ About 1700ft elevation gain with some steep/scrambly sections
🧭 Difficulty: Hard. This is a challenging hike with some steep sections.### The Destination Backcountry Difference
Why hike with us? Expert guides. Founded in 2011, our NY State-licensed guides are not merely hike leaders, they are ambassadors for the outdoors, dedicated to sharing their passion for nature with others.
A FULL day of adventure: Our all-inclusive day escapes include transportation, meals, and a full day of hiking and adventure. Make your escape upstate worth every minute!
On this trail, our guides will share:
🌼 Fields of wildflowers! Including spring beauties, trillium, dutchman's breeches and more
🥾 Perfect pacing: your lead and apprentice guide will offer multiple paces so everyone can hike at a pace they feel comfortable with, plus, they'll offer tips and guidance along the route.
🌲 Incredible observations about the forest and wildlife we may encounter.### What's Included?
🚐 Transportation to and from NYC
☕ Breakfast: Your adventure includes a breakfast of fresh fruit and donuts and a selection of coffee and tea for the drive to the trailhead
🧀 Lunch: We will provide a healthy, gourmet lunch and snacks during our adventure. We offer vegetarian and vegan options, and we’re happy to accommodate any dietary and allergy needs.
🌄 On trail guidance from an expert NYS licensed guide### Schedule
6:30 Brooklyn Pickup near Barclays
7:00 Manhattan Pickup at Grand Central
~8:30 Rest Stop
~9:45 Arrival at Trailhead
~12:30 Lunch at Summit + Potential option to summit additional peaks
~1:00 Hike out
~3:30 Van returns to the city
~4:30 Rest stop
~7:00 Manhattan Drop Off
~7:30 Brooklyn Drop Off*All times are estimates. We adjust every adventure to the pace and needs of the group. Travel time are subject to many factors, including weather and traffic.
### What Do I Need to Bring With Me?
Must have
💧 2, 1-liter water bottles
🎽 Wear: Comfortable, breathable clothes. Standard workout clothes are great for hiking
🥾 Footwear: Sturdy sneakers, trail runners, or hiking boots. We’ll let you know well in advance if conditions call for special footwear.
🧣A few extra layers of clothes for breaks
Good to have
🌧️ Rain shell
🕶️ Sunglasses
🧢 Hat### FAQs
What happens after I book my adventure? You will receive a confirmation email for your adventure within 24 hours of booking. Your guide will reach out 7-10 days before your adventure with an update on trail conditions, weather, a final packing list, our adventure waiver, and more.
More questions? Visit our FAQ page here.1 attendee
Learn to Camp Overnight
Location not specified yet### Discover the joys of camping with expert backcountry guides
This overnight is perfect for anyone looking to spend their first night in the woods, or adventurers who would like to learn more about camping and improve their backcountry skills. On this chill basecamp camping trip, we'll take a gentle hike to a backcountry location for a weekend of relaxing in nature and exploring spectacular views, with the opportunity for fishing, and more. Enjoy time around the campfire, wake up to birdsong, meditate by the river, and find your own peace in the forest. Absolutely no outdoors experience is required for this trip and families with children of all ages are welcome.
### Trip stats
🥾 1-2 miles of moderate hiking to a backcountry camping location
⛰️ No elevation gain during this trip
🧭 Difficulty: Moderate. We will spend some time hiking off-trail to our camping destination and will set up a backcountry campsite.### The Destination Backcountry Difference
Why hike with us? Expert guides. Founded in 2011, our NY State-licensed guides are not merely hike leaders, they are ambassadors for the outdoors, dedicated to sharing their passion for nature with others.
A FULL weekend of adventure: Our all-inclusive day escapes include transportation, meals, and a full weekend of adventure. Make your escape upstate worth every minute!
On this trip, our guides will share:
✨ One-of-a-kind destination: experience a night camping in a magical Catskills forest
🦉 Forest interpretation and signs of wildlife like owls, deer, efts, and more
🔥 An incredible camping experience: redefine your idea of cozy camping and imagine a roaring campfire, a gourmet meal shared with your fellow adventurers, and a peaceful night sleep with a warm cup of coffee waiting for you in the morning.### What's Included?
🚐 Transportation to and from NYC
☕ Breakfast: Your adventure includes a breakfast of fresh fruit and donuts and a selection of coffee and tea for the drive to the trailhead
🧀 Lunch + Dinner + Breakfast in the Woods: We will provide a healthy, gourmet lunch and snacks during our adventure. We offer vegetarian and vegan options, and we’re happy to accommodate any dietary and allergy needs.
🌄 On trail guidance from an expert NYS licensed guide### Schedule
Day One
6:30 Brooklyn Pickup near Barclays
7:00 Manhattan Pickup at Grand Central
~8:30 Rest Stop
~10:00 Arrival at Trailhead + Hike to Camp + Camp Setup
~12:30 Lunch
~3:30 Backcountry Skills + Fire Building
~6:00 Campfire + Dinner + Smore's + Stargazing until BedtimeDay Two
8:00-10:00 Breakfast + Coffee + Break Camp
10:00-12:00 Optional Hike + Camptime
12:00 Light Lunch + Hike to Van
~2:00-3:00 Arrival at trailhead + van heads back to NYC
~4:30 Rest stop
~7:00 Manhattan Drop Off
~7:30 Brooklyn Drop Off*All times are estimates. We adjust every adventure to the pace and needs of the group. Our overnight trips are much more flexibile! Travel time are subject to many factors, including weather and traffic.
### What Do I Need to Bring With Me?
Must have
🎒 Backpack (45L minimum, with hip belt
💤 Sleeping bag
🛏️ Sleeping pad
🍽️ Mess kit (fork, spoon, bowl and cup)
💧 2, 1-liter water bottles
🔦 Headlamp
🎽 Wear: Comfortable, breathable clothes. Standard workout clothes are great for hiking
🥾 Footwear: sneakers or boots are perfect for this trip
🧣 Clothes: extra layers, top and bottom, 3 pairs of socks
🌧️ Rain shell
⛺ Tent: We have a limited number of tents available to borrow. Please let us know if you would like to borrow a tent. There is also the option to sleep under a tarp shelter, which your guide can help build, or to sleep under the stars if conditions permit. If you are NOT planning on bringing a tent, please let us know your preferences from above.Good to have:
🩴 Camp shoes
🕶️ Sunglasses
🧢 Hat### FAQs
What happens after I book my adventure? You will receive a confirmation email for your adventure within 24 hours of booking. Your guide will reach out 7-10 days before your adventure with an update on trail conditions, weather, a final packing list, our adventure waiver, and more.
More questions? Visit our FAQ page here.1 attendee
Wondrous Wittenberg
Location not specified yet### Summit Wittenberg Mountain in the Catskills on this enchanting and challenging hike!
This breathtaking hike offers an incredible journey through three different ecosystems with pristine mountain streams, walls of moss, an enchanting spruce-fir forest at the summit, and some of the most exhilarating scrambles in the Catskills. The challenging trail is worth every step for the incredible 270-degree summit views. After summiting Wittenberg, we'll have the option to summit Cornell Mountain, another Catskills 3500' peak.
### Hike stats
🥾 7.8 miles from Woodland Valley to Wittenberg Summit; we will have the option to hike an additional 1.6 miles to the summit of Cornell Mountain
⛰️ About 2400ft elevation gain with some steep/scrambly sections
🧭 Difficulty: Hard. This is a challenging hike with some steep sections.### The Destination Backcountry Difference
Why hike with us? Expert guides. Founded in 2011, our NY State-licensed guides are not merely hike leaders, they are ambassadors for the outdoors, dedicated to sharing their passion for nature with others.
A FULL day of adventure: Our all-inclusive day escapes include transportation, meals, and a full day of hiking and adventure. Make your escape upstate worth every minute!
On this trail, our guides will share:
💧A visit to one of our favorite backcountry springs for fresh, pure mountain water
🥾Expert guidance on steep/scambly sections of the trail
🌲 Incredible observations about the forest and wildlife we may encounter.### What's Included?
🚐 Transportation to and from NYC
☕ Breakfast: Your adventure includes a breakfast of fresh fruit and donuts and a selection of coffee and tea for the drive to the trailhead
🧀 Lunch: We will provide a healthy, gourmet lunch and snacks during our adventure. We offer vegetarian and vegan options, and we’re happy to accommodate any dietary and allergy needs.
🌄 On trail guidance from an expert NYS licensed guide### Schedule
6:30 Brooklyn Pickup near Barclays
7:00 Manhattan Pickup at Grand Central
~8:30 Rest Stop
~9:45 Arrival at Trailhead
~12:30 Lunch at Summit + Potential option to summit additional peaks
~1:00 Hike out
~3:30 Van returns to the city
~4:30 Rest stop
~7:00 Manhattan Drop Off
~7:30 Brooklyn Drop Off*All times are estimates. We adjust every adventure to the pace and needs of the group. Travel time are subject to many factors, including weather and traffic.
### What Do I Need to Bring With Me?
Must have
💧 2, 1-liter water bottles
🎽 Wear: Comfortable, breathable clothes. Standard workout clothes are great for hiking
🥾 Footwear: Sturdy sneakers, trail runners, or hiking boots. We’ll let you know well in advance if conditions call for special footwear.
🧣A few extra layers of clothes for breaks
Good to have
🌧️ Rain shell
🕶️ Sunglasses
🧢 Hat### FAQs
What happens after I book my adventure? You will receive a confirmation email for your adventure within 24 hours of booking. Your guide will reach out 7-10 days before your adventure with an update on trail conditions, weather, a final packing list, our adventure waiver, and more.
More questions? Visit our FAQ page here.1 attendee
Past events
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