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Quick Guide to Trails in the Falls Creek Area in Durango, Colorado

We’ve outlined some of our favorite hiking trails in the Falls Creek area to make it easier for you to pick a trail that’s right for you!

Hiking In Sedona: What You Should Know

To get you prepped for your hike in Sedona, we’ve compiled advice into a detailed guide on what to expect when going for a hike in Sedona.

Snowshoeing in Durango: Our 7 Favorite Trails

Snowshoeing in Durango, Colorado this season? Here’s a few of our favorite snowshoeing trails for your next Microadventure in Durango!

Our 10 Favorite Places to Hike in Tucson, AZ

As you’re planning you Tucson, Arizona trip, here are our 10 favorite places to hike with trails around Tucson.

Snowshoeing in Boulder: Our 7 Favorite Trails

Snowshoeing in Boulder, CO this Winter? We’ve compiled a list of our favorite snowshoeing trails to explore in and around the Boulder area.

5 Best Portable Induction Cookers For RVs and Vans

To aid you in your next Microdventure, we have compiled a list of the 5 best portable Induction Cookers for your RV or van.

Our 10 Favorite Family-Friendly Hikes in the Grand Canyon

If you’re considering hiking with your family in the Grand Canyon, here are our 10 favorite family-friendly hiking trails.

What is Car Camping?

Trying to figure out what car camping is and why so many people are doing it? Here we define car camping for you in a simple way.

Car Camping Packing List for Your Microadventure

To aid in getting you set for your next car camping trip, here’s a list of essential and luxury things to pack.

Payson, AZ Free Dispersed Camping Areas

In order to help you narrow down where to camp, here’s a list of our favorite free, dispersed camping spots and areas around Payson, Arizona.

Flagstaff Free Dispersed Camping Map

To help make a decision on where to camp around Flagstaff, AZ, here’s a map of our favorite free, dispersed camping areas and spots.

Our 10 Favorite Hiking Trails in Flagstaff

Looking to go hiking in Flagstaff? Here’s a brief list of our favorite hikes and hiking trails in Flagstaff, Arizona.

A Guide to Camping in Sedona

The famous Red Rock Country city that is Sedona, Arizona. For those who haven’t visited, Sedona is a mecca for Microadventures. With miles of hiking and biking trails, climbing, and towering red sandstone views, you could spend a lifetime exploring Sedona and not see...

Sedona Free Dispersed Camping and Campgrounds Map

Trying to figure out where to camp around Sedona, AZ? We built a map of our favorite established campgrounds and dispersed camping areas.

Our 10 Favorite Hiking Trails in Sedona

With over 200 miles of trails, there’s a lot to choose from in Sedona, Arizona! Here’s a brief list of our favorite hikes in Sedona.

What is a Microadventure?

So what exactly is a “Microadventure?”

 

Rather than boring you with a Wikipedia article, a Microadventure is an adventure that takes places over a shorter period of time, simple, inexpensive, and doesn’t require you to live in a van or an RV to accomplish.

The Microadventure concept was brought to the forefront from world-traveler Alastair Humphreys, who has spent a large portion of his adult life taking trips and promoting the topic.

 

Our inspiration for the Microadventure movement was brought on because of his travels.

 

The idea of a Microadventure combats the assumption that if someone has the lust for traveling or being a vagabond, you need to take months (or even years) off work in order to do so. That is not the case with Microadventures! The focus is on trips and adventures that explore your local or close-to-home landscape, cityscapes, and landscapes. In addition, Microadventures don’t require a ton of gear, money, or time. All of the trips are meant to fit within a normal work week. Said another way, “Microadventures are meant to scratch the itch for adventurous souls trapped by the bludgeoning of chance in sensible office jobs.”

For those used to the 9-5 grind, traveling (even in the smallest sense) can be a new source of stress and seem daunting.

 

Thankfully in our team’s experience with our personal Microadventures, planning and actually going out for a weekend trip is not as stressful as it seems! In this post, we will attempt to answer your questions centered around incorporating Microadventures into your life.

These are questions that we hear all the time!

 

1) What kind of activities are considered Microadventures?

So to have a Microadventure, you have to bike across the country, scuba dive in Belize, and climb K2 right? Wrong!

The whole idea of the Microadventure movement is centered around simple, local, and/or cheap activities and trips. Take it from the “founder” of the movement, Alastair Humphreys: his weekend trips revolved around climbing local mountains, tubing around Wales, and going on mountain bike rides.

Closer to home, our team has spent a night in the McDowell Nature Preserve outside of Phoenix, Arizona and went mountain bike riding at sunset.

Here are another few examples of things we have done:

  • Kayak-camping on the Verde River in central Arizona
  • Hot air balloon riding at the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta
  • Road biking the “Scenic Loop” in Red Rock Canyon outside of Las Vegas
  • Taking the train from Durango to Silverton, Colorado and camping in the San Juan National Forest

The types of activities are up to you! Pick your activity, pick your destination, and goal and hit the road! As you can see from some of our trips- no cross-country bike trip, no scuba diving in Belize, and no K2!

2) How much gear do I need?

Besides gear that is needed for your activity of choice, we recommend getting appropriate camping equipment.

REI has a great gear checklist for camping essentials:

https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/family-camping-checklist.html

A few of our writers, actually store their basic camping essentials (tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, footprint, camping stove, etc.) in their cars, ready for use!

3) Where do you find time? How long do your Microadventures last?

The beauty of Microadventures is that they are, by definition, short and sweet. Your activities and trips can be squeezed into your schedule however it fits. Have a day off from work? Take an epic bike ride up to that amazing vantage point you’ve been dying to check out; bring your hammock for an afternoon reading session up there!

The length of your trip depends on your planned activity. Obviously, the further you travel away from your homebase, the longer time you will need. For a practical example, on average, our team’s Microadventures last for an afternoon on the short end, three days on the long end! It should be mentioned that if you’re spending your entire trip trapped in a car, maybe you should plan a trip closer to home!

 

4) So, how much is this going to cost me?

Ah the question that’s in the back of everyone’s mind when traveling is brought up. While traveling in any regard is usually not free, Microadventure-type travels are much more affordable than extended trips. Besides the cost of gear needed for specific activities, most trips expenses come down to gas, food, and entertainment.

Day trips, on average, cost less than $30 per person while longer weekend trips, average around $20 per day. For those longer trips, gas is usually the most extensive cost and assuming that you’re buying in bulk and prepping your meals ahead of time, the cost of food can be stretched across the entire trip.

Summarizing

Starting a Microadventure pilgrimage is not as stressful as it seems! The beauty of this type of traveling is it is a low-obstacle and low-cost entry to get started. Once you get your camping essentials squared away, the biggest commitment is going to be your time. With the proper research, planning, and a little inspiration from our site, we wish you the best of luck!

 

So what are you waiting for? Get out there and explore!

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Nick The Rambling Man

Nick The Rambling Man

Nick is the owner and regular content writer for Southwest Microadventures. When he’s not writing, you can find him rock climbing, peak bagging, mountain biking, backpacking, or drinking strong coffee.

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