Packing
Road Trip Packing Checklist
Car kit, clothing that handles two climates, and the paperwork parks actually ask for.
Car
Coolant and washer fluid check before you leave. Tire pressure, including the spare if you have one. Phone mounts that do not block airbags. Trash bags. Ice scraper in shoulder season. A gallon of water that is not your hiking water. Sunshade. Printed backup directions for the one canyon where the map goes beige.
Clothes
You are packing for the coldest morning and the hottest trail, especially on Utah loops. One town outfit so you are not wearing trail salt at dinner. Laundry soap for a mid-trip wash on 10- and 14-day plans.
Food
A cooler you will actually refill. Breakfast that does not require a stove if you are in motels. More snacks than meals. Park picnic areas fill; eating in a legal pullout is fine, leaving food unattended is not.
Documents
License, insurance, lodging, park pass, timed-entry QR codes, tunnel permits if a park uses them, and a list of confirmation numbers on paper.
Practical tips
- Keep a small day-hike bag packed so you are not emptying the whole trunk at every trailhead.
FAQ
Do I need extra insurance on the rental?
That is a personal and policy question, not a scenery one. Read the card. Unpaved roads can be excluded. Stay on roads your agreement and your skill both allow.
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