Reading while backpacking and camping is an ideal pastime for many hikers. Being alone in the wilderness is a great time to sit down for a while and pick up that book you’ve been meaning to read for the last two years. However, if you are backpacking, the extra weight of book often forces them to be left on the shelf when packing. Poetry books are a great alternative! They pack in the intellectual density of a novel while maintaining the weight of an extra pair of socks. Check out these five recommendations for your next trail book!
Limón’s book has a little bit of everything; death, love, travel, innocence, and family. If you are new to contemporary poetry, this is where you should start. Her writing style is easy to follow and she doesn’t use obscure references or language that you would need to search for on the internet. With a variety of topics and creative language, Limón is perfect for a simple hammock-reading session in the woods.
In his second collection of poetry, Hopler uses his investigation of the natural world to help him grieve over the death of his father. He takes readers on a journey across the globe; from the mountains of the American west to the streets of Rome.
Don’t let the heavy topic of death turn you off from this one though. Hopler is clever with his language and creates a bittersweet mood giving readers a chance to laugh through the pain.
This book definitely falls onto the darker side but gains a spot on the list due to its investigation of travel. Rosenthal uniquely documents her travels across the globe while trying to create a path between the familiar and unfamiliar. If you are looking to fall into an existential crisis out on the trails this weekend, this is the book for you.
If you are looking for a poetry book of celebration, this is it! Gay’s book features celebration poems of the simplest things in life from the buttons on his t-shirt to a fig tree.
His stream of consciousness writing style is perfect for the trails, and his positivity in appreciating the small things brings a smile to any reader’s face.
We can’t have an outdoor reading list without including the father of free-verse poetry! If you can find a light version of Leaves of Grass you will be set for your next couple trips because this baby is long.
Whitman explores human’s interactions with each other and the world around them in this famous book, but all this knowledge adds up in weight. This is the physically heaviest of the five, so unless you can find a thin version I would save this for a car camping trip.
If you have any comments then please drop us a message on our Outdoor Revival Facebook page
If you have a good story to tell or blog let us know about it on our FB page, we’re also happy for article or review submissions, we’d love to hear from you.
We live in a beautiful world, get out there and enjoy it.
Outdoor Revival – Reconnecting us all with the Outdoor
Few sites in nature inspire more awe and wonder than waterfalls. As a result, these…
For a large number of animals, it's clear they descended from dinosaurs - think of…
Located deep in the heart of Redwood National and State Parks (RNSP) is the world's…
Considering that the Earth is covered by more than 70% water there are plenty of…
Most major airports are tucked away far from the main thoroughfares of cities, meaning tourists…
Imagine swimming through the ocean, having a relaxing float in a creek or adventuring in…