Backcountry Tent Camping with a Baby: Packing List + Honest Experience

Almost every year, my husband’s family meets up with other relatives and friends at a spot near Kinnikinick Lake, about 36 miles from Flagstaff, AZ. My in-laws have been going to this same area for over 30 years. Jake and I have been married six years now, and this was my very first time joining. I was so excited—you’d think I was a little kid again!

I’ve always loved being outside and in nature. When I was younger, my dad would take us camping, but those trips were always at a park with bathrooms and running water. This time? Nope—this was backcountry. Dirt roads, no potty, no running water. His uncles like to call it “roughing it.” And they weren’t kidding! Everyone who goes now is basically a pro. My father-in-law had his tent, we had ours, plus there was a kitchen tent, shower tent, and even a little potty tent. I thought I was set.

The first two nights, though, were rough—literally and figuratively. It was so cold, and I couldn’t imagine making it the full eleven days. Jake made it his mission to keep the baby and me as comfortable as possible. Mid-week, we took a trip into Flagstaff to do laundry and make a pit stop at Wal-Mart. Around the same time, I noticed baby Asher was teething. How was he already teething?! Of course it had to happen on this trip. To top it off, my cycle started too. Between those two things and not sleeping well, I was moodier than usual. But Asher and I are troopers. We made it through, and the best part was watching his little eyes light up at every new sight. That alone made the whole trip worth it.

Before we left, I did what any first-time camping mom would do—I went down a YouTube rabbit hole on “How to Camp with a Baby.” Here are a few things I packed (and how they worked out):

• Wool pajamas or two-piece set: Didn’t end up buying these, just used warmer pj’s at night and in the early mornings.
  
• Bunting suit: Found a cute, gently used one at Sweet Repeats in Marana. Baby wore this over his pj's.
  
• Baby carrier: Brought along our Baby Bjorn.
  
• Portable bathtub: Ordered this collapsible one on Amazon.
  
• Portable playpen: Skipped it—I didn’t want to haul too much. Instead, we used his Fisher-Price Kick & Play on different surfaces.
  
• Travel crib or bassinet: Picked up a portable baby lounger at Sweet Repeats, and it was the perfect size to pack with our gear.
  

Of course, I brought all the everyday baby things too. Some fun extras that weren’t necessary but turned out super helpful were the string lights we hung inside our tent and a glow-in-the-dark baby blanket a friend gave us at our shower. Both made checking on the baby at night so much easier without having to use lanterns or headlamps. I guess I should add daddy's hammock too. Asher had many naps there. Actually, he was the only one that used it. Lucky kid! 

For myself, I packed clothes for both warm days and cold nights: wool socks, a rain suit and boots, hiking boots, and croc sandals for showering. A robe and wide-tooth comb also made the cut—and thankfully, tampons (timing is everything!). I kept my bag light by only packing five days’ worth of clothes, knowing we’d head into town for laundry.

In my hygiene kit, I stuck with bottle-free essentials: a shampoo bar, conditioner bar, tea tree soap, toothpaste, toothbrush, floss, lip balm, and a lotion bar. Where we camped was a pack-in, pack-out site, so keeping things minimal and plastic-free helped us cut down on waste—well, as much as you can when you’re changing diapers all day. Everything in my kit was made by me, except for the toothpaste, brush, and floss (obviously). It was actually fun putting my products to the test out in the wilderness. Jake even gave me feedback on the travel soap size. If you’ve tried our Pocket Soaps yourself, I’d love to hear your thoughts too.

If (or when) I go back again in a tent, I already have a list started of things I’ll bring to make it easier. Next time, I’ll be more than ready! This is just a little snippet of my experience. If you’d like to know more or have specific questions, feel free to email me or reach out on IG/FB. I’d love to help however I can!