Explore Southern Utah’s Canyons Through a Lightweight Lens

Venture into the breathtaking canyons of Southern Utah on a transformative 7-day lightweight backpacking expedition. This lightweight backpacking course invites you to travel through red rock landscapes with a well-considered kit, giving you the agility and awareness needed to navigate complex desert terrain. With fewer unnecessary items weighing you down, you’ll have more room to notice the sandstone glow at sunrise, the quiet of canyon corridors, and the remarkable stories etched into this landscape over thousands of years.

Whether you’re scouting a safe descent, weaving through a narrow slot, or settling in under star-filled desert skies, you’ll learn how to travel confidently, make informed decisions, and build systems that support safety, comfort, and efficiency in one of the most dynamic environments in the world.

Experience the Power of Lightweight Travel in Canyon Country

Traveling lightly in canyon terrain is not about carrying the bare minimum. It’s about understanding your systems, knowing why each item matters, and developing the judgment to adjust as conditions change. With a pack weight of 20–30 pounds, you’ll move more efficiently on steep slickrock, conserve energy during long dry stretches, and respond more fluidly to the desert’s rapid temperature swings.

Throughout the course, you’ll learn to evaluate tradeoffs, choose gear intentionally, manage water wisely, and lead alongside your team through daily challenges. This progression isn’t just about building a lighter pack… it’s about developing confidence in your ability to navigate uncertainty, communicate clearly, and make thoughtful decisions that carry far beyond the trail.

The skills you gain—risk assessment, adaptability, systems thinking, and environmental awareness—become part of your approach to the outdoors long after the course ends.

Explore the Rugged Beauty of the Colorado Plateau

For seven days, you’ll travel through the striking canyons, mesas, and sandstone formations of the Colorado Plateau. This landscape carries a deep natural and human history, with ancestral connections to Hopi, Navajo, Ute Mountain Ute, Uintah Ouray Ute, and Zuni peoples. As you move through the terrain, you may encounter ancient rock art panels, hidden side canyons, or narrow passages carved smooth by centuries of flash floods.

Expect full, dynamic days: navigating rocky or steep terrain, scouting safe routes, lowering packs off rock slabs, wading through cool desert waters, and squeezing through tight canyon slots. You’ll encounter desert wildlife, unique vegetation, and the subtle signs that shape decision-making in the Southwest’s fragile ecosystems.
With a small team of fellow students and two experienced NOLS instructors, you’ll build trust, share responsibility, and develop strong communication habits—core elements of lightweight travel in challenging terrain.

What You’ll Learn: Lightweight Systems, Navigation, and Leadership

This course is designed to give you the skills, confidence, and frameworks needed to travel through desert environments with intention and clarity. Your curriculum includes a blend of technical skills, leadership practice, and field-based experimentation.

Lightweight Backpacking Techniques
Learn how to build efficient systems, use lightweight stoves and shelter setups, and refine your pack so it supports both mobility and comfort.

Navigation and Route-Finding
Develop confidence in reading topographic maps, using compasses, recognizing natural features, and navigating complex canyon networks where paths aren’t always obvious.

Leave No Trace Practices
Practice approaches rooted in environmental respect and minimal impact, aligned with lightweight principles and the needs of delicate desert ecosystems.

Leadership and Teamwork
Rotate through leadership roles, collaborate on route decisions, adapt to unforeseen challenges, and practice communication skills essential for moving efficiently as a team.

Risk Management
Learn to evaluate hazards tied to canyon travel—loose rock, rapidly changing weather, water scarcity, flash-flood terrain, and wildlife—and make thoughtful decisions that support safety and group success.

By the end of the course, you’ll be prepared to plan and execute your own lightweight backpacking trips in a variety of environments, bringing with you a clear sense of how to build systems that are intentional, reliable, and aligned with your goals.

Photo by: Liz Schultz

Day-by-Day Overview of Your Lightweight Canyon Expedition

Day 1
Meet your instructors and teammates, review essential gear, and begin learning about canyon systems and expected conditions.

Days 2–4
Travel through canyon bottoms and mesa tops while learning lightweight fundamentals, navigation techniques, and desert-specific decision-making. Cover roughly 10–15 miles per day.

Days 5–6
Take on more technical terrain including slot canyons, pack lowers, and water crossings. Deepen your leadership practice and refine your lightweight cooking and camp systems.

Day 7
Complete your final miles, engage in reflection and team-based leadership activities, then debrief your experience together.

Weather, Terrain, and Wilderness: Prepare for the Unexpected

Desert environments change rapidly. You may experience hot, dry days; sudden storms; cold winds; or subfreezing night temperatures. Lightweight systems help you adapt skillfully rather than rely on excess gear for comfort.

Terrain will include slickrock, steep cliffs, loose rock, cactus stands, and narrow slot canyons that require careful footwork and clear communication. You’ll learn how to scout routes, move deliberately, and adjust your pace in response to heat, exposure, or technical sections.

Water scarcity is a defining challenge of this course. You’ll learn strategies for predicting water availability, carrying the right amount, and integrating water planning into daily navigation. These decisions are central to both safety and effective lightweight travel.

Who Is This Course For?

This course is ideal for anyone ready to challenge themselves physically, mentally, and emotionally while developing a grounded, confidence-building approach to lightweight travel. Whether you’re an aspiring outdoor educator, a passionate hiker, or someone looking for a more intentional relationship with wilderness travel, the skills you gain here will support your future adventures.

No prior backpacking experience is required, but participants should be prepared for rugged terrain and full, active days.

Become Part of a Global Network of Outdoor Leaders

Completing this course means joining the global NOLS alumni network, a community of leaders, outdoor professionals, and adventurers who share a passion for wilderness exploration, environmental stewardship, and leadership. Your time in the canyons will not only provide you with lifelong skills, but it will also open doors to future adventures and career opportunities.

Are you ready to step into the wild, embrace the challenge, and transform your approach to the outdoors? The journey of a lifetime begins here.