r/WildernessBackpacking

Community Overview

About r/WildernessBackpacking

A subreddit dedicated to backpacking in the wild places on earth - where people are few, cell signal is nil, and Mother Nature still reigns. Backpacking defined as multi-day trips into the wild, unpopulated, areas of the world.

The community at a glance

r/WildernessBackpacking is a Subreddit for Campers and Hikers with roughly 822K members. It has been around since 2009. It uses a forum format for communication. On the Hive Index it ranks #3 in the Camping communities list and #3 in the Hiking communities list.

Roughly 55K members have joined in the past year. Popular discussion topics include Backpacking, Hiking, and Gear. Product recommendations often mention backpacking recs, boots, and sleeping bag recs.

On Reddit
Established 2009
822K Members

Subreddit Analysis

via GummySearch
Yearly: +55K members
Growth: +7.2% / year

Member growth over time

All time (yearly)

  • 2015: 9K members
  • 2016: 10K members
  • 2017: 22K members
  • 2018: 69K members
  • 2019: 64K members
  • 2020: 50K members
  • 2021: 37K members
  • 2023: 432K members
  • 2024: 40K members
  • 2025: 38K members
  • 2026: 47K members

Past year (monthly)

  • Nov: 3K members
  • Dec: 3K members
  • Jan: 4K members
  • Feb: 4K members
  • Mar: 4K members
  • Apr: 4K members
  • May: 5K members
  • Jun: 8K members
  • Jul: 7K members
  • Aug: 7K members
  • Sep: 4K members
  • Oct: 658 members

Topics

  • Backpacking
    119 posts in the past month
    #1
    Backpacking
    119
  • Hiking
    62 posts in the past month
    #2
    Hiking
    62
  • Gear
    51 posts in the past month
    #3
    Gear
    51
  • Looking For A
    49 posts in the past month
    #4
    Looking For A
    49
  • Camping
    43 posts in the past month
    #5
    Camping
    43

Flair

  • PICS
    14 posts in the past month
    1. Gila Wilderness, New Mexico backpacking in early September
    2. Campsite view - Three Sisters Wilderness, Oregon.
    3. High Sierra Trail. 9/18-9/21. Sequoia National Park, CA
    #1
    PICS
    Gila Wilderness, New Mexico backpacking in early September · Campsite view - Three Sisters Wilderness, Oregon. · High Sierra Trail. 9/18-9/21. Sequoia National Park, CA
    14
  • GEAR
    9 posts in the past month
    1. Outdoor Research AI astroturfing on reddit, or how I learned to accept that everyone around me is a robot
    2. Sleeping bag liner
    3. Noticeable difference between 650 down fill and 800?
    #2
    GEAR
    Outdoor Research AI astroturfing on reddit, or how I learned to accept that everyone around me is a robot · Sleeping bag liner · Noticeable difference between 650 down fill and 800?
    9
  • ADVICE
    8 posts in the past month
    1. Arches in December
    2. Guys need your help to make a final choice between mount shitidhar vs Mount Ladakhi Share your honest views on this :)
    3. Dolly Sods and roaring plains planning help
    #3
    ADVICE
    Arches in December · Guys need your help to make a final choice between mount shitidhar vs Mount Ladakhi Share your honest views on this :) · Dolly Sods and roaring plains planning help
    8
  • TRAIL
    7 posts in the past month
    1. Backpacking on platy andesite. Three Sisters Wilderness, Oregon.
    2. TR - Kings Canyon NP: Mt. Cotter + Sixty Lakes Basin via Kearsarge/Glen Pass — Sept 2026
    3. TR - Kings Canyon NP: Mt. Cotter + Sixty Lakes Basin via Kearsarge/Glen Pass — Sept 2026
    #4
    TRAIL
    Backpacking on platy andesite. Three Sisters Wilderness, Oregon. · TR - Kings Canyon NP: Mt. Cotter + Sixty Lakes Basin via Kearsarge/Glen Pass — Sept 2026 · TR - Kings Canyon NP: Mt. Cotter + Sixty Lakes Basin via Kearsarge/Glen Pass — Sept 2026
    7
  • DISCUSSION
    6 posts in the past month
    1. First trip to the Balkans
    2. Favorite Downtime Items to Pack
    3. Took a shit in the woods for the first time, it was great.
    #5
    DISCUSSION
    First trip to the Balkans · Favorite Downtime Items to Pack · Took a shit in the woods for the first time, it was great.
    6

Product recommendations

  • backpacking recs
    12 posts in the past month
    1. East Coast Backpacking Recs
    2. Any easy-ish single night trip recs for Colorado?
    3. Going to the Canadian Rockies for the first time, looking for backpacking recs that evade the permit stress
    #1
    backpacking recs
    East Coast Backpacking Recs · Any easy-ish single night trip recs for Colorado? · Going to the Canadian Rockies for the first time, looking for backpacking recs that evade the permit stress
    12
  • boots
    7 posts in the past month
    1. Which of these boots are best?
    2. Help! Recommend boots for winter camping and hiking.
    3. If you're hiking fan i recommend these boots,got myself a pair and i'm realy satisfied with them ,super comfy.
    #2
    boots
    Which of these boots are best? · Help! Recommend boots for winter camping and hiking. · If you're hiking fan i recommend these boots,got myself a pair and i'm realy satisfied with them ,super comfy.
    7
  • sleeping bag recs
    6 posts in the past month
    1. Recommended sleeping system?
    2. Backpack and Sleeping Bags Recs?
    3. Winter Backpacking Gear - specifically stove & sleeping bag recs and tips needed
    #3
    sleeping bag recs
    Recommended sleeping system? · Backpack and Sleeping Bags Recs? · Winter Backpacking Gear - specifically stove & sleeping bag recs and tips needed
    6
  • tent
    4 posts in the past month
    1. what 3 person tent would you recommend?
    2. Recs for an ultralight freestanding tent that’s durable and wind/rain proof?
    3. Recs for light 2-person tents under $250?
    #4
    tent
    what 3 person tent would you recommend? · Recs for an ultralight freestanding tent that’s durable and wind/rain proof? · Recs for light 2-person tents under $250?
    4
  • gps
    2 posts in the past month
    1. Can anyone recommend a GPS device for backpacking?
    2. What GPS would you recommend for backpacking?
    #5
    gps
    Can anyone recommend a GPS device for backpacking? · What GPS would you recommend for backpacking?
    2

Frequently asked questions

Who is r/WildernessBackpacking for?
Best for Campers and Hikers enthusiasts looking for a Reddit-based community with forum discussion.
Is r/WildernessBackpacking free to join?
This listing is not marked as paid-only. Access rules and any fees are decided by the community.
How many members does r/WildernessBackpacking have?
Roughly 822K members, based on figures reported by the community or its host. Member counts are approximate and change over time.
What platform is r/WildernessBackpacking on?
r/WildernessBackpacking runs on Reddit. Reddit communities (or "subreddits") are forum-based groups on the popular social news aggregation, web content rating, and discussion website Reddit. Reddit is commonly known as "the front page of the internet". Users submit content to the site such as links, text posts, and images, which are then voted up or down and discussed by other members. From investing Reddit communities, to professional ones, to ones just for laughs, you're likely to find a community for you on Reddit.
What topics does r/WildernessBackpacking cover?
On the Hive Index, r/WildernessBackpacking is organized under Campers, Hikers.
How do I join r/WildernessBackpacking?
You can join r/WildernessBackpacking by clicking this link, or pressing the "Go to community" button above.
What are the Camping communities like?
Communities for campers and RV enthusiasts to share trip tips, gear advice, and campsite recommendations. Covers dedicated membership clubs for full-time RVers, app-based communities for finding campsites, and Facebook groups for families living the road life.