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Ready for your next adventure? Here’s everything you need for a successful visit to the parks.

But with record-breaking crowds, shifting regulations, and the ever-changing conditions of the great outdoors, planning a trip takes more than just picking a trail and packing a snack. Whether you’re heading out for a casual day hike or a Utah road trip, having the right gear can make all the difference.

As a seasoned traveler, here are the essentials to bring for a smooth, stress-free experience in the parks.

You should know if you’re going to come across water on your hike before you go. For example, traversing The Narrows at Zion National Park involves literally hiking through a river where at certain points (and depending on the day) you can be waist-deep in the water. A pair of Kane shoes could be a lifesaver for a day like that. Unlike other recovery shoes that are usually open-backed, these keep your feet protected, are quick-drying and can easily be clipped onto your backpack when you switch back to hiking boots. The shoes come in a bunch of colors and gender-neutral sizes ranging from M3/W5–M18/W20.

Get them from Dick's Sporting Goods for $74.99+.

Stay cool and fashionable in these lightweight and water-resistant hiking pants. These pants will keep you safe with a UPF 50+ built-in to keep your skin out of the sun, and are a hit among readers. My recommendation is to dress in layers, so if you do get hot as the temperature rises, you’re prepared. The adjustable cuffs on the pant leg bottoms can also keep pesky mosquitos out, which we all know is a lifesaver on a day’s adventure. The pants come in a bunch of colors and women's sizes XS–3XL, with regular, tall and petite sizing options.

Promising review: "LOVE these pants. Got them for Olympic National Park. They were all day comfortable, and great in the colder morning temperatures and still great when it got sunny and warmer in the day. These are my new favorite pants. I did follow the recommendation to size down. I usually wear a medium, and I got a small, and they fit great." —Derick

This portable charger is a compact 10,000mAh power bank with two built-in cables (iOS, USB-C plus Micro USB), plus multiple ports that let you charge up to four devices at once. There’s a digital screen so I always know when I need to recharge it. The charger is compatible with nearly all smartphones, tablets and devices on the market. Lightweight and equipped with a digital display for precise battery tracking, it’s the perfect travel companion for staying fully powered on the go.

Get it from Amazon for $25.99+ (available in five colors).

The Yeti Crossroads backpack is a tough, water-resistant pack designed to handle everything from national park hikes to spontaneous road trips. Its structured build and foam-padded base protect your gear, while multiple compartments keep essentials organized and easily accessible. I’ve brought this backpack to every national park that I’ve traveled to in recent years because it’s reliable, and I know that my expensive camera gear is safe inside of it.

Get it from Amazon for $200+ (available in three sizes and six colors).

As I mentioned earlier, dressing in layers for exploring the parks is a must. This REI Co-op sun shirt can keep you protected from the sun on hot days with a UPF 50+ rating. The material is stretchy and technical knit so even if you do get damp, it’s quick-drying and won’t leave you like a wet dog for the rest of the day. You can get the hoodie in a bunch of colors and men's sizes S–XXXL, including some tall sizes.

Promising review: "Loose, comfy fit. Great for travel, hiking, paddling. Also used in high output winter activities like skinning up the hill on a sunny day." —Skier

Get it from REI for $36.93+ (originally $59.95).

I cannot emphasize how many times these walking sticks have saved me on a hike such as the iconic The Narrows trail through Zion National Park. These adjustable walking poles can fit into a checked suitcase and can stand between 26 to 54 inches tall, making them accessible for all sizes.

The main purpose of having these is that they add another point of contact to the ground. When you’re sweating and scaling an incline with your backpack on, these trekking poles will keep you grounded — literally — and take some of the weight that you’re carrying off your back.

This may just be the coolest sunscreen on the market. Vacation Classic Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 offers high-performance, broad-spectrum protection with a clean ingredient list that’s vegan, cruelty-free, reef-safe, and free from parabens, PEGs, and octinoxate. It encompasses blends of coconut, banana, and poolside nostalgia, earning it the title of the “World’s Best Smelling Sunscreen,” according to the brand.

Designed for all skin tones, it rubs in effortlessly with no white cast, while ingredients like aloe vera, coconut oil and niacinamide keep skin moisturized and smooth. Your purchase of a bottle comes with a matching air freshener.

Promising review: "I am obsessed (to say the least) with this sunscreen! Smells so good, long lasting, Vacation is the best <3 Great for traveling or throwing in your bag to always have a sunscreen with you! :)" —Kenz

Get it from Amazon for $17+ (also available in larger sizes in multipacks).

You never know when you’re going to need a headlamp for visibility. Third Eye Headlamps are comfortable and easy to throw in your backpack. They’re stylish with cool designs that will make you actually want to sport it. The best part? There’s a lifetime warranty on these headlamps, guaranteeing that it can help guide you through the darkness for years to come. The headlamp comes in five colorways.

Depending on where you’re hiking, odds are you’re going to highly benefit from a pair of shoes that aren’t simple sneakers. The Merrell Men’s Moab 3 is named after the town in Utah that’s home to Arches National Park. This boot is durable for any terrain with its pigskin leather and mesh upper 100% recycled laces, recycled mesh lining and an air cushion in the heel that gives your footing better stability. These can take you on your first mile or 10 miles of your next trip into nature. Grab a pair in nine colors and men's sizes 6.5–15, with wide options available.

Promising review: "This is the preferred boot for the Boy Scouts High Adventure Camp - Northern Tier in Minnesota/Canada. My son wore these for two weeks, in the water every day while canoeing. No blisters, no trench foot. A couple of his fellow scouts wore "other" boots and suffered the consequences. Same boots made it to the top of Angel's Landing in Zion National Park and hiked there Narrows there as well. I would recommend these all day long." —charlie bove

The GoPro HERO13 Black is the ultimate adventure camera for capturing high-quality footage in rugged environments like national parks. With upgraded stabilization, 5.3K video, and enhanced low-light performance, it’s built to document everything from summit views to waterfall jumps. Waterproof, compact and voice-activated, it’s a must-have for anyone who wants to stay hands-free while capturing epic moments. I use it for vlogging my trips and also capturing the night sky with the Star Trails long exposure feature.

Believe me when I say this — I'd never been stopped so much on the streets and on hikes to ask where I bought my pants from until I started wearing these. These Fjällräven trekking trousers may quickly become your favorite hiking companion. They feature stretch fabric, plenty of pockets and zippers to let some air in if you get hot. Lastly, they’re simply really fashionable and you will look like a pro hiker, even if it is your very first national park. The trousers come in several neutral colors and men's sizes 28–44, with two inseam lengths.

First things first, staying hydrated is one of the most important rules of visiting the national parks. S'well’s 40-ounce water bottle uses special technology to keep your beverages colder without having the condensation on the outside of the bottle. The wide mouth is a game changer — perfect for adding ice cubes to keep your drink as cold as possible as you hike serene cliff sides in the sweltering sun.

Get it from Amazon for $32+ (available in five colors).

The Lululemon Linerless Short 5" is built for performance, combining durability and flexibility for intense hikes, trail runs, or long days exploring national parks. With sweat-wicking, quick-drying fabric and a lightweight, linerless design, these shorts offer comfort without restriction. Streamlined and functional, they also feature zippered pockets to keep essentials secure because the last thing you want is to drop your keys somewhere along the trail…

Get them from Lululemon for $78 (available in sizes XS–XXL, two inseams, and five colors).

This was my first camera, and is perfect without being too bulky to carry around. The Canon EOS Rebel T7 camera is ideal for beginners without a compromise in quality. It features a powerful 24.1 Megapixel CMOS sensor and a wide ISO range of 100–6400 (expandable to 12800), helping you capture crisp, high-quality images in a variety of lighting conditions. As you get more experienced, you can try out longer lenses that are great for shooting wildlife. Pro tip: Shoot in raw, so you can easily edit your photos post-trip.

The key to having a successful day in the park is being prepared for spending hours under the hot sun. This Quiksilver bucket hat looks good, is comfortable and most importantly, keeps the sun out of your face. When it gets windy, there’s a strap to secure it on your head so you don’t have to worry about it going flying into the mountainous abyss. The hat comes in sizes S–XXL and a bunch of colors.

The David protein bar will keep you going on a long hike. It’s one of the most protein-dense bars on the market, packing 28g of protein into just 150 calories with a perfect 1.0 PDCAAS score — making it ideal for muscle building, recovery, and overall health. Its unique formulation uses prebiotic fibers like allulose and polydextrose to bind the bar together while supporting gut health, and a carefully designed fat system keeps the calorie count low without sacrificing texture. With no artificial sweeteners or flavors, David claims to deliver clean, functional fuel with a focus on optimal performance and nutrition.

Get a 12-pack from Amazon for $38.99 (available in eight flavors).

Reviews for this post have been edited for length and/or clarity.