After more than 20 years of annual spring visits to the canyons of southern Utah for a jumpstart on the hiking season, we’ve run the gauntlet from travelling with no kids to travelling with an infant, a preschooler, a grade school student, and a teen. We’ve travelled as a family, with adult siblings, with friends, and with dogs. We’ve sauntered trails when hours to spare and raced hikes when short on time; gone on dayhikes and backpack trips; climbed high from river bottoms and gone deep into impossible slot canyons. The problem is that all of my notes are scattered through dozens of journals. Remembering which journal the notes are in for a particular hike is near possible. I wish Santa had given me a Nomad Adventure Journal two decades ago!

The hiking/backpacking & camping journal is a spiral-bound 5 x7” notebook with two pages for “fill in the blank” notes and two lined pages for observations per daily entry. Daily entries start with the obvious (date, entry number, location, campground info, and basic trail data) and then throws in things like pets allowed (yes/no), recommended maps, and space for notes on people met along the way. It’s a simple, consistent, and easy way to record all the pertinent details. The pages for observations and notes are perfect for trail or camp-inspired artwork, poetry, or ideas for future hikes (or articles)!

Nomad Adventure Journals were created and designed by Todd & Angie Hakanson. With a passion for the outdoors, they wanted to provide a sturdy way to record memories. The journal, with a thick hard cover, is not going to get crushed in a jumble of camping gear. They also offer an optional waterproof cover that zips open to lie flat. Eco-friendly soy based inks, recycled paper, and minimal packaging add to the appeal of their product.

I will be using this journal (and buying replacements when the pages are full) on all future dayhikes and camping trips. My only, slightly, negative comment is that it’s a bit too robust to take in my backpack. While I’ll stick with a few sheets of paper and pen for long overnight trips, I’m thrilled to have found the perfect answer for recording trail explorations at end of day when car camping or at home.

If you have an avid hiker on your list, be sure to visit Nomad Adventure Journals for ordering details.