Plan your route through the area.Different wilderness areas and parks will have a variety of options available to backcountry hikers, so consult park maps of the area to find the specific trails, or find some online by checking out the National Parks website. Typically, long hikes come in three styles, which you can pick based on the difficulty, the type of terrain, and the sights that you may want to see at your destination. The three basic types of backcountry hikes include:
Be fairly conservative with your routes and schedule on your first trips.While you might want to jump right in and do something difficult, you'll need to consider the terrain, weather, and the experience and conditioning of your group when planning how many miles you will travel each day. Most trails are rated for difficulty, so you'll usually want to stick with anything at a level 1 or 2 for your first several hikes. They'll be challenging enough.
Check to see if your destination requires permits or other advance preparation.If you're camping on public land, there will typically be a small fee associated with coming into the park itself, and another fee associated with camping. They're usually pretty small, and you can get away with no more than $15 dollars or so a night, depending on the season.
Find out local fire regulations.Campfires are great, so long as they're legal. Many areas prohibit fires during dry periods. At other times, they may only be allowed in specific locations, typically fire rings located at campsites. In some places a separate campfire permit is required to use a backcountry cooking stove.