I previously wrote how I converted my front yard to a natural landscape with native plants. It allows me to go for a run in the country or go hiking without leaving home.

Now that the weather has warmed, I decided to take a short break from running and do a 3-day backpacking trip in my front yard.

On my first night out, I found a nice camping spot with great views of the neighborhood. I didn’t want to risk an uncontrolled fire in my yard, so I made a simulated campfire which was very pleasant.

I broke camp the next day and explored a wild, remote area of my front yard wilderness. But it was so densely vegetated, I couldn’t find a good camping spot. I had to set up camp on my sidewalk. I packed a good quality pad, so sleeping on the concrete surface was pretty comfortable.

On the last day, I covered a lot of ground and was surprised to run into another hiker—my mail carrier, doing her daily rounds. She offered her pepper spray in case I ran into a bear. Since it was my last day, and I was getting close to the trailhead/front door, I declined.

After 3 long days of hiking, I was dead tired. However, I so appreciate a front yard where I can slow down and smell the lupines and arrowleat balsamroots.