LDS Pioneer Trek Guide: Packing List, Clothing & What to Expect 

What Is a Pioneer Trek?

A pioneer trek (often called “trek” or “LDS trek”) is a youth activity of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that reenacts the journey of the 1800s Mormon handcart pioneers, who were driven from their homes in Missouri and Illinois and walked west to the Salt Lake Valley to worship in peace.

For 3 days and 2 nights, youth ages 14–18 dress in pioneer clothing, organize into “families” of 8–10 led by a married couple — a Ma and Pa — and pull loaded handcarts several miles a day across trails in Utah, Wyoming, and other western states. At night they camp in tents, hold devotionals and testimony meetings, and often enjoy a pioneer dance. It is physically demanding and spiritually memorable — for many youth it becomes a highlight of their teenage years.

Treks are held all over the country. Common sites include Martin’s Cove and Sixth Crossing in Wyoming, Nauvoo in Illinois, and many Utah locations such as Mosida and Hardware Ranch. Each stake picks a route and site that fits its youth.

What to Expect Each Day on Trek

Days start early. After breakfast and a devotional, families load their handcarts and begin trekking, covering roughly 4–6 miles with rest and water stops along the way. Lunch is usually eaten on the trail. Afternoons bring more trekking, camp setup, and activities; many treks include a women’s pull (young women pull the carts up a hill while the young men stand aside in silence) that is often the most powerful moment of the trek.

Evenings mean dinner, games, a pioneer dance, and a testimony meeting under the stars. Nights are spent in tents in family groups, divided by gender. There are no showers — wet wipes keep you clean — and portable toilets are placed along the trail and at camp. Trained medical staff travel with the group the entire time.

Pioneer Trek Clothing for Young Women

Everyone wears modest pioneer-style clothing for the entire trek — it protects from sun, brush, and bugs, and it builds the spirit of the experience. Choose light-colored, breathable fabric such as cotton, linen, or muslin. Avoid denim, logos, and sheer fabrics. Bring two complete sets and wear one the morning you leave.

Young women should bring:

• Two ankle-length dresses or skirts with long sleeves, full enough to comfortably walk in (no denim).
• Two long-sleeved blouses if wearing skirts (no t-shirts, logos, or sheer fabric).
• Two pairs of pantaloons or leggings (scrubs or pajama pants work), ankle length, worn under the skirt to prevent bug bites and dirt.
• A sun bonnet or wide-brim straw hat with a tie or chin strap to keep it on in the wind (no baseball caps).
• One or two aprons with pockets — genuinely useful for lip balm, sunscreen, and small items.

Cheapest ways to get pioneer clothing: borrow from families who’ve trekked before, sew your own (a great Mutual project), or buy secondhand at Deseret Industries or Goodwill. Ready-made pioneer clothing is also sold by retailers such as White Elegance and Deseret Book.

Pioneer Trek Clothing for Young Men

Young men should bring:

• Two pairs of loose-fitting cotton pants — no jeans and no shorts of any length.
• Two long-sleeved button-up shirts; light colors are cooler (no t-shirts or logos).
• Suspenders or a belt to keep loose pants up during a full day of pulling.
• A wide-brim hat with a tie or chin strap (no baseball caps).

The same rules apply: light, breathable, modest, and no denim. Long sleeves and long pants are for sun protection, not just authenticity — you will be exposed all day.

Ma & Pa / Family Gear (Adult Leaders)

If you’ve been called as a Ma or Pa, most family equipment — the handcart, youth tents, water jugs, first-aid, and the stake gear bags — is provided by your ward or stake. Beyond your own personal packing list, plan to bring or coordinate the leader items in the Ma & Pa / Family Gear rows of the packing list above: your own tent and ground tarp, your own small trail pack (youth packs are provided, leaders’ are not), a 5-gallon bucket, an insulated water jug, a small shovel and mallet, carabiners, paracord, zip ties, and duct tape for labeling and repairs.

Two hard-won tips from serving twice: label everything with your family name in permanent marker (gear gets mixed up fast at a shared basecamp), and pack a squirt or misting bottle — a quick mist on a hot afternoon does more for morale than almost anything else you can carry.

What NOT to Bring on Trek

These are commonly banned on trek. Always check your own stake’s list, but expect to leave the following at home:

• Electronic devices of any kind — cell phones, smartwatches, iPods, MP3 players. Trek is intentionally unplugged.
• Baseball caps, shorts, or jeans
• Hair dryers, curling irons, or curlers
• Canned or bottled drinks, candy, or sweets (these are provided)
• Footballs, frisbees, and other sports gear (games are provided)
• Jewelry (one pair of small stud earrings for young women is usually fine)
• Lighters, matches, or fireworks
• Pocketknives or other knives (leaders carry what’s needed)

How to Prepare for a Pioneer Trek

Trek rewards a little preparation. Here’s the order I recommend to parents and youth:

1. Get your pioneer clothing early

Don’t wait — assemble two modest outfits per person weeks ahead. Borrow, sew, or buy secondhand. Light, breathable cotton or linen in light colors is coolest.

2. Break in your shoes and socks

Wear your closed-toe trek shoes on walks for several weeks so they’re broken in. Pair them with moisture-wicking (never cotton) socks and thin liner socks. Blisters are the number-one problem on trek — this prevents most of them.

3. Train your body

Start walking regularly a month or two out, gradually adding distance and hills while wearing your trek shoes. Practice on uneven ground if you can, and hydrate well in the days before you leave.

4. Pack the checklist

Work through the packing list. Keep your sleep clothes and sleep socks in a separate dry bag, and label your gear.

5. Prepare spiritually

Bring a paperback journal and scriptures, learn the story of a pioneer ancestor to carry with you, and go in with an open heart. Leave the electronics at home.

Typical 3-Day Pioneer Trek Itinerary

Every stake runs trek a little differently, but most follow this rhythm over 3 days and 2 nights. Use it to picture the flow and to help your youth know what’s coming — then follow your own stake’s printed schedule for exact times.

Day 1: Travel, Orientation & First Miles

Day 2: The Big Trekking Day

Day 3: Break Camp & Head Home

My Two Treks: Mosida (2019) & Hardware Ranch (2023)

I’ve served as a “Pa” twice — first at the Mosida, Utah handcart site in 2019, then at Hardware Ranch in Blacksmith Fork Canyon, Utah in 2023 — and I built and ran the trek website for 650 participants in our area. Everything in this guide comes from actually pulling a handcart alongside youth for three days, twice, not from a catalog.

A few things I learned the hard way: the nights get colder than the daytime highs suggest (bring the warm bag and the beanie); blisters end more good attitudes than hills do (break in shoes, wear liner socks); and the water bottle and chafing prevention are non-negotiable. The moments that stick — the women’s pull, the testimony meeting, a tired 16-year-old digging deep and finding another gear — are worth every mile.