About Luke Hayduk

Founder, Owner, Head Backpacking Guide

My trail experience began over a decade ago as a teenager, backpacking sections of the Appalachian Trail in NJ, NY, or "Rocksylvania" with my friends. In those early days, I did a lot of learn-by-doing. Mistakes were made, but the mistakes taught me the most valuable lessons. In less than 5 years, I had gained a plethora of knowledge and backpacking wisdom to set myself up for grander goals.

In 2016, I earned my B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Rowan University and then worked in Food Science for 3 years, backpacking or hiking every weekend, half-day, and holiday in the summer. In 2019, I backpacked nearly a thousand miles in America's national parks and forests in a single summer. During this time, I fell in love with the Bitterroot, Glacier, the Flathead, and all of the other extraordinary public lands that exist in Montana. I made plans to move to Montana as soon as possible, and did so just as the COVID-19 pandemic began. That summer was spent socially distanced in the Bitterroot learning about all of the amazing nooks and crannies that exist out there. I established Bitterroot Backpacking at the end of that year, and have since set off on the greatest adventure of my life!

Fun Fact: There's an 800 mile thru-hike in Utah, called the "Hayduke Trail" named after fictional character George Hayduke from Edward Abbey's book 'The Monkey Wrench Gang'.