Camping

@HANNAHUNBOUND

photography & Videography

Hannah Unbound taking a picture at sunrise at Joshua Tree National Park

The Unbound Blog

new blog every other friday!

Hey there! My name is Hannah Smentkowski, I'm the photographer, writer, hiker, camper, and craft beer drinker of this blog!

Here, I share my travel, camping, and hiking tips to help anxious explorers get outdoors with confidence!

more about me

photography portfolio

even introverts are social sometimes...

subscribe to Get more adventure in your inbox!

Everything You Need To Know To Go Solo Camping Like a Pro

Hannah Smentkowski

Mar 4
9 min

Everything You Need To Know To Go Solo Camping Like a Pro

Why in the hell would you want to go camping all alone in the big dark scary woods?! Because I like it, that's why! And if you love...

74 views

Budget Car Camping 101: The Ultimate Guide to Sleeping in Your Car for Cheap

Hannah Smentkowski

Feb 4
9 min

Budget Car Camping 101: The Ultimate Guide to Sleeping in Your Car for Cheap

Almost everyone I know has had a fantasy of living out of a van for some period of their life or the badass Overlanding jeeps with the...

330 views

6 Ways to Survive the Cold Winter Until the Next Camping Season

Hannah Smentkowski

Jan 7
5 min

6 Ways to Survive the Cold Winter Until the Next Camping Season

If you really want to secret to surviving winter it's super simple, just move to Southern California! Just kidding (sort of) but like...

18 views

The 10 Perfect Holiday Gifts that Hikers Actually Want!

Hannah Smentkowski

Dec 10, 2021
8 min

The 10 Perfect Holiday Gifts that Hikers Actually Want!

Finding the right gift for the outdoorsy person in your life can be extremely difficult, especially if they're like me and already own...

914 views

The 5 Coolest Small Towns in Colorado You Must Visit

Hannah Smentkowski

Nov 26, 2021
5 min

The 5 Coolest Small Towns in Colorado You Must Visit

When you first come to Colorado you’re probably hitting up the biggest most popular cities you’ve heard about like Denver, Vail, or...

632 views

The Most Unique National Park in America: Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve

Hannah Smentkowski

Oct 1, 2021
5 min

The Most Unique National Park in America: Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve

As part of an epic 2-week road trip around Colorado, I was able to experience one of the most unique National Parks in the entire United...

128 views

3 Outdoor Gear Companies That You Need For Camping

Hannah Smentkowski

Sep 3, 2021
5 min

3 Outdoor Gear Companies That You Need For Camping

When shopping for camping or hiking gear it can get a bit overwhelming with the choices of products and brands. And it's especially scary...

142 views

5 Insider Tips From a Former Camping Store Employee

Hannah Smentkowski

Jun 25, 2021
5 min

5 Insider Tips From a Former Camping Store Employee

I never thought working a sales job in retail would be a dream career, with long hours, upset customers, and standing on my feet all day,...

546 views

Hannah Smentkowski

May 14, 2021
6 min

The 7 Best Places to Buy Camping Gear

While I usually pride myself on being pretty minimalist with most of the items in my life, I have a bit of an issue when it comes to...

160 views

A Lesson in Cheap Camping Gear: The 5 Best and 5 Worst Camping Items You Can Buy From Walmart

Hannah Smentkowski

Apr 30, 2021
6 min

A Lesson in Cheap Camping Gear: The 5 Best and 5 Worst Camping Items You Can Buy From Walmart

I used to be one of those people that worked at a camping store and received amazing discounts, like 50% off $300 backpacks kind of...

87 views

Backpacking Catalina Island: Day 1, Two Harbors to Little Harbor

Hannah Smentkowski

Apr 9, 2021
10 min

Backpacking Catalina Island: Day 1, Two Harbors to Little Harbor

I hate boats, I hate being on, around, or even talking about them. Not for the typical fear of sinking or drowning, but there's an...

131 views

Camping Catalina Island, California: Everything You Need to Know for Planning Your Island Adventure

Hannah Smentkowski

Apr 2, 2021
7 min

Camping Catalina Island, California: Everything You Need to Know for Planning Your Island Adventure

While my knowledge of Catalina originally began with the movie Step Brother's and the "Freakin' Catalina Wine Mixer", I now know that...

938 views

Camping 101: The 10 Things You Need to Go Camping

Hannah Smentkowski

Mar 19, 2021
7 min

Camping 101: The 10 Things You Need to Go Camping

While I believe it is best to be almost overly prepared when camping in the wilderness, there are ways to make it happen with only the...

261 views

Bringing Your Dog to Joshua Tree National Park: How to Make it Work

Hannah Smentkowski

Nov 27, 2020
3 min

Bringing Your Dog to Joshua Tree National Park: How to Make it Work

Surprisingly to some, national parks are not very dog friendly, and Joshua Tree is no exception. This means they can't go with you on...

59 views

Joshua Tree National Park in The Fall: Do Deserts Have Seasons?

Hannah Smentkowski

Nov 20, 2020
3 min

Joshua Tree National Park in The Fall: Do Deserts Have Seasons?

Joshua Tree National Park is a magical desert oasis. A place for all kinds of people, from hippies high on good vibes to families doing a...

77 views

My Top 6 Low Cost and High-End Camping Gear Suggestions

Hannah Smentkowski

Oct 23, 2020
4 min

My Top 6 Low Cost and High-End Camping Gear Suggestions

I love camping gear (and my dog, I swear). Everything from headlamps to backpacks to tents, I know each piece of gear I acquire will get...

95 views

How to Get Over Your Fear Of Solo Camping

Hannah Smentkowski

Oct 16, 2020
4 min

How to Get Over Your Fear Of Solo Camping

I really enjoy camping by myself (with or without my dog Leo here), but that doesn't always come with a whole bunch of confidence. Even...

120 views

The Pros and Cons of Solo Camping: What is it really like to camp alone?

Hannah Smentkowski

Oct 5, 2020
3 min

The Pros and Cons of Solo Camping: What is it really like to camp alone?

To put it mildly, I'm an introvert. I prefer to do almost everything by myself, from grabbing a beer at the brewery to going on outdoor...

86 views

Also receive my free

car camping checklist!

The Unbound Blog

new blog every other friday!

even introverts are social sometimes...

subscribe to Get more adventure in your inbox!

Everything You Need To Know To Go Solo Camping Like a Pro

Budget Car Camping 101: The Ultimate Guide to Sleeping in Your Car for Cheap

6 Ways to Survive the Cold Winter Until the Next Camping Season

The 10 Perfect Holiday Gifts that Hikers Actually Want!

The 5 Coolest Small Towns in Colorado You Must Visit

The Most Unique National Park in America: Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve

3 Outdoor Gear Companies That You Need For Camping

5 Insider Tips From a Former Camping Store Employee

The 7 Best Places to Buy Camping Gear

A Lesson in Cheap Camping Gear: The 5 Best and 5 Worst Camping Items You Can Buy From Walmart

Backpacking Catalina Island: Day 1, Two Harbors to Little Harbor

Camping Catalina Island, California: Everything You Need to Know for Planning Your Island Adventure

Camping 101: The 10 Things You Need to Go Camping

Bringing Your Dog to Joshua Tree National Park: How to Make it Work

Joshua Tree National Park in The Fall: Do Deserts Have Seasons?

My Top 6 Low Cost and High-End Camping Gear Suggestions

How to Get Over Your Fear Of Solo Camping

The Pros and Cons of Solo Camping: What is it really like to camp alone?

Want more adventure in your life?

Subscribe to get my free ultimate

car camping checklist!