Water problem in dry Texas panhandle

I live in the panhandle of Texas and have just got all my gear to go on my first backpacking trip, although I have tons of day hiking experience. Since there is pretty much nothing around here but canyon systems I am wondering how I could carry or get water in the backcountry. Since it will be very hot a surplus of water is what I'll need. So do you cache water, and if so how does one go about doing so? Finding water on the trail is out of the question obviously, so what's the answer? Thank guys.

Well, when Colin Fletcher was planning his hikes through the length of the Grand Canyon and across death valley he went out and chached water along his planned route -

I suppose the best way to do it would be to head out with some gallon jugs - find good, hidden locations along your planned route, take some very careful map readings so you can mark the spot (so you'll be able to find the water when you're potentially dehydrated and not thinking really well) - then stash the water as best you can. A NOTE on your water cache indicating that you're backpacking through the area and are relying on the water being there MIGHT keep it safe from some curious types -

This might be one instance where I'd agree with using a GPS - I mean your survival depends on your being able to locate that water - so if you have the technology I'd use a GPS for the coordinates AND mark it on the map - making note of some memorable or unique features (so if your GPS craps out you can still find your water with map and compass).

In populated areas you MIGHT want to consider TWO caches - within a few hundred yards of each other - so that if one is discovered you've got a chance of using the other.

You can read quite a good bit about caching water in either "the man who walked through time" or "the thousand mile summer" - both written by the late, great Colin Fletcher -

Steve

That depends on if you have readily accessible re-supply points. You might just have to carry all your water. One thing I have done when forced to carry water is to buy a few of the wine boxes (cardboard outside, a plastic aluminized bladder inside). The wine in most of these is cheap rotgut with a very low price, so dumping it down the drain is no loss (except the EPA might call it "hazardous waste", considering how toxic it is - even smells really bad). Actually, you can get the same kind of bladder with apple juice in it, but it costs more than the wine boxes - tastes a lot better, though. Or you can spend mucho dollars at REI for exactly the same bladders (same ones are used in "Sun Showers", too, except black in color). Anyway, these bladders typically are about a gallon and very light. The water itself weighs 8 pounds per gallon, of course, no way around that. Figure out how much water you will need per person (1 gallon per day is a bit on the skimpy side, especially if it is hot as it always seems to be whenever I go through the area, even in "winter" - yeah, I have been there when it snowed). For your food, forget about freezedry, since you have to carry the water anyway. Just use canned food (aluminum cans or the foil packets), which is already hydrated. You won't have to cook most of this, so there is no loss of the water to boiling it away. More important, do your hiking at night or early morning, until not more than a couple hours after sunrise. Rest in the shade the remainder of the day and sleep during the day.

When you get experience, you will find that water is actually quite easy to find. You just have to learn where to look and how to retrieve it. You will find that "solar stills" are not very efficient. But eventually you will learn to find waterholes not on your maps, and you can often find water just a few inches down in the streambeds in the canyons, particularly near bends in the streams. You will eventually learn to recognize that certain types of vegetation are associated with water that is not far below the surface. Plus, learn how to collect water during the summer thunderstorms (Barb and I got most of our water that way during a 4 day backpack in the New Mexico desert one summer, though we had two waterholes available along our route as well).

I grew up in southern Arizona (Sonora Desert) and learned those skills very early (before I was 9 or 10). When I was in Australia, the story was that "white folk" can't survive in the Outback, because they can't find water or anything to eat. I used my "desert eye" and could spot the water sources quite easily (talked to a couple of the aboriginals who were rangers for the area, and they confirmed that the skills are the same, though some of the edibles are a bit different). You might try to find some experienced locals to mentor you, rather than just setting off on your own. Deserts are much the same the world around, but each area has its own peculiarities.

If you have been day hiking in the desert, you should have an idea of what amount of water you consume on a days hike. The rule of thumb though is 1 liter per 4 miles of hiking (divide your miles by 4 for the amount of water needed). Most backpackers will carry around 6-9 liters on them for desert hiking. Also, as someone mentioned, you can cache your water, but I strongly suggest that you mark it with a GPS and if it is on a popluar hiking trail, HIDE the water. Also, I would suggest to put the water under a tree or into some rocks to keep the sun off the water. I hang a chem-stick onto the tree that the water is by, for its easier to find at night (this is if you are only going out for a two or three day trip for the sticks only last 24 hours and it isnt a popluar trail.) Also, you can improve your skills by starting to practice finding water, by looking for vegetation, damp areas, depressions, dry river beds and using condesation methonds for gathering water, but make sure that you dont rely on this for your only water. Look at your foods that you are bringing. Stay away from dehydrated foods. Bring canned fruits, beans, can meats. I put these items into a double zip lock bags and leave the cans at home. To cook these, put a cup of water in your pot, and boil the bag with the food in the bag. Eat right out of the zip lock bag and let the water cool from your pot(or if you found water in the desert, this water is now boiled and good for drinking)and drink the water. There is no dishes to clean. Bring a wide mouth Nalgene for dipping purposes, incase you do find a water source. Hike at night, sleep during the day. Just some of the things that come to mind...............

Well Thanks for all the answers, I've decided to just cache some along the trail, even though it's going to be a pain to do so.