Hiking is one of the most thrilling pastimes you can embark on. It’s a wonderful way to get outdoors, breath in some fresh air, and flex your muscles.
And one of the best aspects of hiking is that it is pretty limitless in terms of style. You can move at a snail’s pace, climb steep hills, challenge yourself to expert trails, whatever you like.
To ensure you get the most out of your next one, check out our tips on how to improve your next hiking adventure.
Find Your Dream Trails
Whether you’re hiking near your home or on an out-of-town hiking adventure, planning your route is crucial.
One of the best and most trusted ways of doing so is by utilizing AllTrails. With this website, you simply enter your destination by city, park, or trail name. It lists all of the hiking trails within a specific radius that you can choose from.
Not only that, but you can check out each trail’s difficulty level, length, elevation, route type, rating, and navigation tips from fellow hikers.
AllTrails makes finding and selecting a trail super easy. It also helps you in the preparation stages of your hike. You’ll know what to expect with any given trail and plan accordingly.
Dress for the Occasion
If you’re new to hiking, you may be wondering how best to dress for the expedition.
You want to ensure you stay warm and are comfortable enough to go the distance. But of course, you also want to factor in weather conditions.
On an average day, you want to wear lightweight, breathable clothing. Wear a good pair of hiking pants to stay warm and ensure your legs aren’t restricted during any type of movement.
If it’s on the chillier side, opt for fleece tops, down-alternative jackets, hats, and gloves.
And finally, a durable pair of trail running sneakers are better than hiking boots for most terrain.
Only Bring Along What You Can Carry
Hiking is a vigorous activity for most people. And whether you’re hiking for a couple of hours or a couple of days, you’ll need to carry a backpack with you to keep essential gear on hand.
However, you don’t want to overdo it and pack everything under the sun “just in case”! Too much gear will weigh you down and can potentially cause a back injury.
And if you’re wondering what you should bring with you on your hike, we cover that next.
Be Prepared With the Essentials!
Yes, we just advised you to only pack what you can carry. And that is solid advice! But the other component is to ensure you still have everything you will need during your hike.
Some of the most essential gear you should bring with you on your hike include:
- At least one bottle of water.
- Energy bars to zap hunger and fatigue.
- Cannabis-infused topical cream to soothe achy feet (we love this recipe to make your own here.)
- A first-aid kit (bring one with a multi-tool if possible)
- A portable power bank to keep your phone and navigation tools charged.
- COVID essentials, like hand sanitizer and a couple of masks.
Again, you want to be prepared but you don’t want to overdo it. Stick to these essentials and you’ll be all set for your hike.
Bring a Hiking Buddy
Solo traveling in any form is great, but when it comes to hiking, the more the merrier.
When possible, plan hiking trips with friends and family who are up for the adventure. This is wise for several reasons.
Less Pack Hassle
First of all, when you hike with at least one other person, you can carry fewer essentials in your pack. Maybe you can carry the portable charger and your friend can take the first-aid kit, for example.
Safety Precautions
Also, having a hiking buddy with you ensures that should anything go wrong, there’s another person there who can help. While you will surely be as careful as possible, accidents can happen anywhere. If you trip and sprain your ankle, you’ll need someone there to serve as your crutch.
You likely won’t have an injury as long as you hike responsibly. But it’s always best to be prepared just in case!
Explore Together
And finally, when you’re hiking, you’re going to see truly beautiful sights along the way, like sparkling lakes, stunning foliage, and cute critters.
Hiking is the type of experience that is amazing to share with someone special. You’ll have plenty of bonding moments and probably tons of incredible pics to share!
Conclusion
These are just a few straightforward tips to improve your next hiking adventure.
Keep these in mind the next time the open trail is calling and you’ll have the time of your life!
