HIking
Your hiking adventures are about more than just walking. To start, find a hiking trail to a beautiful, relaxing, destination. When you plan a hike, make sure the journey is as enjoyable as the destination. It is important to ensure the route fits the physical abilities of everyone in your group.
Take a look at our local area guides for pre-planned hikes in your area that give you the best and simplest day hikes to get started.
Hiking is great exercise, and there is no better way to see and feel the natural beauty of nature.
Traffic and weather are your greatest risks that could ruin a perfect day. Weather forecasts are usually accurate, but sometimes people have an inaccurate perception of what that forecast means. There is a saying that “mountains make their own weather.” A forecast that calls for a 10% chance of rain probably will not get your attention at home. On a hike in the mountains, that 10% chance may fall right on your head in the late afternoon. Worse, it could temporarily flood roads.
The chance of rain on a day with “iffy” weather can cause traffic nightmares. Likewise, on a day with perfect weather, it’s entirely possible that hundreds or thousands of other people have the same idea to go hiking. This can lead to severe congestion on back-country roads, which is why it’s important to check our local area guides for everything you need to know about traffic and parking.
Once you’ve picked your destination and have your hiking crew, make sure you have the appropriate gear. For day hikes, a backpack is not essential, but water definitely is essential. For longer hikes, be sure to pack your lunch and a bag to pack-out your garbage. Unless the trails are extremely well marked, navigation aids such as a map, cell phone with service throughout the route, a GPS, or compass should be considered necessities.
Check out our gear guides for top-rated hiking gear.