15 Hiking Safety Tips That Will Keep You Alive on Your Next Trek

Love nature? Hate cardio machines? Hiking is the answer. According to the Outdoor Industry Association, there are roughly 60 million hikers in the U.S., making it the most popular outdoor activity in the country. There are tens of thousands of trails friendly enough for beginners and challenging enough for adventurers.

Regardless of which you choose, you should follow time-tested safety measures to ensure you can hike another day. Here’s what to keep in mind, courtesy of the U.S. National Park Service and other resources.

1. Make sure your hike is a good match for your fitness and experience level.
2. Tell someone where you’re going.
3. Go slow at unfamiliar altitudes.
4. Use the buddy system.
5. Pack the 10 essentials.
6. Wear the right footwear.
7. Know how to fall.
8. Look ahead—and backward.
9. Recognize poisonous plants.
10. Consider using hiking poles.
11. Stay on the trail.
12. Watch out for water or slippery footholds.
13. Be careful of water not meant for drinking.
14. Avoid attracting animals.
15. After your hike, check for ticks.

Make sure your hike is a good match for your fitness and experience level.

Lots of trails can seem enticing owing to their sights (waterfalls, animals) or proximity to your location—but those aren't the most important things to consider. You should instead prioritize whether your fitness level is a good match for what’s ahead. Some trails have grading or paving to make it engaging for beginners or those with mobility issues; other have steep ascents better suited to experts.

Many organizations follow a more-or-less standard formula for rating trail difficulty:

• Easy: Mostly level terrain, less than 3 miles in length. Suitable for everyone who enjoys a stroll.
• Moderate: Terrain with a few inclines and steeper segments, between 3 and 5 miles long. Good for beginning hikers who want a gentle challenge.
• Moderately strenuous: Terrain with steady inclines and steep sections, generally 5 to 8 miles. Best for intermediate-level hikers.
• Strenuous: Steep inclines and might feature significant elevation gain, usually 7 to 10 miles. Challenging for most hikers.
• Very strenuous: The toughest trails with steep elevation gain, might require rock scrambles, stream crossings, and other challenges; usually 8 miles or more in length. Suitable for only experienced and prepared hikers.

You can usually check on a trail’s difficulty level on an area or park website or via online user reviews. If not, a park attendant or ranger can usually offer advice. These resources can also give you a heads-up about trail alerts, like closures, fires, or inclement weather. (Though you should, obviously, always check weather reports yourself.)

Before you set out, you should have answers to basic questions: How much time will it take? Are there any major obstacles to be aware of? What happens if I were to get lost? If you’re new to hiking, it’s also a good idea to start slowly as well as inform your physician about your plans to make sure there’s no medical reason to put it off.

Another common mistake new hikers make is only paying attention to the outward journey, not the return. Always calculate the time and energy needed for the trip back, including whether you have sufficient daylight and water to complete it.

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Tell someone where you’re going.

Hikes are a chance to get away from it all. But the “all” also often includes assistance when you need it. It’s always a good idea to leave details of your hiking trip with friends or family members along with an estimated time of return. If you get lost, tired, or injured, that information can be used to help locate you.

Also, don’t rely on your phone to help you in an emergency. Many national and state parks have unreliable cell service or none at all. Some hikers carry personal locator beacons in case there’s no service or their phone’s battery runs low.

Go slow at unfamiliar altitudes.

Hiking trails at higher altitudes are more challenging for people who aren’t acclimated to the elevation. When air is thinner, you get tired and dehydrated more easily. While altitude shouldn’t put you off a hike, you should anticipate slowing down or taking more frequent breaks.

Use the buddy system.

Hiking is best undertaken in pairs or groups. If one person gets injured, others can seek help. If you opt to go on a solo hike, it becomes even more important to have a route carefully planned, carry a paper map, and know how to use a compass; you should also stick to easier, shorter routes until you gain experience. To improve your odds of being able to communicate with the outside world, you should also consider bringing along a fully-charged battery pack for your phone and learn methods to call or text with your device using GPS or satellite.

Pack the 10 essentials.

Unless you can commandeer a drone to drop off supplies, it’s best to set out with the things you need—and things you might need—on your hike. The “10 Essentials” include navigational resources like paper maps; sunscreen protection; jackets for cooler weather; first aid supplies; and more:

While you want to have your essentials on hand, remember not to pack too heavy. You don’t want supplies to become a physical burden.

The 10 Hiking Essentials

Wear the right footwear.

Some beginner hikers might treat trails like a long walk, slipping into their most comfortable pair of sneakers. This is not a great option: sneakers designed for sidewalks usually don’t provide enough support for rough terrain and lack sufficient treads to prevent skidding. Hiking boots offer proper support for feet and ankles and can stand up to trail obstacles.

While choosing hiking boots is an individual endeavor, they should be waterproof with underfoot reinforcement to protect feet from injury. Don’t be afraid of a heavier boot. While it may seem like they’d be more uncomfortable, the support offered could reduce foot and ankle strain.

Know how to fall.

Hiking trails aren’t high school tracks. If you find yourself losing your balance or falling on uneven ground, try to remember not to attempt to “catch” or break your fall with your hands, which can result in cuts or wrist injuries. Instead, aim for landing on your side. If you begin sliding down a hill, try to lower your center of gravity by bending your knees and getting closer to the ground.

Look ahead—and backward.

According to the American Hiking Society, a lot of hikers—even experienced ones—make the mistake of only looking ahead on a trail. Hikers should be periodically looking behind them to familiarize themselves with how the trail will look when they retrace their steps on the way back.

Recognize poisonous plants.

While you shouldn’t be munching on any leaves, you can still run into problems just brushing up against plants like poison ivy or poison oak that can produce an allergic reaction. Learn about what possible poisonous growth is in the area you plan to hike and keep your distance.

Consider using hiking poles.

Hiking poles aren’t just for mountaineers or Arctic pioneers. They can provide stability and support for people on difficult trails by transferring strain from the lower body to your core and upper limbs. They can also help when a hike gets particularly challenging for a period.

Stay on the trail.

Hiking trails by definition are suited for human travel. When you go off-trail, you run the risk of getting lost or even leading other hikers astray if they should choose to follow you. While on a trail, you should also yield to hikers who want to move ahead and give others coming in the opposite direction a wide berth.

Watch out for water or slippery footholds.

Trails and parks are often home to streams, rivers, and waterfalls. While eye-catching, they can be extremely hazardous. Avoid stepping on watery or slippery rocks and don’t wade into water until you’re certain of its depth.

Be careful of water not meant for drinking.

Don’t assume freshwater streams are sources of potable (drinking) water. They can still be contaminated with fungi or bacteria. Ideally, you’ve brought your own supply of water, but if you’ve run out, you can use a portable filtration system that will catch debris and then boil it over flame to kill bacteria. (Some hikers carry UV light purifiers or chemical disinfectants in case of emergency; follow the manufacturer’s directions.)

Avoid attracting animals.

In nature, you’re somewhat of an uninvited guest, and animals can certainly be curious about your presence. Try to lessen the chances of a meet-up by not wearing perfume or strongly-scented hygiene products, keeping your food stored in airtight containers, and staying on the trails with other humans. Knowing the right ways to avoid encounters with predators, and how to react if they do approach you, is key if your hike will take you into bear or wolf country.

After your hike, check for ticks.

Nature is wonderful; ticks are not. The pests can latch onto your skin and potentially cause serious illnesses. To reduce your odds of a tick bite, tuck your pants into your socks, wear insect repellant, and avoid walking in brushy areas where the arachnids like to hang out. You should always check yourself top to bottom for any parasitical hitchhikers after every hike.