15 Must See Hiking Safety Tips
So what are these hiking safety tips? 1 “Take only Pictures, Leave only Footprints” Nature is such a beautiful thing. Hiking in the forest is one of those events that we can use to connect with our “natural” side. It lets us escape from the cold technology driven world we live in and go back to a more peaceful place. So don’t pollute, keep the wilderness around for future generations to enjoy. Any place that is fortunate enough to have not been marked by human presents should be preserved for everyone. 2 Bring Your Own Water Everyone should bring their own water bottle with them. It is recommended that you bring at least 1 littler of water per person to make sure that there is plenty to drink. Remember if you are feeling thirsty you are already dehydrated. 3 Don’t Drink Springs and lakes It may be tempting to drink water out of the springs or lakes, but it is not worth it. You do not know what is in the water; there could be all kinds of bacteria in it that our bodies just are not used to fighting. So unless you want to chance getting really really sick or worse, stay away from it. 4 Bring Snacks Granola Bars, sandwiches, and fruits all work really well. Make sure you bring something health too. The better you eat the better you feel. And if you are hiking with kids make sure that it is something they like eating too. Just consider it another one of these tips. 5 Start Hiking Early You do not want to be hiking during the hottest part of the day. The earlier you wake up the longer you will have to take a nice little walk in the cooler weather. 6 Look Out For Local Animals Ever hear that animals do not attack you unless they are provoked? Well stepping on them is a great way to provoke them. Watch where you are going and try to avoid all animals, especially if there are snakes nearby. When I was a little kid and my mom took some friends and me hiking we bumped into a sleeping rattlesnake. We slowly moved around it and were unharmed. But think what would have happened if no one saw it. This is one of the best tips for hiking with kids, because kids tend to not be as aware of their surroundings. 7 Don’t Hike Alone Have you ever heard those stories where a man was hiking alone, falls off a cliff and is trapped there for 1 week? Frightening stuff! There is one simple hiking safety tip you can use to avoid this, don’t go out Hiking Alone! That’s pretty simple. 8 Bring a Cell Phone I know hiking is a way to get away from it all. But what if something happens and you need to say have an ambulance meet you on the trail. It is very important. You can keep the phone off so no one can call you, just remember to bring one. 9 Sun block UV rays are a killer. Don’t you just hate living with a really bad sunburn, I know I do, the last time I had a sunburn I did not even want to move around for fear of irritating it. So I made absolutely sure that bringing sun block was on this list of hiking safety tips. 10 Plants and Animals are Alive Too Plants and animals are alive too, so make sure you are not hurting them by destroying their environment, or harming them in any way. Everything has a way of coming back to you! This is another one of those really good tips for hiking with kids, because kids can tend to want to chase or play with little animals. So teach them about what is right and wrong behavior. 11 Bring a Small first aid Kit Bringing some sort of first aid kit, (even if you just leave it in the car) can play a huge role in preventing minor scrapes and cuts from becoming infected. Being prepared is always a good idea.
12 Have a Meet Up Spot for Kids If you are hiking with kids and get separated, have some spot where you can meet up with your kids. This way no one gets lost and everyone can stay together. 13 Tell a Friend Tell a friend or ranger that you are going hiking, especially when you are going on a long hike which is 4 miles or over. This way if you do not make it back help can be on the way. It will probably feel like a dumb thing to do, but if you fall down a break your leg you are going to want someone to come looking for you. 14 Use Common Sense Everyone has some common sense, but not everyone uses it. If it looks like you cannot make that jump or climb that rock, don’t tempt fate. It is not worth it. 15 Have Fun Ok so this isn’t really a hiking safety tip, but it is just as important. The whole reason you are out is to have a great time, so enjoy it. Return From Hiking Safety Tips to Tips on Camping. |