Hiking is fun when you plan it properly and when you follow safe hiking-tips. The most important tip is keep drinking lot of water to stay hydrated. You need to be hydrated when you are hiking uphill or hiking in the summer, especially in places around St George. Don’t try to do any kind of strenuous activities during summer afternoons unless you’re prepared. Choose the trails that have plenty of shade for a perfect hiking experience.
Before leaving for a hike let your neighbors or friends or someone close to you know about your trip for safety reasons. If you are taking kids, then guide them well and make them understand why they should stay on the trail.
Hike along with a group: When you are hiking with a group, then always try to stay with a group, walk in a group, but if you are going slowly, make sure that at least one person walks along with you. It is advisable that you should always be prepared for unforeseen circumstances, when you have to face the risk, face it bravely, don’t panic. But to avoid such circumstances always stay within a group and keep track of your group.
Here are some of the advantages of hiking with a group:
- It helps you learn more from experienced hikers, or you can share your experience with others
- You can get help immediately if you get injured
- You can distribute hiking gear among the group
- You can make new friends and you can bond with your friends and family
Other Important Tips for a safe hiking includes:
- Carry plenty of water if you are going for a day hiking excursions in a place like Zion or surrounding areas, and drink lot of water to stay hydrated.
- Take small intervals every hour or so and eat snacks to keep your energy level up instead of eating heavy meals. You need energy while hiking since you need energy instantly to complete the trails in a timely manner.
- Pack more energy food in your backpack.
- Keep a small amount of surplus food ready, just in case.
- Let you friends and family know about your hiking plans and let them know where you are exactly, for safety reasons.
- Apply sunscreen before starting the trial and wear hat to prevent sunstroke. Even when the weather is cool, you still need to apply sunscreen to prevent sunburns.
- Don’t fill you backpack with unnecessary stuff, remember when you backpack is light you will enjoy your hiking more.
- Avoid wearing cotton clothes.
- Carry a first-aid kit, strap to shift the backpack weight to your hips.
- Wear clothes that keep you dry while hiking.
Some more useful tips for hikers include if your hands swell, then raise them and hold your backpack shoulder strap for some time and you can see the swelling will reduce slowly. It is advisable to use trek poles that helps you to keep your hands high a bit and maintains the muscles active.
Keep your personal items safe; make a copy of the items that you are carrying so that it will be easy to track them in case they are stolen or lost.
Follow these simple yet useful tips for a safe hiking experience. The main aim is to have fun on your hiking trip; it can be achieved only when you follow a few simple tips. Drink lot of water, stay in a group, and carry only necessary items to make your trip a memorable one. So plan it perfectly and enjoy your hiking with less stress.
