New to hiking? Feeling anxious because a friend invited you on a hike, you’ve agreed to go, but have literally no idea what you are getting yourself into or how to prepare? Has it been forever since you’ve gotten out on a trail?
Whatever reason you’ve clicked on this post, we are so excited for you! We absolutely LOVE hiking and are really hoping you have the best experience on the trail that one could possibly have.
For that reason, we’ve put together our top 10 tips to help you feel confident as you take on that new trail!
Happy trails!
1. What to wear.
One of the first questions we seem to get is, “What should I wear?” The honest answer is, wear what you are most comfortable in. If you are uncomfortable in your clothes, you’ll end up hating your hike even if it’s the most amazing scenery anyone has ever seen. As you hike more, you will learn what you like vs don’t like.
Our recommendations: clothing that is breathable, easy to move in, and quick drying if it gets wet - because it will get wet. I typically hike in athletic shorts and an athletic tank top or shirt. Steve is usually in pants that zip off at the knee into shorts - actual hiking pants - and a quick-dry athletic shirt. Clothing that is 100% cotton should be avoided at all costs. The goal is to wear clothing that is easy to move in. Don’t wear something that restricts your leg or arm movements, and definitely don’t wear anything that you are afraid of getting dirty.
Bonus tip - grab a pair of wool socks! They are made to not rub, even if they get wet! So as your feet sweat, or if you’ve stepped in a puddle, you won’t end up with blisters all over your feet from your socks rubbing.
2. Shoes are more important than you think.
There are all kinds of footwear out there. Some options are great for hikes and some are pretty terrible. On many occasions we’ve seen ladies in high-heeled boots trying to hike up a steep trail. Ladies - yes you might look really cute in those boots, but let’s be real here - if you are wearing high-heeled boots and trying to summit a mountain trail, you’re going to end up with a horribly twisted, or even broken, ankle. Trails might be well maintained, but they are not paved sidewalks.
Pick the right footwear. Tennis shoes will do if you don’t have hiking boots. Wear something that your feet will thank you for, not something they will be screaming bloody murder in.
Our recommendation: hiking shoes or boots. If you decide you love hiking and are going to be going frequently, hiking shoes/boots are well worth the money. They offer a lot more grip than tennis shoes, and a lot come waterproofed which is so nice when you have to jump across a river!
3. Research your hike - know the distance!
Hiking is supposed to be fun. Yes, you might feel out of your element. Yes, it’s going to be a harder workout than you anticipate. But if you do your research, you will be well prepared for your hiking adventure. We use AllTrails (they have an awesome app!) to research our hikes. People who have hiked the trail can rate the hike and leave comments as to what they experienced - if there is a really steep grind, if the trail tends to be crowded or empty, what the parking situation is (some places have fees - better to know that well before you go so you can get some cash!), if it is muddy or rocky, etc. Make sure you read the dates of the comments as they can be real time or months old.
Our recommendation: If you are brand new to hiking, pick a shorter distance hike (3ish miles) and be sure to pick a hike that has a waterfall or a lake! It’s such a rewarding feeling to come across an amazing view that most people will go their entire lives not seeing. Plus, it’s an extra reward to be able to eat lunch, or a late breakfast, by that waterfall or on the edge of the lake!
4. Check the weather before you go.
The weather where you live vs where you are going to go hiking can be extremely different, so it should be a high priority to check and recheck the weather of the location you are hiking. Not every trail is found on weather.com, but the surrounding towns are. A few summers ago we went hiking on a trail about 30 minutes from where we live. We left the house in shorts and tshirts, with not that many extra layers. It was hot in town, so why would it be any different 30 minutes from where we live??
Oh how wrong we were. It literally SNOWED on us during that hike. We were not prepared for that at all.
Our recommendation: check the weather a few days before you go if you plan a hike in advance and then recheck it the night before and the morning of. Weather can change extremely quickly!
5. Bring extra layers.
After that hike, we always end up bringing extra layers. Even if you think it’s going to be a gorgeous day, it’s worth bringing a lighter outer layer - even if you end up leaving it in the car when you get to the trailhead.
Pack a rain coat. The fast moving weather? Yeah, it could be sunny one minute and pouring rain the next, especially at higher elevations. Even if there is no chance of rain, we always always have a rain coat on us. There is not much worse than getting absolutely, unexpectedly drenched and you have miles to go before you can get to your car.
Our recommendation: pack a lighter outer layer long sleeve and a light weight rain coat. The long sleeve can also work as a layer of protection against the sun if you start feeling burned.
6. Pack healthy, high energy snacks.
This sounds crazy, but years ago, I went hiking with a girl that packed a half loaf of bread in her bag as her food for our hike. Bread. Not a PB&J or banana nut bread. Just a wheat bread. I was dumbfounded. And she was starving. Bring food with you that is easy to digest and easy to eat. Yes, bread is easy to eat. It also sits in your stomach like a ton of bricks and doesn’t give you much energy by itself.
Our recommendations: we typically pack some sort of sandwich, some protein bars in our favorite flavors, and some trail mix. Put together some snacks that are a mix of sweet and salty - you’ll be craving both!
Bonus tip - pack snacks for your drive home! If you picked a hike a few hours away, you’ll probably be ready to chow down on something when you get back to the car. There is not much worse than being stuck in mountain traffic with no snacks when you are starving!
7. Backpacks with a water bladder are key!
If you don’t have a true hiking backpack - one that has a built in water bladder - it’s okay! Pick a backpack that you like and that sits well on your shoulders and back. This is where you are going to be putting your food, extra layers, sunscreen, and water. If you do have a hiking backpack, be sure to fill up the water bladder! If you don’t, just fill up a few water bottles so you have plenty of water for your drive there, the hike, and the drive home. Dehydration headaches are no joke, especially if you are at altitude!
8. Prepare for more than you signed up for.
Don’t be surprised if you feel like you’ve gone two or three miles and you’ve only gone a half mile. Hiking is a lot harder and more strenuous than walking. You have to be more aware of your surroundings, more aware of the path, making sure that noise you just heard behind you isn’t something to be concerned about, etc. The hike could be listed as an “easy” rating on AllTrails, but it could have rolling hills and you have some ups that are steeper than you expected. It’s better to be over prepared for a hike vs under prepared!
9. Elevation is real.
A lot of popular hikes are at higher elevations, which means that you need to be ready for that change. You can feel out of breath quicker - the air gets thinner the higher in elevation you go, get headaches, or even dizzy from being at an elevation your body isn’t used to. Add in the fact that you will be expending effort and burning energy hiking, and that elevation can hit you pretty hard, pretty fast.
Make sure you have plenty of healthy snacks, lots of water, sunscreen, and a hat. The last thing you want is to get nauseous miles from your car, with no shade around.
Our recommendation: take it slow and take frequent breaks if you are not used to the elevation change.
10. Fill up before you head out.
Make sure you have a full tank of gas in your adventure vehicle before you go! Some trail heads are miles from civilization. You definitely don’t want to be running out of gas with no fill up stations around!
