How to Prepare for a Hike: Planning, Pacing and Safety

Updated November 2026

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Most trail trouble starts before the trailhead. A little planning (the right trail, a realistic time and a plan someone else knows about) makes hiking safer and more fun.

Choose the right trail

• Distance and elevation gain matter more than distance alone. 1,000 feet of climbing can feel like an extra 2 miles.
• Read recent trip reports for conditions: snow, mud, washouts, closures.
• Start with trails a bit shorter than you think you can do, then build up.

Estimate your time

A common rule of thumb (Naismith's rule): allow about 1 hour for every 3 miles, plus 1 hour for every 2,000 feet of climbing. Add time for breaks, photos and slower hikers in your group. Then set a turnaround time and stick to it.

Check the weather and daylight

• Check the forecast for the trail itself (mountain forecasts differ from the nearest town).
• Know when the sun sets, and plan to be back with time to spare.
• Afternoon thunderstorms are common in mountains in summer. Start early and be off exposed summits by early afternoon.

What to wear

• Layers: a wicking base layer, an insulating layer and a rain shell. Add and remove them as you warm up and cool down.
• Avoid cotton. Wet cotton keeps you cold.
• Footwear: broken-in hiking shoes or boots with good tread, and wool or synthetic socks.

Water and food

• Plan on about half a liter of water per hour in moderate temperatures, more in heat or on steep climbs.
• Treat water from streams and lakes with a filter, tablets or by boiling.
• Snack every hour or so: trail mix, bars, fruit, jerky. Salty snacks help on hot days.

Leave a trip plan

Tell someone where you're going, which trail, when you expect to be back and when they should call for help. Then check in when you're out.

Trail etiquette

• Hikers going uphill have the right of way.
• Bikes yield to hikers, and everyone yields to horses. Step to the downhill side and talk calmly as they pass.
• Stay on the trail and don't cut switchbacks.

Leave No Trace

The seven principles: plan ahead and prepare, travel and camp on durable surfaces, dispose of waste properly, leave what you find, minimize campfire impacts, respect wildlife, and be considerate of other visitors.

If something goes wrong

• Lost: stop, stay calm, and think. Retrace your steps only if you're sure of the way. Otherwise stay put, stay visible, and blow your whistle three times.
• Too hot: rest in shade, drink, and cool down. Confusion or no sweating in heat is an emergency.
• Too cold: uncontrolled shivering, fumbling and slurred speech are signs of hypothermia. Get dry, add layers, eat, and get out of the wind.
• Lightning: get off high, exposed ground. Avoid lone trees and open fields, and spread out your group.

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