Exploring our country’s great hiking trips and trails isn’t only an ideal way to stay in shape and hang out with our family and friends, but is a great way to experience those locations that are not easily accessible by any other means. Driving in a car lets you see hiking trips and trails from afar, but your perspective is far different when you are actually walking and hiking in that very scenery. Your journey will be far more complete if you proceed on foot to take in all that nature has to offer in the way of hiking trips and trails.
There are literally thousands of hiking trips and trails available to explore, but picking one is only the beginning. You must know a few of the basics that you will need to bring along as you begin to embark down the path on one of these hiking trips and trails.
• Sun Protection
• Headlamp
• First Aid Kit
• Matches
• Food
• Water
• Extra Clothing
Having the proper equipment as you head out to experience some hiking trips and trails will be the difference between having a great time and regretting even going.
Depending on how serious of a hiker you are, you may want to embark on a simple day trip, or you may want to seek out the ultimate hiking trips and trails for a hardcore hiking adventure. Here are a few hiking trips and trails for the more experienced enthusiast.
1. Zion Narrows: A trip to Zion Narrows is among the premiere hiking trips and trails in the United States. Zion Narrows is located near Springdale Utah and is so amazing that it is listed as one of the country’s 100 Best Adventures by National Geographic. You can hike alongside sandstone walls rising to heights over 3,500 feet, and then head through a canyon less than 22 feet in width.
2. Mount Whitney Trail: This trail is located in Lone Pine, California, and is one of the favorite hiking trips and trails in the United Stated for cold weather hiking fans. This is an 11 mile trek up to the summit of Mount Whitney, which stands at over 14,000 feet. In colder months, the last four miles or so can be a real challenge. This is among the tougher hiking trips and trails, and is not for the faint of heart.
Visiting our country’s great hiking trips and trails doesn’t mean you have to tackle something that extreme. There are many day trips for the less experienced hiker that are no less exciting. As long as you keep a few basic tips in mind, you will be able to experience many hiking trips and trails while not investing so much time into the trek. There are four basic tips to keep in mind for a day hiking trip.
The first is to head out early. Head out early in the morning, and you will be able to reach the summit in time to enjoy it for awhile. You should keep things fairly simple as well. You are not staying overnight, so just pack a simple backpack with the bare essentials. Tackling hiking trips and trails a day at a time dictates that you must keep up a good pace. That doesn’t mean going fast, just keep at a pace that you will be able to keep up for a long time without needing to stop and rest. Lastly, you never know when your exploration of hiking trips and trails could lead to an injury of some sort. Because of this, make sure you have adequate food and water.
