How to Prepare for a Day Hike with 4 Easy But Essential Steps

Preparing for a day hike may not be as exciting as the actual thrill of walking the trails and experiencing nature’s beauty.

Nonetheless, it’s an essential step and may just be the difference between a full-experience hike and a hectic and confused one full of anxiety.

Now, day hikes are not as demanding as backpacking hikes, but there are still some essentials you have to tick off your checklist.

In this blog, we are going to list all of them down, from getting yourself in shape to the gear, clothing, and other must-haves that you need to carry.

Point to note though, sometimes you may never have to use some of the equipment and gear listed below. However, having them is a precaution, just in case a situation arises. Because sometimes they do.

With that in mind, let’s get to it!

Essential Steps in Preparing for a Day Hike

1. Locate and Understand Your Trails

You can never miss a trail to hike. However, each of these trails is different and may offer different experiences.

Another thing they may offer is different difficulty levels. If you are a beginner, you want to choose a simple 2-5 miles round hike trail. Don’t start too ambitious as this may just ruin your experience and your future chances of ever hiking again.

Pages like All Trail and onX offer very comprehensive information that might help you choose the right trail depending on the kind of experience you want and your endurance level.

You will get information like:

• Weather conditions
• Trail distance
• The elevation
• Trail direction
• The difficulty level
• Route type
• If pets are allowed or not 
• Reports/reviews from other hikers and so much more.

All this information is vital in making your hiking experience one to be remembered. And in a good way.

It’s recommended you check the trails also a night/day before the hike so that you are aware of any recent reports or even alerts.

2. Get In Good Physical Shape

Exercises

Hiking is no doubt a physical activity. This means you need to prepare your body before actually embarking on one.

As expected, day hikes are less intensive, but if you are not very mobile, it would help to get physically active at least a week before the hike.

• Cardiovascular activities such as running, jogging, walking, etc, can help get your heart pumping and ready for the hike.
• Leg exercises. Since the legs will be doing most of the work, getting them in shape is definitely important. Do a few squats, lunges, hip lunges, deadlifts, and Bulgarian split squats. These will help with leg strength, balance, and posterior chain resistance.

You can take a day or two break from the exercises before the hike just to rest the body.

Food

You don’t have to make any big changes to your meals for a day hike. However, if you are on intermittent fasting you may want to break it a day or two before the hike.

Sleep

You definitely need enough sleep before the hike. If you are someone who suffers from insomnia, consider remedies such as sleeping powders or tablets to ensure you get at least 8 hours of sleep.

Trust me, it is that important. It will make a major difference.

3. Pick the Right Hiking Wear

Hiking Clothes

For any hike, long or short, you need loose-fitting, comfortable clothing. This could be long pants to help with bugs and a T-shirt.

For layering, carry an extra t-shirt or jacket, especially during cold hikes or if you expect weather changes. A pair of gloves and a beanie will also come in handy.

You should also invest in good rain gear, top and bottom (very important). 

Why is this important? Well, the mountains can be very unpredictable and sometimes there can be pop-up thunderstorms. You don’t want to be caught unprepared for this and rain gear is the preparation you need.

Wool socks are also advisable but any comfortable pair of socks will do

Hiking Shoes

Legs are the superheroes of any hike. Treat them like one by getting the right hiking shoes.

You may be tempted to use your usual running shoes, but don’t. This is because running shoes lack lateral support and might get busted during the hike. Besides, hiking shoes are made with the right amount of balance and comfort to the feet.

4. Choose the Right Gear and Equipment for Your Day Hike

As mentioned earlier, some equipment is just for unpredicted situations like if you end up staying longer in the mountain, the early nights of Fall, etc. Below are the essential equipment for any day hike.

• Walking sticks – Instead of just two points of support, your legs, walking sticks will offer two more points of support which is very helpful for very steep or slippery terrains.
• Daypack/backpack – Get a good one with a hydration pack to accommodate tote bottles. You can also carry water with water bottles in place of a hydration pack. 
• Trail marking tape – Not to say you will get lost in the woods, but trail marking tapes of around 40 feet apart will eliminate any chances of that happening.
• Toilet paper – You can get one without a roll to reduce the space it will take in your backpack.
• Gorilla tape – This is recommended because it’s stronger than duct tape. It will help in repairing your shoes, backpack handle, or anything that might need taping. Wrap a bit of gorilla tape around a pen to get a less bulky pack.
• Fire starters and lighters – You will need these in case you need to make a fire.
• Flashlight or headlamp – A headlamp is more suitable as it reduces the luggage you need to carry in your hands. This is especially vital during fall when the days are shorter and you get stuck out longer than you had planned. Remember to carry extra batteries.
• Power bank – The cell signal in the woods is pretty low, so your phone might overwork to get the signal. This might drain your battery, so a power source is essential.
• Emergency tent and sleeping bag – This is one of those equipment we said you might end up not using on a day trip. However, if you are someone who likes to be very cautious, you might want to carry these just in case something happens and you have to sleep in the mountains.
• Small portable water filter – Not necessary for a day trip but could be valuable in case you run out of water and have to take water from a stream in the woods.

First aid kit for a day trip

During your hike, you’ll likely experience minor injuries like cuts, scrapes, splinters, or blisters. A well-stocked first aid kit can help manage these situations effectively. Include the following items:

• Sanitizer: To clean wounds and prevent infections
• Bandages: For covering and protecting larger wounds
• Antibiotic cream: To prevent infections in minor cuts and scrapes
• Pain medication: For relief from aches and pains
• Tweezers and safety pins: Useful for removing splinters and other small objects from wounds
• Bug spray

Other things to carry

• Snacks
• Sunscreen and sunglasses
• Some type of cutting tool
• Extra contacts/glasses if you use them
• Whistle to alert people in case of emergency
• A solar watch could come through great as it charges from the sun.
• Satellite communicator to contact people if you lose cell signal. You don’t have to but it’s a great equipment 
• Sitting pad

Points to Note on Your First Day Hike

1. Have a physical map and compass, most of the time you’ll lose cell service
2. Let people know where you are going and when they can expect you to be back. It could be as simple as a family member, friend, conservation officer, etc.
3. Limit 2-4 miles round trip for first timers
4. Always check the trailhead signs at the beginning of the hike. There’s always relevant information about the trail, things to watch out for, maps, etc.
5. Be aware of the landscape and terrain. This includes which direction the edge lines are running, the direction of streams, etc. Just get a general view of the landscape
6. Check the weather so you can prepare well. Weather in the mountains can be unpredictable.
7. Start hydrating early enough before even starting the hike
8. In case you need to use a map, download everything, you might lose your cell signal
9. Your GPS might still work deep in the woods, but to be safe, carry a physical map
10. Don’t approach wildlife. It can be dangerous.
11. Stay on the trail. Sometimes it can be muddy but try to keep on the trail to avoid getting lost. It also conserves the area
12. After packing everything, have it by your door ready to leave.

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There you have it! A comprehensive guide to help prepare for and have the best experience on your first-day hike!

Need more hiking tips? Get them here.