Hiking 411 | Getting Started

A common myth surrounding hiking trips are that they're easy - a breeze. You put on a pair of light hiking boots, grab some hiking shorts and a t-shirt, and you're ready to go. A cinch right?

Sure, a lot of hikes, such as day hiking, are that simple, as they should. All hikes don't have to be 3-day excursions hiking in Colorado. Hiking can still be fun even without navigating woods, crossing rivers, and trudging over mountains. It's ok to just want a little exercise and crisp air.

But once you're ready to aspire to more, what then?

Get into good shape first. Start out by taking short, smoother hikes near home or just a quick drive away. Build up to the more strenuous hikes gradually, especially if you have been inactive. Aches and pains are the main reasons that most people don't stay with any type of workout plan. They overexert themselves by trying too much too quickly, leading to pain and injuries, and, eventually, giving up.

The legs, clearly, get the bulk of the primary workload of a hike, although you may be amazed just how many muscles are involved - all of them! Begin with brief, daily routines of leg thrusts and squats.

Go on some quick jogs to work your pulmonary (heart/circulation and lung) and cardiovascular systems. You'll want lots of oxygen capacity and a robust heart to supplement muscular endurance.

Obtain the essential hiking gear. Narrow down your choices of boots by researching hiking boot reviews online. Be certain they fit while wearing thick, durable hiking socks that wick away dampness. If you're going to be climbing near trees or brush, really ponder wearing hiking pants instead of shorts. Infections from scratches or scrapes are not unusual, as well as from insects such as ticks. Wear a well-made shirt that will cover your arms for the same reason.

If you can, travel with a hiking partner unless the area is known to you and the ground isn't very demanding. A GPS device and other navigational tools are great, but if you're injured or become very sick, they probably won't help you very much.

Do not eat any plant life on the trail until you have intimate expertise on plant life. Mushrooms are regular concerns, and lots of berry plants can be very confusing at certain points of the year, also.

On the same token, don't drink water from environmental sources. TV might make streams look refreshing and safe, but just as many times they are unhealthy. The wilderness can be dangerous. Even if there are no man-made chemicals in the water, bacteria and other organisms can make water deadly.

Travel only on visibly marked trails unless you know the locale or are more experienced. Losing your way is one of the most frequent ways novice hikers transform an affable 2-hour trek into a 2-day search-and-rescue affair.

Hiking trail maps are valuable if you understand enough to read them, but nowadays a GPS device is most likely handier for most hikers. That being said, you'll need to learn how to use one. Digital numbers or arrows pointing to some direction won't help you much unless you can discern what they mean.

Begin slow, get used to some well known hiking trails and very soon you will be prepared for those all-day or overnight excursions. That's when you'll truly start to feel the hiking adventure. Nothing like being under a brilliant blue sky and staring out over the heavily wooded Rockies from 2,000 feet up.

Day Hiking

Getting Started

But once you're ready to aspire to more, what then?