Hiking Tips: Parking, Footwear and Calculating Time

Hiking and following trails wherever you go is a fun and relaxing way to spend a day. With that said, there are certain things to keep in mind to make the entire experience go smoothly from beginning to end.

When you park in the mountains, position your car in such a manner as to head out later with a minimum of maneuvering, and make an effort to conserve space for other cars. On steep hills set your wheels against curbs, or rocks. Set the hand brake and put the car in park. Store all items in the trunk, or out of sight: raise the windows and lock the doors. Park well away from all fire road gates and be considerate of residents who live near the roads to the park.

When hiking it is sensible to wear clothing and shoes appropriate to the season and weather. Consider sun, wind and even rain. Clothing should be lightweight and comfortable. In the cool season always throw a light windbreaker into your pack, which should also contain lunch and water. Shoes should be comfortable and thick enough to level out rocky parts of the trails. Thick soles are not always required; but they make walking a lot easier. You will have to learn what to wear by experience, but do not begin with leather soles or sandals.

Here and there, as you would expect, the trails become steep. Take frequent short rests to bring your breathing back to normal and you will have no trouble. If you go with a number of people, especially with children who love to leave adults behind, it is best to keep together so no one gets lost. Keep an eye on the kids, especially at hazardous parts of the trail.

It is useful to know how far you can walk in an hour in mountain terrain, to help you keep track of time and distances. This is an art that can be easily learned - just glance at your watch from time to time and do some calculating. In any case, if you have time constraints, budget your time: go in using less than half the total time available for the outing if your return trip is going to be uphill, or if you are out of condition. But if the trail is mostly uphill on the way in, less than half the total time may be required for the return to the trailhead, especially if you are in good physical condition.