5 Family Hiking Safety Tips for a Worry-Free Adventure
The Gist
Family hiking trips are an incredible way to bond with your loved ones, whether you’re on vacation or exploring the trails in or near your home. While every hike is its own unique experience, there are a few safety tips that hold true no matter where you’re hiking.
If you’re hiking with children, make sure they have a good understanding of the trail, safety rules, and what to do if they get separated from the group or lost.
When hiking with family, remember the golden rule of spending time in nature: “Leave it better than you found it.” Clean up after yourself, follow all posted rules, and respect the delicate balance of the places you’re visiting.
There are more than a few hiking safety tips that every member of your hiking party should follow. These include rules that protect the park, regulations that keep you safe, and equipment like first-aid kits that can become essential in case of emergency.
In This Article
In Short
Looking for a great way to get exercise, see nature, and spend time with your family? Take a hike! According to Statista, hiking is more popular than ever in the US. In 2021, nearly 59 million Americans hit the trails — an 80 percent increase since 2010.
Even experienced hikers should heed some important hiking safety tips. After all, part of the fun of exploring the natural world is unpredictability. No two hikes are ever going to be the same — for better or worse.
The best way to get ready for a hiking adventure is to be prepared for anything — especially if you’re planning on bringing kids. We’ve collected a few of our favorite family hiking tips below, so read on to learn what to pack, how to prep, and what to watch out for.
Tip #1: Know the Trails — And The Rules
Whether it’s your first family hiking trip or your 200th, do not take nature for granted. Inclement weather, changing conditions, and even wildlife migration patterns can make each time out on the trails fundamentally different. Don’t worry — that’s part of the fun! While you may not be able to predict every single thing that will happen when hiking with family, following these tips before setting out will help you be ready for (almost) anything.
Study the trails: When planning your hike, have everyone in the family involved in reviewing the trail maps. Make note of where park entrances and exits are, as well as the general boundaries of the area where you’ll be hiking. Websites like AllTrails are helpful in determining route difficulty. Read through the reviews and make sure the trail you’re planning to explore is appropriate for every member of your group — from the most experienced to the least. At most parks, specific trails are marked with a particular color of flag, paint, or other indicator. Before setting out, confirm that all members of your group know which trail you’re planning to hike.
Know the rules: It is absolutely essential that you review the rules of the park or hiking area before starting your hike. These rules are in place for your safety as well as the safety of any wildlife that may be in the area. Certain regulations might help protect the delicate balance of nature — ensuring that generations can continue to visit the park in the future.
You may find that the park has rules about:
Where and how to dispose of trash, including human waste.
Areas of the park that are off-limits during certain seasons due to safety issues or wildlife.
The physical boundaries of the park. (You wouldn’t want to accidentally end up on someone’s private property.)
Places where you’re allowed to walk, explore, or set up camp.
Tip #2: It’s Okay to Be Loud (With Your Voice and Attire)
This one may seem a little counterintuitive at first, but depending on where you’re hiking with family, you might actually want to be noisy. Now, we don’t mean blasting your stereo and singing at the top of your lungs — you don’t want to disturb other hikers or nature appreciators. That said, if you don’t want to have any unexpected encounters with wildlife, you’ll want to make your presence known. The old adage goes, “They’re more afraid of you than you are of them,” and (for the most part) that’s true. Your normal speaking voice should be sufficient to alert animals that you’ll be passing through.
On the topic of “loudness,” another important hiking safety tip is to wear bright clothes. Leave the camouflage cargo shorts at home and opt for bright, dayglow colors — like the kind a highway construction crew or an ‘80s cover band might wear. Neon clothes help you stand out against natural backdrops, which can come in handy if you get separated from your group. Also, if hunting is permitted in the park where you’ll be hiking with family, these “loud” outfits could mean the difference between life and death.
Tip #3: Use the Buddy System
No matter how experienced your family hiking crew is, don’t forget to use the “buddy system.” Every adult should be paired up with one child, and each member of the group should know who is “buddied” with whom. No one in your group should venture off on their own, especially if they are unfamiliar with the trail or park.
If you and your buddy end up lost — don’t be afraid to practice a little “tree-hugging.” No, not literally! If you’re separated from your group, your best bet might be to backtrack until you find a tree marked with your trail indicator and wait there until another group of hikers arrives. Endlessly wandering in the woods could only get you more lost and further off the beaten path.
Tip #4: Pack Wisely
When hiking with family, you should make sure that everyone in your group has an appropriate amount of equipment, clothing, snacks, and other items. Before setting out on your hike, check that everyone is comfortable with the weight and size of the pack and adjust accordingly.
Every kid’s hiking pack should include:
Extra clothes
Raincoat or poncho
Small first aid kit (more on this below)
A printed copy of the trail map with adults’ phone numbers written down
Portable power brick or phone recharger
Flashlight or headlamp
Extra food and water (including a travel water purifier if you have one)
Portable toilet or human waste compost bag
Tip #5: Be Prepared for Any Emergency
As we’ve mentioned above, almost anything can happen on a hike. Even if you’ve studied the weather maps and memorized the migration patterns of all the flightless birds in the area, you could end up surprised by any number of situations. Being prepared means being over-prepared.
If your family does a lot of hiking, you might want to consider a First-Aid or CPR certification from the American Red Cross. These courses typically only take a few hours but could be essential if an emergency happens when hiking with family — especially if you’re in a remote location.
At a bare minimum, your family hiking first-aid kit should contain the following:
Antibacterial ointment and wipes
Bandages, gauze pads, and medical tape
Blister pads
Ibuprofen or aspirin
Antihistamine and/or epi-pen
Tweezers
Safety pins
Multitool
Photocopies of everyone’s health insurance cards
First-aid cards with treatment instructions
If your family hiking destination is in a different state from where you live, you may want to check with your health insurance to make sure you know which hospitals in the area (if any) are in-network.
Don’t have insurance? We’d absolutely recommend enrolling before planning any hike. A trip to the emergency room could cost you thousands of dollars out-of-pocket if you’re uninsured. Fear not — Stride is here to help. Enter your ZIP code, provide some basic health information, and with just a few clicks, you’ll find a health insurance plan that’s perfect for your family — you can even enroll right through our site!
Bonus Tip: Leave It Better Than You Found It
While these hiking safety tips are all essential, we’d like to leave you with one last rule. Some folks even call it the golden rule of hiking.
Leave it better than you found it.
Put simply, this means that you should do your part to protect nature, especially if you’d like to come back someday. Every person who hikes, camps, or simply enjoys the outdoors should take it upon themselves to pick up trash, leave wildlife unharmed, and not damage rocks, trees, and other natural elements of the park. Hiking with family is a great way to spend a day, weekend, or even a whole vacation — but it’s important to make sure that everyone else will have the same opportunity to experience nature that you did.