by James Warner Here is a list of must have items sure to make your outdoor experience safer and more enjoyable. These are applicable for dayhikes and backpacking trips. One of the most important things is having a map of the trail you will explore. Get one at the park visitor center or find one online that you can download. This will keep you from getting lost, help you identify new trails to check out and possibly help rescuers locate you if you’re in trouble. A map reading compass will help you find your bearings and keep you from getting lost. Using the map and compass together will keep...

by Steve Thibeault A large variety of people enjoy backpacking outdoors as one of the greater forms of adventure. Some have been at it for years and just love to get away whenever they can. Others are looking for a significant challenge in which to test themselves, whilst on the opposite end of the spectrum some people view it purely as relaxation. Anyone who wants to take up the adventure of backpacking outdoors is normally fairly close to a wilderness area to start off with. Even if you live in a city environment, you normally don’t have to travel far. You are even better off if you live in...

Day hikes are a great way to get exercise, relieve stress, and enjoy nature. You can hike at your own pace, choose your own route, and decide how far you want to go. To have a great time on your hike make sure you have the correct equipment. No matter the route, you need to have a hiking stick. This can be as simple as picking up a branch that is the right size and height or as complex as buying a high end hiking pole. Carrying and using the hiking stick can save you from a turned ankle or a fall. Any path can have a loose rock or a small dip that can cause you to loose your footing. Using a hiking...

Ohio is indeed a hiker’s paradise. There are so many nature filled and exciting trails of varying lengths to choose from, it is near impossible to select the best. I have includes some short one hour trails as well as some longer trails. The shorter trails are ideal if there are other things you need to do during the day and if you are traveling with younger children. The Ohio & Erie Canalway is a wonderful day hike steeped in history and tradition. The state of Ohio, in 1825, started to build the Ohio & Erie Canal following the Washington route. It reflects the settlement patterns of...

You want to hike, but you only have a day. What do you take to make your day more enjoyable? Be sure you have a decent day pack. You may not want to lug along a huge backpack. Keep the big pack for your overnight trips. Your day pack will be just big enough to hold the essentials. Take a cellphone, but realize that all phones may not work in the back country. Also take a GPS or compass. You will want to know where you are in case of an emergency. Then you can find your way back to your trailhead, or your car. Clothing choices depend on when and where you are hiking. The appropriate gear for the...

I love day hiking nearly as much as backpacking. You can have a great day outdoors, and still enjoy all the comforts of home at the end of it. But I’ve encountered far more day hikers who have left essential gear behind than backpackers, and forgetting to bring essential gear can really spoil your day hike. Perhaps it’s because day hikes are perceived as being a less serious outing than backpacking, that makes some day hikers careless. They figure that, because they’re not camping out overnight, they don’t have to put too much thought into what they bring. But that’s...

Massachusetts is full of great day hiking opportunities, with just shy of 600 registered trails how could it not be? Whether you’re on Martha’s Vineyard, Cape Cod, near Boston, in the mountains, or smack dab in the middle of the state a day hike is awaiting you! With so much variety hiking enthusiasts of all ilks can find a perfect location displaying almost anything the Commonwealth has to offer. While there is no real empirical ranking of these day hikes as tastes vary, what follows is an overview of some of the best day hikes I’ve been on or heard of. Immediately my first...

South Carolina has some great day hike destinations. There are many sections of the Palmetto Trail that will ultimately reach from coastline to mountains that are suitable for a day hike. Conestee Lake recreation area near Greenville has hiking trails and will eventually be linked with the Swamp Rabbit Tram Trail that runs from Greenville to Travelers Rest. The old rail bed is a great day hike or is also suitable for mountain biking. Upstate South Carolina has some excellent mountain trails. One excellent choice is the “Rim of the Gap” trail in the Jones Gap State Park. It is a...

Rocky Mountain National Park in Northern Colorado is home to numerous beautiful day hikes that hikers at any level can enjoy. From novice to experienced hikers, the astounding beauty that surrounds the many trails awaits you and your hiking stick. Cub Lake, Emerald Lake, Mills Lake, Bierstadt Lake, Dream Lake and Odessa Lake are some of the lakes that provide a destination unlike no other. For the novice hiker, Cub Lake Trailhead is an awesome place to begin a day hike. Before leaving the trailhead be sure your day pack is loaded with plenty of drinking water, sunscreen, along with rain gear....

Day hikes are a great way to get some exercise in a beautiful, natural setting. If you’re anything like me, a short day hike is preferable to a backpacking trip because you can travel light, and you don’t have to sleep on the cold, hard ground. A day hike will get you back to town in time to enjoy dinner in a nice restaurant as your reward for getting outdoors for some invigorating exercise. Here are the things I consider essential gear for day hikes. 1. First and foremost, a good pair of well-fitting hiking boots is essential if you’re planning to do anything more than stroll that...