On the basic day hike one will likely want to bring along a few essential items. While hiking boots are not absolutely required, they are very helpful and provide good support over uncertain terrain. Your feet are your most important asset any time you’re on the trail so you’ll want to take care of them. Wool socks are also a nice addition to help wick away sweat from your feet and help prevent blisters. You may have done some research prior to going out for the hike but a map is a very good idea as things can get tricky in the woods at times. A compass or a handheld GPS device are also...

My magic hike happened many, many years ago. I grew up in a boarding school for fatherless boys, and by the summer before we would be high school seniors, all the boys in my class had lived, fought, played and studied together every day for ten years. We weren’t just schoolmates. We were brothers. Many of us spent June and July of that last summer working as junior counselors for the younger boys, who spent two summer weeks away from the city in the beautiful Pocono Mountains of Pennsyvlania. We older guys had the usual duties of supervising assemblies, sports and other camp activities,...

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Las Vegas offers a wide range of hiking trails for many different levels. They range in ability and all have different scenes. Anyone can enjoy themselves just by looking at the scenes that the trails offer. First up is the Red Rock Canyon. This trail is thirteen miles long and will cost you five dollars to enter. There is great landscape to enjoy and is very close to the Red Rock Resort and Casino. There is a great visitor’s center where you will be able to go to the restroom and purchase drinks for your hike, jog, or skating trip. You may climb on the red rocks but be careful this trail can be...

In Alaska, if you want to have fun in the summer, it means that you are probably hiking to it. Most every incredible area involves some form of a hike or backpacking trip in order to get to it. You could take off road vehicles, but even then, you generally have to hike a great deal of the way. But if you are going to do it, you have to make sure that you are doing it right or it could potentially cause you or someone else their life. The most important thing to remember about light hiking is that if you are doing it, you aren’t meant to go a long distance. If you are planning on traveling...

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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...