Hiking Tips for Hiking in Arizona

If you have decided you’d like to take advantage of the great hiking offered to you in the beautiful and vast state of Arizona, there are quite a few things you should know before hand. By making sure you understand what you are going to be offered, and what you are up against, you can prepare yourself and have a great time while staying safe and healthy.

While you may find that some of the areas of Arizona offer you cooler temperatures almost all year round, most of the state will have scorching summers that go up into the hundreds and this is one of the things that can make hiking in the state of Arizona dangerous if you aren’t careful and don’t take the necessary precautions. As long as you are prepared and have educated yourself on the conditions, you can have a great time hiking in the Gorgeous outdoors Arizona has to offer. Here are some tips to keep you safe and healthy while you are hiking in Arizona:

Bring Someone: One of the first things you should do when you are planning a hiking trip is to make sure you can find someone to go with you. Some of the areas in Arizona are very rural and you shouldn’t be alone. Not only will you have to be concerned with the elements, but there is also wildlife and it’s always a good idea to go hiking with at least one other person. This way, if something should happen you will not be out hiking alone with no one to help.

Plan Ahead of Time: Before you go on your Arizona hiking trip, you will want to be sure that you plan ahead. You should research the area, check the weather forecast, and make a plan. You will be on your own out there and you should be as prepared and armed with information as you possibly can be.

Travel Light: While you will want to bring everything that you are going to need for your hiking trip, you will also want to keep weight in mind. You should travel as lightly as you possibly can while still bringing the necessities. If you don’t need something and it will weigh you down then don’t bring it. Your heaviest items should consist of food and water. Also, it can help you if you carry a hiking stick, this way you will have it to lean on a bit should you start to get tired.

Dress Accordingly: You should dress properly for your Arizona hike. You should wear hiking boots that have already been broken in and fit well. You should also wear sunscreen to protect your skin from those damaging and harsh rays. You will also want to wear a hat and sunglasses.

Pack Smart: Some of the other items you should bring besides food, water, and sunscreen include a compass, a map, moleskin, a signal mirror, and some water purification tablets (just in case).

Hike Smart: When you are hiking you want to be sure that you do so in a smart manner you want to be sure you don’t leave the trail. Once you leave the trail it will be very easy for you to get lost and there is no guarantee that you will be able to find your way back. Also, the trail is the safest part for you to be on and you should be sure to follow it the entire hike. If you have to go to the bathroom, you will want to dig a hole which is between 6 to 8 inches deep and make sure you bury it when you are done. You should carry your toilet paper out with you and you should always make sure that you have left the areas you hike through in the same condition as when you found them.

Pace Yourself: It’s important for you to pace yourself while you are hiking so you don’t overdo yourself. You should be able to carry on a conversation while you are walking. If you find it difficult to talk, then you should slow down. You don’t want to get out of breath; if you do then your body is not getting enough oxygen.

If you are walking uphill then you should be sure you are walking at a nice pace that doesn’t get you breathing too heavy. This way, you know that your body is receiving the proper amount of oxygen. Not only will you feel better during your hike, but you will be walking at a pave which is healthy for your body. You may feel as if you are going too slow, but in the long run you will be able to continue on further and reserving your energy.

Work with your Limitations: No one knows your limitations as well as you do and you want to keep them in mind when you are hiking anywhere, including Arizona. You need to consider any of the limitations you may have and be sure that you work with them. If you have a health condition including asthma, diabetes, heart problems, knee problems, foot problems, ankle problems, back problems, or any other type of medical problems, then you will want to be sure you consider your health conditions while you are planning out your hike.

If you have any concerns over your ability to finish the hike, then you may want to think about consulting with your physician ahead of time to make sure it is ok. Be sure you bring any medications with you that you may need. Also, you should realize that the heat and risk of dehydration can cause your health problems to become worse. You want to be sure you are physically up for the hike before you go through with it.

Rest: It’s very important for you to realize that it will be much better for you to take regular breaks during your hike than it will be for you to push yourself. In the long run, you will finish the hike faster and feel better at the end of it if you have given yourself the breaks your body needs. You should rest for about 5 minutes every 30 to 60 minutes depending on how strenuous the hike is.

When you are resting you should sit and have your legs propped up above your heart. This will help you to finish the hike feeling great and staying healthy. While it is important for you to stay hydrated, you want to be sure you take small sips and not drink a lot of water at one time. Drinking a lot at once will leave you feeling bloated and awful.

Care for Your Needs: The most important thing you can do while you are enjoying a hike in Arizona is to make sure you stay hydrated. You need to be sure you drink a bit of water throughout the entire hike. You will also want to eat little bits of food along the way. Water and food will help to give you the energy you need to finish the hike while remaining healthy and energized. Also, dehydration will be a big concern when hiking in the state of Arizona and drinking regularly is the best thing you can do to avoid becoming dehydrated. Don’t wait until you are thirsty to drink. Food and water will help to keep your body temperature cooler which will be important. Also, you should eat a proper breakfast in the morning, before you set out for your hike. What you eat for breakfast can help determine how much energy and stamina you have.

Summer Weather Tips for Arizona

Arizona is a state with a lot of variations to offer. It has many different elevations and various parts of the state offer different temperatures during the seasons. However, most of the state sees summer temperatures which get into the triple digits on just about a regular basis. Visitors need to realize that the state of Arizona can find them in a heat they aren’t used to and if they aren’t careful and don’t plan for it, they can find themselves in trouble.

Arizona is a beautiful state with a lot of gorgeous scenery to offer and some of the most amazing sunsets anyone has ever seen. Anyone thinking about making a visit to Arizona should follow through with it. However, education will be there friend and by being prepared for the elements, they won’t have any surprises and can enjoy a worry free visit with much to offer. Here are some important tips visitors will want to follow when they are planning a trip to Arizona:

While Outdoors:

Always be sure you have water with you and make sure you drink it regularly, before you are thirsty.Take advantage of any opportunities to rest in a shaded area, this will help to keep you cool. By taking a break in a shaded area, you will help to keep your body’s temperature down and this is important when you are dealing with very high temperatures.

You will want to make sure that you are wearing a good sunscreen. Your sunscreen should be a minimum of SPF 15. Make sure that you apply it at least a half an hour before you go out into the sun. You also want to make sure you reapply it if you are out for any length of time.

If you aren’t sure how you handle the heat, it’s better to be safe than sorry. You will want to go out in it a little bit at a time until you are used to it. Don’t plan a long time out in it right away or you may find it is too much for you.

Be sure you dress for the heat. You want to wear clothes which are light and that fit loose. You should try to avoid wearing dark clothes and bring a hat and sunglasses with you.

If you have small children or pets with you then you will want to be sure you take extra precautions and be sure you keep them cool. You also want to keep them protected from the heat and make sure they are hydrated at all times.

While Traveling:

Make sure you are prepared to travel in the heat of the desert and make sure your car is up for making the trip. You should have your car gone over ahead of time. You want to be sure the tires are good and that you have all of the fluids checked. It’s always a good idea to bring extra water for your car just in case.

You will want to be sure you try to keep your gas level as full as possible. There are many areas in the state of Arizona that will have you traveling great distances before reaching another gas station.

You need to prepare for any kind of weather when you are planning to travel through the state of Arizona. You can get snow in the winter, 100+ degree days during the summer, high winds, hard rain, hail, lightning storms, and dust storms.

Flash floods are quite common in Arizona after a hard rain. You should never try to cross over a running creek as you won’t be able to tell how deep the water really is.

Dust storms can also happen and if you are caught up in a dust storm you should get off of the road as soon as it is safe for you to do so and wait it out.

Tips for Avoiding Heat Related Illness:

Be sure you never leave children, infants, elderly, or pets inside a parked automobile.

Drink often, even if you aren’t doing anything. You don’t want to wait until you feel thirsty to drink.

By making sure you drink regularly and don’t wait to feel thirsty, you can avoid the feeling of being hungover which can come from not drinking enough water in the hot weather. Also, this is one of the best ways you can go about protecting yourself from dehydration.

Try not to drink drinks which are too cold. Drinking something too cold can leave your stomach cramping.

Try to stay away from drinks which contain such things as alcohol, caffeine or a lot of sugar. These types of beverages can help to dehydrate your body.

Try not to do a lot of physical activities during the heat of the day. If you can do them early in the morning or later in the evening you will see that it will be much cooler during those times. If you have to do something physical during the heat of the day, you should be drinking anywhere from 16 to 32 ounces of water an hour.

If you get hot, take a cool shower to help you get cooler.

Be sure you aren’t taking any medications that can increase the risk of you suffering from heat related illness.

Tribal Lands

You will find that there are 22 Native American Reservations located in the one state of Arizona. Each one of these reservations controls themselves. They each have their own governmental structure and maintain their own set of rules and regulations for their visitors. This means that when you visit a Native American Reservation you will want to treat it as its own entity and never assume that it runs things just like another reservation you have been to. You should contact the tribe before you visit and be sure that you have any and all necessary information regarding the rules and regulations which you will be expected to follow during your visit.

General Tips for Visiting a Native American Reservation:

Many of the reservations require people to get permits for such things as picture taking recording, sketching, and so on. You will want to make sure that you understand each one of the reservations rules and regulations regarding these things before you pay the reservation a visit.

Some of the structures are very old and you should always be careful not to disrespect them or touch them if possible. You should also make sure you don’t disturb anything and never take anything off of the reservation and this includes animals, rocks, plants, or anything else.

The Native American dances and other ceremonies are sacred and this means that you should be sure you act in a very respectful manner when you are witnessing one. The best thing for you to do is to make sure you follow suit and stand where others are. You want to be sure you don’t get in the way and never walk between the dancers, try to get the dancers attention, or shout.

When you are driving through the reservation you will want to be very careful, especially when you are driving after dark. Much of the land will be open and this means that there may be a lot of animals out there which you will want to be sure you don’t injure.

The reservation is the home of the Native American people so you will always want to treat it with respect and not act in any manner which could be seen as disrespectful.

Things to Remember:

It is important for you to remember to check into the important things about traveling to the state of Arizona before you leave. The more you know about the area ahead of time, the better prepared you will be to deal with things that can come up. You want to be sure you, your family, your pets, and your vehicle are all well prepared to deal with any weather conditions and other elements you may come up across. Everyone should dress appropriately, but be prepared for a weather change just in case.

You should always pack so you will be prepared to get by should something happen. This means plenty of water, some food, and jackets. A flashlight and some tools are other things you should bring with you. By making sure you bring everything you need with you then you will know you won’t be caught off guard and you can handle situations as they occur.

A first aid kit is something else to throw in the trunk of your car before you head out for any vacation. By being as prepared as you possibly can be, you can travel knowing that you have done all you can to ensure you and your family will have a safe and exciting visit to beautiful Arizona. Here you will be able to create fond memories of your trip that will last a lifetime.