Backcountry Hiking Safety Tips

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Backcountry Hiking Safety Tips in the Great Smokies

There may not be a more beautiful way to see the Smoky Mountains than up close, on a quiet hike. Several state and national parks near Bluegreen resorts have short scenic-vista hikes leading from the parking lot. If that's your cup of tea, take your camera and enjoy. But if you plan to do any serious backcountry trail hiking, you need to get prepared before your Bluegreen vacation in order to hike safely. Do your homework and follow some simple Backcountry Hiking Safety Tips so that your hike is all pleasure and no problem. There’s no end to a good time like needing a rescue team!

Backcountry Hiking Safety Tips

Safety while hiking relies largely upon your own good judgment. You must also be prepared for the various scenarios you could encounter, and you must pay attention to your surroundings: nature is an uncontrolled environment. Being in good physical health gives you a leg up, and if you’re going hiking in the backcountry, it’s mandatory, along with basic survival skills, proper equipment and knowledge of how to use it. You are solely responsible for your own safety.

Telling someone where you’re going and when you expect to return is a critical component to safe hiking. Take a companion with you, and stay together on maintained trails. If you opt to take children along, don’t let them lead or follow. Keep them close and in eyesight at all times. Carry a current trail map (and know how to read it) and have a flashlight with you, even if you set out at 8 am. Be sure to check the weather forecast before you depart, and be prepared for conditions to change. A windbreaker and rain gear are essential.

Water. Carry at least 2 quarts per person, per day, and if you can hold three to four quarts, carry that. You can’t assume any backcountry water is safe without boiling or filtering. Your body will also want shoes that provide sturdy support for ankles, and clothing layers that can be added or removed. While cotton is comfortable, it can be dangerous to hikers with a combination of water and cold temperatures; hypothermia is no laughing matter and can occur in summertime.

A rain-swollen stream might appear easy to cross, but many a hiker has learned (the hard way) that he or she should have waited until the rain stops and the rush of water recedes. If you must cross, unfasten your backpack’s bottom strap, always wear shoes and find something to steady yourself with as you go. As for ledges and cliffs, they have been the literal downfall of many hikers as well. Don’t make the national news on your Smoky Mountain vacation!

If, for any reason, you wake up tired on the day you had planned to hike, consider waiting for another day. You’ll need your wits about you, and your excursion could require more energy than you anticipate.

While bear encounters are extremely rare in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, bear pepper spray is a good thing to have on hand, just in case you come across an aggressive mama. Don’t hike while wearing powder, perfume, scented deodorants or scented lotion: these products can attract yellow jackets, which nest in the ground along streams and trails.

Don’t let this safety checklist keep you from enjoying a backcountry adventure, as it is just a list of precautions. These tips are equal to wearing seatbelts, sunscreen and sound shoes. Great Smoky Mountain National Park is a stunning national asset and is there to be enjoyed. So pack your bags, double check your things and go hiking!

Bluegreen Colorful Places

Backcountry Hiking Safety Tips in the Great Smokies

Backcountry Hiking Safety Tips

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