How to Plan (an Easy and Short) Day Hike

Farrington Lake, East Brunswick, NJ

So, you want to plan a short day hike but have no clue where to start.  No worries!  I got your 6.

If you have been hiking before, even if it was a million years ago, you have some idea of what to expect.  You will go on a path, following trail signs, end up somewhere cool, and then head back.

If you've never been hiking before or if someone else planned the hiking trips you were on, you might not know where to start.  Below are some tips to get you moving:

Start with Clear and Reasonable Expectations  

Sure, we all want to climb Mt. Everest (well, I actually don't...I like trees and stuff), but your first hike out shouldn't be to something requiring uber training and skill.  One of the greatest mistakes new hikers make is trying to do a hike that is too hard.  Then the hike really sucks, and then hiking becomes a thing of the past.

Plan, Plan, Plan

Start with a short, well known trail that is either a loop or clear out and back.

Madame Google is your friend.  If I Google "short hikes in New Jersey," I get a ton of results.  The best being, NJ Hiking's article on the best short hikes in New Jersey.  I bet your state or community has similar posts.

Pick a hike that has something cool about it.  I am fan of water (ponds, lakes, waterfalls) (this is why Everest isn't all that appealing to me).  If I can hike my tushy out to an amazing Beaver Dam somewhere, I am one happy hiker.  You know what you love, so find a short hike to get you to a happy place.  Some folk like to see for miles.  That's a good goal.  Others want to hike to old abandoned creepy graveyards or ruins or abandoned towns.  Groovy.  Get moving.

Print out the map!

This seems like a no-brainer, but, ahem, your trusty iPhone may not actually work out in the woods and/or your battery might croak.  Even on well marked trails, you want a print map because you might have to poop and go off trail for a minute and lose your perspective.

Print it out, laminate it if you can, and if you can't, just stick it in a freezer lock zippie bag.

Pack Your Bag

If you are going on a 2-3 mile hike, don't bring your entire kit.  You need water, food, toiletries,  a compass, a map, a first aid kit, a poncho, extra socks, emergency contacts, a list of medical conditions and medicine, flashlight/head lamp, trekking poles, a ton of ziplock bags (henceforth called Zippie Bags) and a camera/phone.

• Water:  Water is water.  Diet iced tea is not water.  Pepsi is not water.  Water is water.  You should pack 32 ounces for every two hours of hiking.  I don't use fancy water bottles.  I use regular water bottles that I refill and stick in the freezer.  I take one more than I actually need.
• Food: It's always lovely to have lunch at the destination point of your trip.  It doesn't have to be fancy.  PB&J works just fine.  But, take your wrappers and garbage back home with you.  I don't really like to eat when I hike, but I always take high protein snacks (bars and GORP).  I tend not to eat much when I am out, but I make a conscious effort to stuff some protein in my body before heading back to the lot.  It's a little like filling up your gas tank...you don't ever want to be on E if a storm breaks out and you are lost in Newark.
• Nitty Gritty Deets: Take toilet paper, hand sanitizer, a little shovel, and plastic bags.  No one ever wants to dish about poo, but, alas, you might just have to go to the little girl (or boy) tree for a bio break.
• Peeing: If you are a guy, it is pretty easy to whip it out and do your pee thing.  Just be sure you are away from any water sources and the view of children, grannies, and religious people. And, don't be gross, use hand sannie when you are done.  If you are a girl, it's not easy to just whip it out, so you have to squat to tinkle.  If you are using toilet paper or wipes, you have to take that home with you.  Don't leave it there for the bears to eat.  Ziplock bags are your best friend.  Some hikers use a pee rag. That just grosses me out to no end.  No judgment or anything. I use wipes and stuff them into a zippie bag labeled PEE BAG that I toss out when I get home.  If you are unlucky enough to hike with Aunt Flow, please wrap your tampons and pads and take them home with you, too.  No one in any animal kingdom wants to see your used girlie stuff.  Be sure to remember to pay attention to changing tampons regularly.  Do not get toxic shock whilst hiking.  No matter what you do, use hand sannie when you are done.
• Pooping:  Poop rules are the same for guys and gals.  Get away from water, grannies, etc.  Dig a little hole with your wee shovel.  It should be about 6 inches deep and wide enough for poop.  Poop in it.  Wipe yourself with anything but poison ivy.  If you are using TP or wipes, you have to take that back home with you in a zippie bag.  If you use leaves (non poisonous ones), you can bury that with the poo.  Cover up your hole with leaves and sticks.  Leave no trace.  No matter what you do, use hand sannie when you are done.
• Barfing:  Ok, so this has never happened to me, but it happens to others.  When you gotta blow, you gotta blow.  Try to blow off sides of the trail.  I know it seems obvious, but one guy barfed right on another girl's boots.  It was icky, and all the rest of us wanted to yak, too. 
• Blowing Your Nose:  All that pollen...or the cool air...or whatever.  You might need to sneeze (use the inside of your elbow and not your hands to cover it) and maybe pull out the Kleenex.  Remember, the wild moose of Canada are not interested in your tissues, and you wouldn't want a Moose aloose aboot your hoose blowing their noses and leaving tissues everywhere...so take that all home with you in a zippie bag.
• Compass:  Yes, your phone might be loaded with Compass apps, but they will do you no good when your battery croaks mid hike (set to Airplane mode to conserve the battery). So, ya gotta have the real deal.  If you get lost at night, look for the North Star.  For most of the night, if you you stare at the moon and turn around, the North Star will be directly ahead, the brightest in the sky.  Remember that it is North.  Everything to the right is East.  Everything to the left is West.
• Map: Have a trail map stored in a plastic zippie bag.  If you have a chance, laminate it ahead of time.  Staples does it cheapest.  If you are hiking out of state, you should probably get some other maps, too.  Keep them in zippies, too.  If your pack gets wet, you will be thankful for dry maps.
• First Aid Kit:  You can buy fancy kits all over the place, or you can make your own.  You basically need bandages, sting ointment, alcohol (not the kind ya drink, silly), Peroxide, sunburn stuff, chapstick, Neosporin, etc.  I stash in extra Motrin, too.  I have a giant freezer zippie with all my stuff in it including a laminated card with my info on it (name, birth date, medicines I might be on, medical issues, allergies, emergency contacts).  I keep an identical card in the pocket of my pants.  That is super handy if you are hiking with people who don't know you.  They have no idea that Codeine will kill me and that I have no uterus, appendix, gall bladder, etc (truly, I could be a packing mule for all the extra space I have inside).
• Poncho or Rain Gear:  If I am just going out for a few hours, I have a trusty yellow poncho in my pack that is wonderful.  For longer hikes, I pack rain gear (pants and jacket).  I also have a rain tarp for my pack to keep it dry.  In general, I check the weather before I go, but I've heard that some of the best hikes are ones when you get caught in the rain.
• Zip Lock Bags:  You guessed right that Zippie Bags are my most prized hiking possession next to my boots or shoes.  They are cheap, they can be replaced, and they are handy as heck.  I stash in a few extra, and I've often had to hand them out to people who forget that we don't go littering the forest with used TP.
• Flashlight/head lamp:  You probably aren't planning a trip overnight for your first few treks.  However, the deep woods can get dark, and if rain is on its way, it can get even darker.  Head lamps sound dorky, but they sure do free up your hands and provide excellent light.  Don't forget spare batteries.  Flashlights are great, too, but they will also need spare batteries.  if you are hiking with trekking poles, a flashlight can be a pain in the rumpus, so opt for a headlamp.
• Extra Socks: Your feet will get sweaty and nasty.  You might step in water and realize your waterproof Merrell MOAB's are only kinda sorta waterproof.  Extra socks will save your day!  They don't weigh much, so stash in an extra pair.
• Trekking Poles:  Some people don't hike with them, and that's cool.  But, if you are going uphill and you are not in the world's greatest shape, you will come to love love love your trekking poles.  They provide stability and they help you get over little streams.  Some fold up and can be stored in your pack.  I also use mine as tent stakes.
• Camera/Phone:  I use the camera on my phone to take pictures.  I have other cameras, but I don't want to break them, and Apple was good enough to invent a decent camera for the iPhone.  If you are hiking a few days, you will want a camera with batteries.

Know Trail Signs

The world would be a much better place if trails were blazed well.  But, I've found that not all blazes are great, and that's why you have a map.

• Before You Go:  At home, before you go, print out that map and study it.  Also, use Google Earth to check out the area.  Do your research and find out what kind of wildlife to expect (copperheads, bears, kangaroos, Yeti). Map out the colored trails you are going to be on.  Many trails intersect and/or overlap.  
• Know How to Read Blazes:  Here is a super handy guide to help you.  Stay on the colored trail that you planned unless there is some really important reason (danger, flooding) for you to move off to another color.  Never (ever ever) leave the marked trail for any reason other than a bio break.

Trail Blazes

• Watch out for "false" trails:  Lots of people hike well worn trails.  Some folks make new little trails to head to something fun and interesting off to the side.  As a new hiker, it can get confusing...is THIS the trail or is THAT the trail?  Look for the blazes.  Go a few minutes on one path till you see the next blaze (no more than 5-10 minutes).  If you don't see it, turn back and try the other path until you see the blaze.  If you can't figure it out or you don't see blazes on either path, that would be a good place to turn around and head back.  Better to have a shorter hike than a longer lost hike.

Pay Attention and Love Nature

So, this seems like something no one should have to tell a hiker, but, dude, enjoy it.  Some people hike to be the fastest one to the top.  This is not my style.  I am a slow and steady hiker because I am absorbing it all.  I want to smell the wild flowers.  I want to look for nests.  I enjoy watching snakes (that are nowhere near me).  I take pictures.  I got into hiking because my real life is full of fast paced technology.  In any given day, I could be programming a robot or hacking a cell phone.  I go to nature to reconnect with my soul.  If I go too fast, I will miss it.  Getting to the top is fun; it's great.  But the journey is the best part for me...the getting there...  It's OK if the summit is what you need, but it is OK if it is not.  Go out there with a desire to get something from the experience and then make sure you get that.

Be Considerate On and Off The Trail

• Hiking Solo: On the trail, you may see no one.  Ever.  I hike alone a lot, and, seriously, I love it. But, I don't recommend it for new hikers.  If you venture out alone, make sure someone somewhere knows where you are going.  Give them a map and highlight the plan you have for trails.  Call them when you have safely reached your car.  Give them a time to check in on you if you've not called.  I usually start my hikes at about 10 AM and hike until about 3.  If I am not back by 5, my peeps know to come looking.  As of yet, no one has had to do that.  But, it's a well oiled machine like a fire drill.

• Hiking in Groups:  I've recently started hiking with other people.  As a young adult, I led Girl Scouts all over the AT in Eastern, PA.  Hiking with groups can be fun, but there are some rules.  
• First, have a lead hiker and a "sweep."  The lead hiker leads the pack, and the sweep stays at the back and makes sure everyone stays together.  In my GS days, we used walkie talkies that weighed about 5000 pounds to communicate between lead and sweep.  Remember to bring spare batteries if you go the walkie route.
• Second, don't be a douche.  People are out in nature to enjoy it, so don't be Bossy Bessie or Whiney Winona or Complainer Carolina.  Chillax.  Be someone people want to save from a cliff.  Laugh, be encouraging, and be nice.  If you meet other hikers, move to the side.  If you are coming up on hikers and need to pass, say something nice so you don't scare the crap out of them.  Something like "hey there, coming up on your right" works just fine.  
• Finally, don't blast music or be screaming through the forest.  This seems like a no brainer to me, but I was just on a hike where there was a group of hikers blasting rap music as they hiked.  You could hear it everywhere.  I listen to music all day long every day, and I love love love music, but I am not out hiking to listen to your music.  I don't even do earbuds on hikes.  I like the music of nature.  Others on the trail probably agree.  If you need music, earbud up.  Likewise, talking loudly and being obnoxious is, well, obnoxious.  Don't be "that" group.

So, these are my tips for planning your first hike.  To recap, keep it short, make it fun, leave no trace, be considerate, and don't be a douche.  Happy trails!