Choosing the best hiking trails

The choice of hiking trails is an important consideration in getting the most enjoyment from your walking holiday. Are lakes, waterfalls, mountains, wildlife, wilderness, a foreign destination or gentle hiking trails what appeals to you?

First, is your walking holiday going to be on hiking trails close to where you live. If so, this should be easy to research by just checking the website of the local hiking or trail association. Also ask your friends about their experiences.

Who are you hiking with? If on a family walking holidays the hiking trails may need to be shorter with gentler terrain. If choosing the best hiking for a group of experienced friends they may be expecting a challenging hiking trail so ask them about their interests.

If planning your own walking holiday further from home ask friends, family or if you belong to a hiking club ask the other members about their favorite hiking trails. Because they enjoyed the hiking trail doesn’t mean it is suitable for you so ask about the distances walked, type of terrain, details about getting to the trailhead and what made this hiking trail so appealing.

Once you have narrowed down the destination check hiking trail guidebooks and the internet for more detailed information. Check the hiking seasons, for example, many trails in the Canadian Rockies don’t open until late June each year. If hiking in a location such as Auyuittuq National Park in the Nunavut, Canada or Milford Sound in New Zealand, not only are the seasons a consideration but transportation getting there may be very limited.  An excellent guide is Joy Of Hiking: Hiking The Trailmaster Way

If choosing a hiking trail such as the famous West Coast Trail on Vancouver Island there are limits to the number of hikers at any time to protect the environment and you need to apply for a permit well in advance. There may also be fees associated with hiking in most state, provincial or National Parks.

Once you arrive in the destination the local tourist office can provide a wealth of information. Offices in destinations such as the English Lake District, Zermatt in Switzerland, Banff in the Canadian Rockies deal mostly with hikers and can provide sound advice about hiking trail conditions and any hazards. For example in Banff the location of recent bear sightings are posted.

If you plan to hike with a walking holidays company check their brochure listing the destinations offered and see what appeals to your considering the style of hiking offered. Some companies such as HF Holidays offer rotating itineraries for returning walkers along with three levels of hiking in each destination.

Learn how if there is signage along the hiking trail and what the blazes mean. In Swiss Alps for instance there are three types of blazes each indicating a different level of difficulty.

Choosing the best hiking trails so that you are talking about your walking holiday for years is important. If planned right everyone will be asking you about next years hiking now!

Hiking the Triple Crown : Appalachian Trail – Pacific Crest Trail – Continental Divide Trail – How to Hike America’s Longest Trails
Price: $0
Pages: 223, Edition: illustrated edition, Paperback, Mountaineers Books

The Hiking Companion
Price: $6.88
Drawing from his personal experience hiking major trails throughout North America, Robbins offers an overview of the hiking experience in various terrains. Illustrations.

Brand: Storey Books
 

Originally posted 2009-08-21 12:17:59.

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