High Country’s Eco-Friendly Hiking Trails Map
High Country’s eco-friendly hiking trails offer something for every outdoor adventure. To ensure an enjoyable and safe hike, bring water, first aid supplies, rain gear and cell phone along – as well as adhere to local regulations – in your daypack.
No other region can match this region for sheer beauty; from lush rhododendron bushes soaring along trails to cascading waterfalls pouring over rugged river rocks, its unique charm is undeniable. Here’s how you can safely enjoy it all.
1. Avoid straying off the trail
Hiking is a wonderful way to get exercise while experiencing nature, but it’s important to remember that hiking trails were designed with specific purposes in mind – to guide hikers along a predetermined route. Deliberately wandering off course can not only be dangerous but it may also damage the environment – steps off-trail can damage trees, cause erosion, and encourage others to follow suit by leading them off of it further degrading it.
As well as keeping an eye out for trail markers, it is beneficial to learn to use landmarks and familiar terrain features as navigation aids. By memorizing distinct features such as rock formations or unique trees, such as memory aids such as memorizing these distinctive features can easily help determine if you are on the correct path. Furthermore, regularly look backwards and familiarize yourself with your surroundings from different perspectives.
At all times, it is advisable to bring along a map and compass, even on short day hikes. Weather, fog or other factors could prove more advantageous than solely depending on GPS for navigation purposes.
As soon as you realize you’ve become lost, it’s wise not to panic. While this may be natural reaction, panicking only serves to worsen the situation. Instead, remain calm by taking some deep breaths. If possible, signal for help from other hikers nearby or request being guided back on trail. Also follow Leave No Trace principles by cleaning up all trash you encounter during hiking – including fruit peels and cores!
2. Keep a safe distance from wildlife
Contacting wildlife can be thrilling and exciting; however, close encounters can also be hazardous. Wild animals may attack if they feel threatened or disturbed in their natural environment – whether you encounter rattle snakes, coyotes or bears when hiking it is important to keep a distance as approaching or allowing animals near you may lead to increased stress for both parties involved and may result in aggressive behaviors from them.
Keep a sharp ear out for noises to avoid startling wildlife, particularly at dawn and dusk when they are most active. Never touch an animal as doing so could result in bites, stings or scratches as well as draw the attention of other creatures in the area. Bear spray may also come in handy if hiking through areas with bears or other large predatory animals present.
Whenever possible, try making yourself large and waving your arms to scare animals away. Also use caution when approaching cliff edges and don’t climb over or under railings. Be particularly wary when hiking with children as they may not understand the risks presented by such environments and attempt to interact with or pet wild animals which could prove deadly.
Feeding wildlife can have serious repercussions for their health and lead them to divert too much energy from foraging for sustenance to hunting for it instead. Furthermore, leaving trash at home helps avoid inviting animals and pests on hikes while never removing animals from the wild as doing so could disrupt natural population growth and cause them harm. By following these simple tips you can ensure both yourself and wildlife remain safe when exploring trails in High Country.
3. Be considerate of other hikers
No matter if hiking on public or private land, other recreationists such as hunters, anglers, campers, skiers and snowmobilers could also be on the trail. Therefore, practicing Leave No Trace principles is key to ensure all visitors can fully appreciate nature; this includes keeping noise to a minimum (leave your music at home or use headphones while on trails) as well as respecting others (for instance mountain bikers must give way to hikers on narrow trails).
At certain times of year, parks may see large crowds. To avoid crowds and overcrowding on popular trails, choose less traveled routes or visit during non-peak hours.
Avoid getting off the trail to limit erosion and maintain a safe distance from wildlife, and always retrace your steps if traveling off it in order to avoid damage; durable surfaces like sand, gravel, rock or dry grass would be preferable over walking through mud and shallow water which may damage trails significantly.
Be friendly when encountering other hikers and offer them a friendly smile or nod as you pass by, showing some recognition with either a friendly nod or smile. Loud voices or music detract from the natural environment and can disrupt fellow hikers when in group settings. Using lean-tos and huts or sleeping in tents on mountain tops after 10 p.m. should keep noise to a minimum – as noise travels farther in open environments like these!
4. Bring water
Hydration is of utmost importance on any hike or trek – be it just 2.4 miles round trip up Cobble Lookout, or multi-day trek on the 46 High Peaks – because water weighs so much and quickly fills your pack. Deliberately choosing how you carry it will ensure both comfort and safety on any outing.
Prior to hiking, make sure you consume 17-20 ounces of water to stay hydrated and ready for your adventure. Caffeinated drinks act as diuretics and further dehydrate you, so avoid them as much as possible. How much water you require depends on the length and weather conditions of your hike – generally speaking it’s recommended bringing 1 liter per hour you plan on hiking.
Pack more supplies than you anticipate needing just in case of getting lost or the trail being more challenging than anticipated. Also, it’s a good idea to know where reliable sources of water are located so you can plan accordingly and have enough for your hike.
To reduce the amount of water you must carry, review a detailed topo map that depicts the landscape and pay special attention to areas that contain sources of water such as rivers, streams, lakes, ponds and springs. Other possible water sources could include snowfields containing snowmelt; trickles in draws or gullies; pools in hollows or potholes.
Once you find a reliable water source, filtering it before drinking can reduce how much you have to bring along with you. Options available to you for doing this include portable filtration systems designed for trail use; simple pump bottles; or filters which boil your water.
5. Bring a compass
Compasses are one of the essential navigation tools every hiker needs in their tool belt. Easy to use, they don’t require batteries either! However, to maximize its use it is essential to understand its operation – its red needle should always point towards magnetic north no matter which way you turn the device.
Step one is to locate a landmark on both your map and compass that are similar. Hold the orienting arrow of your compass against the map and rotate until its magnetized needle aligns with the direction of travel arrow on its bezel, followed by aligning its orienting lines with north-south gridlines on your map – that is an approximate location of where your position on the trail lies.
Hiking is an enjoyable way to discover new places and stay physically fit, but it comes with risks. By learning to navigate using a map and compass, you can reduce your chance of getting lost or injured on the trails – it can also provide an enjoyable and challenging activity which allows you to feel more connected to your environment.
The High Country region – comprised of Alleghany, Ashe, Burke Mitchell Watauga Wilkes and Yancey counties – features rolling green hills, stunning vistas and magnificent waterfalls that make hiking in this region truly rewarding. By planning ahead and adhering to safety precautions as you explore, your hiking adventure should be successful! Please read these simple tips so that your experience goes as smoothly as possible! Happy hiking!