Many people enjoy spending their vacation in the wide open spaces of the great outdoors. For these individuals, camping and hiking are excellent choices for vacationing. Vacations are a time of relaxation and rest; a time of breaking away from the day to day. Both camping and hiking offer a chance for people to connect with nature and enjoy a more rugged lifestyle. Still, there are dangers to both camping and hiking.

The Dangers of Hiking Alone

Although it is not highly recommended, hiking alone offers the opportunity for enchanting solitude: A time when you can take personal time to reconnect with nature and yourself. Still, there are some definite dangers when you decide to hike alone. Accidents unfortunately do happen, regardless of how prepared you are. You could injure yourself, have a run in with wild animals or find yourself lost or confused as to your location.

If you must hike alone, there are things that you can do to keep yourself safe. The first thing to do is familiarize yourself with the trail and area that you have chosen. Know the exact hiking conditions and be prepared for them. Also, make sure friends and family know where you are going and have a map of where you are hiking. Experts suggest that if you do not have family or friends near the hiking locations, you can inform the local authorities. Try to contact someone, just to check in, at regular intervals so that they know you are safe.

Camping and Hiking in the Presence of Bears

Perhaps the greatest concern that campers in the forests of North America have are the bears. Those who travel to Yellowstone National Park, for example, have special precautions that they must take to avoid attracting bears. The first thing that campers must do is keep their food in a specific bear proof container. Yellowstone restricts travelers from camping in areas that have shown evidence of bear activities. Keeping a clean camp will also help you avoid wildlife intruders. The Park recommends sleeping a minimum of 100 yards from where you eat, cook and store your food.

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