How to Prepare for a Night Hike

We talked in our previous article about why you should go on a night hike. But it is very important, unless you are an experienced night hiker, to take the time to prepare yourself before going on a night hike. Night hikes have a greater risk than most day hikes. Aside from the obvious darkness, you must deal with additional solitude, the potential for being lost, and averting injury. Additionally, being aware of local wildlife will now include nocturnal animals. However, there are many things that you can do to maximize your chances of a good hike.

First, always hike in a group. Night hiking alone can seem appealing, but it compounds all of the risks of the trek. Not only are you more vulnerable if hiking in an area with larger wildlife, but if you are injured there will be no one who can go for help. Because trails are typically more empty at night, it could be a long time before someone comes along. And nighttime conditions are often more severe than daytime conditions. If you are in an area that gets cold, you could be in bad shape by the time morning comes. Having a group will ensure that if someone is injured, they will get out safely.

Know your trail. When considering a night hike, I would ALWAYS advise to hike it beforehand during the day. This will hugely decrease your chances of having to deal with an unexpected problem at night. Knowing a trail well will mean that you have a good, but safe experience come night time. Hiking on a trail that you do not know could lead to injury, in the case of hazardous terrain, or becoming lost, if you do not have landmarks to navigate by. Injuries due to unsafe terrain can be avoided if you have scouted the trail in the daytime.

Bring proper supplies. Some people forget that a night hike is still exercise, and will neglect to pack critical supplies such as water or food. But there are additional supplies to bring when night hiking. I would always carry at least two flashlights (headlamps are ideal), and have a spare set of batteries. If you lose your light when in the middle of nowhere, you are in serious trouble. Second, make sure that you have appropriate clothing. Temperatures can drop rapidly at night, and being unprepared is asking for trouble. Look at the expected temperatures, and plan to have clothing appropriate for the weather.