Hiking Safety

Before you think about hiking anywhere, there’s a few things about hiking safety that you need to know.

On this page, we give you the real story from experienced outback hikers and national park rangers on general hiking safety.

Read the advice on this page carefully.

Being prepared can make the difference between an enjoyable outback hike and one that you’ll wish you’d never started.

The Basics

If you’re in a hurry, here’s the minimum you need to know to hike safely in your chosen location:

Hike in the times appropriate to the location you’ve chosen
Let a reliable person know where you’re going
Carry appropriate maps and a GPS
Take appropriate clothing
Walk with at least two others, if possible, so that in an emergency an injured person is not left alone
Carry all of your water and drink often
Check for MOBILE (cell) phone services or carry a PLB or satellite phone
Fill in any log books at the beginning and ends of trails
Carry a first aid kit
If camping in winter, be prepared for below-freezing temperatures

When to Hike

The best time to hike is generally the cooler months but some shorter hikes can be taken in the warmer months with appropriate preparation. Do your research because poor planning could endanger your life or that of others.

Let Someone Responsible Know

Who knows where you’re hiking and when you’ll be back? Do you trust them to raise the alarm if you don’t get back on time?

Tell a reliable person of your hiking plans, including when you’re planning to get back. Make sure they know to how to contact police if you’re not back by the designated time.

Walk in a Group

Another hiking safety tip is to walk with 2 or 3 other people.

This is in case of an emergency. If one person is injured, then 1 person will be able to stay with the injured person and care for them, and 1 person (preferably 2 people if the group is large enough) will be able to hike out for help.

Water, how much do you need?

This is another critical piece of hiking safety advice.

Carry all your own water when hiking unless you are certain of water supplies along your route. Make sure you drink it!

Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink. Thirst is one of the early signs of dehydration. Even in cooler conditions, you should stop and drink regularly.

Generally, do not expect to find water on more remote hiking trails. Even rivers and creeks in wetter areas can dry up or sully. Carry a small water filter if you’re unsure about water quality.

When planning your hike, take into consideration the weather conditions, how far you’re walking, how hard the track is and be honest about how fit you are. Make sure you also take enough water for cooking and emergencies.

Communications

We recommend that you carry a satellite phone or PLB (Personal Locator Beacon).

This page tells you more about PLBs and where to hire them.

Be aware that there is very limited mobile (cell) phone service near hiking trails in remote areas, yes, in some areas this is gradually improving but don’t rely on it.

Take some form of other communication that you can use if you get into trouble. There are many options available these days like the Zoleo that we use and, before too long, many phones will be able to use satellite services provided by low earth orbiting satellites, however this is not available just yet.

A Final Word on Hiking Safety:

Don’t forget to carry a well-stocked first aid kit and know how to administer first aid.

All of this safety advice might sound like overkill, but believe us, every year rangers and other first responders rescue hikers from trails around the country because they didn’t walk and prepare for the conditions.

What do we use as a first aid kit when we hike? We used to make up our own based on our experiences but now specialist providers like Survival First Aid make kits to suit the type of activity you are engaging in.

Yes, they even make a hiking kit which is a great addition to any first aid supplies you may carry while touring.