The first time I went night hiking I’ll be honest with you- I was scared! I didn’t want bugs to get me, a bear to see me as a meal, or encounter a crazy woodsman! I was really nervous and didn’t know what to expect! But, like everything else I do, I feel in love and now, a third of when we hike is at night! (Check out my first night hiking experience- The Night Hiker ). But I could have used some tips when I first started so here are some tips for hiking at night:

1. Have a good head lamp- Preferably one with 2 or more settings. I like using my low light mainly because less bugs tend to gravitate towards my face- and for this specific reason, let me bring you to number 2…
2. Wear a billed hat with your head lamp- Bugs like to gravitate toward your light so this keeps a little guard in front of you.
3. Make noise on the trail- If there are lions, tigers, and bears (oh my!) on the trail, at least they’ll know you’re coming! Come on, who likes to be sneaked up on?
4. Beware of where animals could be resting– Even if you’re making noise, you don’t want to step into their personal space so beware of big rocks, small caves, anywhere that looks like an awesome hiding place for hide-and-go-seek!
5. Hydrate before your hike– Most often we forget to hydrate when it isn’t hot outside or in the middle of the day. If you’re going for a hike (whether during the day or at night), make sure you hydrate before you go… and during and after!
6. Know the trail- Hiking at night is not easy. Its hard to navigate and easy to lose the trail. Know the trail in the day or go with an experienced hiker who has hiked this trail in the day. Trust me- you don’t want to get lost at night!

Does anyone have night hiking advice?