Most of us will agree that hiking can be a blast. You can truly have a great time with friends and family, enjoying the great outdoors, participating in all kinds of great activities, and getting away from all the stress of day-to-day living. On the other hand, camping can also be pretty dangerous, if you’re not adequately prepared and equipped. This article will discuss a few important considerations you really need to make before you ever step foot outside your front door.

For starters, it is always best policy to thoroughly scout the area you will be camping and/or hiking. The more familiar you are with your surroundings once you get to your destination, the less likely you are to become lost or encounter unexpectedly dangerous terrain. It is also of the essence that you understand the wilderness in which you will be spending your time. You need to know about any poisonous plant life, odd and potentially hazardous weather patterns, and aggressive predatory wildlife that may be native to the area.

Of course, having this knowledge is only half the battle. You will then want to thoroughly prepare yourself for any potential hazards you may encounter along your path. Some items you may want to include are:

* Rain gear
* Firearms and/or other weapons to fight off predators
* A map and compass
* Rope
* The appropriate hiking gear
* Matches and/or a lighter
* Possibly a fire shelter, if hiking or camping during fire season
* Emergency food and water supply
* First aid kit

These are just a few of the many items you may wish to take along for the ride. These will help to ensure that if you and your party find yourselves in a potentially life-threatening situation, you will be well-equipped to improve your chances of survival significantly.

In addition, it is also extremely important that you are able to communicate, both with the other members in your party and with the outside world. Bring a long-range walkie-talkie and more ideally, a cell phone. Make sure that as many of your friends and family members as possible are well aware of your location before you ever embark on your hiking trip. In fact, it would be a good idea to provide somebody with a map of the exact route you intend to take. This will allow for a more efficient search and rescue mission should you find yourself in a seriously tough spot.