Your Personal Hiking Guide; No Excuses to Skip out on the Outdoors

I get it, life is busy, and trying to find time to go on a hike can seem like too much because it requires more planning than driving to the gym or going on a neighborhood walk. However, the benefits are simply too good to pass up. If you live in the bay area this blog is going to be perfect for you, I am giving you all the resources you need for your next hike, the only thing that you need to do is find some time and maybe some friends to make it happen.

Link to Trails

Above I put a link to a handy website so you can choose your next hike, you can make a free account and put it in your location. The account is optional, once your location is in all that you have to do is scroll through and find the difficulty level that matches what you are looking for and choose the hike.

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Now you have your hike selected, that's the hard part. The second step is to pack your essentials...

• Water

• Printed out map with trails marked

Substantial snack

Trail mix, bananas, dried fruits, crackers, beef jerky, granola bars, protein bars, and a candy bar for when you reach your destination!

• Windbreaker

• Sunscreen

• Hat

• First aid kit

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Lastly, you have to decide what to wear...

Let’s say it’s warm out, a solid pair of loose athletic shorts and a short-sleeve shirt are the go-to, a tank top is good but keeping the sun off your shoulders will help limit sunburns and keep your shoulders comfortable if you wear a backpack. If the sun is beating down remember to wear a hat and if the heat gets terrible, getting your hat wet and putting it back on is like a portable body air conditioner it works like a charm. High socks are definitely recommended to keep rocks out of your shoes and protect your ankles from low plants. Your shoe choice is also essential, flat bottom shoes are not a good move, make sure the soles have sufficient support and the tread is good so you don’t slip.

On the other hand, let’s say it’s cold out, loose Patagonia or any other brand of hiking pants are great with a short-sleeve shirt and a light jacket until the hike warms you up. Your choice on whether you still want to wear a hat, I would not recommend a beanie unless it’s freezing.

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OK! You are ready! Don't let yourself make excuses to not go on a hike, you will feel amazing once you are walking.

Ariana Stanton