How to Stay Safe on Your Next Park Adventure: Essential Tips
We know you love visiting parks – so do we! Whether you’re exploring an urban oasis or immersing yourself in vast natural landscapes, safety should always come first. To ensure your next park visit is both enjoyable and safe, follow these simple tips. There are so many parks to choose from (59 National Parks and other areas NPS oversees) so the first things you need to decide are where you are planning to travel and what you want out of your experience. Do you want a place to hike, maybe do some camping or just a place that has a road through it that you can stop at overlooks. The Park Service has great websites about many of the parks with information on what is available in each park. The best things about National Park vacations is they are family friendly. Here are some tips for planning your trip and some tips for making the most of your trip when you arrive at the park.
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Before You Go: Planning Is Key
A little planning goes a long way in making your park adventure safe and stress-free. While researching the park you are going to check the site for ranger tips. Before heading out, take a few steps to prepare:
Pick a Park
Start by finding the perfect park for your adventure. Think about the season, the length of your trip, and the activities you’d like to do. Explore the park’s website and social media to see if there are any ranger-led programs or specific tips for visiting. If you’re interested in tours of the park, check to see if there are any ranger led tours or hikes.
Explore Locally
While national parks are always a great option, don’t overlook the beauty in your own backyard. A local park trip is ideal if long-distance travel isn’t possible. If you can’t get to a national park, try looking at state parks in your area. When I started doing research about Nevada, I was amazed at the number of state and national parks here.
Pick Your Activities & Know Your Limits
Once you’ve selected a park, decide how you want to enjoy it. Whether it’s a scenic drive or a backcountry hike, make sure to download maps, check accessibility information, and review park regulations on permits, group sizes, or food storage.
It’s also crucial to assess the abilities of everyone in your group. Choose activities that everyone can enjoy safely, factoring in experience, fitness levels, and any medical needs.
Play It Safe: Prepare for the Unexpected
For more adventurous outings, like hiking or kayaking, it’s important to develop an emergency plan. Cell service can be spotty in parks, so make sure everyone knows what to do in case of an injury or emergency.
Plan for the Environment
Weather in parks can be unpredictable, so stay updated on conditions and have a backup plan ready. Make sure to check for any hazards or closures before heading out. Plan for unexpected weather and make sure you have appropriate clothing in case it rains or gets colder than expected.
Designate a Safety Leader
In larger groups, consider assigning someone as the trip leader. They can handle important tasks like checking first-aid kits, practicing with equipment, or even taking a first aid or CPR course.
Create a Trip Plan
A trip plan contains important details like your route, group members, equipment, and expected return time. Share this with an emergency contact before you leave. This document is especially important for longer trips or remote areas, where search and rescue may need it.
Pack the Essentials: What You Need for a Safe Trip
Packing wisely is crucial for any park visit. Whether it’s a day hike or an overnight trip, certain items are essential for safety and comfort. The following are the 10 essentials for any park visit and will help ensure you’re prepared for the unexpected.
The 10 Essentials:
Navigation (maps, GPS, compass)
Sun Protection (sunglasses, sunscreen, hat)
Extra Clothing (to handle weather changes)
Lighting (headlamps, flashlights, extra batteries)
First-Aid Kit (tailored to your trip needs)
Fire Starter (matches, lighter)
Repair Kit (multi-tool, duct tape)
Extra Food (no-cook, high-energy snacks)
Water & Purification (for staying hydrated)
Shelter (tent, tarp, or emergency blanket)
Some of these may seem excessive if you’re just planning to ride through a park and just stop at the overlook areas, but you can keep these in your car easily and be prepared. You never know when bad weather may hit, or you will have an accident. Better to take too much, then not have something you really need.
Final Checks: Right Before You Go
Before hitting the trail, review the park’s website for weather updates and current conditions. Make sure you have enough gas, pack your permits, and check in with your emergency contact. If the park facilities are closed, plan accordingly with rest stops and supplies. Be sure to check rules about taking pictures and videos, most parks allow you to do so if you have handheld cameras. Also check rules about pets, firearms or drones if you want to take any of these into a park. Most parks don’t allow drones and firearms. Pets are typically allowed as long as they are on leashes. But park rules vary by park.
Arriving at the Park: Tips to make it a great visit
Stay on Track and Stick Together
Once you’ve arrived, stop by the visitor center to grab a map, check on road conditions, and learn about ranger programs. Then, follow these guidelines:
Stick to Your Plan
Follow your intended route, stay on designated trails, and avoid shortcuts that could lead to injury. Keep your group together and use the buddy system to prevent anyone from getting lost. Hiking in Natural Parks can be wonderful, but sometimes the paths are harder than you realize so if it gets to be too much don’t push it. You don’t want anyone to get hurt.
Be Aware of Your Surroundings
Monitor weather changes. If conditions change, don’t hesitate to switch to your backup plan. Watching the weather is especially important when the summer rains come unexpectedly. If it looks like rain, try to get to a safe place just in case there is a flash flood.
Keep hydrated. Even if it is a cool day, an activity can drain your hydration levels, so be sure to drink lots of water especially when hiking or doing some other strenuous activity in the park.
Keep Your Distance from Wildlife
Respect Park wildlife by maintaining a safe distance. Animals can be dangerous, and human visitors can also disrupt wildlife habitats. Follow Park guidelines and store food properly to avoid attracting animals. Everyone wants a great picture of the animals, but please remember to keep your distance as the animals are wild and if they feel threatened, they may hurt you.
Be Considerate of Other Visitors
While enjoying the park, remember that it’s a shared space for everyone. Follow social distancing guidelines, be courteous to fellow visitors, and respect the experience of those around you. If you go when the park is crowded, have patience. Everyone is there to enjoy the park so let them have their time and then you can have yours. If you notice anyone who maybe needs help, for example getting up a hill, please help them. Kindness goes a long way.
Leave No Trace: Protect the Park’s Beauty
Lastly, always practice the Leave No Trace principles:
Pack out all your trash, including food scraps and hygiene products.
Don’t disturb plants, animals, or natural features.
Avoid introducing non-native species by cleaning your gear before and after visiting.
This is something that is important to me. Once someone changes something in a park it can harm so many things for years to come. Just by moving some boulders for example, can change the way water flows, which changes what plants get water, it changes how the land deals with erosion, if plants don’t get enough water, animals don’t have them to eat. It can destroy a whole ecosystem. Please respect not only the land, but any artifacts that may be there. They aren’t ours, so please don’t touch.
Conclusion
By following these tips, you can ensure a safe, enjoyable park experience while preserving these natural wonders for future generations. Of course, the idea is to have fun and enjoy yourself. If you plan on visiting more than one park you might want to look into the America, the Beautiful Park Pass. The pass can save you money when visiting numerous parks. I’m sure you will be amazed by the great scenery, and you’ll wonder how nature is capable of so much beauty. Make sure you have your camera ready because you will want to take plenty of pictures to save for memories. If you’re looking for a lightweight action camera that takes great pictures and videos, click on the banner below for the AKASO V50 X. I love to make memory books when I get back from a trip, so I’ll always be able to look back on our adventures and remember what fun we had. If you would like to do this too, I suggest writing down some of the important things to you that happen each day so when you do get home you won’t forget anything. We hope to inspire you to find your adventure whether you are going on a big vacation or a day trip near home! There are so many places to have a great outdoor adventure! If you want to see our videos of Grapevine Canyon in Nevada or Canyon De Chelley, click on the links.
