Hiking is a fantastic way to stay in shape. You can go hiking in a park or hiking up a mountain trail. Either way, the memories will stay fresh in your mind for a long time. The bigger the hike, the more thrill you will take from doing it. However, this does not stop people from wanting more than just memories to hold in their minds. These are also people that learn how rewarding it is to cast a piece of the trail in epoxy.

The Thrill of the Hike

Whether you are taking a hike along the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail for eight miles of strenuous climbing or taking a much longer 45-mile hike on Wyoming’s Teton Crest, you will feel a sense of accomplishment at the end of your journey. It should be memorable. It should be something you hold onto for the rest of your life. You can say that you survived hiking through the longest trail in Yosemite Park, but if you have no proof, did it really happen? How is that for a depressing thought? We have a fun way for you to prove that you were there, and none of it will ever get hidden in a box.

Share the Joy

One idea of how to keep your memories is to take a bunch of photographs. However, photos tend to lose meaning and value when they are hidden away in photo books or a box in the back of the closet. The same is true for little trinkets that you may find along the trail. This may be a perfect leaf or a large acorn, a rock that caught your eye because it sparkles. Any of these items can be shown off and enjoyed by you for years to come. 

One idea is to put those favorite photos, pine cones, pieces of wood, and other things into a work of art that holds sentimental value to you. You could grab an old coffee table or a slab of wood, place your treasures on it, and then pour epoxy over them. An excellent epoxy resource is https://liquidglassepoxyresin.com which can show how to properly use liquid glass resin and different epoxy projects. Prior experience is not required and the end result will be memories that you never have to put away.

What Will You Create?

If you have a large pinecone from the trails, preserving it is not always easy. They dry out and fall apart. You can preserve it by encasing it in epoxy. Create a paperweight for your desk that shows your adventure. Create a wall hanging of your adventure, complete with an epoxy waterfall. Take a hike by the river beds and collect stones, which you then use in your epoxy covered bar top. The possibilities are endless and you may even find yourself going for other hikes so that you can keep creating more treasures for your home and friends or family. 

Every lover of nature knows and understands that not all the best camping spots can be reached with a vehicle. There are some spots that most impressive because no one knows about them. This often means that even off-road vehicles cannot venture to them. You have to set out on foot to reach them. It is a great and beautiful experience, but it does mean camping while on the trail can be a challenge.

The Challenges of Camping on the Trail

One of the biggest challenges for someone who wants to camp out while on the trail is finding the perfect spot. If you are going off the beaten path, how do you know that you are going to find heaven in nature? You may have a general idea of where you are going, what you will see, etc., but how do you truly know it is going to be the best spot for you until you arrive?
The next challenge, often the one that is toughest, is deciding what to pack. Packing for a hike is different than packing for a camping trip. Lighter is always better when you are hiking, but for camping, most of us want a little more comfort. It always falls on the burden of “lighter is better”. Forget the tackle box if you can find just a few of your favorite lures and a smaller thing to put them into.

When Weight Matters Most

Would you want to carry a 10lb sledgehammer or a smaller hammer that can still get the job done? Does it change your mind if you know that you will be carrying it through the woods for five miles? Often, the heavy-duty sledgehammer could get the task completed faster, but you have to ask yourself if it is practical. The same with your change of clothes. Would you want to carry enough denim to weigh you down or would kakis work just as well?

Most people who want to go lighter in weight will repackage items that come in larger quantities, they may carry a smaller LED flashlight over traditional ones, and carry only what is required for the time they will be gone. They want things that will help them survive. A small water bottle with a water filtration straw can provide ample drinking water without the weight of a gallon of water. Medications can be repackaged or consolidated to fit into a pillbox to save you from carrying multiple bottles. Insect repellent does not have to be in a large container or can. Hand sanitizer, personal hygiene items, and others can also be purchased in smaller bottles.

If you want, you can even take along an inexpensive gas generator once you have figured out how to lighten your load enough to make it feasible. These machines are often very portable and even lightweight. This will enable you a lot of the comforts of home, without the stress of lugging a large generator around.

Plan for Anything

Just because you are packing light, it does not mean that you have to give up anything. You simply have to keep the necessities and toss the rest out of your backpack. At first, this may seem like a daunting task. It is likely something you will not perfect on your first attempt. The key is persistence. Go through your backpack several times and eventually, you will find the right “happy medium”.

When you love nature, you most likely want to escape into it as often as possible. One great thing about it is that it is always “new”. Nature and even old faithful hiking trails are always just a little different, no matter how many times you have taken the same steps through it. It is also something that you can do for a few hours or for an extended trip out into the wilderness. However, if you are going to go for an extended hike or walk to enjoy nature’s beauty; you may want to keep in mind a few useful tips and knowledge for the trail that you plan to walk through.

Pack Light

When you are hiking along the trails, less is always going to be more. Take only what you need and if at all possible, choose the lightest things to take with you. This means that you should take the backpack that is made with the lightest material, the lightest sleeping bag that you can be comfortable in, and more. Ideally, you will also pack up everything that you feel you will need for your hike, and then try to lessen it by half. When you are looking at your food items, try to carry along a lot of dehydrated foods and jerky type items. They will last longer in your backpack and weigh very little. The things that you want to take that are not “dried” should be the first things that you consume because they will weigh you down.

Keep Your Comfort in Mind

One of the biggest things you will want to do, beyond packing, is decide what you absolutely need to take along to ensure you are comfortable. Choose the right clothing for the weather and you may also want to consider how to keep mosquitoes or other insects off you. During the cooler weather months, windbreakers are ideal because they block cold air while remaining light. In the summer, you may be tempted to wear less clothing, but then the insects come out to nibble and you will regret your choices. Summer is often the most popular time for long walks through nature, but it comes with its own set of issues. Women should take everything into consideration, even the type of panties they wear since silk panties will hold heat and sweat to their “unmentionables” where infections can form. As a woman, you may also want to look at natural ways to kill yeast, before you spend a weekend on the trail where showers may be hard to come by.

Seek New Adventures and Sights

When you decide to go hiking for a weekend or longer, you should keep the heart of an adventurer inside of your mind. Look for scenic trails. They will be the ones that take you up a little higher, or a little closer to the waterfalls and other things that you may find out on the trail depending on your location. Very few hiking trails are simply flat ground, but even with those, you can venture off the most worn areas and find beauty beyond your wildest dreams.

Hiking along nature trails can mean that there is danger around every bend and over every hill. You never know what may be on the other side, especially if it is a forested area that is filled with panthers, tigers, bears, and other wildlife. Therefore, safety along the trail is a top priority for most nature trails. It is the only true way to ensure that everyone who goes out can make it back in safely.

Safety Concerns on Nature Trails

The biggest concerns that people have when venturing out on a trail is the wildlife. However, there are a lot of other things that can easily go wrong. A person could slip on loose leaves and sprain an ankle, suffer from heat exhaustion, or any number of other things. When on the trails, anything is possible. There are even people who feel that they can make the trek and then discover that it is tougher than they were physically or mentally prepared for, especially in mountainous areas, where exhaustion and falls could become deadly.

Necessary Safety Features

Because there are hidden dangers in the woods, parks and such have to do things that make them safer. There are rails that can be used to mark the path and encourage hikers to stay on it. If you do not want rails, wooden fences also work and blend in with the “nature” setting. Parks can include lighting for those who may end up on the trail as darkness rolls in. Both in-ground and above ground lighting options can be used. If the park wants, they can use square D H221n switches to power on and off the lights or depend on solar panels around the park. Benches to give hikers a place to rest can ensure that they do not get too tired to get back to their starting point. Having trash cans around the trails is a safety feature that works for not only the people, who may get cut on a broken bottle or a can, but it protects the wildlife from the same harm. Some parks have water fountains for people who run short of water in their bottle, they may have campfire areas so that those who are caught out at night can safely spend the night. The truth is, there are many things that can be done, and every little bit will help.

Encourage Safe Hiking

Beyond those things, a park should use signs and other things to tell them about the type of animals they may see and other risks that may find them when they are on the trails. You can put up maps to ensure that those who venture down one path over another can find their way back to the main trail. Encourage those hikers to take precautions with them, extra water, comfortable shoes that wont slip, and a flashlight or something else to work as a signal if they need help. Those who venture into the woods need to be prepared for anything before they go. This will further ensure the safety of everyone.