This spring's hiking season got off to a shaky start while most public hiking areas were closed throughout the state due to the COVID-19 outbreak wreaking havoc worldwide. Now, however, as the Governor has started slowly opening public hiking areas statewide through his phased approach to reopening, many public spaces including hiking trails are open again. Seems simple right? Just hit the road, grab some chow to go and plan to get some serious fresh air. Hit the brakes kids--it just isn't that simple anymore. Hiking now is more than choosing where to go and going for it. Now you MUST plan ahead and be 100% sure you've crossed your t's and dotted your i's--not just so that you have as comfortable of a time as possible, but so you've done everything you can to ensure a safe time for yourself and anyone else that you might encounter. We can't stress this enough--be prepared.
Choosing your ideal hike is a combination of factors including:
When considering these factors, ask yourself a few questions. The answers will help you pretty quickly.
Once you know where you want to go, it's time for more legwork. At this stage, here's your To-Do list:
Even if trails are open to the public, that does not mean the trip will be risk-free. Any time one wanders into the woods or wilderness varying levels of risk are everywhere, from turning one's ankle on the descent (yep, most injuries happen on the way down when you're good and tired from the trek up) to bees buzzing around pollinating and perhaps incidentally leaving you with a zinger. Of course, now that the world is ears-deep in a global pandemic, the latest life-threatening risk is either becoming infected with COVID-19 or unwittingly passing it along to a passer-by. The risks aren't limited to when you're on the trail either, sadly. The same risks of either becoming infected with COVID-19 or unknowingly passing it along to others can happen if you choose to visit locations where you have to stop "in town" for supplies and/or services. As noted earlier in this article, often smaller communities' resources are minimal, and just enough to cover the needs of the folks in their communities. Please make choices that not only keep you safe, but also don't tax the areas that you're visiting. The following are some tips to help you plan your hike with the least likely negative impacts:
CDC COVID-19 Dashboard (this'll help you see what phase of reopening the areas are that you're hoping to visit)
How to Plan a Picnic Like a Pro
Leave No Trace: How to Pee Outside (seriously guys, let's do this one right, k?)
Washington's Phased Approach to Reopening