Unfortunately, there are a lot of plants to avoid when you go hiking.  Here are three that you need to keep an eye out for when you are out exploring the Rocky Mountains with your family.

You will never forget if you have the unfortunate experience of finding or coming into contact with one of these plants.  I’ve been unlucky enough to have first hand experience with all of these:(  Really though, that is a small price to pay for the opportunity to explore the great outdoors.  Some of these may cause a rash and others will be painful if you touch them.  Before your next adventure take time to learn how to identify them so that you can avoid them.

The 3 Main Plants To Avoid When Hiking In The Rocky Mountains

Poison Ivy – This is the first one that I will mention because it is quite common and I just talked about how to identify poison ivy in this old post.

This grows throughout the United States and actually changes color at different times of the year.

Poison ivy has an oil all over it (leaves, stem, and all) that can cause a bad rash.  Fortunately, there are some things you can do to treat it if you encounter it.

Here is the old adage for poison ivy – Leaves of three, let it be

Stinging Nettle – This grows throughout the US and Canada.  It generally grows along streams, open forests, or in clearings.  Here is another post that talks about how to identify stinging nettle.

This plant is covered in tiny hairs that will cause you supreme irritation if you rub up against them.  In fact, the hairs will inject an irritant under your skin that will cause pain, burning, itching, and possibly blisters.

Poison Oak – This plant is common in western North America.  Poison Oak, similar to Poison Ivy, has leaves that grow in groups of three.  The leaves look much different than those of Poison Ivy because they are lobed, looking like Oak leaves.