These early season hiking tips will help you get the most out of your hiking adventures this spring and summer.  Spring and summer are such fun times to get outside with your family or all by yourself.

There are so many things I love about spring, including finally being able to go for a hike and see green plants and wildflowers growing.  However, you can’t just act like it’s the middle of the summer and go anywhere you want.  There is still snow in lots of places on the mountains!  These early season hiking tips will help you get the most out of your adventures early in the season.

Early Season Hiking Tips

Pick Trails That Will Be Snow Free

One of the keys here is that you want to pick trails that won’t have snow on them.  This is more of a concern earlier in the season and then less of a concern as the summer wears on.  Here are some tips on finding kid-friendly hiking trails.

Although, maybe you want to go for a hike that will be on snow.  That can be fun in its own way, but requires certain skills to make sure you are safe.

Stay Low

Early in the season is the time of year to hit those trails that are at lower elevations and in the foothills.  The snow melts faster from those areas and everything begins growing earlier.

Also, at this time of year the lower elevation areas are not too hot as they often become later in the season.

Aim For Trails That Get Southern Exposure

In the Northern Hemisphere those slopes that are facing to the south get much more sunlight than those fasting to the north.  This aspect is very important and plays a role in what types of vegetation grow where.

In general, north facing slopes have more evergreens because they are cooler.  This also means that snow will remain on those north-facing slopes much later in the season than south-facing slopes.

Be Ready For The Mud

Early in the season means that you will most likely be hiking along trails that are full of mud.  A little bit of mud is OK, but if there is too much you may consider hiking elsewhere because lots of hiking in mud can damage trails.

You won’t be hiking as fast as you do during the summer because you will be fighting your way through mud sometimes.  Try to stay on the trail and just walk through the mud because if you take shortcuts you will be causing erosion and damaging the area.

Be Careful Around Rivers

The snow that covered the mountains all winter is now melting in the spring and summer.  This means that the rivers and creeks will all be high, and fast as they are full of spring snow melt.

Be careful around rivers and creeks!  I’ve heard lots of stories of people falling into rivers and getting swept along.  Rivers full of snow melt are not to be taken lightly.

Dress In Layers

Layers are always important when you go hiking, especially early in the season.  In the early season the nights are still quite cold, which means that the morning will be cold and the evening will be cold.

It takes time for the day to warm up.  The middle of the day may be warm or even hot, but it will take time for that to happen.

If you get an early start then you will want to dress warmly to start, but be ready to remove layers as you warm up.  Likewise if you start when it is warm be sure to bring warm clothes to put on once you cool off later in the day.