Hiking in Arizona

I took myself for a hike last Saturday. At 79 degrees in November, I couldn't resist. Along the trail, I encountered and talked to several individuals who had not hiked this trail before. Both mentioned things that made me think they were not from around here. Those conversations led me to this post about hiking in Arizona. This is more of a how-to post than a review of the trail I hiked. (If you want more about Arizona trails, head on over to my friend's blog at The Neurotic Wanderer.)

1) Go to the bathroom before you leave. Due to lack of water at the trail heads, most trail heads either don't have bathrooms, or only have porta-potties. Hiking while needing to go to the restroom is miserable. Just go before you go!

2) Take water! I often break this rule, but Arizona heat is dry and you get dehydrated fast.

3) Sunscreen and/or a hat. The sun is bright and you will burn fast. No use suffering for a good hike!

4) Wear quality shoes. I learned the hard way that hiking in running or other athletic shoes does not work. Arizona soil is rocky, and those rocks bruise your feet, even through shoes. My mom recommended Hi-Tec hiking boots, which we buy from Big 5 Sporting Goods. I add insoles to my shoes and am good to go!

5) With your shoes wear heavy socks! I got blisters the first time I wore my hiking boots. Then Mom got me wool socks, and voila, no blisters! The wool socks wick away moisture from my feet, which also helps prevent blisters from forming.

6) Bring along a jacket (even in the summer). Temperatures in Arizona fluctuate up to 50 degrees due to the desert climate. Every year, many hikers get stranded and ill due to inadequate clothing. Yes, it's a pain to tie a jacket around your waist or put it in a backpack, but it's worth it in case of emergency.

7) Consider a backpack. If you're going to have all the supplies you need, you might as well have a backpack to stuff it in. I linked to my favorite backpack in my travel post.

(Saturday's trail)

There you have it: my recommendations for hiking in Arizona.

Fellow Arizona hikers, what hiking recommendations would you add to this list? Please post below.