The Complete Guide To Hiking In The Dark

Hiking in the dark can be an exhilarating experience to bring a new dimension to your hiking activities. It also gives you some time to practice your hiking and navigation skills in a different setting. Hiking in the dark requires a special set of skills to coin a phrase, or you could find yourself lost in the dark rather than hiking in the dark!

Hiking in the dark requires extra preparation and care. Additional thought must be put into pre-hike planning, the gear you take along, knowledge of the terrain, and any possible threats from wildlife or dangerous aspects of the terrain. Planning and preparation for night hikes are keys to success.

Hiking in the dark can be a challenging yet rewarding way to hike. The outdoor scenery under the stars or in the bright moonlight has a surreal beauty that differs from daylight. Our complete guide to hiking in the dark will get you started preparing for this exciting hiking alternative!

Planning For Hiking In Dark

Planning for a hike in the dark is the foundation that will determine whether you have a successful hike or whether a search party will need to be sent out to bring you home!

Hiking is my preferred way to experience the awesomeness of the outdoors and get some exercise at the same time. The added intrigue of doing it in the dark, and we're talking about hiking here, adds another level of excitement and adrenaline to the activity.

If you are contemplating a hike in the dark, the first step is planning! You should incorporate the following considerations into your planning process.

• Plan your route. Get maps of the hiking area and familiarize yourself with landmarks that would be visible in the dark, even if you are familiar with the terrain. Everything looks very different at night.
• Plan to take extra food and water. Hiking at night can have some unexpected outcomes, so having some extra food and water is a good idea.
• Practice your skill sets in daylight. Practice setting up tents, starting fires, and using all your gear in the daylight. You do not want to start a survival fire with a Ferro rod for the first time in the dark without first practicing the task in the daylight.
• Practice night navigation skills in familiar terrain. Hone your nighttime navigation skills on ground you know well before going out on unfamiliar ground.
• Work on your fitness. Don't attempt a hike in the dark if you are not hiking fit.
• Take extra gear. We will cover the gear aspect a little later, but you need to plan to take additional gear for a night hike.
• Know your limitations. Don't try to be a hero. Exceeding your limits on a hike in the dark can place you and your companions in a dangerous situation.
• Have a rescue plan. This may be as simple as informing people at home where you are going. If you are not back at a certain time, they should know who to contact to initiate a search or a rescue.

Gear For Hiking In the Dark

Hiking at night will require including some additional gear in your pack, but you should be carrying most of it for day hiking anyway.

As a cautious hiker, even if I go for a day hike, I take gear in preparation for being caught out in the dark. You never know when circumstances may delay your progress, and the dark catches up with you.

The following gear should be non-negotiable additions to your hiking kit for a dark hike.

• Headlamp. A headlamp is important because it leaves your hands free for other tasks. Take a spare set of batteries for the headlamp.
• A flashlight. A good quality, small handheld flashlight is useful in some circumstances and acts as a backup to your headlamp. A headlamp with the option of red light is helpful to preserve your night vision, especially when reading a map in the dark.
• Take extra clothing layers. Even if your panned hike is in the warm season, the night air can become cold. Take an additional warm layer, such as a fleece and a windbreaker.
• Signaling gear. Signaling gear such as a flare, a light that can flash, or even a two-way radio can be helpful for unforeseen problems.
• Trekking poles. Trekking poles can have the advantage of helping to keep your footing in the dark in the rough parts of the trail. They can also be used to fend off curious wildlife, whose attention you may not want!
• Navigating gear. A compass or GPS is useful for finding your way, especially in unfamiliar territory. Make sure you know how to use the navigation equipment before you go on a night hike.
• Insect repellent. Nasty biting bugs come out at night and may be attracted to your headlamp. Did I mention I can't stand mosquitoes? A good repellent will help with this problem.
• A lightweight tent. You never know if a sudden rainstorm may catch you out in the open. It is more difficult to estimate building weather in the dark.
• A first aid kit. A first aid kit should be a part of your gear for any hike, so make sure your pack one and know how to use it.

Having the right gear for hiking in the dark is a great start, but your most valuable tool is your common sense, so with that in mind, let's take a look at some safety aspects for hiking in the dark.

Safety Aspects For Hiking In The Dark

Many people would consider hiking in the dark to be too dangerous to contemplate. However, with planning, the right gear, and considering some safety measures, it can be one of the most enjoyable hiking experiences of your life!

Don't Hike In The Dark Alone

A novice hiker should never consider hiking in the dark by themselves. It is too easy for an inexperienced hiker to make a wrong judgment call or prepare incorrectly and wind up in an unpleasant situation.

While I understand the attraction of hiking alone, and I love the experience of being the only human out there, as an experienced hiker, I will only hike at night if I am familiar with the terrain.

This is a good safety maxim to use for nighttime hiking as well as daytime hiking. For many hikers, part of the enjoyment of hiking is sharing it with someone! So, include some trusted, experienced companions on your hike in the dark!

Know The Hiking Terrain For Hiking In The Dark

Experienced hikers familiar with their gear, hiking techniques, and skills may be able to tackle the challenges of hiking unfamiliar territory in the dark.

As a newcomer to night hiking, you should hike familiar ground in the dark to gain experience in night hiking before you consider taking on unfamiliar ground.

Hiking familiar ground will help you find familiar landmarks at night and know the trail's condition, including any steep drop-offs, cliffs, or any other pitfalls along the trail. This knowledge will help you concentrate on developing your night hiking skills without worrying about unfamiliar territory throwing you any surprises!

Know The Local Wildlife When Hiking In The Dark

Become familiar with the types of animals you can expect to encounter on your hike in the dark. Are you walking in bear country, mountain lion territory, or an area known for snakes?

Knowing the local wildlife you could encounter will help you take precautionary measures to minimize problematic and unexpected encounters with these potentially dangerous animals.

If you don't take this precaution, at least pack extra toilet paper and underwear; you will need them after an unexpected encounter with a mountain lion in the dark!

Start Your Hike In the Dark While It Is Light

This may sound like a contradiction to start your nighttime hike in the daylight, but it makes perfectly good sense if you give it some thought.

If you arrive at the starting point, you can gather your gear together and prepare for the hike without the risk of leaving an important piece of equipment on the hood of your car, such as your GPS, because you couldn't see it in the dark!

Starting the trail at sunset and walking into the dark allows all the hikers in your party to become a little familiar with the trail and get their bearings before darkness falls. This helps to increase your perception of the general layout of the terrain before it gets completely dark.

Fitness For Hiking In The Dark

Are you hiking fit? If you are not, you should be planning some daylight hikes before attempting a hike in the dark. It is all too easy to take a wrong turn on a hiking trail in the dark, and your 5-mile hike turns into a 10-mile hike! Don't ask me how I know about this aspect of night hiking!

Part of being hiking fit means that you have well-worn-in boots, you are comfortable with your backpack, and you don't have any medical issues that may cause you problems out on the trail.

Hiking in the dark poses many complications for rescuing a hiker who should not have been out on the trail in the first place!

Work on your fitness in the daylight before you take on a hike at night.

Conclusion

Hiking in the dark can be a way to expand your hiking experience and deliver another aspect of excitement to the activity.

Planning is the most important key of enjoying a successful hike under the stars or in the moonlight. Do your planning and preparation and you will enjoy a hiking experience that is challenging and exhilarating and will have you vigorously planning your next hike in the dark as soon as you get back!