Green Hiking Guide

Father’s Day could be a great reason to get out for a hike, and the weather is meant to be fantastic this weekend. But honestly no one really needs an excuse to hit the trails. Fresh air, exercise, and time spent in nature is always a winning combination, and a little planning can help make sure your next hike is the best, and greenest, yet.

It’s important to remember the basics, of course, like don’t take anything away or leave anything behind—leave the plants and rocks where you found them, and take all your garbage home with you. Wildlife is amazing and the temptation to get a good shot is always there, but make sure not to stress out animals by trying to get closer to them, and they, in turn, will be far less likely to mess with you! And make sure you know where you’re going, how to get back, and that you’re all definitely up to the challenges a given trail offers; if you end up in trouble, someone else is going to have to take a risk to rescue you.

While it may not be possible to leave no trace at all, you can go a long way towards minimizing your impact. It’s crucial to have water, but your water doesn’t have to come with you in a disposable plastic bottle. There are tons of really cool, reusable water bottles on the market that are made without toxic chemicals. And speaking of chemicals, please don’t forget that you can always find natural sunscreens and bug sprays that will be far gentler on you and all the living things around you than the industrially produced versions. There’s a good chance you might work up an appetite; beeswax food wraps are an excellent, lightweight and reusable option for packing snacks. And we just thought it would be worth mentioning, these would all make great last minute gifts for hiking enthusiast dads! 

No matter how you celebrate Fathers Day, or who you might decide to take a walk outdoors with, we hope you have a wonderful, green and sunny weekend on the West Coast!