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Camping & Hiking Safety

Prepare for navigation errors, storms, wildlife encounters, unsafe water, campfires, and other camping and hiking hazards.

Safety, by situation

Start with the situation in front of you

Safety advice is most useful when it matches the situation. These guides explain what to check before leaving, which warning signs should change the plan, and when the safest next step is to stop and ask for help.

Conditions, closures, fire restrictions, wildlife rules, and emergency procedures vary by location. Confirm current instructions with the responsible park or land manager before the trip; during an emergency, follow local responders rather than a general article.

Build the safety baseline

Start with the hazards, communication plan, weather checks, and core supplies every trip should account for.

Open Camping Safety 101

The route stopped making sense

Use a calm sequence: stop, locate yourself, then decide whether to stay put or make one bounded retrace.

Use the lost-hiker guide

Wildlife may change the plan

Build a local bear plan around official rules, food storage, distance, and the behaviour you actually observe.

Review bear safety

A storm is approaching

Know why a tent is not lightning protection and decide where to shelter before the weather reaches camp.

Plan for thunderstorms

Official instructions win

Park rules, closures, active alerts, and emergency responders take priority over general guidance.

Stop conditions are explicit

We identify the signs that should end an activity, change the route, or trigger outside help.

Uncertainty stays visible

We separate broadly useful planning from location-specific facts that need current verification.

All camping and hiking safety guides