Day Hiking Tips

Over the years, here are some things I've learned which may help you:

• The two most useful items to carry in your backpack: a poncho and an umbrella.  A poncho keeps your day pack dry.  In heavy rain, use both.  And when the sun is hot, the umbrella is great to limit glare and sunburn!
• When you're pressed for time, look for hikes near the main, paved roads.  Travelling deep into the National Forests on dirt roads can chew up a lot of daylight.  Sometimes, some real gems can be found close to the hardtop.  And with the time you save, you can do a second or third day hike!