REMEMBER

Be in shape before you begin your hike.
Always allow yourself enough daylight to finish your hike.
Always dress sensibly and for any kind of weather.
Learn how to read maps and a compass.
Act in a mature and safe manner at all times.
Be aware of your environment.
Always carry a first aid kit

Stay on the trail. Trails are there for you to hike on. They are expensive to build and hard to maintain. You can help by hiking ONLY on the trail. There'll be times when you'll want to take a shortcut, especially when the trail is zigzagging - but please don't do it. When people take shortcuts all over the place, soon it's impossible to tell where the trail is. This makes it a lot easier to get lost. Short cutting can quickly destroy a beautiful area.

Pack it in, pack it out -This means everything, including toilet paper and chewed over gum.

Give a hoot, don't pollute - If there are no toilets near your trail, walk at least 100 feet (50 paces) from the trail - 300 feet from any water source - before using an outdoor, "do0it-yourself" toilet. Take someone with you or make sure you can still see the trail and your group.

For solid wastes, use a sharp rock or small trowel to dig a shallow hole. After you've finished, cover up the wastes with the dirt you just dug out.

Hike in small groups - It's easier to get to know and keep track of hikers in a small group (three to eight). Fewer people mean less trampling of plants and less disturbance of animals. A bonus is that you're more likely to see wildlife if your group is small and quiet. Also if one person becomes sick or injured, a second person can wait with the injured hiker while the third person goes to get help.

Help keep it wild - because people are going hiking to enjoy nature talk and walk quietly. NEVER bring along CD players, cassette player or radios. This way everyone can enjoy the sounds of nature and not the sounds of your bedroom!

Hiking is both a challenging and a rewarding experience. Hiking can be tiring, but it is also great exercise. You will find that hiking gives you an opportunity to experience nature and the world around you. Hiking also gives you the chance to spend quiet, peaceful times with closes friends or family.