Note, this is a guest post from fellow hiker, Carol T.
Hiking can be a truly wonderful experience, walking through beautiful landscapes and seeing a range of flora and fauna. It can also be a great activity to do on your own so that you are alone with your thoughts, and you can enjoy some peaceful time.
On other occasions, however, it is fun to have a group of you on a hike to share experiences and enjoy some social time together. Putting together such a walk can take a little organization, so here are some tips on how to prepare. [Ed. note: I highly recommend hiking with a friend or in a small group. Not only is it safer, but it tends to be quite fun!]
Choosing a Route
When you are looking at possible routes to take with your hiking group, you have to be aware of all the people who will be coming along. Not everyone will be an experienced hiker, and some may not be very fit, so it is important to take all that into consideration.
Plan a few rest stops along the way and include locations where you can stop and have snacks and drink water.
For the first hike with a new group, it is a good idea to keep it fairly short and level; this will let you and others gauge how they cope with the distance.
Letting People Know
You will need to let people know in advance when the hike will be so they can plan time off and get things ready. If you are just inviting friends, then you can send them an invitation via email. If you are looking for others to join in, then there are many hiking forums and groups that you can ask. You can send the groups an invitation asking if anyone wants to come along. [Ed. note: Meetup groups are often a good way to find fellow hikers in your area. Also see the Hiking Lady list of major hiking clubs around the world!]
On your invitation to the group hike, make sure to share the details of the hike’s route, as well as the date and time. You should also try to encourage members of the group to carpool to the trailhead. You can use software such as Adobe Spark to create a unique invitation to send out.
Be Clear with Details
When inviting people to join the hike, make sure you are clear on the details. You want people to know what type of hike it will be, how long it will last and most important, what they need to bring in addition to their 10 Essentials.
You could always include a checklist of the things they should bring with them in case they are not used to hiking. It is another reason why you need to give plenty of notice, in case people need to Make sure you have maps available and that you, or someone else in the group, can map read efficiently.
Once all the preparations are complete, you can start out on your amazing hike and enjoy the scenery. There is no need to rush, just take your time walking through the beauty of nature.