Essential Safety Tips To Know For Hiking Colorado's Trails

Keep your Colorado hiking adventures epic and trouble‑free by following the basics of hiking safety before and during your backcountry visits.

Grand Junction offers a wide variety of trails to explore on the Western Slope, but many require careful preparation.

Elevation changes and unpredictable weather can turn outdoor fun into a fiasco in about two minutes. Stick to these Colorado hiking tips to ensure a fun adventure and a safe return.

10 Colorado Hiking Safety Warnings & Expert Tips: What To Know

Colorado's outdoor hiking season is here, and locals and tourists will step into the backcountry to seek out some of our state's legendary hikes. Before heading out on your next big adventure, take a moment to remind yourself of the following safety warnings that apply across the board in the Centennial State.

Gallery Credit: Wesley Adams

Altitude Sickness Is Real

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Altitude sickness is a very real thing in Colorado. Some people feel it as soon as they visit the mile‑high city of Denver, while others don’t notice until they’re nearing the summit of one of our 14ers.

If a trip above 8,000 feet brings on headaches, nausea, or dizziness, that’s a clear sign that climbing a 14er might not be for you. Start slow, hydrate, and head back down as soon as symptoms appear.

Colorado's Afternoon Thunderstorms

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June to September is the North American Monsoon season. In Colorado, this means fast-building afternoon thunderstorms can come out of nowhere. Hiking above 12,000 feet when this happens can make your adventure incredibly dangerous.

Monsoon season can also make low-level hikes in Colorado's high desert canyons dangerous. Flash Flood risk can cause narrow canyons in Western Colorado/Eastern Utah can fill up fast without warning. If you want to enjoy hiking in Colorado, you must know what the weather will be like for the duration of your adventure.

Colorado Wildlife Encounters

Bears, moose, mountain lions, and rattlesnakes all call Colorado home. Hiking and camping in some areas may mean encountering some of these animals on their turf. If you bring sandwiches to my house, I will try to eat them. Hungry wildlife are no different. Keep your food sealed, talk out loud around blind corners, and always keep bear spray within arm's reach.

Photo by Y S on Unsplash

MORE: Beware of the 12 Most Dangerous Animals in Colorado

Keep an eye out for the following 12 dangerous animals in Colorado. While these creatures usually go out of their way to avoid you, if you encounter one you will want to give it plenty of space. Scroll on to see each one and find out why they make the cut of the most dangerous animals in Colorado.

Gallery Credit: Wes Adams

NEXT: Grand Junction Colorado Animals - Robert Grant Photos

Here's another gallery of Robert Grant photos from Grand Junction, Colorado's past. With this gallery, the focus is on animals - domesticated to wildlife, and everything in between. These images range from the 1950s to the 1970s.

Gallery Credit: Waylon Jordan

Source: Avoid Colorado’s Hiking Hazards: What To Know About Beautiful Landscapes

Categories: Colorado News, Colorado Outdoors