One of the most fascinating and enjoyable outdoor activities that a person can go for is a wilderness hike through several of the country’s numerous national parks, forests, and mountain paths. Through this activity, not only do you get a moderate degree of exercise as you walk through the various designated routes set out by the tour guide but you also get to experience nature in all its glory.
From snow capped mountains, to dense woodlands, and even scenic lakeshores; a nature trail can let you experience all the wonders of nature with your family and friends at your side. Best of all, a wilderness hike is usually quite safe given the fact that the areas picked for the hike are along paths that are seldom frequented by large carnivores such as wolves, bears, mountain lions or an assortment of other predators.
Degree of Difficulty
While a wilderness hike does require a certain degree of preparation such as making sure you have a first aid kit, enough water to sustain you throughout the hike as well as easy to eat lunches that can be stored back into your bag; there is little difficulty involved in actually going for a nice hike.
All you need is to be marginally fit in terms of being able to last walking more than 5 miles or so through a variety of environments. Overall, whether you are young or old a wilderness hike is something for people of all ages and should not be missed given the way in which you get to observe the wonders of nature first hand.
Why do People participate in this Kind of Activity?
One of the main reasons why people participate in this sort of activity is that it allows them to feel and experience nature directly through their senses instead of looking at nature through a TV screen or a reading about it on the internet. In fact, many nature lovers take extensive wilderness hikes all throughout the various woodland areas throughout the U.S. in order to better appreciate the natural wonders within the country.
Aside from being able to commune with nature there are actually numerous health benefits associated with going for a wilderness hike. For one thing, it helps to improve a person’s cardiovascular health since constant hiking helps to strengthen the muscles of the heart while at the same time increases a person’s stamina. Not only that, constant exposure to fresh air devoid of pollutants actually helps to ease lung related illnesses. All in all, the activity is both a boon for the mind as well as the body since it benefits both.
Basic Equipment Needed
In order to properly participate in a wilderness hike you will actually need an extensive collection of items in order to ensure both your safety and your overall health during the hike. First and foremost, all hikers need to have a plentiful water supply at all times since it is unlikely there will be suitable areas where you can get water along the trail.
This involves having to bring a large jug filled with water that is waterproof so that no liquids will spill into the contents of your backpack. You will also need to be wearing the proper attire; this consists of sturdy hiking boots, loose but durable clothing as well as having spare clothes within your backpack.
Easy to store food are also necessities, with pre-packed sandwiches or other convenient forms of sustenance being the type of food you need bring along and eat during break periods. Lastly, in case of possible emergencies you need to bring along a first aid kit as well as a mobile phone with good reception so that you can call emergency services in case something happens.
Ideal Location for the Activity
The ideal location for this type of activity would have to any number of state parks, hiking trails and mountainous regions within the U.S. that have scenic but easy to navigate routes. For example, Yellowstone Park, the Great Lakes Region, the Rocky Mountains, and the deserts of Nevada all have dozens of well utilized hiking trails that anyone can go for.
Rei Adventures
Services Provided
This particular wilderness hike tour company provides a variety of tour packages for any number of locations both within the U.S. and in other countries. The company fully books your hotel stay, transportation and ensures that qualified guides are with you every step of the way in order to ensure that throughout your trip you are as safe and secure as possible.
Facilities Utilized
This particular company does not have a facility where customers can go to; rather most of the transactions are done online with a tour guide meeting up with you and the other hikers at the location. It must be noted though that the hotels where the company usually registers you at are actually quite pleasant to stay at and as such if that is measure by which the company will be judged then I have to say that they have excellent facilities.
Target Market
Given the prices posted on their website, (ranging from $650 to $6,000) the company mainly caters to individuals who are hiking fanatics or companies that are arranging retreats for their executive staff. As such, the target market for them is probably around the age range of 30 to 45 years old, or merely people who can afford the hiking packages that they have available.
Pricing
While their prices may be quite high, the fact is that given the spectacular destinations that the hikes usually encompass the prices are well worth it since some of these locations are in areas few people have seen or have been to.
Most Appealing Aspect of this Provider
The most appealing aspect of this particular wilderness tour provider is the fact that they have so many locations to choose from that it would take most of your lifetime in order to try them all out.