Gulf Islands National Seashore, Florida and Mississippi

1801 Gulf Breeze Parkway
Gulf Breeze, FL 32563
Phone: (850) 934-2600
Description: What is it that entices people to the sea? Poet John Masefield wrote, “I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied.” Millions of visitors are drawn to the islands in the northern Gulf of Mexico for the white sandy beaches, the aquamarine waters, a boat ride, a camping spot, a tour of an old fort, or a place to fish.
Website

Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail, Alabama, Mississippi, and, Tennessee

2680 Natchez Trace Parkway
Tupelo, MS 38804
Phone: (800) 305-7417
Description: The 450-mile foot trail that became known as the Natchez Trace was the lifeline through the Old Southwest. You can experience portions of that journey the way earlier travelers did - on foot. Today there are five separate trails totaling over 60 miles and they are administered by the Natchez Trace Parkway.
Website

Be Safe, Be Smart

Tell somebody where you are going and when you plan to return, in case you get injured or lost. Best to inform the rangers and your friends.

The Appalachian Trail

Please observe the following safety tips

• Do not leave children unsupervised.




• Please stay on the developed trail.




• Be careful when walking the trail.  Watch your step & stay away from steep grades.




• Be aware that poisonous snakes & stinging insects may be encountered.




• Enjoy wildlife & plant life by looking at it. Take only memories & leave only footprints.




• Please carry out all trash & litter.

American Hiking Society

Founded in 1976, American Hiking Society is the only national organization that promotes and protects foot trails, their surrounding natural areas, and the hiking experience. As the national voice for hikers, American Hiking Society recognizes that foot trails and hiking are essential to connect people with nature, conserve open space, provide biological corridors for diverse plants and wildlife, and for the health of Americans and our natural environment. We represent millions of hikers who are committed to beautiful places to hike and believe that the preservation of hiking trails and their environments is important and a worthwhile legacy to leave future generations.

AHS website

Hiker Survives 4 Days Without Food: What Food You Need to Survive

If you're planning a hiking or backpacking trip in the near future (it is camping weather, after all), we've rounded up backpacking tips and what food essentials to pack from Wild Backpacker and Trails.com.

• Don't skimp on the calories. You should pack about 3,000 to 4,000 calories per person, per day — that's about 1 to 2 pounds per person. Dehydrated foods can provide tasty meals while lightening the load.

  
  

• Carbs and fruits are your friends. Why? They provide an essential energy boost, crucial for long hikes and hungry nights. Pack some granola, energy bars, candy, and gorp.

  
  

• Get your daily value of protein, too. The amino acids are essential for metabolism, and therefore for producing your body's energy.

  
  

• Potato chips and greasy snacks aren't just good snacks; they're also fire-starters should you run out of matches — pack a few extra bags, just in case.

  
  

• The ultimate survival food kit: beef jerky, nut mixes (unsalted), and PowerBars.

Read more

Appalachian Trail

The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the Appalachian Trail or simply the AT, is a marked hiking trail in the eastern United States extending between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine. It is approximately 2,184 miles  long. The trail passes through the states of Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. The path is maintained by 30 trail clubs and multiple partnerships, and managed by the National Park Service and the nonprofit Appalachian Trail Conservancy. The majority of the trail is in wilderness, although some portions traverse towns, roads and cross rivers.

The Appalachian Trail is famous for its many hikers, some of whom, called thru-hikers, attempt to hike it in its entirety in a single season. Many books, memoirs, web sites and fan organizations are dedicated to this pursuit. An unofficial extension known as the International Appalachian Trail, continues north into Canada and to the end of the range, where it enters the Atlantic Ocean.

The Appalachian Trail, the Continental Divide Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail form what is known as the Triple Crown of long distance hiking in the United States.

Source: Wikipedia

Continental Divide Trail

The Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (in short Continental Divide Trail) is a United States National Scenic Trail running 3,100 miles between Mexico and Canada. It follows the Continental Divide along the Rocky Mountains and traverses five U.S. states — Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico. In Montana it crosses Triple Divide Peak which separates the Hudson Bay, Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean drainages.

In 2004, the trail, which is a combination of dedicated trails and small roads, was considered 70% complete. The uncompleted portions of the trail must be traveled by bushwhacking or roadwalking.

Only about two dozen people a year attempt to hike the entire trail, taking about six months to complete it. As of 2008, no equestrians have managed to ride the entire trail in a single year, although several "long riders" have tried.German long distance rider Günter Wamser (on his way from Tierra del Fuego to Alaska, and Austrian Sonja Endlweber (who joined him for the rest of the journey from Mexico) managed to complete the tour with four Bureau of Land Management mustangs in three summers 2007–2009.

In 2007, Francis Tapon became the first person to do a round backpacking trip "Yo-Yo" on the Continental Divide Trail when he thru-hiked from Mexico to Canada and back to Mexico along the CDT and needed 7 months to finish it.

The Continental Divide Trail along with the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail form the Triple Crown of long distance hiking in the United States.

This trail can be continued above the Canadian border to Kakwa Lake north of Jasper National Park by the Great Divide Trail, which is so far described only in a few books and carries no official Canadian status.

Source: Wikipedia

Francis Tapon's CDT Yo-Yo hike - a website of the first person who made a round-trip on the CDT. website

Pacific Crest Trail

The Pacific Crest Trail (commonly referred to as the PCT, and occasionally designated as the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail) is a long-distance mountain hiking and equestrian trail closely aligned with the highest portion of the Sierra Nevada and Cascade Range, which lie 100 to 150 miles east of the U.S. Pacific coast. The trail's southern terminus is on the U.S. border with Mexico, and its northern terminus is in British Columbia, Canada; its corridor through the U.S. is in the states of California, Oregon, and Washington.

The Pacific Crest Trail is 2,663 mi long and ranges in elevation from just above sea level at the Oregon-Washington border to 13,153 feet at Forester Pass in the Sierra Nevada. The route passes through 25 national forests and 7 national parks. It was designated a National Scenic Trail in 1968, although it was not officially completed until 1993. The PCT was conceived by Clinton C. Clarke in 1932. It received official status under the National Trails System Act of 1968.

The route is mostly through National Forest and protected wilderness. The trail avoids civilization, and covers scenic and pristine mountainous terrain with few roads. It passes through the Laguna, San Jacinto, San Bernardino, San Gabriel, Liebre, Tehachapi, Sierra Nevada, and Klamath ranges in California, and the Cascade Range in California, Oregon, and Washington states.

A parallel route for bicycles, the Pacific Crest Bicycle Trail (PCBT) is a 2,500 mile route designed to closely parallel the PCT on roads. The PCT and PCBT cross in about 27 places along their routes.

Source: Wikipedia

North Country Trail

The North Country National Scenic Trail (NCT), which stretches approximately 4,600 miles from Crown Point in eastern New York to Lake Sakakawea in central North Dakota in the United States, is the longest of the eleven National Scenic Trails authorized by Congress. Like its sister trails, it was designed to provide peaceful recreational opportunities in some of the America's outstanding landscapes. As of 2010, over 2,100 miles have been certified.

The NCT is administered by the National Park Service, managed by federal, state, and local agencies, and built and maintained primarily by the volunteers of the North Country Trail Association (NCTA) and its partners. The 28 chapters of the NCTA, its 3,200+ members and each affiliate organization have assumed responsibility for trail construction and maintenance of a specific section of the NCT.

Passing through the seven states of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan (where it traverses the Lower Peninsula from the Ohio border to Mackinaw City and the Upper Peninsula from St. Ignace to Ironwood),[1] Wisconsin, Minnesota and North Dakota, the NCT connects more than 160 public land units, including parks, forests, scenic attractions, wildlife refuges, game areas, and historic sites. The list includes:

Ten National Forest areas (Finger Lakes in New York, Allegheny in Pennsylvania, Wayne in Ohio, Manistee, Hiawatha, and Ottawa in Michigan, Chequamegon in Wisconsin, Superior and Chippewa in Minnesota and Sheyenne National Grassland in North Dakota)
Four areas of the National Park Service (Michigan's Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Wisconsin's St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, New York's Fort Stanwix National Monument, and Ohio's Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park)

Source: Wikipedia

Womens Outdoor Life

Website

When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors! The Importance of Lightning Safety

Summer is the peak season for one of the nation's deadliest weather phenomena--lightning. Though lightning strikes peak in summer, people are struck year round. In the United States, an average of 51 people are killed each year by lightning, and hundreds more are severely injured. While lightning fatalities have decreased over the past 30 years, lightning continues to be one of the top three storm-related killers in the United States.

Myth: If it is not raining, then there is no danger from lightning.

Fact: Lightning often strikes outside of heavy rain and may occur as far as 10 miles away from any rainfall. This is especially true in the western United States where thunderstorms sometimes produce very little rain.

Myth: The rubber soles of shoes or rubber tires on a car will protect you from being struck by lightning.

Fact:: Rubber-soled shoes and rubber tires provide NO protection from lightning. The steel frame of a hard-topped vehicle provides increased protection if you are not touching metal. Although you may be injured if lightning strikes your car, you are much safer inside a vehicle than outside.

Myth: 'Heat lightning' occurs after very hot summer days and poses no threat.

Fact:: 'Heat lightning' is a term used to describe lightning from a thunderstorm too far away for the thunder to be heard.

Myth: Lightning never strikes the same place twice.

Fact:: Lightning often strikes the same place repeatedly, especially if it's a tall, pointy, isolated object. The Empire State Building is hit nearly 100 times a year.

Myth: If it's not raining or there aren't clouds overhead, you're safe from lightning.

Fact:: Lightning often strikes more than three miles from the center of the thunderstorm, far outside the rain or thunderstorm cloud. 'Bolts from the blue' can strike 10-15 miles from the thunderstorm.

Myth: A lightning victim is electrified. If you touch them, you'll be electrocuted.

Fact:: The human body does not store electricity. It is perfectly safe to touch a lightning victim to give them first aid. This is the most chilling of lightning Myths. Imagine if someone died because people were afraid to give CPR! Call 9-1-1 and begin CPR immediately if the person has stopped breathing. Use an Automatic External Defibrillator if one is available. Contact your local American Red Cross chapter for information on CPR and first aid classes.

Myth: If outside in a thunderstorm, you should seek shelter under a tree to stay dry.

Fact:: Being underneath a tree is the second leading cause of lightning casualties. Better to get wet than fried!

Myth: If you are in a house, you are 100% safe from lightning.

Fact:: A house is a safe place to be during a thunderstorm as long as you avoid anything that conducts electricity. This means staying off corded phones, electrical appliances, wires, TV cables, computers, plumbing, metal doors and windows. Windows are hazardous for two reasons: wind generated during a thunderstorm can blow objects into the window, breaking it and causing glass to shatter and second, in older homes, in rare instances, lightning can come in cracks in the sides of windows.

Myth: If thunderstorms threaten while you are outside playing a game, it is okay to finish it before seeking shelter.

Fact:: Many lightning casualties occur because people do not seek shelter soon enough. No game is worth death or life-long injuries. Seek proper shelter immediately if you hear thunder. Adults are responsible for the safety of children.

Myth: If trapped outside and lightning is about to strike, I should lie flat on the ground.

Fact:: Lying flat increases your chance of being affected by potentially deadly ground current. If you are caught outside in a thunderstorm, you keep moving toward a safe shelter.

Source: FEMA