Here’s what you need to know about night hiking

There’s something magical about hitting the trails once the sun has dipped below the horizon. The stars come out, nocturnal creatures come alive, and the trails you’re most familiar with during the day time might feel like uncharted territory.

Night hiking engages your senses in a new way, and you might just find that it’s the perfect way to escape the heat, crowds, and chaos of the day. Here’s our complete guide to night hiking and how to do it safely.

What to expect while night hiking

Night hiking isn’t going to be like anything you’ve ever experienced before. The dark nights have always seemed creepy to some, but if you can get past it, you’ll find that night hiking is a great way to get out in nature. Expect low visibility even if there are bright stars or the moon. While navigating at night, you’ll find yourself relying on senses other than your sight, such as hearing and smell. You’ll be more in tune with every rustling leaf and scent of the forest.

Nocturnal and crepuscular animals like bats, owls, foxes, and coyotes will be more active at night, so there are higher changes for surprise encounters that you’ll need to be mentally and physically prepared for, but more on that later.

You might also find that the trail’s estimated completion time will be wrong, since you’ll need to slow your pace to focus on footing and navigation. Plan for extra time, and don’t rush yourself while on the trail. Night hiking can feel intimidating for beginners, so if you feel uneasy at first, hike with a buddy or someone you know who has experience with nighttime adventures.

Where to go while night hiking

One of the biggest decisions you’ll make is where to go, so when choosing a night hiking destination, be sure to pick a location where trail use is permitted after sunset. If this is your first time, consider planning a short night hike on your next camping or backpacking trip. For car campers, an extended, starlit stroll around your campground can be an ideal way to ease into longer night hikes. And, for backpackers, consider planning a night hike on your next outing, especially if you’ll be camping in terrain that is prime for exploring after sundown.

For optimal stargazing, think about exploring one of the locations designated as International Dark Sky Places by the DarkSky International. This Arizona-based non-profit is dedicated to preserving the night sky and reducing light pollution and has recognized more than 130 different International Dark Sky Places around the world.

A number of America’s national parks also offer epic night hiking experiences. In the West, Utah’s Bryce Canyon National Park offers monthly full moon hikes, and in California, Death Valley National Park is one of the country’s premier stargazing spots, designated as a Gold Tier Dark Sky Park by the International Dark Sky Association. For night hikers, the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes are an ideal area to explore after sunset. East of the Mississippi River, in Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park, the Big Meadows Campground is perched just across from one of the protected area’s top stargazing spots — the expansive, trail-etched grassland aptly titled Big Meadows.

Further south in North Carolina, on the string of barrier islands known as the Outer Banks, the Hatteras National Seashore’s Frisco Campground offers campsites nestled in the scruffy sand dunes, just steps from the beach. And, for nighttime strolls, the statewide Mountains-to-Sea Trail traverses the national seashore.

No matter where you go, make sure that the trail is familiar to you. It’s always a great idea to check out your night hike trail during the daytime to familiarize yourself with all the landmarks and potential hazards.

How to face the dark while night hiking

While humans don’t have the night vision capabilities of crepuscular or nocturnal critters like raccoons, opossums, or mountain lions, our eyes will eventually adjust to the lack of light. It just takes a little time.

First of all, our pupils dilate within the first few minutes of being exposed to low-light conditions. But, more importantly, rods, the cells in our eyes that help us see in the dark, require a chemical known as rhodopsin to begin functioning.

The body, however, only begins producing rhodopsin after low levels of light have been detected for about half an hour. So, before starting your night hike, allow enough time for your natural night vision to take over. And remember, even just a few seconds of exposure to light will undo your natural night vision, meaning your body will have to adjust all over again, so try to use your headlamp as little as possible.

It’s helpful to plan your trip for around sunset and moonrise. That way, you’ll still have some natural illumination so you won’t need to rely so much on artificial light. Start your hike shortly before dusk, which will allow your eyes enough time to get used to the dark.

What to bring on a night hike

A night hike is just like any other hike, but you’ll want to be extra prepared in case things go wrong. Pack your bag with the usual trail staples: water, some tasty trail snacks, navigation tools, and a first aid kit.

You may also wish to bring some extra clothing. Wear a moisture-wicking base layer in case you sweat, and wear an insulating layer like fleece or a puffy jacket. In case it rains, you’ll also want to pack a waterproof or windproof outer layer to be on the safe side. Bring your favorite beanie and wear sturdy hiking boots with great ankle support. The last thing you want to do is twist your ankle in an unforeseen pothole. If you’re nervous about stability, trekking poles will be useful during stretches of trail with slippery or uneven terrain.

To allow your natural night vision to take over, bring your best adventure headlamp with a red light setting. Because red light has longer wavelengths, rhodopsin is not as reactive to it, as compared to the standard white light on a headlamp. And don’t forget to pack extra batteries, just in case you spend more time on the trail than planned or get disoriented in the dark.

If it’s allowed, bring glow sticks or reflective tape to mark your path so you can easily see it on the way back. However, make sure that you pick them up as you return so that you follow leave no trace principles and reduce your impact on the environment.

There’s bound to be a few nocturnal animals around, so depending on the wildlife in your area, bring pepper spray or bear spray (and know how to use it) as a last resort, and keep it in an accessible pocket.  Bug spray will also help keep the mosquitoes away during the warmer months.

Staying safe on the trail

Begin with a familiar trail, or route that’s easy to follow, and avoid terrain with potential hazards that would be tricky to tackle in the dark, like river crossings, precipitous cliff ledges lines, or dense, root-knotted forests that obscure views of the sky. And while still getting used to trekking by moonlight, choose landscapes that are also easy to navigate, like expansive meadows or stretches of sandy coastline.

Forest roads with minimal traffic can also be an easily accessible option for night hikers. For the first few outings after sunset, bring along a hiking buddy, or go in a group. And, be sure to let someone at home know your travel plans.

Forget about setting any speed records. When planning your first few night hikes, don’t worry about mileage, or reaching a specific destination, just take some time to get used to navigating in the dark. Slow down and appreciate the experience, stop to listen for roving wildlife, admire the aesthetics of the landscape in the moonlight, and keep an eye on the cosmos for shooting stars.

Be sure to consider the local critters in your region. While night hiking provides an opportunity to encounter engaging creatures of the night, from swift-winged barred owls to vocalizing coyotes, be mindful of moonlit encounters as some creatures (especially predators) can behave differently after sundown. And, in the dark, it can be easy to inadvertently startle animals along the trail.

To make navigating after sunset easier, pay attention to the weather and the phases of the moon, and plan your night hike on a clear night when the moon is full. And, if you’re not quite ready for a starry-skied adventure, ease into night hiking with a few short treks in lower light conditions, either at dusk or dawn, when trails are also usually less busy. For starters, consider planning a few short outings that coincide with sunrise or sunset.

Night hiking doesn’t have to be an intimidating experience, and once you have all your best outdoor gear dialed in, it can be really enjoyable. Find a friend who’s up for the adventure and go enjoy yourself! There’s nothing like hiking beneath a full moon on a clear night with a canopy of stars above you.