Health and Safety

In general, the Trail is a safe place. But, like many other popular recreational activities, hiking on the A.T. is not without risk. Don't let the following potential dangers alarm you or discourage you from enjoying the Trail. Remember that common sense and intuition are your best allies, and preparation is the key for a healthy trip.

General Tips
Getting help in an emergency
Weather-related dangers
Personal safety & awareness tips
Wildlife
Blisters
Poison Ivy
Water along the Trail
Tips for safety during hunting season

General tips for health and safety

Choose clothing and equipment carefully, and make sure you have adequate food, water, and shelter available. Carry a basic first-aid kit that can treat scrapes, blisters, sprains, and aches. Always carry first-aid information with you and make sure someone in your group has first-aid training.

In an emergency, how do I get help?

Much of the A.T. is within range of mobile phone systems, although signal reception is sometimes not good in gaps, hollows, and valleys; shelters are often located in such areas of poor reception. Emergency numbers are included in guidebooks and on maps. If you don't have a phone or can't get through, the standard call for distress consists of three short calls, audible or visible, repeated at regular intervals. A whistle is particularly good for audible signals. Visible signals may include, in daytime, light flashed with a mirror or smoke puffs; at night, a flashlight or three small bright fires. Anyone recognizing such a signal should acknowledge with two calls—if possible by the same method—then go to the distressed person to determine the nature of the emergency. Arrange for additional aid, if necessary.

Most of the A.T. is well-enough traveled that, if you are injured, you can expect to be found. However, if an area is remote and the weather is bad, fewer hikers will be on the Trail, especially after dark. As a rule, keep your pack with you, and, even in an emergency, don't leave marked trails and try to "bushwhack" out— you will be harder to find and are more likely to encounter dangerous terrain. If you must leave the Trail, study the guidebook or map carefully for the nearest place where people are likely to be and attempt to move in that direction. If it is necessary to leave a heavy pack behind, be sure to take essentials, in case your rescue is delayed. In bad weather, a night in the open without proper covering could be fatal.

Weather-related dangers

Walking in the open means you will be susceptible to sudden changes in the weather, and traveling on foot means that it may be hard to find shelter quickly. Pay attention to the changing skies. Sudden spells of "off-season" cold weather, hail, and even snow are common along many parts of the Trail. Winter-like weather often occurs in late spring or early fall in the southern Appalachians, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. In the northern Appalachians, it can snow during any month of the year. Hypothermia, lightning, and heat exhaustion are all legitimate concerns. Don't let the fear of them ruin your hike, but take sensible precautions. 

Hypothermia. A cold rain can be the most dangerous weather of all, because it can cause hypothermia (or "exposure") even when conditions are well above freezing. Hypothermia occurs when wind and rain chill the body so that its core temperature drops; death occurs if the condition is not caught in time. Avoid hypothermia by dressing in layers of synthetic clothing, eating well, staying hydrated, and knowing when to hole up in a warm sleeping bag in a tent or shelter. Cotton clothing, such as blue jeans, tends to chill you when it gets wet from rain or sweat; if the weather turns bad, cotton clothes increase your risk of hypothermia. Natural wool and artificial fibers such as nylon, polyester, and polypropylene all do a much better job of insulation in cold, wet weather. Remember that, when the wind blows, its "chill" effect can make you much colder than the temperature would lead you to suspect, especially if you're sweaty or wet.

Lightning. The odds of being struck by lightning are low, but an open ridge is no place to be during a thunderstorm. If a storm is coming, immediately leave exposed areas. Boulders, rocky overhangs, and shallow caves offer no protection from lightning, which may actually flow through them along the ground after a strike. Tents and convertible automobiles are no good, either. Sheltering in hard-roofed automobiles or large buildings is best, although they are rarely available to the hiker. Avoid tall structures, such as ski lifts, flagpoles, powerline towers, and the tallest trees, solitary rocks, or open hilltops. If you cannot enter a building or car, take shelter in a stand of smaller trees or in the forest. Avoid clearings. If caught in the open, crouch down on your pack or pad, or roll into a ball. If you are in water, get out. Disperse groups, so that not everyone is struck by a single bolt. Do not hold a potential lightning rod, such as a fishing pole or metal hiking pole. More information on avoiding lightning danger is available.

Heat. Dry hot summers are surprisingly common along the Trail, particularly in the Virginias and the mid-Atlantic. Water may be scarce on humid days, sweat does not evaporate well, and many hikers face the danger of heat stroke and heat exhaustion if they haven't taken proper precautions. The best measures against heat emergencies are wearing a hat and sunscreen, staying well hydrated as you walk, and drinking plenty of water in camp. The following are the most common types of heat problems:

• Sunburn occurs rapidly and can be quite severe at higher elevations; hikers in the Virginias and southern Appalachians are often surprised by bad sunburn in spring, when no leaves are on the trees.
• Heat cramps are usually caused by strenuous activity in high heat and humidity, when sweating depletes salt levels in blood and tissues.
• Heat exhaustion occurs when the body's heat-regulating system breaks down. A victim may have heat cramps, sweat heavily, have cold, moist skin, and a face that is flushed, then pale.
• Heat stroke is life-threatening and occurs when the body's system of sweating fails to cool a person adequately. Body temperature can rise to 106 degrees or higher.

Wildlife

Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases. Ticks, which carry Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis and other diseases, are a risk on any hike. The northeastern United States—from Massachusetts to Maryland—has the highest concentration of reported cases of Lyme disease. Always check yourself for ticks daily. When in tick habitat (grassy, brushy, or woodland areas) your chances of being bitten by a tick can be decreased with a few precautions:

• Avoid tick-infested areas, especially in May, June, and July (many local health departments and park or extension services have information on the local distribution of ticks).
• Wear light colored clothing. Dark ticks can most easily be spotted against a light background.
• Tuck your pant legs into your socks. Tuck your shirt into your pants. Deer ticks grab onto feet and legs and then climb up. This precaution will keep then on the outside of your clothes, where they can be spotted and picked off.
• Spray insect repellent containing DEET on clothes and on exposed skin other than the face, or treat clothes (especially pants, socks, and shoes) with permethrin, which kills ticks on contact.
• Wear a hat and a long-sleeved shirt for added protection.
• Walk in the center of trails to avoid overhanging grass and brush.

After being outdoors, remove clothing and wash and dry it at a high temperature. Inspect body carefully and remove attached ticks with tweezers, grasping the tick as close to the skin surface as possible and pulling straight back with a slow steady force; avoid crushing the tick's body. In some areas, ticks (saved in a sealed container) can be submitted to the local health department for identification. More information is available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Precautions are adapted from Lyme Disease in the National Parks, available from the National Park Service Public Health Program.

Bears. Black bears live along many parts of the Trail and are particularly common in Georgia, the Shenandoah and Great Smoky Mountains national parks, and parts of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. While attacks on humans are rare, a startled bear or a female with cubs may react aggressively. The best way to avoid an encounter while
you are hiking is to make noise by whistling, talking, etc., to give the bear a chance to move away before you get close enough to make it feel threatened. If you encounter a bear and it does not move away, you should back off, speaking calmly and firmly, and avoid making eye contact. Do not run or "play dead" even if a bear makes a "bluff charge."

The best defense against bears in camp is preparing and storing food properly:

• Cook and eat your meals away from your tent or shelter, so food odors do not linger.
• Hang your food, cookware, toothpaste, personal hygiene items, and even water bottles (if you use drink mixes in them) in a sturdy bag from a strong tree branch at least ten feet off the ground and well away from your campsite. Make sure the bag is at least six feet from the trunk of the tree; black bears are crafty climbers and good reachers. Bear canisters also provide an effective alternative.
• Where bear boxes, poles, or cable systems are provided, use them. Never leave trash in bear boxes.
• Never feed the bears or leave food behind for them. That simply increases the risks to you and the hikers who follow behind you.
• A bear that enters a campsite or cooking area should be considered predatory.  Yelling, making loud noises, throwing rocks, may frighten it away, however, you should be prepared to fight back if necessary. 

If you are actually attacked by a bear, you should fight for all you are worth with anything at hand – rocks, sticks, fists. 

Snake bites. Poisonous and nonpoisonous snakes are widespread along the Trail in warm weather, but they are generally passive. Please don't kill them! Watch where you step and where you put your hands. Snakes are active at night in hot weather, so use a flashlight and wear shoes.

Snake bites are rare, and bites from poisonous snakes do not always contain venom. Very few people die from snakebites in the U.S. If you are bitten by a snake you believe to be venomous, try to remain calm. Call 911 and seek medical treatment as quickly as possible. In the backcountry, this may mean walking out to a trailhead instead of waiting for emergency personnel to reach you. Wash the wound with soap and water. Do not apply ice. Do not apply a tourniquet; remove rings or other jewelry that could function as a tourniquet if swelling occurs. Do not use a “cut and suck” method to try and remove venom.  More information is available from the U.S. Forest Service, the National Park Service, and emedicinehealth.com. 

Rabies. Cases of rabies have been reported in foxes, raccoons, and other small animals; a bite is a serious concern, although instances of hikers being bitten are rare. More information is available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Hantavirus. One case of the rare but dangerous rodent-borne disease hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) has been reported on the A.T. In 1993, an A.T. thru-hiker contracted hantavirus as he hiked through Virginia. He became quite ill but did recover and completed his hike the next year; investigators were unable to pinpoint the exact location of infection. Precautionary measures for hikers: Air out a closed, mice-infested structure for an hour before occupying it. Avoid sleeping on mouse droppings (use a mat or tent) or handling mice. Treat your water, and wash hands. More information is available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Park Service Public Health Program.

Blisters

Blisters are one of the most common ailments suffered by hikers. Break in new boots before you begin your hike. Always keep your feet dry while hiking. When you stop for breaks, take your shoes and socks off to air out your feet; change socks. Don't wait for a blister to develop. As soon as you feel any discomfort, place adhesive tape, duct tape, moleskin, or a blister-care product over areas of developing soreness.

Is poison ivy common along the Trail?

Poison ivy grows plentifully in the wild, particularly south of New England, and can be an annoyance during hiking season. Poison ivy is most often seen as a vine trailing near the ground or climbing on fences or trees. The leaves are in clusters of three, the end leaf with a longer stalk and pointed tip, light green in the spring but darkening as the weeks pass. The leaves often appear glossy in the sun. The inconspicuous flowers are greenish; the berries, white or cream. If you have touched poison ivy, wash immediately with strong soap (but not with one containing added oil). If a rash develops in the next day or so, treat it with calamine lotion or Solarcaine. Do not scratch. If blisters become serious or the rash spreads to the eyes, see a doctor. More information is available from the National Park Service Public Health Program.

Is the water safe to drink?

Water purity in the backcountry cannot be guaranteed. You must filter, boil, or chemically treat all water before consumption or use. Learn more.

Is hunting permitted on the A.T.?

Hunting is allowed along more than half of the Appalachian Trail's length, including some part of all 14 Trail states. During hunting season, make sure you can be seen and heard. Wear a blaze-orange cap and vest and/or backpack cover at all times, including in and around camp. Learn more about hunting and the A.T.