• Go with a buddy—or a team! Bring a parent or other trusted grown-up with you when you hike. Hiking is a great activity to do with family or a couple of friends. You can chat, play car or trail games like “I Spy,” and pack along a snack to share. Sticking together is good for safety, too. Dangerous animals are often scared off by the chatter of a large group.

• Dress appropriately. Check the weather and terrain of your chosen hiking area and wear clothes and shoes that are safe and comfortable to move in. Don’t forget sunscreen, especially if you’re hiking at elevation. Even in the winter, UV protection is a good idea if you’re spending all day outdoors. 

• Pack the essentials. It’s a good idea to bring water, a snack (or a sack lunch, if you’re going on a longer hike), and some basic first aid for trail hazards like scraped knees, sunburn, and bug bites. For an extra long hike, bring sunscreen and bug spray to reapply every few hours.

• Tell somebody else about your plans. If you are planning a very long hike, ask a trusted adult who is not coming along to be your safety contact. Tell them about your plan for the hike, including what time you will be starting and what time you plan to get home. You can also show them a map of your route. Call or text your safety contact when you’re starting the hike and call or text them again when you’ve made it safely home. If something goes wrong and your group gets stuck on the trail, your safety contact will know that they should call a wilderness rescue team to come help you.

• Know before you go. Do a little research on the area you’ll be hiking to learn about local plant, insect, and animal life. That way, you’ll know if you should keep an eye out for beautiful monarch butterflies, dangerous rattlesnakes, delicate trilliums, or itchy nettles! 

Follow this route in the High Peaks Wilderness of upstate New York to trace the steps of Allen and Yana's journey! This is an approximately twelve-mile hike through a high mountain forest with an elevation gain of 1200 feet. The route begins at the Heart Lake Adirondak Loj and ends at the East River Parking Area. 

You can also check out the links to the following trails for photos of the area and reviews by fellow hikers!