Tips and Tricks for Night Hikes.
On a night hike at Arabia Mountain 2025
My first trip to Olympic National Park was a wild ride, from bear encounters to haunted campsites (I swear!) The trip was one unexpected thing after the next.
It was September of 2022 and it was considered an Indian Summer. It was DRY. Like, arid, depressing, dried up river beds, dry. In Olympic National Park… where all you plan for is being wet. On the bright side we didn’t have to manage wet gear, wet tents and wet socks, like we’d expected. On the bummer side, it looked like a PSA for global warming. Enchanted Valley was… how do I say it? Unenchanting.
See images for reference below. The first one shows what was expected. The second one shows… what we found.
So, after a few days of bad luck, a bear skirmish, no water at campsites and my friend crying silently as she hiked behind me (I think it was mostly about a boy and but who can be certain), we decided to hike out 24 miles in one go and spend the rest of our trip at the coast.
FYI: We cover the water mistake extensively in our Beginner Backpacking programs but just to be clear– when planning a backcountry trip, you ALWAYS verify water sources with park services before hiking in.
This was my first foray into a serious night hike. I’d done a few miles here and there, a quick hike for star views or an accidental miscalculation of miles and timing. This was about 4 hours straight of pitch black hiking. Below are some tips and tricks I’ve picked up both from this hellish experience and from other night hikes since.
Whether you’re trying to escape a crummy backpacking trip, the heat of day, or just get some magical night time outdoor experiences, a night hike can be a special experience if done safely!
Always start the hike before sunset so that you can get acquainted with your surroundings, enjoy a sunset and allow your eyes to adjust.
The perks of this cannot be overstated. Don’t you always want to see sunrise in nature but you’re too exhausted? Sunset is basically the same, only not early in the morning (shut up scientists).
Don’t pop the headlamp out right as the sun starts going down. Allow your eyes to adjust. I UNDERSTAND THE IMPULSE! Trust me, my mom worked in a jail and showed me pictures of f-ed up stuff as a kid. I am SCARED. But, if it’s a clear night and there is moon, you can get by with no headlamp for a long time– maybe the whole time!
It takes 45 minutes for your eyes to fully adjust, so give it the 45 minutes.
Apparently we (humans) (not raccoons) have better night vision out of our periphery than when looking straight at something. So, practicing a chill, dead stare, like a zombie is a good idea.
If you keep your headlamp on and hike miles and miles, like we did, you develop a sickly tunnel vision that makes everything feel like a video game. It also makes your peripheral vision useless, so you could easily be snuck up on by a bear, alien, or (fill in the blank with a picture my mom showed me.)
Bugs will fly at your face if you have a headlamp on. The creepy crawlers that emerged at night in ONP were straight up aliens. Giant banana slugs, GIANT purple grasshoppers… it was wild. But even your run of the mill moth will drive you nuts!
Make sure your headlamp has a red light. If you feel safer hiking with some light, red light doesn’t blast your eyes like white light does, so you can turn it on and off without having to restart your 45 minute night vision adjustment clock again. It’s not as disruptive to wildlife or your fellow hikers either.
Most headlamps now have a few settings and I know the instinct is to go all the way up on brightness (#America) but unless you’re trail running or looking for your lost cat, this really isn’t great.
This is my headlamp and I’ve really loved it!
Make sure your headlamp is fully charged with backup batteries and have an additional backup lightsource with you.
Hike during full moons! It really does make a difference. (not in a valley though… enchanted or otherwise– that ish is just DARK)
Choose a hike that you’re familiar with for your first few night hikes.
If you hear other hikers, turn your headlamp off or red. Friends don’t blind friends.
Hike in a group. The safety in numbers rule is strong in hiking whether dealing with wildlife or other risks. And if you’re in bear country, you want to make sure– just like in day– you’re making some noise chit chattin’ to warn them of your presence.
Bring bear spray if in bear country (guess what, you probably are– the American Black Bear is in nearly every state)
Bring First Aid Kit and your other 10 essentials
To learn more about the 10 essentials and what to bring on a hike in the backcountry vs the front country, come take our Wilderness Survival class!
Bring layers. As it gets later in the evening it will cool off, especially in more arid climates.
Check with where you’re going— many parks close after dark.
Tell someone where you’re hiking and when they should expect to hear from you.
To get an intro night hike in the Atlanta area with a campfire and S’mores after, check out our calendar and come see the stars at Arabia mountain with us!
Sleeping in the car at the trailhead after our hike out.
#memories
