This summer is drawing to a close. Cars fill the trailhead parking lots from Acadia to Aroostook. It seems that everyone wants to hike the same trails you do, before they go home for the season. There’s still more than a month left until autumnal equinox and the celestial end of summer. But for most of us, it all wraps up Labor Day weekend, only weeks away.

In a rush to get all those hikes in, however, some hikers forget or never consider a few safety rules and practices. They can prevent their vacations from ending sooner than they planned. What follows then, are some precautions you can take to have a great, safe hike in the Maine outdoors. Some are unique to Maine, some are just good for wherever you hike.

Plan your hike

Every good hike should start with a plan. Even the shortest hike should have a turnaround time. Before starting, decide when to turn back to the car. Get a guidebook, or at least a detailed map so you know where the intersections with other trails lead.

Learn what you can from trailhead kiosks or rangers at state parks about conditions along the trail, hard parts, or stuff you may not be willing to encounter, such as steep, difficult terrain that you may be unfamiliar with negotiating.

Planning includes loading at least a daypack for shorter hikes. No one, except trail runners, should hike without a daypack. At the least, put in a wind or rain jacket, first aid kit, lunch, extra water, snacks, flashlight and the map. For hikes, such as overnights, that require you to fill up on water in the backcountry, you need to bring some kind of treatment, either filter or chemical.

In Maine the trails vary from easy to very difficult. Just remember that if you need help, the remoteness that drew you to the backcountry in the first place can add minutes, maybe hours to a trip to the nearest hospital, often 10 to 20 miles away. Depending on your location it could take rescuers hours just to reach you.

The last step in planning should be giving yourself an honest assessment of your skill level. If the trail is described on the map or in the guidebook as difficult, strenuous and exposed, maybe it’s one you and the family shouldn’t take. Most accidents occur from people overestimating their abilities and underestimating the difficulty of the terrain.

On the trail

Once you’ve decided where to go and what to bring, all that’s left is take that hike. Pace yourself. Hike for 50 minutes, then take a 10-minute break. Repeating this often enough will get you up most any hill or mountain in Maine. Recognize when you think you’ve hiked enough to still have enough stamina to return to the car. Most hiking accidents occur on the descent from the summit. By establishing a pace you can keep, you’ll wear out later, maybe not at all. Drink plenty of water. Drink a little at a time before you’re thirsty at breaks along the way. By staying hydrated you’ll keep muscles fresher, longer.

In groups of more than three stay somewhat together, especially if there are members of the group with unequal ability. Wait for slower hikers to catch up at rest stops on the trail.

Stay on the trail. Don’t take short cuts. It’s tempting to try and find a shorter route to the top or on the return trip. If you do that, you could end up like a person a number of years ago. He saw the lights of town after dark as he was headed back to his vehicle. He went off the trail, on what he thought was a short cut and headed for the lights. He walked off the edge of a cliff and died. Not every short cut has a cliff along it, but you never know.

Finally, hiking in Maine is relatively safe, especially when compared to other outdoor pursuits. However, according to the people who collect the info on such things, the Outdoor Industry Association, summer is the season when most accidents occur outside. Partly that’s because there are just more people outdoors hiking.

But it doesn’t have to be you who increases the number of accidents by one more. Keep in mind that Maine is a remote state, the trails can be as difficult as those in your home state, maybe harder than most. By adhering to the Boy Scout motto, “Be Prepared,” you’ll have a fantastic hike and return home safely with pictures of outstanding scenery, instead of pictures of bandaged wounds and emergency rooms.

Hiking should be fun, carefree and an experience to enjoy. Maine hiking is all those things and more. The variety of terrain, the miles of trails, the outstanding scenery and the wildlife watching draws hikers from all over the world. If everyone practiced some safe hiking skills, they’d all leave here with memories to last a lifetime.