Desert Hiking Tips
Day hiking on desert lands in the Inland Northwest offers
much in the way of wild, natural beauty and solitude — but
it also presents challenges that don’t exist on higher
elevation, forested lands.
Desert
Road Conditions
The primary roads on desert BLM
lands are comparable in quality to those found on USFS
lands: good, graded gravel routes passable by any passenger
car in almost any weather. But these desert routes rarely
receive as much regular grading as their USFS counterparts,
so washboards are more prevalent and travel speeds are
slower.
However,
it’s the secondary roads on desert BLM lands that require
the most caution when trip planning, as these are rarely
maintained and their travel quality is quite variable.
Nearly all BLM secondary roads are built over thin desert
soils, which once eroded down to exposed rock, have no
extra dirt available to re-grade or improve the roadbed —
so driving over exposed rocks becomes the only option.
Further, because these desert secondary roads are built of
native soils and not the imported, easy-draining cinders of
their USFS counterparts, the top 1”-4” becomes quite muddy
and slick after every rain.
Even a brief afternoon thunderstorm can render most desert
routes impassable for hours afterward. The only solution is to wait
for these dirt roads to dry out. Our rule of thumb is, for
each day of rain, to wait an equal number of days in camp
before resuming travel on them.
Vehicle for Desert Travel
Many of the desert hikes we
feature are accessible from good graded gravel (or even
paved) primary roads, which can easily be traveled by any
passenger car. However, to reach the more remote desert
trailheads, one often needs to travel for miles on rutted,
rocky back roads that, though not requiring 4-wheel drive
when dry, do
require a sturdy, well-maintained vehicle with high
clearance and excellent tires.
At remote
desert trailheads, one may not see another traveler for
days or weeks. Extra personal responsibility is needed to
ensure that roads are dry and passable, one’s vehicle is in
good condition and it is well-prepared for contingencies
(e.g., getting lost, breaking down or getting stuck). We
recommend at least 6-ply tires, on both the main vehicle
and any trailer. 4-wheel drive is also a good backup
insurance policy.
Desert Heat
Not only are daytime summer
temperatures much higher in the desert than on higher
elevation USFS lands, but desert hikes usually offer little
in the way of tree cover or shade for relief from the heat.
However, there are at least three good strategies for
successfully dealing with desert heat:
•
Plan low-elevation desert hikes for the cooler months of
June and September. These are good months to
visit the Pueblo Mountains, the Guano Valley, the Owyhee
Canyons or other low-elevation hikes. In the Columbia Basin
of Southeast Washington, with elevations generally below
2,000’, day hiking can begin even earlier in the season,
starting in April and May. During the hot, mid-summer
months of July and August, plan to enjoy the cooler, higher
elevation desert hikes at Steens or Hart Mountains.
•
For desert day hikes, be on the trail by 6
AM. This
means enjoying morning temperatures in the 60s and 70s and
avoiding the searing afternoon temperatures in the 90s and
100s. With a 6 AM start, most day hikers should get back to
their vehicle at the trailhead by noon, allowing them to
spend the hot afternoons at their camp under shade tents or
canopies.
•
Wear proper clothing and carry plenty of
water. A
good shade hat is a must and light, long-sleeved, cotton
shirts and pants will keep the sun’s rays off your arms and
legs. Also essential is a high-SPF sunscreen, re-applied a
couple of times daily. Plan to carry about 2 quarts of
water per person on a normal morning day hike.
Rattlesnakes
Rattlesnakes are found in most
desert areas of the Inland Northwest below about 6,500’
elevation. However, the fear of these creatures vastly
outweighs the objective risk one is taking by hiking in
rattlesnake country. Records show that hikers are nine
times more likely to die from lightning strikes than from
rattlesnake bites!
Rattlesnakes by nature are not aggressive toward humans and
rarely bite unless provoked. Nearly all rattlesnake bites
are caused by human carelessness, either blundering onto
them or trying to play with them. The secret to staying
safe is
to always be aware of where you place your hands and feet,
on the trail or around camp, 24 hours per day
(as rattlesnakes
are often nocturnal in the hot summer months). Many desert
hikers also carry a light willow walking stick, probing it
ahead into the brush or rocks as they walk.
If a
rattlesnake is encountered, they usually give plenty of
warning by rattling or buzzing their tail. The best
procedure is simply to walk around them and leave them
alone, giving them at least 5-6 feet of clearance. There is
no reason to harass them. After all, rattlesnakes are
fascinating creatures and deserve their important and
rightful place in the desert ecosystem.
Finally, in the rare instance of an actual snake bite, try
to keep the victim calm. Wash the the affected area and
immobilize it, if possible. Pain and swelling are natural
reactions to a snake bite. It is important to get the
victim to medical care as soon as possible, but avoid fast
hiking that might elevate the victim’s heart rate. Lancing
the punctures, suctioning out the venom or applying
tourniquets are no longer recommended first aid practices.
Antelope
Hunting Season
Most
hikers are generally aware of the rifle hunting season for
mule deer that begins around October 1 throughout the
Inland Northwest — and they try to avoid hiking trips
during this season, as there’s just too much pressure on
campsites and trails with so many hunters flooding the
backcountry.
Less
well-known are the rifle hunts for antelope that occur over
one week in late August or early September throughout the
High Desert. Though the number of antelope hunters is not
overwhelming, they do add pressure on desert campsites and
trails. Hikers shouldn’t necessarily avoid the desert
during antelope season, but it’s smart to check the dates
for the hunting unit you plan to visit, so you can expect
the added commotion.
Page last updated:
3/28/13