USA travel advice

• Always dial 911 in an emergency. And ALWAYS get travel insurance when traveling in the USA. A small example: if you injure yourself in a remote spot in the Grand Canyon, a helicopter rescue costs from £25,000+ – get insured!
• The desert regions of the west and south west can become very arid. Don’t underestimate this and make sure you stay hydrated. Take hydration backpacks, style CamelBak, so you have it on you at all times.
• You sweat between 0.5-1 litre of fluid for every hour you hike in the heat. This can double if you are hiking uphill in direct sunlight at the hottest time of the day. The sweat evaporates quickly, so you can’t see it. Do not wait until you are thirsty to drink – by then you are already dehydrated. Take rehydration powders too if necessary. Eating also helps heat exhaustion.
•  If you are on a hiking or cycling vacation, in hot areas of the USA, beware of signs of heat exhaustion. These include nausea, vomiting, fatigue, headaches, pale appearance, stomach cramps and cool, clammy skin. If any of these symptoms occur, find shade, drink and eat. If water is available, wet your hat, shirt or bandana, and carry a spray bottle to cool yourself down. If the symptoms persist after two hours, seek help.
• Altitude sickness is not uncommon in the high peaks regions of the USA such as the Rocky Mountains. The best way to cope is to adjust slowly. Take short hikes for the first couple of days. A good rule of thumb is that once you are above 3,000m do not increase the altitude at which you sleep by more than 300-500m a night. You can go up higher during the day, but each night go back down to lower level.
• Don’t drink from the rivers. Although they may look super clean they can be source of the bacteria giardiasis which can be very nasty indeed. You can boil the water, but do so for five minutes in elevated areas. You can also filter, but it is not always perfect, with iodine treatments considered better.
•  Ticks are a feature of some regions, so read up beforehand. Use a repellent, keep covered, keep checking for them especially in the shower after a hike, and carry tweezers for removal.
•  Like all trips to the USA, make sure you have up to date travel health insurance.
• Watch out for poison ivy in most states, except Alaska and Hawaii. You will find it on walking trails, the sides of roads and sometimes even in sand dunes. It contains oil called urushiol that inflames skin and results in painfully itchy blisters and rashes. The expression 'Leaves of Three, Leave it Be' is what most people say to remind you what it looks like. It often grows low to the ground, so you need to be careful if walking off the beaten path, sitting down for a break or, for women in particular, take care in comfort breaks when out in wild places.
  

Many states don’t wear helmets for outdoor activities, but awareness is changing. People don’t even use them when rafting, unless on the wilder class 4 and 5 rapids, so do ask for one and set a good example! They all supply them, they just don’t shout about it. All kayakers use helmets.

Wildlife awareness is important in the national parks. With animals like bears, mountain lions and snakes, you need to inform yourself of what to do in the event of an encounter before you go. Do not let your children wander too far ahead of you, so that you can keep a close eye.

Temperatures can plummet in many regions of the USA. So always carry a sensible layer or two. Hypothermia can be life threatening and happen at any time of year. if you are hiking a canyon, it could be five degrees in the morning at the top, and forty by the time you hit the bottom. So, check the weather differences before you pack, and cater for extremes.

Lightning storms are common in many areas in the USA, and usually take place on summer afternoons. So best to hike early if you are going high, so that you are descending by the afternoon. If lightning does occur, get below the treeline and stay away from summits or isolated trees. Stay as low as you can and take your backpack off if it has a metal frame in it.

The USA have big areas of wild spaces so, if you go exploring, always be prepared with maps, compass, rain gear, pocketknife, matches and a whistle. And always tell someone where you are going. Most trailheads in national parks have a book you can sign to say where you are going, and how many are in your party.

Flash floods do happen in some of the canyon areas, and waters can rise very quickly. People do die in these every year, so you need to very cautious. And, ideally, travel with an expert guide who understands the risks.

Never throw or roll rocks on from cliff edges, as you could start a rock fall and, more likely, there might be hikers below you whom you could hit.

Be careful if you are driving as speed restrictions vary per state. Also, so do stop signs. In general, if there is a stop sign at an intersection, you have to come to a complete stop. If the traffic coming from your right also has a stop sign, it is their right of way. However, in Colorado, you give right of way to the vehicle that arrived at their stop sign first. Confused? Just make sure you ask a local what the ‘four way stop sign’ rule is in their state.