12 Tips for staying hydrated during your hike

With the fall weather bringing temperatures down, the hiking season has started again here in Southern California. After a fairly long summer break – about 5 months for me – I have to re-learn the tricks of hiking safely. I noticed after my last hike that shortly after the hike I felt fatigued and a little dizzy. I was fine on the trail, but once I returned home, I was ready for a long nap.

So what happened?

I was most likely not fueling myself properly on the trail. I am a runner and I easily underestimate the impact a hike has on my body. With running I have a proper and disciplined fueling strategy that involves drinking water regularly and taking electrolytes every 45 minutes. I have been a half marathon and marathon runner for nearly 10 years now. And yes, I have my running fueling strategy down to a T.

I guess not so much my hiking fueling strategy. So I’d better fuel up!

Why is proper hydration and fueling important during a hike?

Our bodies consist mostly of water, about 55-60%. Any exercise, even light exercise, can deplete the water in your body when not hydrating properly. This can make you feel dizzy,  nauseated, give you a headache or cramps. There can be serious consequences, so please be prepared for your hike.

You don’t only need water, but also electrolytes. How much water and electrolytes you need depends on your age, size, fitness level, the strenuousness of the hike, the weather. Do your research beforehand, especially if you are planning on a longer hike. But even for short hikes: always carry water!

12 Tips for hydrating and fueling during a hike

  1. Hydrate before you head out.
  2. Carry parts of your water easily accessible in an outside mesh pocket of your backpack, or a handheld bottle, or in a waist belt.
  3. Drink small sips often. Don’t wait until you are thirsty.
  4. Add electrolytes either to your water or separately. As a runner I learned to take them every 45 minutes. My guess is this could be a good starting rule for hiking, too. Adjust as necessary.
  5. Add salt to your refueling.
  6. Drink more in hot weather.
  7. Drink more in altitude.
  8. Don’t forget to drink when it’s cold.
  9. Avoid caffeine and alcohol as they are dehydrating.
  10. Re-hydrate after the hike.
  11. Wear sun protection: sunscreen, a hat, sun-protective clothing.
  12. If you are planning a long hike, do your research! Be safe!

There is a fairly small risk of over-hydrating or hyponatremia. This is rare and mainly affects endurance athletes. The symptoms are very similar to dehydration. What happens to your body is that the sodium levels become so diluted that cell functions can become impaired.

To avoid hyponatremia, ensure to not just drink water, but add salt by adding electrolytes, or salt tablets, or salty snacks to your fueling strategy.


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17 comments

  1. It is so important and we always forget it. Very important when going over 3000m as it helps fight the altitude sickness.

  2. Thank you for your tips! I’m a beginner when it comes to hiking so I’ll keep these in mind 🙂

  3. Awesome tips. I remember once when I forget the water bottle at home. It wasn’t pretty at all. The only good thing that made it more ok, was the fact that there was a spring near by, and the thought kept me going. From them on, I always double check the water

  4. These are some great tips… This will be really useful for everyone… SO I am gonna share this post with my readers too 🙂

  5. These are such great tips! We never realize how much water our body actually needs, and how important it is to keep it hydrated. Thanks for sharing!

  6. I’ve actually made it a goal to go on a few hikes this year. This will definitely come in handy!

  7. It is so important to stay hydrated when hiking. I do hiking so much all year long even when the winter comes it is a great way to spend the weekends and any free time i have.

  8. Staying hydrated where ever you are is so important but I had never thought about how it may differ when you are hiking (for instance I hadn’t thought of how altitude my come into play) so this is a really interesting post to read.

  9. Thanks for the great tips! The main takeaway for me: Drink lots of water and don’t wait till you’re thirsty before drinking. 🙂

  10. It’s so easy to get dehydrated if you aren’t actively drinking to avoid it, and many people don’t reach that thirst is a sign you are already dehydration. Even for regular day-to-day errands, I don’t leave the house without a water bottle. I’ve had “quick” errands turn into long ordeals so I like to be prepared!

  11. These are some amazing tips. Hydration is so important while your body is working so much while hiking. Thanks for the post.