State, federal, and other municipal lands provide seemingly endless possibilities to hike. Unlike other OUTventure activities, hiking on these trails has few restrictions. On some trails, however, access is limited and controlled. Permits place limits on hiker traffic on popular trails to reduce over crowding and human impact. In other areas, permits control access to extremely environmentally or archaeologically sensitive areas. Nature also places restrictions on trails. Hazardous trail conditions such as ice, snow, dangerous water crossings, or aggressive wildlife often dictate when many trails are open or closed. Understanding that some trails require additional planning, we strongly believe that properly researching and sourcing a hike greatly reduces missteps (sorry, couldn’t resist the pun).