Hiking 101--What's a Trailhead?

If you're a beginner hiker, you may have wondered...."what's a trailhead?"

Think of it as a visit to the mall...the trailhead is the mall entrance.  You park your car at the trailhead, get your gear ready and head out on your hike.  It is likely you'll end your journey at the same trailhead if you're taking an "out and back" or a loop trail. 

Since many parks have a network of trails, your hike might start out on one, but connect to another and another.  Just like shopping in the mall, there can be a number of ways to map your outing.

Many trailheads have maps to help orient yourself to hiking options.

Some trailheads have directional signs.

Our thanks to our friend Don for suggesting this post.  Don is with GeoBetty.com and a partner in our  upcoming Peak Fitness Challenge!  The challenge will be for all hikers--from "couch potato beginners" to experienced hikers and trail runners...stay tuned!
Credit, Mall photo under Creative Commons by demonrider12.