When to Stop

When to stop while you're out camping can be a tendentious decision. You should give yourself an hour before sunset to make camp. It's tremendously annoying to have to set up everything in the dark, even if you have pretty solid portable lighting. It's just annoying. There's a lot of stumbling around. If you've got kids with you they'll be terrified. If you're building your own fire, finding kindling in the dark is like searching for a dropped contact lens. To boot, it gets colder, and your hands get all numb and you can't put anything together properly.

Err on the side of caution when it comes to sunlight. This means that you have to plan out your trips to the extent that you can. Every hiking group is different and has an equilibrium pace. Be aware that trail maps rarely include incline angles, so it can be tough to accurately estimate how long it will take to get from one place to another. Most trails in the US don't even include time estimations, so you'll have to just do the math yourself. Give the first couple days a some slack in your plans so that you don't find yourself stranded at sunset on a summit while the clouds start to roll in and starving pumas start looking at you funny from their craggy perches.

It's worth it to hustle if it'll get you to the campground before dark. Learn how to use a compass properly and read maps before you go on any lengthy trip. If you're bad at it, just get better before you head out to the wild. If you screw up and get lost, don't panic, just pick up the pace a little and try to get back on track.