General tips to remember while hiking and camping in the Owyhee Area:

• Watch out for rattlesnakes and poison ivy.
• Bring plenty of food and water. If you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated.
• Wear sturdy hiking gear and layer your clothing for quick weather changes.
• Minimize wildlife disturbance and protect water quality by camping at least 200 feet from streams.
• Use a backpack stove instead of building a fire.
• Don’t wash your dishes in the stream.
• Human waste should be buried in a small “cathole” (six to eight inches deep and at least 200 feet from a water source).
• Toilet paper should be burned or carried out and disposed of properly.
• Know your own hiking limitations.
• Bring a basic first aid kit.
• Understand navigation with and without GPS and how to orient yourself using a map.
• Pack out, what you pack in.
• Leave No Trace. Keep these beautiful areas pristine for future visitors!

….with all these safety tips in mind, have fun and happy hiking!