READY TO HIT THE TRAIL

Some basic things needed to start backpacking include a first aid kit, sleeping bag, tent, camping stove, boots, trail food and water bottles,

A sign posted on a tree along a hiking trail east of Cape Girardeau reminds passersby of a no hunting regulation.

A variety of options are available when it comes to backpacking and hiking around Southeast Missouri.

Trails can be found at the Sam A. Baker State Park at Patterson, General Watkins Conservation Area in Scott County, the Mark Twain National Park and the Apple Creek State Forest.

The experienced hiker might want to tackle the 10 mile Peewah trail at Trail of Tears state park. The trail is divided into several sections for those not wanting to go the entire distance.

Shephard Point, also at Trail of Tears, is a popular two mile trail.

Trails abound around the area and all that's needed in selecting a location is just deciding how far you actually want to walk.

Mark Hahn, an avid hiker offered some tips on preparing to hit the trail. "Most people would say I'm probably not a "real" backpacker because I don't backpack for days at a time," said Hahn.

However, Hahn and his wife and children (ages six and eight) do enjoy hiking and an occasional overnight experience.

For most of us, backpacking would mean a trip to the store to purchase necessary equipment: backpack, tent, sleeping bag, cooking utensils, first-aid kit and food. By the time you've purchased what you think you'll need, don't be surprised if you end up carrying 30 to 40 pounds of equipment.

The mistake most first-time hikers make is taking more than they actually need.

Hahn suggests if you think you'd like to backpack but aren't sure, find someone already into the sport and ask to go along with them. "You can probably borrow what you need for a short trip," he said. The experienced backpacker can give pointers on where to find the lightest type of equipment and what you really do and don't need.

Backpacking as a family can be an enjoyable experience says Hahn, but he cautions prospective hikers to remember there will have to be compromises.

Just because the parents are up to a 10 mile hike doesn't mean the kids necessarily are. "Parents are responsible for their kids and they should make sure the kids enjoy themselves," he said.

If their first trip out is an enjoyable one, they'll want to return. Hahn has evidently made trips enjoyable for his family. Last year on a trip to Colorado, the kids hiked eight miles up a mountain.

"Everyone else that went was amazed at the kids," he said. "They just ran, played and explored all the way up and before they knew it, they were at the top."

Hahn has known since the third grade that he wanted to be connected with the outdoors in some way. Now a science teacher, nature walks and backpacking trips offer him the chance to relax while gaining additional material to present in the classroom.