How to Know How Much Water to Bring on Your Hike

How much water to bring on a hike?

It can be hard to drink enough water throughout the day let alone on the trail. How much water are you supposed to bring on a hike? I used to ask myself this same question. In general, it is probably more than you think.

Water is good for us but what are the benefits when on the trail? Some of the benefits include keeping our joints lubricated, regulating body temperature, enabling oxygen and nutrients to move through the body, and the elimination of toxins, just to name a few.

But, how much water do you need to bring on a hike? The rule of thumb is that you should drink approximately ½ liter (a little over 2 cups) for every hour that you will be hiking. While this is a good general rule of thumb for how much water you should drink on the trail, the reality is that every hike is different. The real answer for determining how much water you need to bring on a hike is: it depends. 

There are many factors that you should consider when determining how much water you will need to drink on the trail and how much water you need to bring on the trail (yes, they can have two different answers if you are planning on filtering water from a water source). It also depends on your fitness level, your level of hydration before setting out on the trail, weather conditions, trail conditions, trail difficulty and so much more. 

Water Before Setting Out on the Trail

How much water to drink before heading out on a hike? One of the things that I do to prepare for a backpacking trip or a day hike is to make sure that I am well hydrated. A few days before my trip I will drink extra water to make sure that I am hydrated. The recommended daily amount for women is about 11.5 cups of water a day or 2.7 liters (for men it is a little more- 15.5 cups or about 3.7 liters daily). 

Several days prior to a backpacking trip I will try to get in at least 3 liters a day. My body will  benefit from doing this ahead of time. Some of the benefits are that it will help ensure that my joints will be well lubricated and that I will also be able to regulate my body temperature if I am out in extreme conditions. 

Weather Considerations – High Humidity and High Heat (a double whammy)

High humidity and heat can play a huge factor in your well being on the trail. If the humidity is high and you are busy climbing mountains it can be difficult to regulate your body temperature. You will need to counteract this by increasing your water intake. 

You may even want to consider adding electrolytes to your water. Electrolytes are the essential minerals that help our body to function to its potential. Examples of some of these minerals include sodium, calcium and potassium (there are others). If your body becomes depleted of these minerals your muscles can feel weak. You could also get cramping in your muscles. 

There are many different brands out there. I encourage you to experiment with which brand works best for your body. In general, I prefer powdered electrolytes because I can bring extra powder on the trail. The powder does not a lot of weight to my pack. One brand that I like to use is Re-Lyte. For me, this brand works well. I like it because it has a subtle flavor and there are no added sugars. This brand also uses unrefined sea salt which helps to give us trace minerals

When I am hiking in high heat or humidity I will often fill my water bladder up first. Then I premix a separate bottle of water with electrolytes. I make sure that my water bottle is easily accessible in an outer pocket and that the hose for my water bladder is within reach during my hike. This way I have no excuses not to hydrate. Finally, I will also fill up and filter throughout the hike. This ensures that I always have enough water to replenish my body.

Keeping it Real- bring enough water on a hike

During one backpacking trip over the past summer I encountered extreme heat and humidity conditions (weather advisories had been posted). My friends and I had planned for a 3 day trek into the Dolly Sods, West Virginia. We had planned for a 26 mile circuit trip that would be just shy of a 3000’ elevation gain. Once we got on trail we found the temperature was indeed incredibly hot and the humidity was extremely high.  But did I bring enough water on the hike?

Fortunately, I had packed plenty of powdered electrolyte packets, extra water and I had planned out my water sources throughout the trail. Well, let me rephrase- at least I thought I had brought extra packets. I wound up using every single powdered packet of electrolytes I had brought and had to filter and refill all my water bottles at every single water source. Despite the high heat and humidity I was still able to stay hydrated even though I was sweating out just about as much water as I was taking in. It is so important to have enough water when you are on trail. Always plan ahead and always plan for more water than you think you will need!

During your Hike

How much water to bring on your hike? Plan on drinking ½ liter (a little over 2 cups) for every hour of hiking. You can plan this out by either looking at how long your hike is expected to take (this is often posted along with trail information) or by knowing how long it takes for you to typically hike a mile. You should plan on adding extra water for high heat, high humidity, high elevation and your fitness level. Some hikers prefer to carry a water bottle and filter as they go but I personally prefer to use both a water bladder and a water bottle with electrolytes so that I can sip both as I am hiking along. 

Healthy Snacks That Can Help

Apples

One of my favorite snacks to bring on the trail that can help with hydration is an apple. This simple everyday snack is on average 85% water. The natural sugars in an apple can also help give you the added boost to get up the mountain. Sometimes I will also bring some peanut butter (or sun butter if you prefer). While peanut butter does not really hydrate it does pair well with the apple and adds protein on trail. 

Clementines

Clementines come in a close second for me when packing hydrating snacks. This fruit also packs well (mostly, if you are careful with placement) and are also approximately 85% water. The fresh scent of clementine can also be a great pick me up if I am getting tired on the trail.

Blueberries

Blueberries are my absolute favorite snack to find along the trail. In the summer, there are blueberries to be found if you keep a lookout for them. Nothing is more gratifying when hiking along and finding a few blueberries along the way to nibble on. If you are picking blueberries on your journey, please remember to stick to the trail to prevent damaging surrounding vegetation. Also, please be sure that you can clearly identify this wonderful berry. Not all berries are edible. Some berries are poisonous and some berries can even be deadly! Take the time to learn how to correctly identify this healthy snack. You do not want to accidentally eat something toxic like nightshade.

Water on the Trail

Another important consideration is: are there RELIABLE water sources on the trail?

The other day I went on an overnight backpacking trip with some friends. The plan was to slack pack (stage a car with gear near our camp spot). On this trip, we were going to stay at one of the shelters on the trail. The shelter that we were planning on staying in had a spring next to it. I brought along my trusty water filter and my plan was to filter some water when we got to camp.

The unfortunate part of this plan was that when we got to camp, the water source was dry and my extra water was left in my car. My car was not the one that was close to the shelter. Luckily, my friends that I was backpacking with had packed extra water too and it was in the car that was close to the shelter. I was very fortunate that extra water was available otherwise I could have put my well being at risk.

The moral of this story is to always plan more water than you think you will need. Before heading out on the trail, check to see if there are reliable water sources along your route. Take the time to read up on current trail conditions to ensure that springs are flowing and that they are not dry. Finally, drink your water and stay hydrated.

Additional reading: Beginner Guide and Checklist and Tips for Hiking.

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