A clear morning forecast is a promise the afternoon is under no obligation to keep. In mountainous areas, thunderstorms typically build in the early afternoon, which is exactly when many hikers are farthest from the car.

A wet trail doesn’t have to ruin the day, though. With a few smart layers and a plan for your essentials, rain becomes an inconvenience instead of an emergency. This guide covers what to wear, how to keep your snacks, map, and phone dry, and what to do once you’re back at camp or the car.

What Should You Do When It Starts Raining on a Hike?

Put on your rain layer before you get soaked, seal your phone, map, and food in waterproof bags, and keep moving at an easy pace so your body stays warm. If you hear thunder, head for safe shelter and wait it out.

Staying dry is easier when you think in zones. Use the Three Dry Zones Method: protect your body, your pack, and your camp or car setup, in that order. Each zone has a few simple habits, and together they cover almost everything rain can throw at you.

Dry Zone 1: Your Body

Cold and wet is a risky combination, and it isn’t limited to winter. Hypothermia can happen year-round, even on sunny days. Avoid cotton and jeans because they absorb and hold water; it is recommended to wear layers you can add or remove, a waterproof layer, a warm hat, warm gloves, and extra wool socks.

Backpacking checklists line up with that advice. For wet and cold weather, a rain jacket, rain pants, and warm gloves, plus moisture-wicking layers should be the go-to instead of cotton ones.

Easy habits that help:

● Put your rain jacket on at the first steady drizzle. Waiting until you’re damp means the jacket traps wet clothes against your skin.

● Open the jacket’s vents or zippers when you start to sweat. Sweat can soak you from the inside as thoroughly as rain does.

● Keep your hat and gloves in an outer pocket where you can reach them without opening the pack.

● Swap to dry socks at your first long break if your feet are soaked.

Eating also helps. Research recommends that people who are cold-stressed but not hypothermic reduce heat loss, take warm, high-calorie food or drink, and keep moving. In practice, that means a snack, a warm drink if you carry one, and a steady pace.

Know the Warning Signs

Uncontrolled shivering, slow or slurred speech, memory lapses, fumbling hands, stumbling, and drowsiness are recognized signs of hypothermia. If you or a hiking partner shows them, get out of the weather, add insulation between the person and the ground, offer warm non-alcoholic drinks, and get medical help right away.

Dry Zone 2: Your Pack

Packs get wet in two ways: water soaks the fabric, and water seeps through seams and straps. A weather-resistant trekking backpack slows both, but few packs are fully waterproof, so plan for some leakage.

The simplest fix is a liner. Line the pack with a heavy trash compactor bag, which stops water that gets through the pack’s seams from reaching your gear. Additionally, pack rain covers, as they mostly keep the pack fabric from soaking up water; they usually protect only the front, and water can still enter through the shoulder straps and hip belt.

Put the items that must stay dry inside the liner: your sleeping bag, spare clothes, and anything you plan to wear at camp. Having a durable hiking backpack for long trails also helps, because tougher fabric and stitching hold up to repeated wet and rough conditions.

Protecting Snacks, Maps, and Phones

Small items need their own protection, since they get handled most often:

● Snacks: Repackage them in resealable bags before the trip. Keep a few in a jacket pocket so you can eat without opening the pack in the rain.

● Maps: The National Park Service recommends carrying a physical map as a backup. Put it in a zip-top bag, and fold it so the route faces the clear side.

● Phones: Most phones resist splashes but aren’t built for hours of rain. Keep yours in a sealed bag, close to your body, and use it only when you need it.

Dry Zone 3: Camp and Car

What you do after the hike matters as much as what you do during it. Wet feet are the easiest place to start. The CDC says trench foot occurs when feet stay wet for long periods, and that affected feet hurt, swell, and feel heavy. The prevention steps are to clean and thoroughly dry your feet, wear clean, dry socks, and elevate bare feet while sleeping.

Use this routine once you stop:

1. Get out of wet clothes and into your dry camp set as soon as possible.

2. Dry your feet, then put on clean, dry socks.

3. Eat something warm and filling, and drink something hot if you can.

4. Open your pack and spread out damp items so they can air-dry. Sealed, wet gear stays wet.

5. Hang wet jackets and pants where air can reach them, away from your sleeping area.

6. Check your liner and small bags for leaks, so you know what to fix before the next trip.

If you’re staying overnight, keep your sleeping bag and camp clothes in the liner so you have one reliable dry set. On a multi-day hiking adventure, this habit matters even more, because one wet night can affect the rest of the trip.

What If There’s Thunder?

Rain is uncomfortable, but lightning is dangerous. The National Weather Service says the only completely safe action is to get inside a safe building or vehicle, and that tents and open-sided shelters don’t count. It advises waiting 30 minutes after the last rumble of thunder before resuming activity.

If you can’t reach safety, avoid open fields, hilltops, and ridge tops, stay away from tall, isolated trees, and keep clear of water and metal objects. Spread out if you’re in a group. It’s also suggested to hike early in mountainous areas and be off the mountain by noon.

Your Rain-Ready Checklist

● Rain jacket and rain pants within easy reach

● Warm hat, gloves, and wool socks

● Pack liner or compactor bag, with sleeping bag and spare clothes inside

● Zip-top bags for your phone, map, and snacks

● Dry camp set, including clean socks

● Headlamp and a few extra snacks

● Plan to be off exposed ridges before afternoon storms

● Check the latest weather forecast and carry a headlamp in case rain delays your return.

 

Rain only turns a hike into a problem when it catches you unprepared. Layer early, line your pack, keep small essentials sealed, and take care of your feet and gear once you stop, and a surprise shower becomes part of the story instead of the end of it. The right pack makes every one of those habits easier.

Light Hiking Gear (formerly Aarn USA), based on Whidbey Island, Washington, offers a size guide, pack-fitting guidance, along with use-and-care information for its hiking packs, which helps your gear last through wet seasons.

Looking for a weather-resistant trekking backpack or a durable hiking backpack for long trails? Our collection of hiking, trekking, and camping gear ships free to U.S. locations, and military members, veterans, and first responders can apply for 10% off at checkout.

Ready to buy comfortable trekking backpacks that are ready for whatever the forecast brings? Browse our collection today and head out prepared.