A good hike should be exciting and memorable, but sometimes it’s hard to focus on that when you look at all of the things to worry about. Long hours walking in bad weather. Stressing over permits, laws and group limits. Trying to remember all principles of Leave No trace and follow them. Dealing with wilderness toilets and hygiene. If you’re on a solo hike, dealing with a week or more of loneliness. Are kids accompanying with you? Use kids backpack which are designed for them!

And then there is the what-if list. What if you encounter a bear or mountain lion? What if you forgot to pack something important? What if there is a flood (forest fire, heat wave, tornado, earthquake, cold snap…)? What if you run out of food? With all of these concerns, stress could ruin the trip for you. They are real possibilities, but most of them have only a slim chance of ever happening. If you still can’t stop worrying, now is the time for you to remind yourself that you went on this trip to have an adventure–and to have fun!

Make each activity fun; sing and joke with your fellow campers, and maintaining a positive attitude even when faced with unpleasant tasks (like burning used toilet paper.) If you’re camping alone, why not sing by yourself, knowing nobody will hear you if your notes are a bit off? Singing is a great practice in bear country, as the noise will let them know you’re coming and you’ll be far less likely to meet one in person; even if it feels a bit silly, you should give it a try. You might find that it lifts your spirits as well.

Many hikers have rituals that they carry out every hike, either for reassurance against those what-if’s or to fight loneliness. Some bring along a plush animal for companionship (and for the fun of taking pictures of it on the hiking trail!) Some have a lucky backpack that always accompanies them on every trip. And even if you don’t believe in luck or companionship from a stuffed toy, plush animals can double as very comfortable pillows.