Go Prepared
Make sure you bring some first aid with you—just in case. Because your skin and digits are more exposed, being prepared in the off-chance that you lose focus for a second and stub your toe on a hard rock or root, breaking the skin or a bone, will do you wonders when you have to walk barefoot back to your car.
Appreciate Nature
Most die-hard barefoot hikers shed their shoes to feel the earth more closely and achieve a sense of freedom. A decade ago, two sisters from Maine (Lucy and Susan Letcher) hiked the Appalachian Trail from Maine to Georgia and back—sans shoes.
More: Reasons to Take a Hike
Find a hike today.
