How do I avoid ticks on the trail?
Prevention on the Trail
Ticks live in grassy, brushy, or wooded areas. Stay on the center of trails to avoid brushing against vegetation. Wear light-colored clothing so ticks are easier to spot. Tuck your pants into your socks and wear long sleeves.
Treat your clothing and gear with permethrin, which kills ticks on contact. For exposed skin, use EPA-registered repellents containing DEET (20–50%) or picaridin (20%). Reapply as directed.
- Wear long pants and sleeves
- Treat clothes with permethrin
- Use DEET or picaridin on skin
- Stay on trails, avoid tall grass
After the Hike
Do a thorough tick check as soon as possible. Ticks prefer warm, moist areas: behind the knees, in the armpits, in the groin, in the hair, and around the waist. Use a mirror or have a buddy check your back.
Shower within two hours of coming inside to wash off unattached ticks. Put your clothes in a dryer on high heat for 10 minutes to kill any ticks. If you find an attached tick, remove it promptly with fine-tipped tweezers.
- Check entire body, especially hidden areas
- Shower within 2 hours
- Dry clothes on high heat for 10 minutes
- Remove attached ticks with tweezers
Common mistakes
- Thinking ticks are only in deep woods—they're also in grassy areas and along trails.
- Using repellent only on skin and forgetting to treat clothing with permethrin.
- Skipping a tick check because you didn't feel a bite—ticks are often unnoticed.
