Camping and Hiking First Aid: Essential Skills for Outdoor Emergencies

Why Wilderness First Aid Is Essential

Spending time in the outdoors — whether camping in a provincial park, hiking mountain trails, or backpacking through remote wilderness — is one of the most popular recreational activities in Canada and the United States. But nature comes with inherent risks. When you are hours or days away from the nearest hospital, knowing how to manage injuries and medical emergencies can be the difference between a story you tell around the campfire and a life-threatening situation.

Wilderness first aid differs from urban first aid in one critical way: help may be far away. In the city, paramedics can typically arrive within minutes. In the backcountry, evacuation might take hours or even days. This means first aiders in the wilderness need to be prepared to manage injuries for extended periods, make decisions about evacuation, and improvise with limited supplies.

Building a Wilderness First Aid Kit

Your first aid kit should be tailored to the type of trip, the number of people in your group, and the remoteness of your destination. At minimum, a hiking and camping first aid kit should include adhesive bandages in various sizes, sterile gauze pads and rolls, elastic bandages for sprains, medical tape, antiseptic wipes and antibiotic ointment, tweezers (for splinter and tick removal), blister treatment supplies (moleskin, hydrocolloid bandages), pain relievers (acetaminophen and ibuprofen), antihistamine tablets, a SAM splint or improvised splinting materials, a CPR pocket mask, an emergency blanket (space blanket), a triangular bandage for slings, and gloves.

For longer or more remote trips, consider adding a wilderness first aid manual, prescription medications for group members, an epinephrine auto-injector if anyone has severe allergies, oral rehydration salts, a thermometer, irrigation syringe for wound cleaning, and SAM splints for fracture immobilization.

Common Camping and Hiking Injuries

Blisters

Blisters are the most common hiking injury and, while not life-threatening, can turn a fun trip miserable. They are caused by friction between your skin and your boots or socks. Prevention is key: wear well-fitted, broken-in boots, moisture-wicking socks, and address hot spots (areas of redness or warmth) before they become blisters by applying moleskin or athletic tape.

If a blister has already formed, do not pop it if possible — the skin acts as a natural bandage. Cover it with a blister-specific bandage or a donut of moleskin that takes pressure off the blister. If the blister is large and painful and you need to keep hiking, sterilize a needle with alcohol or a flame, puncture the edge of the blister to drain fluid, leave the skin intact, apply antibiotic ointment, and cover with a bandage.

Sprains and Strains

Uneven terrain, tree roots, loose rocks, and steep descents make ankle sprains extremely common while hiking. Follow the R.I.C.E. protocol, but in the wilderness, you may need to adapt. If ice is not available, soak a bandana in a cold stream. Use trekking poles or a sturdy stick as a crutch. If the person cannot walk, you may need to set up camp and plan for evacuation.

Cuts and Wounds

Cuts from knives, sharp rocks, and branches are common in the outdoors. Clean the wound thoroughly with clean water using an irrigation syringe if available — pressure irrigation is the most effective way to reduce infection risk in the field. Apply antibiotic ointment and a sterile bandage. Monitor for signs of infection over the following days. Deep wounds that gap open, do not stop bleeding with pressure, or show signs of tendon or nerve damage require evacuation for professional medical care.

Burns

Campfire burns are a common camping injury. For minor burns (redness without blistering), cool the burn under running water or with cool compresses for at least 10 minutes, then cover with a non-stick bandage. For more serious burns with blistering, do not pop the blisters, cover loosely with a sterile bandage, and manage pain. Any burn larger than the person’s palm, burns on the face, hands, feet, or joints, and any burn that appears white, brown, or charred requires evacuation.

Environmental Emergencies

Hypothermia

Hypothermia occurs when the body loses heat faster than it can produce it, causing core body temperature to drop below 35°C (95°F). It can happen in any season — even summer — if conditions are wet and windy. For a complete guide to recognizing and treating hypothermia and frostbite, see our dedicated article.

Prevention involves wearing layered clothing, staying dry, eating and drinking regularly to fuel heat production, and setting up shelter before conditions deteriorate.

Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke

Hiking in hot weather, especially with a heavy pack, puts you at risk for heat-related illness. Drink water regularly before you feel thirsty, take breaks in shade, and watch for signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Carry more water than you think you need and know where water sources are along your route.

Lightning

If you are caught in a thunderstorm while hiking, avoid ridgelines, open fields, isolated trees, and bodies of water. Seek lower ground and crouch low with your feet together, minimizing your contact with the ground. If you are in a group, spread out to reduce the risk of multiple people being struck. If someone is struck by lightning, they are safe to touch and may need CPR immediately — lightning strike victims do not carry an electrical charge.

Wildlife Encounters

Tick Bites

Ticks can transmit Lyme disease and other serious infections. After hiking, check your entire body for ticks, paying special attention to the hairline, behind the ears, armpits, and groin. To remove an attached tick, use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible and pull straight up with steady, even pressure. Do not twist, squeeze, or burn the tick. Clean the bite area with antiseptic and save the tick in a sealed bag for identification if symptoms develop.

Snake Bites

If someone is bitten by a snake, move away from the snake, keep the person calm and still, immobilize the bitten limb below heart level, remove any jewelry or tight clothing near the bite, and call for help. Do not apply a tourniquet, do not try to suck out venom, do not apply ice, and do not cut the wound. These outdated treatments can cause more harm. Note the snake’s appearance if possible to help medical staff identify the appropriate treatment. Evacuate the person to a medical facility as quickly as possible.

Bear Encounters

While bear attacks are rare, knowing how to respond is important in bear country. Make noise while hiking to avoid surprising bears. If you encounter a bear, speak calmly and back away slowly. For black bears, make yourself look big and make noise if the bear approaches. For grizzly bears, play dead if attacked by lying face down with your hands clasped behind your neck. Carry bear spray and know how to use it.

When to Evacuate

In the backcountry, deciding when to evacuate is one of the most important decisions a first aider can make. Evacuate for any injury or illness that you cannot manage with your available supplies and skills, any condition that is getting worse despite treatment, any head injury with altered consciousness, any suspected spinal injury, difficulty breathing that does not improve, signs of severe infection, and snake bites. If in doubt, evacuate — it is always better to err on the side of caution.

Get Prepared Before Your Next Adventure

Every outdoor enthusiast should have basic first aid skills. A Standard First Aid and CPR course gives you the foundation to handle emergencies in any setting — from city streets to mountain trails. At Coast2Coast in North York, Vaughan, Belleville, Brantford, and many more locations, our courses prepare you with hands-on skills for real-world situations.