The trail may end when you reach the parking lot, but your tick routine should not. After hiking through grassy, brushy or wooded areas, check your clothing, gear and body for ticks and look for both loose, crawling ticks and ticks that have already attached.
The CDC recommends checking clothing and gear, showering soon after coming indoors, and conducting a full-body tick check after time in areas where ticks may be present.
Where Do Hikers Encounter Ticks?
Ticks live in grassy, brushy and wooded areas and can also be encountered in yards and neighborhoods. They do not jump or fly. Instead, many ticks wait on vegetation for a passing host.
Whenever practical, walking near the center of an established trail can reduce contact with brush and tall vegetation along trail edges.
What Should You Do About Ticks Before a Hike?
Choose clothing for the conditions
Long pants, long sleeves and closed footwear can reduce exposed skin when practical. Light-colored clothing can also make a crawling tick easier to see.
Use a repellent labeled for ticks
Use an EPA-registered repellent that is labeled for tick protection and follow the product directions. The EPA's repellent search tool lets you filter products by pest and protection time.
Consider treated clothing and gear
CDC guidance includes treating boots, clothing and camping gear with products containing 0.5% permethrin, following the product label. Permethrin-treated products are for appropriate clothing and gear, not direct skin application.
Should You Check for Ticks While You Are Still Hiking?
You do not have to wait until you get home. During longer outings, a quick visual check at breaks can help you notice crawling ticks on pants, socks, sleeves, backpacks and exposed skin.
The goal is simple: catch what you can before it has time to settle into a harder-to-see area.
What Should You Do Immediately After a Hike?
1. Check your gear
Inspect backpacks, hats, shoes, outer layers, blankets and other gear. Ticks can hitchhike on these items.
2. Check your clothing
Look around pant cuffs, socks, waistbands, seams and pockets.
3. Check for loose, crawling ticks
This is where TiCK MiTT fits naturally into a hiking kit. Run the mitt over dry clothing and exposed skin to help pick up loose, crawling ticks.
TiCK MiTT is not intended for attached-tick removal.
4. Perform a full-body check
The CDC recommends paying particular attention to areas including under the arms, around the ears, in and around the hair, inside the belly button, behind the knees, between the legs and around the waist.
For the complete people + kids + pets routine, read How to Check for Ticks After Being Outside.
5. Shower soon after coming indoors
CDC guidance notes that showering within two hours can help wash off unattached ticks and gives you another opportunity to check the body.
6. Use the dryer correctly
For dry clothing, CDC recommends tumbling clothes on high heat for 10 minutes after coming indoors. Damp clothing may require additional time.
What if You Find a Crawling Tick?
Remove it. A tick moving freely on clothing or skin has not attached yet.
TiCK MiTT is designed for this CHECK stage of the routine.
What if You Find an Attached Tick?
An attached tick requires an appropriate removal method. The CDC recommends fine-tipped tweezers: grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible and pull upward with steady, even pressure.
You can also carry a purpose-built tool such as TiCK SiDEKiCK. For detailed instructions, see How to Use TiCK SiDEKiCK.
Do not use petroleum jelly, nail polish or heat to try to make an attached tick release.
What Should You Carry for Ticks While Hiking?
A simple hiking tick kit can include:
- TiCK MiTT for loose, crawling ticks
- Fine-tipped tweezers or an attached-tick removal tool
- EPA-registered repellent labeled for ticks
- A small mirror
- A sealable container if you want to retain a removed tick
- Basic first-aid supplies
The point is not to carry a complicated system. It is to have the right option for the right stage.
The Hiker's Tick Routine
Remember three steps:
- CHECK: clothing, skin and gear for loose/crawling ticks.
- REMOVE: attached ticks promptly with an appropriate method.
- FOLLOW UP: pay attention after a bite and seek medical care if you develop concerning symptoms or have questions about your exposure.
The goal is not to make hiking feel dangerous. It is to make the tick check as automatic as taking off your boots.
Sources and Further Reading
- CDC: Preventing Tick Bites
- EPA: Find the Repellent That Is Right for You
- CDC: Tick Bite - What to Do
*This article is for general education and is not a substitute for medical advice.*
