Unbridged water is one of the few trail problems that can end a hike in a minute. The 2025 ATC survey had roughly one in ten hikers wishing they knew how to deal with flooded streams, and another one in ten wishing they knew how to cross an unbridged stream.
- Keep shoes on. PCTA: do not ford barefoot.
- Scout. Look upstream and down for a wider, shallower line. Morning crossings are often lower.
- Unbuckle the hipbelt and sternum strap so you can drop the pack if you go down.
- Face upstream. Sidestep. Keep two points of contact. Poles plant before the foot moves.
- Do not cross above strainers — downed trees that pin a body in current.
- Avoid water deeper than the knees if you can. NPS: if you cannot, wait for lower flow or another place.
There is no prize for a brave crossing. There is a bus, a season, and a trail that will still be there at a lower flow.