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Leave your itinerary with a responsible person who will call the appropriate rescue authority if you are overdue. This is critical for solo trips but important even when traveling with a group.
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Always notify your responsible person as soon as you return, to avoid a costly and unnecessary search attempts.
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Be sure everyone in the group knows the trip plan, including the approach route and meeting points if more than one vehicle will be used. If the group intends to separate on the hike, make sure each has a copy of the map, trip plan, and a set of car keys.
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Don't hike solo in the desert, especially in remote areas or hot weather, unless you are experienced. Even then, plan and hike more cautiously than you would with a group.
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Hiking and backcountry guidebooks can be a valuable source of specific information. They are especially useful when you explore a new area for the first time.
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Before planning a desert hiking trip, check with the government agency having jurisdiction over the area. Rangers can often provide you with up-to-date road, trail, and water information, as well as information on where to find maps.
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Don't rely exclusively on information from a person you don't know. Check his or her knowledge by asking a question to which you already know the answer. Such care is especially important when gathering information about water sources that you will be relying upon.
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Maps are essential for desert trip planning and route finding during the hike. Trails are rare in many areas, and those that are shown on the maps may be little used, faint, and hard to find.
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Topographic atlases that cover an entire state are also helpful for an overview of an area and finding roads to the trailhead. However, some atlases do not accurately portray back roads, and unmaintained roads are abandoned frequently. Use caution.
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USDA Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management maps usually don't show terrain features. However, they are excellent road maps. Back roads are shown as maintained, unmaintained, and four-wheel drive on most of these maps.
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The U.S. Geological Survey series of 7.5-minute topographic maps is the most detailed available. Each map covers an area of about 7 miles by 9 miles at a scale of 1:24,000, or 1 inch to 2,000 feet. Computerized methods are used to produce these extremely accurate maps from aerial photography. The sheer number of maps makes it difficult to revise them very often, so trails, roads, and other manmade features may be shown incorrectly. Also, don't rely on springs and permanent streams shown on USGS maps unless you can confirm their presence with a ranger, another experienced outdoor person, or a guidebook.
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Wilderness and recreation maps are often best. These show an entire wilderness or park on one map and are updated frequently. Land management agencies and private companies publish maps for certain popular desert wilderness and recreation areas. Local backcountry regulations and guidelines are often shown.
