If you’re overdue on a hike, the only thing that turns it into a fast, targeted rescue rather than a long search is what your emergency contact actually knows about your plans. That’s the real point of leaving a detailed trip plan and map with someone you trust before you set off: it’s a critical safety step, and it could be the difference between a successful hike and a life-threatening emergency, because it’s what lets help be directed to you quickly. A trip plan needs to cover more than just your route. It should give your contact everything they’d need to coordinate a rescue, and give rescuers a clear record to work from.
What to Put in Your Trip Plan
Start with the route itself. Carry a physical map as well as a digital backup, make sure the paper copy is waterproof, and take a photo of it on your phone as a safeguard. Mark your start and end points, your planned campsites, and any emergency extraction points, and note any known or potential water sources along the way. Include the trail’s distance, estimated duration, elevation gain (which is what tells you the difficulty), and the direction you’re travelling in. Then give a clear planned return time, since that’s what your contact will use to guide their judgement if you’re overdue.
Alongside the route, include the names, ages, and phone numbers of everyone in your group, and the details of your emergency contact, the person who understands your plans and knows when to alert authorities if you’re overdue. Make sure this person genuinely knows when to call for help, specifically, if you haven’t checked in or returned by your planned time.
Add the practical trip specifics too: the start and end dates of your hike, a summary of your group’s experience and the equipment you’re carrying, including any special considerations such as first-aid skills, and a brief description of the expected terrain and any weather or environmental factors that might influence your hike.
If you’re using a GPS device, a satellite messenger, or a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB), make sure your contact knows how to access your device’s location. The same goes for phone apps that share your location in real time: make sure your emergency contact has access to this information.
Your trip plan shouldn’t stop at what’s in your pack, it should cover your vehicle too.
Vehicle and Parking Details
Vehicle Identification: Include your vehicle’s make, model, colour, registration number and where it will be parked in your trip plan. If you are reported overdue, locating your vehicle can help search and rescue teams confirm your likely starting point and narrow the search area.
The “Visor” Method: Place a copy of your map and trip plan inside your vehicle, either on the dashboard or behind the sun visor. This ensures it’s accessible to emergency responders if your vehicle is found at the trailhead, without advertising your return time to potential thieves.
There are also a few practical things worth locking in before you actually head out.
Safety Reminders: Best Practices Before You Leave
A Trip Intentions Form helps document all the necessary details of your hike, so you don’t overlook critical information, and it gives your emergency contact everything they need while creating a clear record for rescuers. Complete a Trip Intentions Form here.
If your hiking plans change, whether it’s an altered route or an extended stay, notify your emergency contact immediately, since the whole system only works if the information they’re holding is current.
Before heading out, make sure you’re aware of current trail conditions, weather forecasts, and potential bushfire risks in the area.
This is also where the “Late-Back Time” comes in.
“Late-Back Time” and Contact Protocols
When setting your planned return time, let your emergency contact know the “Late-Back Time”, this is the time when they should start considering your delay. For example: “If you haven’t heard from me by 8:00 PM, wait one hour, then call 000 (Triple Zero) for Police assistance.”
This prevents unnecessary searches while ensuring timely action before it’s too late in the night.
If you’re using apps like Strava, or Garmin Connect, make sure your Live Track or Beacon link is sent to your emergency contact before you lose mobile service at the trailhead.
Final thoughts
None of this takes long to put together, and most of it only matters once something’s already gone wrong. That’s really the point of a trip plan: it does nothing while your hike goes as planned, and everything once it doesn’t. Write it down, leave it with someone who’ll actually notice if you’re late and knows what to do about it, and update it if anything changes before you head off.
Explore related guides
- Trip Intentions Form
- Reading Topographic Maps
- Understanding topographic features
- Weather Guide for Hiking
- First Aid Kit Guide
- What to Do If You Get Lost Hiking
- How to Use a Personal Locator Beacon
