▁help ▁with ▁trail ▁improvements . ▁ ▁H ik ing ▁the ▁trail ▁H ik ing ▁is ▁best ▁from ▁October ▁through ▁March ▁when ▁the ▁br ush ▁is ▁th inn est ▁and ▁insect s ▁and ▁sn akes ▁are ▁sparse . ▁ ▁The ▁trail ▁cross es ▁several ▁roads , ▁so ▁the ▁trail ▁can ▁be ▁short ened ▁to ▁suit ▁a ▁h iker ' s ▁t ast es . ▁ ▁The ▁trail ▁cross es ▁many ▁wet ▁areas , ▁and ▁despite ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁brid ges ▁and ▁board wal ks , ▁h ik ers ▁may ▁still ▁need ▁to ▁w ikt ion ary : w ade ▁through ▁water . ▁ ▁The ▁trail ▁can ▁be ▁h ik ed ▁in ▁one ▁day , ▁in ▁about ▁ 7 - 1 0 ▁hours , ▁depending ▁on ▁the ▁h iker ' s ▁pace ▁and ▁condition ing . ▁W ear ▁comfortable ▁sho es ▁and ▁cl othing . ▁Take ▁at ▁least ▁two ▁lit ers ▁of ▁water ▁and ▁sn acks . ▁Car ry ▁a ▁rain ▁jack et . ▁ ▁Navigation ▁The ▁trail ▁is ▁marked ▁by ▁rect angular ▁al umin um ▁tags ▁that ▁are ▁und am aged ▁by ▁regular ▁pres cribed ▁burning . ▁ ▁The ▁trail ▁is ▁also ▁marked ▁in ▁places ▁with ▁Mountains - to - Se a ▁Tra il ▁signs , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁M ST ' s ▁white , ▁circle ▁bla zes . ▁ ▁L od ging ▁and ▁camp ing ▁H ik ers ▁may ▁camp ▁anywhere ▁along ▁the ▁trail ; ▁however , ▁three ▁trail ▁sh el ters ▁offer ▁a ▁dry ▁refuge : ▁ ▁Co pper head ▁Land