Safety is not a suggestion. What you need for any national park visit.

Of all the potential dangers you could possibly face at national parks – wildlife, extreme weather, getting lost – you may be your own biggest threat.

“It's not the parks themselves that are deadly or dangerous, inherently,” National Park Service spokesperson Cynthia Hernandez told USA TODAY. “It's how you approach your visit to a park and the outdoors. It's how you prepare.”

The actions you take before and during your trip directly impact your safety in the parks.

“We want to make sure that people understand the risks and the hazards, and a lot of those are in your control,” Hernandez said. 

Here’s how you can prepare for a safe visit to any national park.

How do you stay safe in a park?

“We like to say your trip to a national park starts at home,” Hernandez said. “It starts with you planning out your activity, where specifically you're going to go, how you're going to get there, where are you going to sleep at night. Do you need any permits? Are there any reservations that you need?”

Park webpages are full of helpful information. So is the National Park Service’s online Trip Planning Guide. If you need more help, Hernandez suggests reaching out to parks directly using the contact information on their webpage or through their social media.

Before leaving home, she suggests checking the weather for the two weeks leading up to your trip, the dates of your trip and throughout the trip itself, giving yourself plenty of time to adjust to different climate and elevation conditions upon arrival.

“It could be similar temperature, similar sunniness and rainfall from home, but if it's at a higher elevation than you're used to, altitude sickness is potentially dangerous,” she warned.

Once at the park, Hernandez added: “Definitely – I always love to do this, even if I feel completely prepared and know what my day is going to look like – just still stop by the visitor center.”

While you’re there, make sure to grab a map.

“It is so, so important that before you leave (cell) service, before you leave the visitor center, you either download a map to your phone through our app or pick up a physical map from the visitor center.”

No matter where you go, Hernandez recommends staying on trails, noting that you are much more likely to run into another visitor or ranger on a trail if you need help.

To that end, it’s vital that you share your trip plans with someone not on your trip – where you’re going, how long you expect to be gone and when you’ll be back.

“This would likely be someone who is responsible and will be kind of checking their phone to make sure that you get in back to your hotel or campsite on time,” she said. If they don’t hear from you and suspect there may be an emergency, they can contact park rangers or 911.

What to pack for national parks

The National Park Service groups packing essentials into 10 categories:

• Navigation

• Sun protection (even during cold weather)

• Insulation

• Illumination

• First-aid supplies

• Fire

• Repair kits and tools

• Nutrition

• Hydration

• Emergency shelter

In addition to multiple layers of clothing, Hernandez said be sure to bring the proper footwear for your intended activities. “We don't want to see flip flops if you're trying to hike up a steep mountain.”

Falls are actually the third highest cause of unintentional deaths in national parks, claiming 205 lives between 2014 through 2019, according to National Park Service mortality data.

National park fatalities: Of the 63 national parks, these had the most since 2007

What is the #1 cause of death in national parks?

The number one cause of unintentional deaths in national parks is motor vehicle crashes, claiming 354 lives between 2014-2019.

Drowning came in second with 314 unintentional deaths, compared to 3 wildlife-related fatalities over the same period.

“I know it's not necessarily the season for swimming anymore in a lot of places, but swimming in national parks can look very, very different than swimming in a pool,” Hernandez said. “Wear a life vest if you want to come home safely and if you want to visit again.”

Check yourself

Before embarking on a hike or other strenuous activity, she suggested asking: “How much water did you drink yesterday? Are you well rested? Are you wearing the right gear? Do you have a plan for turning around if you start to feel ill or you develop any pain?”

Be honest with yourself and your travel companions along the way. Even if you’ve invested time and money into preparing for a specific activity, if for any reason you’re not feeling well or running low on water or something else goes awry, don’t be afraid to speak up and and turn around.

“Honesty will help them make better decisions,” Hernandez said. “It is better to return home safely, not having completed the trail or gotten to the summit than pushing yourself too far needing help or potentially getting lost or injured.”

If your initial plans fall through, there are plenty of other things to see and do in any national park.

What are the tips to remember when you are in a national park?

Even though wildlife are only responsible for a small fraction of deaths in national parks, you should still steer clear.

“Do not attempt to touch, pet or handle wildlife in any way. Keep a safe distance,” Hernandez said. “Don't let your pets go near wildlife. Pick up after your pets. Don't feed wildlife.”

Reminding visitors that national parks are these creatures’ habitats and that we are guests in their space, she added, “We also do want to respect wildlife by picking up after ourselves, leaving no trace.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: National park essentials: What you need to stay safe outdoors