It's tick bite prevention week, and this is a timely conversation since the arrival of spring and warmer temperatures means that ticks are now out in lower elevation areas of Rocky Mountain National Park.
Ticks are small arachnids that feed on the blood of their hosts. Rocky Mountain Wood Ticks (Dermacentor andersoni), along with other species of ticks around the country, often inhabit areas with tall vegetation and leaf litter. They easily jump from vegetation like tall grasses to a new host, like humans when hiking.
It is important to be tick aware, as they can transmit diseases to humans like Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Colorado Tick Fever. The best way to prevent tick borne illnesses is to not allow ticks to become embedded on you. Protect Yourself from Ticks by taking the following actions:
🥾 When hiking, walk in the middle of trails away from tall grasses. Check yourself and your kids for ticks every few hours. Check your head, ankles, wrists and waistbands.
🧥 Cover your skin by wearing long sleeves and long pants. Pull socks over the cuffs of your pants to prevent ticks from finding the skin around your ankles.
🧴 Consider using insect repellent that contains DEET or permethrin, which can be effective in repelling ticks.
For more information, visit the CDC's webpage about ticks at https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/about/index.html and RMNP's tick safety webpage at https://www.nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/tick-safety.htm
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Check out our online trail guides:
- Glacier National Park: HikinginGlacier.com
- Grand Teton National Park: TetonHikingTrails.com
- Rocky Mountain National Park: RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
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