Skip to content
Tom's HikingTom’s Hiking

Safety

Lightning safety for hikers: what to do when you hear thunder on the trail

If you can hear thunder, you're close enough to be hit by the next strike. Summer storms in the mountains usually arrive on a predictable clock, so your best protection is a turnaround time set before you start. Then comes where to go if one catches you anyway, and what to do if someone is struck.

By TomSafetyPublished October 27, 202612 min read
A lone hiker with an olive daypack walks a narrow dirt path up a bare grassy ridge toward a dark, low storm cloud, with sunlit forested hills falling away to the right

Lightning on a hike is almost never bad luck. In the mountains in summer the storm tends to keep a timetable, building through the morning and breaking in the early afternoon, and the hikers it catches are usually the ones still on the ridge when it arrives.

The odds are small. The National Weather Service counts about 20 lightning deaths a year across the whole country, and only a few percent of them are hikers. But a hiker's risk isn't spread evenly. It piles up on bare summits and open ridges, in the hours after noon, and that's exactly where and when a lot of the best hiking happens.

That makes lightning safety mostly a planning problem, and you can do most of that work the night before with a forecast and a turnaround time. If you're reading this with thunder already rumbling, skip ahead to the steps just below.

What should you do when you hear thunder on a hike?

Turn around and start down right away. Thunder carries only about 10 miles, so if you can hear it you're already within reach of the storm. The National Weather Service is blunt that nowhere outdoors is safe in a thunderstorm. The steps below lower your risk without removing it.

They're in order. The early steps matter far more than the late ones, and the crouch near the end is only for when you can't move at all.

  1. 01

    Stop going up

    Don't push for the summit, even if it's 10 minutes away. Thunder means lightning within about 10 miles, and storms can move that far quickly. The NOLS backcountry guidance that the Weather Service hosts says to begin your turnaround as soon as you hear it, not when the storm is overhead.

  2. 02

    Get off the high ground

    Leave summits, ridges, balds and any open slope where you're the tallest thing around. If you have a choice of routes, NOLS suggests descending the side of the mountain that has no cloud over it yet, since strikes tend to be less frequent there until the storm moves across.

  3. 03

    Head for a car or a real building if one is in reach

    A hard-topped metal vehicle or an enclosed building with wiring and plumbing is the only truly safe place. A tent, a picnic pavilion or an open-sided trail shelter isn't. If the trailhead is a short walk away, go there.

  4. 04

    Otherwise, get into lower, even forest

    Below the open ground, look for a stand of trees of similar height, ideally in a dip or on lower slopes. Keep as far as you can from individual trunks, and stay clear of any tree that stands taller than the rest.

  5. 05

    Avoid the traps on the way

    No sheltering under a lone tree, a rock overhang or a cave mouth. Get away from ponds, lakes and streams, and off a trail that has turned into a stream. Keep clear of fences, cables and railings, which can carry current a long way.

  6. 06

    Spread the group out

    Walk and wait with real gaps between people, so a single strike can't hurt everyone and there's someone left to help. The NOLS brochure says about 20 feet; the Appalachian Trail Conservancy says 100.

  7. 07

    If strikes are right on top of you and you can't move

    This is the last resort. NOLS teaches a lightning position: feet together, crouched or sitting, on a foam pad or your pack if you have one. Keeping your feet together cuts how much ground current runs through you. It doesn't stop a direct strike, so move again as soon as there's a gap.

    The Weather Service no longer recommends the crouch at all. See the note below.

  8. 08

    Wait 30 minutes after the last thunder

    Lightning can strike well after a storm looks like it has passed. The Weather Service, the CDC and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy all give the same number, 30 minutes. Count it from the last rumble before heading back up or out into the open.

How far, how long, how often?

About 10 mi
How far thunder carries

Hear it and you're within striking distance

30 min
Wait after the last thunder

Before going back into the open

About 20
US lightning deaths a year

National Weather Service, recent average

Over 70%
Of US lightning deaths in June to August

Weather Service analysis of 2006 to 2019

Where does lightning hit hikers?

On high, open ground, and near anything that sticks up. The Weather Service says height, pointed shape and isolation decide where a bolt lands, and that most lightning casualties come not from a direct hit but from current spreading through the ground or jumping sideways from something nearby that was struck.

That's why the list below is about terrain rather than gear. These are the places to be out of before a storm arrives.

01

Summits, ridges and balds

The highest ground for miles

On a bare peak or ridge you're one of the tallest things around, and the Weather Service lists hilltops and ridge tops first among places to avoid. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy says at least four people are known to have died on the AT from lightning, and names fatalities on Max Patch and Cold Mountain in the South and on Franconia Ridge and Katahdin in New England.

In 2026 alone, the Weather Service's preliminary list included two hikers killed near summits, one in Utah and one in Colorado.

Instead: Plan to be off exposed high ground before storms usually start, and turn around early rather than late.

02

Lone trees and the edge of a clearing

Shelter from the rain, not from lightning

Standing under a tree is, by the Weather Service's count, the second leading cause of lightning casualties. When lightning hits a tree, current can jump to anyone within a foot or two of it. The Weather Service calls this a side flash, and says most of its victims had taken shelter under a tree to stay out of rain or hail.

Instead: Get wet. In a forest, pick lower trees of even height and stay away from trunks.

03

Rock overhangs, cave mouths and trail shelters

The places that feel safest

Lightning tends to travel along vertical rock faces, and the NOLS brochure warns that it can arc across the gap at the lip of an overhang or a cave entrance, through anyone standing in it. Open-sided trail shelters don't protect you either. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy notes that several people have been struck at Vandeventer Shelter in Tennessee, which sits on a ridgetop near a cliff edge.

One of the 2026 deaths on the Weather Service's list was a hiker in Utah sheltering from a storm in a small structure.

Instead: Keep moving to lower, even forest rather than ducking under rock or a roof with open sides.

04

Open water, wet ground and flooded tread

Lakes, streams and a trail running with water

Water doesn't attract lightning, but the Weather Service points out that it conducts the current well and over long distances. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy adds a point hikers tend to miss: get off the trail itself if a downpour has turned it into a stream, and stay out of puddles.

Instead: Move away from lakeshores and stream banks, and wait on drier, higher ground within the forest.

05

Fences, cables and railings

Long metal conductors

Metal doesn't draw lightning to you, but a long run of it can carry current from a strike far away. On a hike that means barbed-wire fences across a pasture, the cables on a via ferrata-style section, summit railings and fire tower stairs.

Instead: Let go of anything long and metal, and don't wait out a storm beside it.

Three hikers in rain jackets cross a wide grassy slope in heavy rain, each separated from the next by a wide gap of empty grass, heading down toward a dark line of conifer forest
Spread out and head for lower, even forest. If lightning does hit nearby, it's far less likely to hurt everyone at once.

When do afternoon thunderstorms happen in the mountains?

Usually in the early to mid-afternoon in summer, after a morning that started clear. The Weather Service's advice for mountain hikers is to start early and be down by noon. The CDC puts mountain storms most often in the late afternoon or evening. Either way, plan to do the high, exposed part of the hike in the morning.

This is a common pattern, not a schedule. A day can run faster than this, and some storms come in with a front at any hour.

  1. Dawn

    Start walking

    Clear skies and calm air are typical. The earlier you leave the trailhead, the more slack you have later in the day.

  2. Mid-morning

    Flat-bottomed puffy clouds appear

    Small cumulus clouds with flat bases start forming over the high ground. The CDC says to watch for large, well-defined cumulus that keep rising, since those can grow into thunderstorms. Check them each time you stop.

  3. Late morning

    The clouds grow tall

    Those clouds start towering into cauliflower shapes and their bases darken. This is when a summit push should be finishing, not starting. If you aren't near the top by now, the day's summit may not be worth it.

  4. Around noon

    Be off the exposed ground

    This is the Weather Service's line for mountain hikers. Be below the open ridge and heading down by now, even if the sky over you still looks fine. A storm can strike 10 to 15 miles from its core.

  5. Early afternoon

    Storms break

    The tops spread into an anvil shape and thunder starts. Once clouds darken and flatten into an anvil, the CDC says, the storm is already in progress. If you're still up high, follow the steps above.

  6. Late afternoon

    Don't treat a pause as the end

    Storms can come in waves, and the tail end of a storm is dangerous too. The CDC says the beginning and the end of a storm are the most dangerous times. Count 30 minutes from the last thunder before heading back into the open.

Which lightning safety myths are still going around?

The big ones are that crouching keeps you safe, that a tree, tent or trail shelter protects you, that metal attracts lightning and that clear sky overhead means no danger. None of them hold up. Most come from advice that was once standard, or from things that simply feel true.

The right-hand column is what the Weather Service, the CDC and NOLS say now.

The beliefWhat's actually true
Crouching makes you safeThe Weather Service stopped recommending the crouch in 2008. It may slightly reduce ground current, but it won't stop a strike from overhead. The only real fix is to leave early.
No rain overhead means no dangerLightning often strikes more than 3 miles from the center of a storm, and so-called bolts from the blue can land 10 to 15 miles away.
Metal attracts lightningIt doesn't. Height, a pointed shape and isolation decide where lightning hits. Metal does carry current, so don't touch long metal runs like fences and cables.
Lie flat to get lowLying flat makes things worse, because it puts more of your body in contact with the ground current that spreads out from a strike.
A tree, a tent or a trail shelter is shelterNone of them protect you. Under a tree is the second leading cause of lightning casualties, and tents and open-sided shelters offer no protection at all.
Lightning never strikes the same place twiceIt often does, especially on tall, pointed, isolated things. The Empire State Building averages about 23 strikes a year.
Touching someone who was struck will shock youThe human body doesn't hold a charge. It's safe to touch a lightning victim and start first aid straight away.

How do you plan a summer hike around thunderstorms?

Check the forecast for where you'll be standing, set a turnaround time and start early. After that, know your way down and carry a way to call for help.

The night before

  • Get the forecast for the summit or ridge, not the town at the bottomThe Weather Service's point forecast lets you click on the map where you'll actually be
  • Look for a chance of thunderstorms, and when it startsIf the chance is high, pick a lower, forested hike for that day
  • Pick a turnaround time and agree on it with everyoneWork backward from when storms usually start, using a realistic pace
  • Find your bail-out: the quickest way from the high ground down into trees

Getting out the door

  • Start at or before first light on a long mountain day
  • Carry a satellite messenger or other way to call for help where phones don't work
  • Pack a rain jacket and a warm layerGetting soaked on the descent is the price of not sheltering under trees
  • Bring a foam sit pad if you have oneIt's what NOLS suggests standing or sitting on in the lightning position

On the trail

  • Watch the clouds at every break and say out loud what you see
  • Stick to the turnaround time, even with blue sky above you
  • At the first thunder, turn around without a debate

Lightning terms worth knowing

Flash-to-bang
Counting seconds between a flash and its thunder. Sound covers about a mile every 5 seconds, so 15 seconds is about 3 miles. Use it to judge if a storm is closing in, not as a reason to keep going: any thunder at all means you're within range.
Ground current
Current that spreads out through and along the ground from where lightning lands. The Weather Service says it causes the most lightning deaths and injuries, because it affects a much bigger area than a direct hit.
Side flash
Current that jumps from a struck object, usually a tree, to a person standing within a foot or two of it.
Upward streamer
A discharge that rises from the ground, tall objects or people as lightning approaches. Usually only one connects, but the others discharge too and can injure someone even without a direct hit.
Bolt from the blue
Lightning that travels sideways out of a storm and lands far from it, sometimes 10 to 15 miles away, where the sky overhead can still look clear.
Turnaround time
A fixed time, agreed before you start, when the group turns back whether or not it has reached the top. On summer mountain days it's the most useful lightning tool you have.
Anvil
The flat, spreading top of a mature thunderstorm cloud. By the time you see one, the storm is already active.

Gear for getting caught out

None of this makes you safe from lightning. It's what helps you descend wet and call for help if someone is hurt.

Best Satellite Messengers and Beacons of 2026

Best Satellite Messengers and Beacons of 2026

Read the guide →

Best Hiking Rain Jackets of 2026

Best Hiking Rain Jackets of 2026

Read the guide →

Best Hiking First Aid Kits of 2026

Best Hiking First Aid Kits of 2026

Read the guide →

More on staying safe up high

Photo: Cullen328 — CC BY 3.0, cropped

Safety

Altitude sickness on a hike, and the descent that cures it

Photo: Pimlico27 — CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped

Destinations

Top 5 day hikes in Colorado, and how early you have to be off each one

Skills

How long does it take to hike a mile?

Safety

What to do if you get lost hiking

Photo: Famartin — CC BY-SA 4.0

Destinations

The Appalachian Trail, explained

Photo: Grand Canyon National Park — Public domain

Safety

Hiking in the heat

Lightning and hiking: common questions

How far away can lightning strike?

Farther than most people think. The Weather Service says lightning often strikes more than 3 miles from the center of a storm, and that bolts from the blue can land 10 to 15 miles away. Thunder carries only about 10 miles, so if you can hear it, treat yourself as within range.

What is the 30-30 rule for lightning?

It's an older rule of thumb, still printed on some Weather Service brochures: take shelter if 30 seconds or less pass between flash and thunder, then wait 30 minutes before going back out. The Weather Service's current advice drops the counting. If you can hear thunder at all, you're likely within striking distance, so "when thunder roars, go indoors." The 30-minute wait after the last thunder still stands.

What is the lightning position?

It's a last-resort stance NOLS teaches for when lightning is striking close and you can't get to safer ground: feet together, crouched or sitting, on a foam pad or your pack if you have one. Feet together reduces how much ground current passes through you. It doesn't protect against a direct strike, so move again as soon as you can.

Should you crouch if lightning is close?

The Weather Service stopped recommending it in 2008, saying it gives no real protection from a strike overhead. NOLS still teaches a feet-together position for when you truly can't move, because it reduces ground current. Neither treats it as a substitute for getting down early.

Is it safe to be in a tent during a thunderstorm?

No. The Weather Service says plainly that a tent offers no protection from lightning. If you're camping in storm country, pitch in a valley or other low spot away from the tallest trees. If a car or building is within reach when thunder starts, go there.

Should I drop my trekking poles in a lightning storm?

It's reasonable to stow them. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy says to drop trekking poles and metal-framed packs, and the CDC warns against carrying a conductor above shoulder level. But metal doesn't attract lightning, so don't stop on a ridge to get rid of it. Get moving first.

Is it safe to touch someone who has been struck by lightning?

Yes. The body doesn't store electricity, so you can start first aid immediately. Call 911 or send an SOS, start CPR if they aren't breathing, and move to safer ground when you can. Anyone who was struck should be evacuated, even if they seem fine.

How likely are hikers to be struck by lightning?

Not very. An analysis of US lightning deaths from 2006 to 2019, published by the Weather Service, put hiking at about 4 percent of leisure-activity deaths, well behind water activities like fishing and boating. The risk rises sharply on exposed summits and ridges in the summer afternoon, so when and where you hike matters more than luck.

Sources

Facts on this page were checked against these. Conditions, fees and rules change — check the official page before you go.

  1. Lightning Safety Tips and Resources — National Weather Service · checked October 27, 2026
  2. Lightning Safety — National Weather Service · checked October 27, 2026
  3. When a Safe Building or Vehicle is Nearby (lightning safety outdoors) — National Weather Service · checked October 27, 2026
  4. Lightning Myths — National Weather Service · checked October 27, 2026
  5. Lightning Science: Five Ways Lightning Strikes People — National Weather Service · checked October 27, 2026
  6. The National Weather Service stopped recommending the crouch in 2008 — National Weather Service · checked October 27, 2026
  7. Understanding Lightning: Thunder — National Weather Service · checked October 27, 2026
  8. Lightning Fatalities in 2026 — National Weather Service · checked October 27, 2026
  9. Medical Aspects of Lightning — National Weather Service · checked October 27, 2026
  10. Lightning: Backcountry Risk Management for Campers and Hikers (John Gookin, NOLS) — National Weather Service · checked October 27, 2026
  11. Lightning Safety (JetStream) — National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration · checked October 27, 2026
  12. Lightning Safety brochure — National Weather Service, Huntsville · checked October 27, 2026
  13. Safety Guidelines: Lightning — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · checked October 27, 2026
  14. Lightning — Appalachian Trail Conservancy · checked October 27, 2026
  15. A Detailed Analysis of Lightning Deaths in the United States from 2006 through 2019 — National Weather Service (John S. Jensenius, Jr.) · checked October 27, 2026

More from Basecamp

Safety

Hiking during hunting season: when it matters, where, and what to wear

From October into January, most of the woods we hike in are also open to hunters. Staying safe comes down to being seen and being heard. Here's which weeks matter most, which land is open to hunting, where blaze orange is the law for hikers, and where to walk if you'd rather skip it.

Photo: DanTD — CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped

Safety

Ticks while hiking: how to avoid them, and what to do about a bite

The tick behind most Lyme disease is the size of a poppy seed, and it generally has to stay attached for more than a day to infect you. That gap is what makes a same-day tick check work. Here's what to wear, what to spray, where to look when you get home, and how to pull one out.

Photo: USFWS Mountain Prairie — Public domain

Safety

Hiking in bear country

Grizzlies and black bears call for opposite responses, so the first job is figuring out which one you're looking at. Here's what the land managers tell you to do before the trailhead, on the trail, and if a bear is coming at you.