The outdoors can be a scary place (and this may be why many of you are cooped up inside reading MakeUseOf!). However, it can be pretty cool when you think about it. With gigantic mountains, beautiful oceans, and even stuff like the Aurora Borealis, you know that the world can be awesome. So why not get out there and enjoy it? Of course, I'm speaking for myself, too. I'm not exactly the bearded, axe-swinging lumberjack that I'd like to be.

Unlike me, if you find yourself on an adventure relating to the outdoors, it might be a good idea to get yourself prepared first. Below, I've compiled four outdoor safety websites for you to take a look at before you go exploring the unknown (or likely the known state parks...) These sites are great places for getting to know what you're about to get into, but nothing beats learning like actual experience. The sites will help, but reading about it is never the same as actually doing it, right?

USDA Forest Service

outdoor safety

As a US government website, the USDA is meant for those of us here in the United States. However, I believe that some of the tips on this site could be useful regardless of where you have decided to venture off to. Admittedly, the word "outdoors" is very generalized, but I believe what most often comes to mind associated with this word is camping in the forest. Fortunately for you, that's exactly what this site is all about. On here, you'll mainly find tips for enjoying forestland (particularly in regions of the US).

Love The Outdoors

outdoor safety tips

Love The Outdoors is another site to aid you in camping, and it's presented in a blog-like format. At first glance, the blog itself doesn't look too showy. It's simple, isn't up to current web standards, and is reminiscent of early 2000s websites. However, the site has some valuable content, and I wouldn't discredit it just because it isn't pretty to look at. Imagine if we did that with people (we actually do, and that doesn't always work well).

Simply put, Love The Outdoors is full of informational articles about outdoor recreation presented in a friendly-to-read format.

The Center For Disease Control & Prevention

outdoor safety tips

Another government website is actually a great source for outdoor info, and that would happen to be the United State's Center for Disease Control and Prevention's own. The site features a great deal of practical advice while out in the wilderness, and it might be a good source for reading up on what all is out there on your next trip.

As a note, I believe that the site could have provided a bit more info on their camping section (such as diseases from plants), but the information offered is still fairly valuable. One suggestion is to get vaccinated before going out anywhere, and I believe this is fairly sound.

Plants For A Future

outdoor safety

Right off the bat, Plants For a Future is designed to be more of a plant information site, and it could be used for more than just camping or anything like that. However, the site offers a cornucopia of information related to edible plants and even medicinal plants. Furthermore, when browsing, you can search for habitats that are similar to the one you will be off to, and this could be quite beneficial. Although there are photos of each plant written about, there wasn't much of an identification system. Even though this site is informational, please be careful about what you eat or use in emergencies.

Conclusion

These are only four websites for you to use in preparation for your outdoor adventure (or perhaps on your smartphone if you have service...) Be careful while out and about, and know it might be best to go along with someone who already knows this stuff. The Internet can only tell you so much.

What other outdoor safety websites do you use to prepare for the outdoors? What was your last camping trip like?

Image Credit: matlasromero