Water Treatment Options for Your Next Camping or Hiking Trip

Eldorado Natural Spring Water sure is grateful to be able to call Colorado home. There is so much natural beauty in this state and time is always best spent outdoors. If you decide to explore one of Colorado's many trails, hike the backcountry, or even visit a favorite trail you’ve hiked time and time again, the trip may not always go as planned. What was originally meant to be a 2 hour excursion can easily turn into a 15 mile adventure. That’s why, in addition to recommending that you take a few bottles of Eldorado Natural Spring Water, we also suggest you take a water treatment option along.

Why does water for consumption always need to be treated while you're out in the wilderness—and what are your best options? Here are a few things to consider before you head out.

 Do I even need to treat this water? It looks clean.

The answer is yes. Even if it’s one of Colorado’s famous crystal clear streams, it’s always better to err on the side of caution. The presence of animal feces in streams or lakes produces parasites and viruses that can cause severe cramping, vomiting, fever, and diarrhea. Talk about a lousy hike! Looking on the bright side though, it is widely believed by experts that water at a higher altitude is often less contaminated than water at a lower altitude.  

What are the best options for water treatment?

Water treatment has come a long way over the years and there are a number of options that are all lightweight, convenient, and effective.

1. Water Filters: Simply pump water from your source into the water filter container. The filter will mechanically remove parasites and bacteria.
2. Water Purifiers: Purifiers do essentially the same thing as a filter, but also use an additional chemical treatment add-on such as UV light or an iodine system. This method is best for international travel where more precaution needs to be taken when consuming water.
3. Boiling: This is one of the oldest approaches to cleaning water. Simply bring the water to a boil for 1 minute and then let cool. Although it works, it’s usually only reserved for cooking purposes or emergencies because of the time and inconvenience it poses.
4. Chemical Tablets: These tablets usually consist of iodine that kills harmful bacteria. These are quick and inexpensive but can sometimes affect the taste of water and usually only have a shelf life of about 6 months.

There you have it! Water treatment options for your next hike or overnighter. Of course we encourage you to do some research and use whichever approach works best for you, but regardless of which option you choose, you should always be prepared. Many water filters can start at just tenty bucks a pop and can even fit in your pocket. Even if your planned excursion is only a few miles, things happen, and you never know when one of these could come in handy!

We at Eldorado Natural Spring Water sure hope you enjoy soaking up this year's warm weather. Oh, by the way, for you avid hikers, Brian at BootBomb.com listed the Colorado trail that runs from Denver to Durango as trail #16 of his blog titled "Top 50 Long Distance Hiking Trails In the USA". Check it out. We know we will!

Editor's note: This post was originally published in September of 2016 and has been updated since.