Are you dreaming of more challenging wilderness hiking trails, but wondering how to cross rivers safely? Do you know what gear is needed to cross waterways? Are you unsure whether you should go wading alone or not?

River crossings are often the biggest risks of hiking and backpacking, at least in the Nordics. The general advice is to only wade in water less than knee deep. However, if you follow the advice, you will miss many great hiking trails (at least if you a short hiker).

I still get an adrenaline rush from wading – it really doesn’t matter if it is through a small puddle, creek or a bigger river. The reaction of the body and mind to cold water or a strong current is individual, but when you dare to take the first step, your confidence starts to grow gradually.

In this guide you’ll find all you need to know about crossing waterways while hiking and backpacking – gear, technique and safety – based on my own experiences and lessons learned.

Getting ready for river crossing

Equipment

Start preparing for wading by packing into drysacks everything important and by changing suitable wading shoes.

Pack in dry bags everything that should not get wet, such as a mobile phone, camera, change of clothes, sleeping bag, etc., if they are not already in a dry bag before crossing. Open the hip belt and chest strap of your backpack so that you can free yourself quickly in the event of a fall.

If there is a risk of your backpack floating away with the current, think carefully about what equipment you need to survive. I usually put my mobile phone, power bank and cord in a small dry bag with a map and compass in the thigh pocket of my pants. I also clip the satellite communication device to a suitable place on my clothes or put it in the same pocket as the mobile phone.

You should not get your hiking trousers wet while backpacking. If it's deep, take off your pants. If you're lazy, wrap your pants at the knees and be ready to suffer from possibly wet trouser legs.

I belong to the lazy group, and I usually wrap my hiking tights at the knee or a little above the knee. In warm weather, the fabric dries quickly if the river happens to be deeper than I thought.

In cold or rainy weather and in autumn, the situation is different: wet clothes hardly dry and they get cold = you get cold. If I want to keep my hiking tights dry (weather, deep wading), I wear rain pants over hiking tights rolled up to my knees and tighten the pant legs with straps before jumping into the river.

Wading shoes

You should not wade with bare feet, because there may be sharp stones at the bottom. In cold water, your feet become numb and the sense of touch weakens, so you may not even notice the appearance of wounds. Perhaps the most common wading shoe in the Nordics is Crocs' traditional garden sandal.

My favorite is a thick and 'waterproof' Sealskinz sock and, depending on the situation, light Crocs sandals with a narrow sole and rubber band fastening. A waterproof sock does get wet from the inside, but the foot stays warm. When the crossing feels pleasant, panic does not strike so quickly, even in a difficult place.

My sandals have wide rubber bands, and they work well otherwise, but in a really strong current, the sandals try to escape when the rubber band stretches too much. The best wading shoes for strong (and cloudy) currents and rocky riverbeds would be a decent shoe with enough grip.

I've also tried the combo waterproof sock + Goretex hiking shoe (light Inov 400 Rocklite) + rain pants with the pant legs tightened over the shoe. I've also wrapped the hiking tights under the rain pants at the knees just to be sure. This combination works surprisingly well when wading relatively briskly – great for lazy and easier crossings.

Poles

On many hiking trails (for example in Finland: Lake Luirojärvi Trail, Halti via The Nordkalott Trail) river crossings are relatively easy during normal water: the water is knee-deep at most, the current is not very strong, and the water is clear. With these crossings, one hiking pole or a branch found on the riverbank is enough to help you keep your balance while wading.

When moving to more demanding crossings – murky glacier streams, strong currents and deep rivers – it is good to use two poles for crossings. In strong current, the other (back) pole is a third support (in front of you) in addition to your legs, and the other pole forward is for exploring the bottom. There might be a surprising hole, rhizome or big stone at the bottom, which could cause a fall.

Rope or string

Some, especially hiking groups, use a rope to help them cross watercourses. One hiker carries the rope to the opposite bank and the rest of the group members cross the stream along the rope.

When hiking and backpacking alone, a rope is not that useful. At most you could tie the rope to your rucksack so that it does not disappear far in the event of a fall.

Backpack ‘raft’

Sometimes the body of water may be so deep that it cannot be crossed by wading. To help, you can build a raft out of your backpack, on which you can cross the water. I haven't had to try this myself, and I don't recommend for a beginner to cross water in a place where the water reaches higher than just under your bottom.

Wading in really deep river, where the water reaches up to the waist, is difficult. The deeper you are, the more buoyance there is in the equation. If there is air in your clothes (e.g., you strap your rain pants to your hiking boots), there is even more buoyancy. I recommend for a solo hiker to wade in stream that reaches below the bottom at most, if no help is available.

Selection of wading site

On the marked hiking trails, the wading spots are mostly marked on the map. There may also be additional signs in the terrain, such as a branch, a flag or a tree trunk. On some routes, cables have been installed to help (for example Kevo Trail) or a cable boat (for example the Sevettijärvi-Pulmanki Trail).

In most cases, pre-selected crossing points should be preferred. Sometimes there may be more water than usual at a common crossing point, and the crossing cannot be done easily or at all. In this case, you either have to look for another better crossing place or wait until crossing is possible again.

Even in many wilderness areas, trails have been created, both by animals and by hikers. By the water bodies, the first thing to do is to check if there are signs of a popular crossing point on the shores. Signs of a frequently used crossing point include a path that continues on the other side of the river, trampled vegetation, footprints, a long branch that has been used as a wading aid, and a rosette, i.e. a few stones on top of each other on the bank.

Most of the time, you should cross the river at the widest possible point, where the river is at its lowest. In stream water, you should look for backwaters, for example between waterfalls or rapids. There may also be suitable stones in the river to slow down the flow, and the surface pebbles reveal a low spot.

A single large obstacle (such as a rock) provides a sheltered spot in the current, but next to it the water often flows even more strongly. When jumping from one rock to another, you should carefully assess whether you can jump far enough with the rucksack on your back and also keep your balance.

A river that is difficult to cross is, for example, one that is relatively deep and, in addition, has large and moving rocks under the surface. There can also be pockets of mud in between the stones, which are really deep. If your foot suddenly sinks, you may fall, get wet and panic. So, try each step position with the pole before taking the next step.

In a meandering river, it is usually deeper on the outer bend of the meander. It is recommended to start the crossing at the outer curve, which is the deepest point, and go diagonally upstream towards the inner curve. Also check that the riverbed on the opposite shore is one you can climb on (low enough, not dense willow bushes, etc.).

Crossing a river by wading – technique

Cross the stream by going diagonally upstream. The stronger the current, the steeper the line, if possible. If you have to travel in a straight line (a 90-degree angle to the river), move sideways keeping your legs in a wide position and your chest facing upstream. Always lean against the current.

In fast-flowing water, wading directly your chest pointing to the opposite shore makes it difficult to maintain balance. Avoid going downstream as much as possible - the force of the water adds speed and lengthens the stride, and you can't lean back to keep your balance.

Walk slowly. In the middle of the river, a mental crisis may strike, which your brain interprets as a danger from which you have to escape as fast as possible. A better strategy is the opposite: stop. Take a good and sturdy standing position and calmly lean against the current. Take a deep breath.

The amount of water does not increase, even if it feels like it when you are surrounded by a roaring stream. Find joy in hanging out in the middle of the stream - find a flat rock and sit on it. Continue the journey only when your heart rate has stabilized and your mind has calmed down.

Safety and tips for crossing streams on a Nordic hike

• Start preparing yourself for the wade by sitting on the bank of the river and enjoying some snacks. Crossing the river is much easier when you are energetic!
• The challenging wadings require some muscles and power, it is worth keeping yourself fit enough.
• Rivers that collect their water from melting glaciers (e.g., in Sarek wilderness) usually have more water in 1) rainy weather, 2) hot weather and 3) in the evening. Know the water levels at all times and avoid wading at very high water levels.
• If you are hiking alone, assess the risks carefully. Repeat the estimate as many times as necessary. If another hiker is crossing fast flowing huge rapids by surfing on a rucksack raft, don't worry, it’s not a competition. Only cross such bodies of water that don't raise your own fear factor too high.
• When you see pics of rivers and wading points, they always seem narrow, shallow and easy to cross. When you get yourself there, they always seem wide, deep and difficult to cross.
• When you are on a wilderness trip and using satellite communication, message your support troops before and after crossing large rivers. The coordinates make it easier if you are really unlucky.
• If you can't seem to find a crossing point (especially in bad weather or late at night), set up camp and face the problem again in the morning. There may be less water in the morning, and it is easier to beat the challenges when you are rested.
• If the crossing becomes difficult in the middle of wading (for example, the river suddenly deepens), calmly turn around and return to the shore by the same route. Find a new crossing point. But have a chocolate bar first, and consider setting up your camp, too.
• If there is no point in the body of water that looks like you can cross it, don't cross it. It is very OK to change the route and also to return back to the starting point.