Hiking

Hiking info, ideas, and photos

Let's Go - Hiking in the Lake District of Scotland
Photo: Ian Carroll, through a Creative Commons Attribution License

Hiking is an outdoor activity that consists of walking in natural and in some cases urban environments. Hiking could be a short 20 minute hike up a dirt road to fish a creek, or it could be a 20 hour day, hiking to the top of Half Dome in Yosemite. We've all hiked, whether we realize it or not, because despite what the gear companies would like you to believe, in reality, there's little difference between hiking and walking, except perhaps hikers seem to wear darker-looking more hard core looking shoes. For specificity, we're defining hiking here as "day hiking." For overnight hiking, see our pages on backpacking and on trekking.

We could go into a long-winded definition of etymology of the word "hiking" and bore you to tears, but hey, we're not Wikipedia, and chances are you're on this page because you're looking for some ideas on equipment and on places to hike. You've come to the right place.

Your hiking gear doesn't need to be complex or state of the art to have fun on a hike, but you should know that there's some great innovative hiking gear our there. At the least make sure you have happy feet, water, and understand the concept of layering:

Happy feet: Whatever you do, when you hike make sure you've got good footwear that's neither too much nor too little for what you're doing. Make sure you're using clean socks, and be prepared with moleskin to treat blisters at the first sign of a hot spot.

Water: Make sure you've got hydration figured out before you leave to go hiking. Plastic bottles may be the best solution in a desert environment where puncture would mean disaster, but hydration packs can be incredibly convenient.

Layering: Conditions on many trails can change drastically. You need to understand the concept of layering and be prepared with the right outerwear for hiking. A light weight, breathable, shell jacket is almost mandatory at the bottom of almost every hiker's pack.

We've put together a few lists to inspire you, our Best Hikes list is rundown of must-do best hikes around the world. Our Best Hike List is a list of little-known or unknown hikes in far flung places around the world that are every bit as good as the must-do famous ones.


You've heard people say, "Be careful when hiking alone, and tell someone where you're going" Ok, here's why. Hikers get stuck, for example like Aron Ralston in Blue John Canyon in Utah, a few years ago. Hikers slip and fall, for example like the 12 year old American boy recently fell from a Swiss trail or the many hikers who routinely fall off slippery, steep, muddy Hawaiian trails. Do a search for missing hiker, and you'll be surprised how many people die hiking. A surprising number of hikers die every year. Hiking doesn't have to be dangerous, be smart.

Use multiple sources in your hiking research. Google earth is an amazing resource for hikers. You can get a bird's eye view of almost any hiking area in the world. We've used Google earth to actually discover some of the trails on this page. However, be careful and remember that some topography can be horribly distorted on Google earth and something that may look passible, actually is not.

CMH Heli-Hiking

New England Hiking Holidays

Backroads - Hiking Trips

Austin Lehman Adventures - Hiking Trips

The World Outdoors - Hiking Trips

Active New Zealand - Hiking

Swiss Hiking

ATG Oxford Hiking

Trailside Guide: Hiking and Backpacking by Karen Berger

Hiker's and Climber's Guide to the World's Mountains by Michael Kelsey

Long-Distance Hiking: Lessons from the Appalachian Trail by Roland Mueser

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Camping & Hiking

SAS Survival Handbook: How to Survive in the Wild, in Any Climate, on Land or at Sea by John Lofty Wiseman

Awol on the Appalachian Trail by David Miller

The Hiking Companion: Getting the most from the trail experience throughout the seasons: where to go, what to bring, basic navigation, and backpacking by Michael W. Robbins

Lonely Planet Hiking in the USA

The American Hiking Society

ABC of Hiking - Hiking Portal

Hiking - New York Times Travel Guide

Backpacker Magazine - Hiking

Hiking and Backpacking Guide - GORP

Walking and Hiking

Section Hiker

Hiking Blogs

Hut Hiking - Budget Travel Magazine

Google takes its map cam for a spin on biking, hiking trails

Hiking Etiquette - Reporter Herald

Stay Safe When Camping and Hiking

Another Reason to Visit Switzerland - Hiking in The Nude - Time

Gear: Shoes for Hiking the Trail and Backpacking - The Baltimore Sun

Hiking, other outdoor pursuits abound - weather or not - The Reading Eagle

Hiking the Appalachian Trail, Reflecting on America - New River Journal

Italy: hiking in Umbria's wild flower wonderland - The Telegraph

The World's 50 Best Day Hikes - The Times