Hiking ?

[lewber]

What is hiking? I always see people say hiking is their favorite exercise, or what they want to do on their day off, or even for vacation. Where exactly do you go hike? Is it walking anywhere that's not a road? Do you take a backpack and snacks? How far do you drive to go hiking? How long is the hike? What makes hiking different than going for a walk?

Thanks!

[poppy]

A 2 mile trail in a nature preserve or wildlife sanctuary is a good place to start. Bring a water and use bug spray.

A 4 mile hike is a good everyday hike with kids.  Takes around 2 hours.  Bring water, bug spray and a snack.

 

[Tess in the Burbs]

our family hikes.  Usually we do 3-5 miles on local trails in our area.  If we are on vacation then we hike 5-8 miles a day exploring where we are.  For hiking we do carry water/first aid/10 essentials.  We did do a 3 mile hike this past weekend with just water b/c it's so heavily populated I wasn't worried about the other stuff.  If there is a longer trail in a vacation spot we all want to do we will do it...up to 10 miles.  None of us love doing longer treks than that.  We will drive up to 2 hours for a great hike, but we are lucky to have many trails near us that is less than 30 min-1 hr.  Hiking is a thing where we live now.  Where we lived previously I can think of 2 hiking trails in the region and it wasn't as popular. 

We walk 2-3 miles in our neighborhood as well during the week but don't take anything on those walks.  

[MinivanMom]

I would say that hiking is walking in nature where there is no road.

 

We have done easy walks around our local lake with small children, more difficult day hikes with the small children in carriers, and serious backpacking excursions. I would consider all of them "hiking". We're really lucky to have lots of lakes and beautiful hiking trails within an hour of our home, but dh is willing to drive a lot further for serious backpacking with the older kids.

[regentrude]

We hike in state parks, wilderness areas, national forest. Anything over 2 miles, unpaved, might be considered a hike. 

With little children, 4 miles was a day hike and required backpacks with snacks, water, rain gear, and treats. 

We now hike between 6 and 12 miles on regular weekend days here at home. More on vacation.

 

The closest hiking is a few minutes away at the outskirts of town. Usually we drive longer, 30 minutes if we have little time, up to two hours one way if we have all day.

We don't backpack here in the state because there are few areas you cannot reach by day hike, so it's not worth it. I backpack to get to places i cannot get to otherwise, not because I enjoy carrying a heavy pack and sleeping on the ground. For me, backpacking is a means to an end.

 

Depending on length, we carry more or less stuff.

 

Our three mile evening walks along the pace bike path are not "hikes", and we carry nothing except keys and cell phone.

Edited April 19, 2017 by regentrude

[6packofun]

We hike in our national park and on local trails from 2-6 miles or so in length.  (There is a multipurpose trail in our national park that goes about 100 continuous miles; there are always repairs in some small sections, but some sections are actually open 24 hours for night hiking!) We are very lucky that this trail is within 5-10 minutes of our house and we can start at any point and take a train back to our starting point if we get too pooped to hike it back!  (Haven't done that yet, though.)  We also have the Buckeye Trail in our state (OH) which has specific sections within other parks so that we can just do it little by little.

 

We bring a backpack every time we hike so that we can bring snacks, toilet paper in ziploc baggies in case primitive "toilets" don't have any, bug spray, a small first aid kit, and water.  I consider hiking to be any walking off the road that requires us to have these extras along with us, I guess.

[6packofun]

Oh, I also forgot that in the summer about 1/4 of the time our hikes are to do geocaching!

[lewber]

Ok, I guess we don't have anywhere like that close to us. We have a wildlife park type of place that a lot of people go to. It's not big enough to need supplies though. I guess that's just a walk in the woods:) I'll have to look around for hiking locations.

Do you go because the scenery is interesting? What's the draw other than exercise?

[6packofun]

Why:  Geocaching. Love nature. Sometimes there is a very interesting history of the place where we hike. Bird watching and photography (my dd loves to bring the camera but I think it's cumbersome!).  Definitely exercise.  QUIET.  lol  Or, sometimes tromping around in a creek!  Looking for caves, rock formations, bird nesting grounds or other natural features that are neat.

[Farrar]

I enjoy it for the scenery. Like, this is one of my favorite local hikes. It's challenging (there's a bit where you climb a rock in the middle). But not too challenging. You feel tired in a good way after. Or, at least, I do. And it's gorgeous:

https://www.washingtonian.com/2015/05/04/billy-goat-trail/

 

Surely there's somewhere to hike near everyone. Is there really nowhere to hike anywhere in the country? I mean, there are hikes near major cities and hikes in the middle of nowhere. In the desert or in the rainforest.

[marbel]

Ok, I guess we don't have anywhere like that close to us. We have a wildlife park type of place that a lot of people go to. It's not big enough to need supplies though. I guess that's just a walk in the woods:) I'll have to look around for hiking locations.

Do you go because the scenery is interesting? What's the draw other than exercise?

 

I pretty much agree with everyone's definitions of a hike vs. a walk.

 

But re: the bolded:  we hike because it's a change of scene.   I can walk around my flat, safe neighborhood every day.  It gets boring.  Hiking is getting away from home a bit, getting into the woods, or up the mountains, or along a creek or river... being out in nature.  Seeing different birds and other animals, different plants.  Maybe not seeing any people, or at least people we aren't expected to interact with.   It's just different from walking out the front door.  

 

(Unless one is so fortunate to live in the woods, or by a river, and has nice paths to walk right out their door!) 

[GoodGrief]

Yep, I call off-road walking "hiking". Our town is surrounded by state park land, so trails abound.

 

Funny story though, the only time I've had a close bear encounter was on a "safe" walk on our neighborhood sidewalk. :-D

[Ottakee]

What is hiking? I always see people say hiking is their favorite exercise, or what they want to do on their day off, or even for vacation. Where exactly do you go hike? Is it walking anywhere that's not a road? Do you take a backpack and snacks? How far do you drive to go hiking? How long is the hike? What makes hiking different than going for a walk?

Thanks!

This year my kids and I are doing a Parks Challenge for our county.  I decided that we needed to visit all 38 of our county parks and open spaces.  Many involve "hiking"....or at least 1-4 mile walks in the woods, along the water, trails, etc.

 

We have a 1 mile trail across the road from us, one trail we can take out our back door (if we included walking along country dirt roads).....otherwise the parks are 3-15 miles away depending on which one we are going to.

 

We often take nothing other than a cell phone as most of our walks/hikes are 1-4 miles.  More than that we take water but many of our trails are loops, etc. where water/porta potties are available if needed.

[Carrie12345]

My kids are bigger hikers than I am.  They'll call any walk in the woods a hike, whether it's a quarter mile or 10 miles. They don't do it so much for the exercise as they do because they enjoy plants and critters.

[Arcadia]

Where exactly do you go hike?

State and federal parks

 

Is it walking anywhere that's not a road?

There is a dirt track behind my home that people use to either get to the light rail train station or to jog. It won't be a hike but a jog or stroll.

 

Do you take a backpack and snacks?

Sometimes a backpack for each person. Most times a backpack for all four of us. Snacks and drinks are a must for my kids.

 

How far do you drive to go hiking?

30 mins to 2 hours

 

How long is the hike?

1hr to 4hrs

 

What makes hiking different than going for a walk?

Elevation (ups and downs and sometimes climbing is required). I could take a walk by the shoreline and enjoy the tide pools but I won't call that hiking even though it is still in nature.

[thessa516]

I big puffy heart hiking! Hiking, for me, means walking in nature on unpaved trails. Everyone in my family carries his/her own backpack. It includes water, jacket, hat, extra socks, and a snack. I also carry a first aid kit, bug spray, sunscreen, and a map. The kids may also include binoculars and pocket knives. Our hikes are generally 3-8 miles long. We love day trips and hiking, so we don't mind driving a few hours (2-3 hours one-way) to go hiking. However, we also do hikes at state parks within 30 minutes of our home. Exploring and being in a state of mind for adventure and learning is a hallmark of our hikes. We look for animals and animal tracks. We observe rocks, trees, whatever is in our surrounding area. We explore caves, nooks and crannies. Water crossings are always fun! 

 

Walks are completely different. It might be a walk around our neighborhood or walking on a mixed use paved trail. We don't take backpacks or carry water and they are almost always under 3 miles long. It's not the adventure that hiking is for our family.

[Granny_Weatherwax]

Ditto what Thessa said except that my hikes can be up to 20+ miles a day (if I have time).

 

Backpacking is just hiking for 2+ more days while carrying everything you need (food. clothing, shelter).

[Rachel]

Ok, I guess we don't have anywhere like that close to us. We have a wildlife park type of place that a lot of people go to. It's not big enough to need supplies though. I guess that's just a walk in the woods:) I'll have to look around for hiking locations.

Do you go because the scenery is interesting? What's the draw other than exercise?

I enjoy the exercise, it's different than just walking in the neighborhood. I enjoy being in nature, discovering and learning the names of new birds and wildflowers. Not all hiking trails are created equally, I like to see streams, waterfalls, or rock out croppings. A dirt path with some trees is ok but not as interesting to me.

 

I know not all people enjoy hiking, but if I haven't been in a couple weeks I start itching to go. I imagine some people feel that way about hobbies.

[Outdoorsy Type]

Ok, I guess we don't have anywhere like that close to us. We have a wildlife park type of place that a lot of people go to. It's not big enough to need supplies though. I guess that's just a walk in the woods:) I'll have to look around for hiking locations.

Do you go because the scenery is interesting? What's the draw other than exercise?

I go because it lowers my stress level to be outside. I lived in an extremely ugly anc unwalkable city before I moved to my happy place.

 

When I lived in buttuglyville I walked at a nature preserve with my kids almost every week. We stopped and got snacks on the way there and made it a big deal. We checked out side trails and climbed trees. O how the kids would belly ache about being forced to go when we were loading up the car, but now they remember it as a magical forest. We even visited it the last time we were in town.

 

 

Now they are great at hiking, and we have infinity hiking trails in my area. Sometimes they still complain about going, to be honest, but then someone finds a good stick, a climbing tree, or an interesting bug, and it's all good.

 

 

 

I was inspired by the book Last Child In The Woods.

[Ottakee]

 O how the kids would belly ache about being forced to go when we were loading up the car, but now they remember it as a magical forest. We even visited it the last time we were in town.

 

 

Now they are great at hiking, and we have infinity hiking trails in my area. Sometimes they still complain about going, to be honest, but then someone finds a good stick, a climbing tree, or an interesting bug, and it's all good.

 

 

 

I had to laugh.  My kids call our hikes FORCED MARCHES.  Even last night my oldest was complaining about having to go, etc. but once we got there, he ENJOYED it.....for real.  He not only survived but enjoyed it.

 

These are the things memories are made of.

[stephanier.1765]

I wish I had someone to go with. I'm not sure I would feel safe alone.

[Outdoorsy Type]

I wish I had someone to go with. I'm not sure I would feel safe alone.

Would pepper spray help? If not, can you reach out to other homeschoolers for a nature hike?

[Arcadia]

I wish I had someone to go with. I'm not sure I would feel safe alone.

Here we have hikes led by park rangers. It is less strenuous and there are short and long hikes offered. It is often about 20 people and three park rangers.

Edited April 19, 2017 by Arcadia

[Mama Geek]

Hmmm.... I lived in the mountains when I was little so hiking reminds me of my childhood.  I really consider hiking to be in the woods on a dirt path and prefer it to be in the mountains.  I don't really consider walking a dirt path for a couple of miles like on a dike a hike that is just a walk.  I love getting away from the the people, I love watching my dd find lots of new things, I love ending up at waterfalls or beautiful overlooks.  I love coming back tired and sore.  We have hiked in some incredible places in the Appalachians, the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, the Cascade Mountains in Washington and some beautiful mountains in the Alaska.

[regentrude]

Do you go because the scenery is interesting? What's the draw other than exercise?

 

For me it's about so much more than exercise!

I love the nature experience, the feeling of contemplation, the quiet, being away from civilization; listening, smelling, and seeing things not noticed when you are not on foot. It restores me to a sense of wholeness and well being.

 

Edited April 19, 2017 by regentrude

[Soror]

For me it's about so much more than exercise!

I love the nature experience, the feeling of contemplation, the quiet, being away from civilization; listening, smelling, and seeing things not noticed when you are not on foot. It restores me to a sense of wholeness and well being.

 

Yes, yes, and yes.

[lewber]

You guys make it sound great. I know we have some good places a couple hours from here. I'm not really outdoorsy, but I love the idea of waterfalls, creeks, etc. I'll start looking for somewhere to try out.

[thessa516]

Check out AllTrails.com. You might have some places to hike closer than you think.

[6packofun]

In addition to the trail sites, I've found some gems on Only In Your State  Just click on the page for your state and there are tons of cool places to visit.  Possibly places to hike/walk!

[Ausmumof3]

What is hiking? I always see people say hiking is their favorite exercise, or what they want to do on their day off, or even for vacation. Where exactly do you go hike? Is it walking anywhere that's not a road? Do you take a backpack and snacks? How far do you drive to go hiking? How long is the hike? What makes hiking different than going for a walk?

Thanks!

My auntie in Nz calls it tramping... No idea if that's a common kiwi phrase or just a quirk of hers.

[Rachel]

For me it's about so much more than exercise!

I love the nature experience, the feeling of contemplation, the quiet, being away from civilization; listening, smelling, and seeing things not noticed when you are not on foot. It restores me to a sense of wholeness and well being.

 

Great explanation!

[wintermom]

I see "hiking" as kind of a general term to being out in nature and doing some form of self-powered exercise without any motorized vehicles.

 

In the winter, it's cross-country skiing or snowshoeing.

On the water it's canoeing or kayaking;

In the vertical form it's rock climbing, or tree climbing.

 

You can bring along a camera or binoculars and add in nature photography or bird watching. Bring food and add in a picnic. Bring art supplies. Bring along baggies and collect samples of plants, rocks, and other objects from nature. There are many possibilities to add to the attraction.

Edited April 20, 2017 by wintermom

[Seeking Squirrels]

We hit a mountain trail. There are a few good ones within a 15 minute drive. Loads more options if we double our drive. We pack water and snacks. Or for some trails a lunch. Some are just 2 hour or so hikes, some are all day adventures. DH and I used to hike a lot and continued when oldest was born, carrying her in a Kelty backpack. We've done a lot less of it lately but we all miss it. More hiking is one of our goals this summer. 

 

One of our favorite trails ends in a great waterfall. Half the hike is just upwards dirt trail, but the second half is over a lot of rocks and crossing streams. That one takes several hours round trip. We have a favorite when we go camping in the Uintas, too. That one takes us up over a peak and down the backside to a quiet lake. It's around 4 miles and 1,000 foot ascent. That one is a couple hour drive to get to, though, so we only do it when we camp there.  

[Seasider]

To me actual hiking involves a dirt trail (i.e., not paved or gravel) and at least a bit of elevation change. Depending on local geography, elevation isn't always available. I just like to break a little sweat to know I was out for more than a stroll.

[MamaBearTeacher]

Contact your closest outdoors store and ask them for where to go, or your state or area tourist information.  Google hiking on your area.  

[Liz CA]

What is the ballpark way to estimate distance? I mean if I walk 30 minutes or 45 - 1 hour but have really no way of measuring the distance, can I guesstimate it? I walk probably at a medium "speed." Not in a sauntering way but more purposeful, however, definitely not a speed walk or whatever that's called. :)

[LucyStoner]

For us, the differences between hiking and walking are small but many. We walk to and the through the local parks. We hike on trails in county, state and federal parks. Walking just requires comfortable shoes. With hiking, shoes or boots that are waterproof with good traction and ankle support are best. We definitely take water for hike. We probably don't for a walk. We probably have at least snacks, if not lunch and dinner for a hike. Most of our hiking is in wilderness areas. Walks might include errands. Hiking is the event.

 

We usually go for a 2-3 hour hike each week but at least monthly, that's more like 5-7 hours. The draw is nature and solitude. It's nice to take a complete break from all the sensory inputs of the city.

Edited April 20, 2017 by LucyStoner

[regentrude]

What is the ballpark way to estimate distance? I mean if I walk 30 minutes or 45 - 1 hour but have really no way of measuring the distance, can I guesstimate it? I walk probably at a medium "speed." Not in a sauntering way but more purposeful, however, definitely not a speed walk or whatever that's called. :)

 

2 miles per hour is a comfortable speed for me on a trail that allows to be careful about uneven terrain and occasionally stop to look at something or take a picture.

3 miles per hours is a comfortable speed for walking on a flat paved trail while chatting, without stopping, but not trying to walk particularly fast.

 

With little kids, it might be half a mile per hour ;)

[marbel]

I see "hiking" as kind of a general term to being out in nature and doing some form of self-powered exercise without any motorized vehicles.

 

In the winter, it's cross-country skiing or snowshoeing.

On the water it's canoeing or kayaking;

In the vertical form it's rock climbing, or tree climbing.

 

You can bring along a camera or binoculars and add in nature photography or bird watching. Bring food and add in a picnic. Bring art supplies. Bring along baggies and collect samples of plants, rocks, and other objects from nature. There are many possibilities to add to the attraction.

 

Interesting.  I've never thought of those activities as "hiking."  If you were going canoeing, would you say "I'm going hiking today" rather than "I'm going canoeing today?"

 

Total aside here.  Just curious.  I see your logic and am not disagreeing.   It's just new to me.  

[regentrude]

Interesting.  I've never thought of those activities as "hiking."  If you were going canoeing, would you say "I'm going hiking today" rather than "I'm going canoeing today?"

Total aside here.  Just curious.  I see your logic and am not disagreeing.   It's just new to me.  

 

Same here. I rock climb, and while the approach to the rocks often involves some hiking, it would not occur to me to group climbing in the same category.

[MorningGlory]

With little kids, it might be half a mile per hour ;)

 

Or with a husband who takes a zillion pictures.  :wub:

 

My family loves to hike, and we are purposely trying to add more and more hiking events to our calendar. Our New Year's Resolution was to hike the exact same trail every month and take pictures each time to record how the landscape and flora/fauna changes. We are using a relatively short (slightly over 1 mile) local state park trail for this project, and I tell you, it is FASCINATING. Even my 7 year old has caught on how to look for changes. 

[creekland]

Ok, I guess we don't have anywhere like that close to us. We have a wildlife park type of place that a lot of people go to. It's not big enough to need supplies though. I guess that's just a walk in the woods:) I'll have to look around for hiking locations.

Do you go because the scenery is interesting? What's the draw other than exercise?

 

Scenery, exercise, love of everything outdoors - yes, yes, and yes.

 

You ought to be able to find hikes near you.  I just googled Waterfall Hikes in PA and got this site:

 

https://rootsrated.com/stories/best-waterfall-hikes-pennsylvania

 

There were others I could have chosen.  Finding hikes is rather easy.

 

Look at mileage, terrain, and altitude change to figure out what you want to tackle.  With younger kids, shorter, flat, and "not much" are often good starts, but once they get into the hang of it, add more.  My kids loved terrain challenges.

 

If we were going for a couple of miles or less (and it wasn't super hot), we'd only take a water bottle.  If we went longer - or to a gorgeous vista, we'd often take lunch and have it overlooking that vista.  Often we'd have one backpack (not an overnighting backpack, but still a decent hiking one), and pack it with stuff for everyone - then take turns carrying it.

 

Now you have me itching to get out hiking again... vs our daily walks - still nice scenery since we live rural, but not really hikes.  We did get 3.5 miles in partially along the most gorgeous river in the world (St Lawrence) two days ago, but still on paved paths so I guess that was a hybrid - a gorgeous hybrid.

[gardenmom5]

What is hiking? I always see people say hiking is their favorite exercise, or what they want to do on their day off, or even for vacation. Where exactly do you go hike? Is it walking anywhere that's not a road? Do you take a backpack and snacks? How far do you drive to go hiking? How long is the hike? What makes hiking different than going for a walk?

Thanks!

 

hiking is a serious "walk", an easy hike may have a nice path out in nature.  no access to 'amenities' (bathroom/water/emergency services). around here, frequently includes steep changes of grade without the benefit of stairs.  dirt, gravel, tree roots.  woods.   something to see along the way - or at the end of the trail.  a waterfall, a view, ice caves, etc.

backpack with basics for anything over say 20-30 minutes is recommended - and for anything much longer, becomes essential.  water always.

hikes can be a quick 30 minutes (or even less) or days - depends on your goal.  longest I've done is five hours.  my dd is much more serious hiker - but still doesn't backpack camp.

[wintermom]

Interesting.  I've never thought of those activities as "hiking."  If you were going canoeing, would you say "I'm going hiking today" rather than "I'm going canoeing today?"

 

Total aside here.  Just curious.  I see your logic and am not disagreeing.   It's just new to me.  

 

I didn't mean it that way. I'd never say hiking in place of canoeing or snowshoeing.

 

I was providing an assortment of possible activities that might offer different options. If the OP's area doesn't have hiking options, or she finds walking in nature not very attractive, there are lots of other activities that get people outdoors enjoying nature.

[Seasider]

What is the ballpark way to estimate distance? I mean if I walk 30 minutes or 45 - 1 hour but have really no way of measuring the distance, can I guesstimate it? I walk probably at a medium "speed." Not in a sauntering way but more purposeful, however, definitely not a speed walk or whatever that's called. :)

Not ballpark, but if you have a smartphone, there's a nice little app called AllTrails.

[Seasider]

Interesting. I've never thought of those activities as "hiking." If you were going canoeing, would you say "I'm going hiking today" rather than "I'm going canoeing today?"

 

Total aside here. Just curious. I see your logic and am not disagreeing. It's just new to me.

Interesting take, wintermom. I just think of scouting and the way it absolutely delineates hiking as an activity done by foot. What you describe, I would probably call trekking. Edited April 20, 2017 by Seasider

[gardenmom5]

Not ballpark, but if you have a smartphone, there's a nice little app called AllTrails.

 

all trails is a good overview, and they have reviews of the trail from people who have hiked it.  you can do keyword searches.  easier to access features on the computer and planning - and having the phone app when in the field.

there are also more specialized sites depending upon where you live.

in washington - I we also have wta.com.   washington trails association.

and pnwhikes.com

 

so - do search for your area online.  if hiking is at all popular where you are - there will be online sites that show the trail and give information on difficulty, length and what it offers.

 

eta: trails.com

Edited April 20, 2017 by gardenmom5

[wintermom]

Interesting take, wintermom. I just think of scouting and the way it absolutely delineates hiking as an activity done by foot. What you describe, I would probably call trekking.

 

Yes, I guess trekking could be a more generalized term. 

 

I do have to say that I've never met a person who doesn't know what hiking is, though. And there would be a lot more people who probably wouldn't quite catch the meaning of what trekking would be.

[KungFuPanda]

Our town has tons of paved bike paths through the woods.  If it's longer than a one or two mile lap around a lake, I promote that walk to hike status.  If we're out for more than an hour and need drinks or snacks I also grant it hike status. We have to stick to improved paths for my son's power wheelchair and we cheat a bit and make him carry the snacks :-) 

 

When I was a Girl Scout leader, earning the Junior hiking badge required a couple different kinds of hikes.  We did the typical half-day on forest trails version along with urban hikes.  I know we spent a day traipsing around Mt. Vernon and another day in D.C.  They all required a backpack of provisions and an 8-hour day of our time.

[KungFuPanda]

I had to laugh.  My kids call our hikes FORCED MARCHES.  Even last night my oldest was complaining about having to go, etc. but once we got there, he ENJOYED it.....for real.  He not only survived but enjoyed it.

 

These are the things memories are made of.

 

Once she hit 14 my daughter referred to any walk over 1.5 miles as the Bataan Death March.  No drama here.   :rolleyes:  I want it noted that she DID survive to adulthood.