Where to start
Most people already walk every day. Turning that into a fitness habit, and then into a day on a trail, mostly takes a few small steps: walking a little faster and a little longer, getting footwear that fits, and learning the habits that keep a hike pleasant and safe.
Walk for fitness
How much walking counts as exercise, how to tell if your pace is brisk enough, and how to add hills and distance.
Get the footwear right
Walking shoes, trail shoes and boots, how each should fit, and how to break them in before a long day.
Plan a first day hike
Choosing a trail you can finish, reading distance and climb, setting a turnaround time and telling someone your plan.
Check the weather
Where to find an official forecast for a trail, and what heat, cold, wind and storms mean for your plans.
From sidewalk to trail
You don't need to be fit to start hiking, but it helps to build up. A simple progression for most healthy adults:
- Walk most days at a pace where you can talk but would struggle to sing.
- Stretch one walk a week until you can walk for about an hour without sore feet.
- Add hills, stairs or uneven park paths so your legs and ankles get used to climbing and changing ground.
- Try a short, well-marked trail of a few miles with little climbing, close to home and on a clear day.
- Go a little longer or steeper each time, and only once the last hike felt comfortable.
If you have a heart or lung condition, joint problems, diabetes, are pregnant, or haven't been active for a long time, talk to your doctor before you increase how far or how hard you walk.
Where the official information lives
We write general guides. For a specific trail on a specific day, the best information comes from the people who manage the land and from official forecasters. In the United States that usually means the National Park Service for national parks, the USDA Forest Service for national forests, your state or county parks department for local trails, and the National Weather Service for forecasts and warnings. Their pages list closures, alerts, permits and current conditions that no general guide can know.
Common questions
What is the difference between walking and hiking?
Mostly the ground. Walking usually means paved or smooth paths close to roads and help. Hiking means natural trails, with roots, rocks, climbs and fewer people, so footwear, water, a plan and the weather matter more.
How long should a first hike be?
Pick something shorter than your longest comfortable walk, with little climbing. Many people start with a trail of two to four miles. Trail time runs slower than sidewalk time, so allow extra.
Do you recommend specific shoes or gear?
No. We explain what to look for and how things should fit, and leave the choice to you. See the about page for how we write.