If you walk most days, you already have a good base for hiking. The short answer: hiking is walking on a natural trail, where the ground is often uneven and the path may climb and drop.
As a rule of thumb, a park path is firm and mostly level, and a trail is not. Surface and slope are the two big changes; the walking itself stays the same.
You will also carry a little more, such as extra water.
Where a walk ends and a hike begins
There is no sharp line between the two.
Dr. Aaron Baggish of Massachusetts General Hospital says hiking “exists along an entire continuum, from a gentle walk on a flat wooded path to mountain climbing.”
He was quoted by Harvard Health Publishing, the consumer health publisher of Harvard Medical School.
You can sit near the gentle end for as long as you like.
Walking and hiking side by side
| Park path walk | Beginner hike | |
|---|---|---|
| Surface | Paved or firm | Natural and uneven |
| Elevation | Mostly level | Climbs and descents |
| Effort | Moderate pace, level, firm surface | Higher at a normal pace through fields and hillsides, no load |
| Gear | Everyday walking shoes | Footwear with traction and support, plus water |
Pace changes the picture.
Slow, easy hiking over fields and hillsides costs about the same as moderate walking on the flat. Brisk level walking at 3.5 to 3.9 mph costs more than both.
What changes for your body
Harvard Health notes that a route with some gain in elevation forces your heart to work harder.
It adds that uphill works the hips and buttocks, while downhill builds the quadriceps (the large muscles at the front of the thigh).
Dr. Luke Apisa, an emergency medicine physician, told Harvard Health that going downhill can be jarring to the knees without extra support. Poles can give that support, he says.
The slightly uneven surface of a trail is a natural way to engage the core muscles and hone balance skills.
You usually don’t get that sideways motion on a treadmill or a bike.
The National Institute on Aging (NIA), the federal research agency on aging, gives weekly targets for older adults.
Its weekly targets:
- At least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity, such as brisk walking, built up gradually
- Muscle-strengthening on at least two days
- About three balance sessions
Trail walking adds aerobic work, works the leg muscles and challenges balance, but you do not need a trail to meet these targets.
Talk to your doctor before you add climbs, especially if you have heart, joint or balance concerns.
Gear: what to add
The American Hiking Society, a national nonprofit for hikers and trails, puts footwear first on its list of ten essentials.
It asks you to think about traction, support and protection. Well-fitting shoes with good ankle support matter too, broken in on shorter walks so you don’t get blisters.
Water matters more on a trail. The society’s guideline is half a liter per hour in moderate temperatures and terrain.
It says to pack its essentials even for a hike of a couple of hours.
Start with water and well-fitting shoes with grip, then work through the rest of the society’s list.
Poles come next if you have problems with stability. They give an added level of security on uneven terrain.
From park path to first trail
Here is a way to step up:
- Keep your daily walk as it is.
- Add easy nature walks for beginners, which are short and mostly level.
- Choose a first trail using a rating system, and read how to choose your first hiking trail.
- Bring water and a friend.
If you are over 60, read how to start hiking after 60 for medical clearance and building up gradually.
How to read a trail rating
Shenandoah National Park, in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, rates its own trails. The park describes its Easiest band as generally suitable for anyone who enjoys walking. It is mostly level or has a slight incline, generally under 3 miles.
If a park names an easiest band, start there.
The park’s pace of 1.5 miles per hour for easiest trails counts moving time only, with no rests.
That puts a 2-mile trail at roughly an hour and 20 minutes of walking, plus your breaks.
For your first trail, choose one in the easiest band, or a short, mostly level loop under 3 miles, and add time for breaks.