So you’ve decided you want to go hiking but have no idea how to choose a hiking trail? Where do you even start looking for a trail? How do you know whether a trail is safe and suitable for you and your fellow hikers? Are you going to have a good time or end up being the target of a search-and-rescue team? I totally get the struggle.
These are all good questions to ask whether you’re a complete newbie or a regular hiker who has been doing it for a while. I’m going to answer these questions and a lot more to make sure you find the right hiking trail for you. By the end of this guide, you should be equipped with the knowledge required to choose the right hiking trail to enjoy and make lasting memories!
Factors That Determine How to Choose a Hiking Trail
There’s a lot that goes into planning a hiking trip. Aside from what to wear and what gear you’ll need, you also need to make sure you’re selecting the right hiking trail for your experience level and preferences.
Fitness & Experience Level
It is very important to choose a hiking trail that is suitable for your fitness and experience level. This has a direct correlation with how safe your trip is going to be. You might want to push yourself a little, which is totally fine. However, you do not want to push yourself too much, to the point where you cannot complete the trail due to getting too exhausted or lost.
Trail Difficulty
So what factors determine whether a trail is too difficult for you and whether you can get to the finish line or not? The below factors will help you gauge the difficulty level of a trail relative to your current fitness and experience level.
Distance
The length of the hike is a key factor in determining a trail’s difficulty. To calculate the actual roundtrip distance, you need to understand the different types of hikes
- Point-to-Point: You start your hike at one point (A) and walk toward a completely different point (B). In this case, the roundtrip distance is that between A and B.
- Out-and-Back: This is different in the sense that you start at the trail-head (A), walk toward a destination (B), then walk back to point (A). The roundtrip distance is roughly 2 x (distance between A and B).
- Loop: In this type of hike, you start at the trail-head (A), then follow a route that leads you back to where you started. The roundtrip distance is basically the length of the route.
If you’re a beginner, regardless of your fitness level, I would highly recommend you do not attempt to hike more than 3 miles (almost 5 km). This distance should give you a moderately challenging exercise, but not overwhelm you.
On the other hand, if you’ve been hiking regularly, you may decide to challenge yourself with a 6-8 miles (9.5 – 13 km) trail. This is the typical range I go for on a typical day hike. However, if you’re looking to spend the whole day hiking and push your limits then a 10+ mile (16+ km) hike could be an option.
Elevation Gain
But distance on its own does not determine how difficult a hike is. Last year I joined a group hike of a little over 15.5 miles (around 25 km) near Utrecht, Netherlands. It was certainly challenging because of the long distance. But, it wasn’t nearly as difficult as one hike I did in Durmitor National Park in Montenegro which was less than 5 miles (8 km). So what’s the catch? Well, the elevation gain makes all the difference. The 5 miles hike had an elevation gain of 2155 feet (657 meters), while the 25 km hike was pretty much flat.
Elevation gain is the total amount of cumulative vertical distance you ascend during a hike. It is typically measured in feet or meters and is an important factor to consider when choosing a trail. You can calculate elevation gain for a hike using this formula: Elevation Gain = Sum of all uphill gains along the route. To simplify, let’s look at a practical example. If you start at an altitude of 1000 feet, climb to 1500 feet, then descend to 800 feet, and end your hike at 2200 feet, then the cumulative elevation gain of your trail would be [Elevation Gain = (1500 – 1000) + (2200 – 800)] which totals to 500 + 1400 = 1900 feet (580 meters).
Now, to determine how significant the elevation gain is going to be on your selected hike, you should consider the distance. The shorter the distance and higher the elevation gain, the steeper and more strenuous the hike is going to be.
A general guideline is the following:
- Beginner hikers: Start with trails that have low elevation gain, ideally 500 feet (150 meters) or less.
- Intermediate hikers: Choose trails with moderate elevation gain, typically between 500 and 1,000 feet.
- Experienced hikers: Challenge yourself with trails that have significant elevation gain, often exceeding 1,000 feet (300 meters).
Choose a hiking trail suitable for you AND your companions!
Remember that difficult hike in Durmitor NP I mentioned above? As my wife and I were taking a snack break, a group of hikers passed by. Two of them were obviously beginners. I do not want to sound judgemental but they did not wear adequate hiking boots and had no backpacks. They were holding tiny water bottles in their hands, and they were already exhausted BEFORE the tough stretch of the trail started. However, the other 3 of the group have clearly hiked a lot of miles before.
Long story short, 30 minutes later, we walked past them on our way to the top of the hill. Once we got there, we decided to take a break and enjoy the amazing view of the three mountain peaks. Then, we heard loud screaming and crying coming from behind. It was one of the beginners yelling at one of the veteran hikers telling her she cannot take it anymore and wants to go back.
The moral of the story is to always take into consideration the skill level of your friends and/or family when you choose a hiking trail. If you’re experienced and taking your friends on their first hike, select an easy trail that matches their fitness and skill level – unless you want to be yelled at 🙂
Trail Conditions
The trail conditions also play a major role in the selection process of your next adventure. This will influence what you’re going to wear and how you pack and plan your hike. In certain situations, this will even determine whether hiking the trail is even possible at this time.
Terrain
You should have an idea of what the terrain is going to look like on your trail. Are you going to be hiking in a dense forrest or crossing a desert? Will there be treacherous rocks along the way or is it going to be mostly stable? Will you need to do some rock climbing which requires specialised gear? Are you going to be hiking a bog or maybe crossing a river?
Answering those questions will give you insights into what kind of shoes or equipment you might need to pack. Moreover, you might decide to pass on a certain hike if you do not feel comfortable hiking in such a terrain. For example, hiking through a bog is not everyone’s cup of tea. A bog is typically characterized by a soft spongy ground that you might easily sink into or trip over. Also, bogs often contain hidden pools of water in which you might fall. Unless you have previous hiking experience and are equipped with the proper waterproof clothing and gear, you’re better off avoiding such a trail.
Seasonal Events
Seasonal events might prevent you from visiting a trail at certain times. Some trails or sections are closed to the public during certain periods of time. For example, every year between March 15 – July 15 and October 15 – November 15, large areas of De Groote Peel National Park in The Netherlands are closed to the public due to bird conservation events.
Similarly, some trails might not be accessible due to snow, recent rockslides, wildfire or river flooding. Make sure you’re aware of these conditions before you head out to avoid any surprises when you arrive to the trail-head or mid-way through your hike.
Ease of Navigation
I enjoy hiking in national parks because they often have clearly marked trails. The different trails are typically marked with different colors. This make it easy to find your way on the trail. On the other hand, trails in the backcountry are rarely ever marked or maintained. Therefore, as a beginner, I would highly encourage you to opt for clearly marked trails until you gain experience and become more confident navigating on the trail.
A word of caution: just because a trail is advertised as being well marked does not mean you can leave your topographic map and navigation tools behinds. Those are essentials and should always be in your hiking backpack.
Scenery
You wake up at 3 AM, drag yourself out onto the trail even though it’s still too cold and your stomach is growling. BUT, 3 miles later you get to the top of the mountain and you see that epic sunrise over the valley and the lake at the bottom. At that moment, you think to yourself “Yup, it was all worth it!”.
Hiking isn’t always about magical sunrises and sunsets over amazing views, but that’s certainly something to take into account when choosing a hiking trail. My wife and I enjoy hikes with varied landscapes and opportunities for birdwatching and wildlife photography. So I usually make it a point to look for trails that match our preferences.
Where Do You Find a Hiking Trail
Now that you have a list of factors to take into account when selecting a hiking trail, where do you even find those outdoor destinations? It’s actually easier than you think, so let’s go over some of the typical options.
Ask Your Friends
If you have friends who are the outdoorsy type, they can be a valuable resource for trip destinations. Reach out to those friends who have local knowledge of the area, especially if you’re new. My wife and I have recently moved to a new city, and our colleagues at work gave us amazing recommendations that we ended up enjoying very much.
Hiking Apps
Hiking apps are an excellent resource for finding a hiking trail. They are practically a large database of trails that you can filter based on your location and preferences. One of the most popular apps and my personal favorite is the AllTrails app. It even lets you download the maps for offline navigation if you upgrade to the premium version.
Social Media
Every time I move to a new city, I join Facebook groups that are focused on hiking in the local and nearby areas. Those can be a great inspiration for planning your next outdoor trip. However, as explained already, there’s more to choosing a hiking trail than simply knowing it exists. So, the information you get from a Facebook group is simply the starting point of further research before you can determine whether it’s right for you or not.
Another good option is the Meetup app. I’ve used it on multiple occasions to join hiking events organized by local outdoor communities. At least in my area, you can join these events either for free or for a marginal fee. But you need to be quick because they usually fill up fast!
Five Considerations After You Choose a Hiking Trail
Once you’ve selected the hiking trail that suits your level and preferences, there is more to learn about about the trail. The tips below will help you prepare for the trip and have a clear idea of what to expect to avoid disappointing surprises.
Trail-Head Access
Finding a trail is great, but unless you know where to start hiking, it’s of no use to you! Some trails start off of a paved road, while others require that you drive deep into the wilderness before you reach the trail-head. Sometimes you can’t even drive all the way to the trail-head, and you end up parking somewhere and then walk a couple of miles before you even start.
In different parts of the world where there’s reliable public transport, you might not even need a car. For example, on a recent trip to The Black Forest in Germany, we went hiking in 3 different locations and managed to arrive at all of our destinations using trains and busses.
Calculate The Total Trip Time
A crucial component of your planning is the total trip time. If you’re going on a day hike, in addition to the hiking time, you should also consider the time it will take you to get to and from the trail-head. Your goal is to make sure you can complete the trail and return safely back to your vehicle before it gets dark.
The average hiker can walk 2.5 miles (4 km) per hour. But that’s just an estimate and it does not apply to everyone. If you’re a beginner, you might need more time. And if you’re experienced, then you could probably hike faster than that. Also, take into consideration the nature of the trail. Elevation gain will certainly slow you down and will force you to take additional breaks along the way. On flat terrains, I rarely ever feel the need for a break, but when climbing up a mountain it’s a very different story.
Make sure you honestly assess your fitness level and how that will influence your speed on the trail. Also, account for a lunch break and at least a couple of other short breaks to catch your breath or eat snacks. Moreover, you might want to account for enough time to take in the views or photo ops – those can be time consuming! The bottom line is that you should give yourself ample time to enjoy your hike rather than feel rushed to make it to the finish line before it gets too dark.
Check The Weather
Never leave the house (or accommodation) without checking the weather forecast first. It’s not always 100% accurate but it should give you an indication of what to expect. Also, do not rely on what the weather is like in the nearby town. The weather condition can be very different at the top of a mountain you’ve been climbing for the past 5 hours. It will likely be much colder and a lot more windy. Also worth considering is that the trail might be a bit too muddy if it had rained too much the previous day. So make sure you wear waterproof hiking boots and maybe consider gaiters.
Always have extra clothes in your backpack when going on a hike, especially when the altitude is going to change significantly throughout the trail. Keep sunscreen, extra layers of clothes, and a lightweight rain jacket in your backpack.
Do Your Research
You can often find a lot of information about a hiking trail. Trust me, it’s certainly worth spending the time doing your research ahead of your trip. Places to look for information are hiking apps, local guidebooks, outdoor blogs and the official websites conservation project (ex: a national park).
Rules & Regulations
The official websites of national parks and forests usually provide all the regulations and rules you need to follow on the trail. This can help you answer the following questions and more:
- Are pets allowed? Do they need to be on a leash?
- Do you need a permit or an entrance ticket?
- Are there any areas you’re not allowed to walk into?
Current Conditions
Learning about the current conditions of the trail is crucial. You can find a wealth of information in recent reviews on hiking apps. You are likely to find answers and good-to-know facts about your upcoming hike.
- How easy is it to access the trail-head?
- Is there a limited parking space? Do you need to be there extra early to find a spot?
- Are there any obstacles that might prevent you from completing the trail?
- Is the trail well maintained? Are some trail marks gone making them unreliable for navigation?
- Is there snow or ice on the trail? Do you need crampons?
- Any interesting birds or wildlife that have been recently spotted in the area?
Popularity
Scenic trails with epic views are usually popular and tend to get crowded. If you’re looking for serenity, then you might need to visit early in the morning to secure a parking spot and enjoy some silence. Or, you might decide to skip the crowds and visit on a weekday if that’s an option.
Final Thoughts on How to Choose a Hiking Trail
By now you must know that there’s more to selecting a hiking trail than figuring out that it exists and its location on the map. Make sure you choose a hiking trail that suits your fitness and experience level. Also check the trail conditions around the time of your visit to decide if it’s the right time or maybe postpone it for another occasion. Another important factor is what scenery to expect and how you can make the best out of it.
Finally, use hiking apps, outdoor blogs and park websites to research your upcoming wild adventure and ensure you’re well prepared for it. And with that, you’re now ready to choose your next hiking trail and have an amazing time in the outdoors!
Do you have any additional tips on how to choose a hiking trip? Share them in the comments below!