Are you just starting on your hiking journey, or ready for a more rugged experience? Whether you’ve got a couple of free hours or an entire day, your time, fitness level, and goals all help when you want to choose a hiking trail that’s right for you. Maybe you’re looking for a gentle path to build confidence and endurance, or perhaps you’re ready to push yourself with something a little more challenging. Your comfort level matters too—some people thrive on quiet, secluded trails, while others feel more at ease with well-traveled paths and a steady flow of fellow hikers. Wherever you fall on that spectrum, there’s a perfect hike waiting for you.
Types of Hiking Trails
It’s important to know the terms when choosing a hiking trail. Not understanding outdoor lingo could lead to getting lost, walking much further than you expect, and ruining the experience. Below are descriptions to help in adventure planning.
Out and Back Trail
Out-and-back trails allow hikers to travel to a specific point, then turn around and return the same way.
Key Points
- Good for beginners, less likely to get lost, easier to turn around
- Often, a scenic view at the endpoint
- Same scenery both ways, but it can look quite different from the opposite direction
- Starts and ends at the trailhead, usually near parking
Safety Note: Out-and-back trail distance may be measured as a round trip or one way. This is very important because if it’s one way, you will end up walking twice the distance. Which means that, however far you walk in, you will also have to walk back out. Check the map, online trail descriptions, and any hiking apps to determine the total distance.
Loop Trails
A loop trail is designed in a circle, ending up back at starting point.
Key Points:
- Good for beginners
- Scenery varies throughout, no retracing of steps
- Easier to determine total distance
Point-to-Point Trail
A point-to-point trail starts at one location and ends at another, without looping back to the starting point. They can function like an out-and-back trail, but they are usually longer, so hikers typically need to arrange transportation back to the trailhead. Some popular sites offer shuttle services, which is great for solo travelers. If you’re with at least one other person, it’s easiest to bring two cars and leave one at the end point.
Key Points:
- Requires more planning
- Generally longer distance trail
- Good for those who are ready for a bigger challenge
Tips for Finding Great Trails
OK, hopefully by now you are pumped up and ready to choose a hiking trail, but have no idea where to start. Don’t stress, there are plenty of resources. It’s so much easier to search for adventure in the information age. A simple online search will yield a wealth of information. Here are some starting places:
- City parks
- Nature Preserves and Land Trusts
- County Parks
- State Parks
- Hiking Apps
City Parks: If you live in an urban area, Google your city’s park system; many have websites that list places you might not be aware of. While this might seem like a very rugged option, sometimes you might be surprised at a lovely spot right in the middle of town.
Nature Preserves and Land Trusts: Often overlooked, there are tons of gorgeous nature preserves across the US and Canada. Many of these have originated from land trusts dedicated in memory of a nature lover, with land donated as part of their legacy. You can find a lot of options through the Nature Conservancy website:
An online search for land trusts in your area will help you find even more places. Acres Land Trust covers Northeast Indiana, Southern Michigan, and Northwest Ohio.
County Parks: Another good trail source, county parks sometimes have miles of well-maintained trails. I’ve also found some great nature centers and other programs here. Ask friends about sites they have enjoyed.
State Parks: Always a great option; almost every state and Canadian province offers plenty of choices for outdoor recreation. I have the joy of living near Lake Michigan, and often visit state parks along the shoreline.
Hiking Apps:
There are many hiking apps available for both Android and iOS. My personal favorite is Hiking Project. This is a free app that shows your position on the trail. There is a ton of great information, such as elevation gain, trail difficulty ratings, and descriptions from real hikers.
Another great App is onX, which is a digital GPS mapping tool for outdoor recreation. There is an annual fee for this service. You can download maps to your smartphone to use when there’s no signal. This tool provides both topographical maps and satellite views, custom markup ability to mark waypoints such as campsites, and much more. Check out available plans here: onX Backcountry. If you have Hiking Project, you can connect it to onX.
If you plan on really getting out in the wild, consider Gaia GPS. This app turns your cell phone into a GPS unit for planning routes, tracking activity, and downloading detailed topographic maps. It’s great for hikers, backpackers, overlanders and campers. There is annual fee. Explore plans here: Gaia GPS.
All Trails is another popular App. I don’t use it myself, but lots of hikers do.
Starting out, I recommend Hiking Project. This is a great way to get a feel for using Apps, and it is totally free.
Things to Consider When Choosing a Hiking Trail
Your Skill Level: If you are a newer hiker, choose a trail on the shorter side. Three miles is a good start. If there will be others in the group, consider their abilities and limitations, especially with children or anyone with disabilities. Most park websites have accessibility information to review. It’s always best to build up endurance gradually.
Time available: Starting later in the day, or finding the trail taking longer than estimated, can add unnecessary stress.
Elevation Gain: This is total amount of elevation you will climb on a hike. For example, if you climb 500 feet, descend 300 feet, and then climb an additional 200 feet, the total elevation gain would be 700 feet. This is going to make a big difference in the energy expended and the hiking time to complete the trail.
Terrain: Rocky terrain, trails covered in roots, and those with lots of switchbacks (a sharp zig-zagging turn built into a trail) will all add difficulty and require greater time to complete the trail.
Weather: Always include checking the weather in pre-hike planning. If it will be hot and/or sunny, try to find a location with more shade. Dress in layers if it’s going to be colder, so you can shed as needed as the day warms up. Avoid stormy and excessively windy days.
Bring essential items: Proper clothing, food, water, sunscreen/insect repellent, first aid, etc., are important for safety. Take time to review recommendations from the National Park Service here.
I hope these tips will help you plan some memorable journeys. Be sure to check out some of my related posts below for more information and resources. Until next time, get some dirt under your boots!
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