What do you call a Hike?

toothpastechica

So on Saturday while camping my husband and I went up to some waterfalls....it was a nice wide gravel trail, 3km, well marked, with very little incline and took only about 35 minutes.

On the way back he says to me "that is the kind of hiking I like", and I responded with "why because it was a easy walk on a trail and not really a hike?"

This started a conversation about what constitutes a hike vs. a walk. So just curious, what are your opinions about what constitutes as a hike? How big of a walk does it have to be before you feel like you have completed a hike?

Miss_Hiker_Pants

I'd call it a "short hike" There's no limit to how far you have to hike to call it a "hike" Getting out & moving is all that counts

idahopacker

Walking is instinctive that really doesn't require much thought on my part. When I use the word hike, the activity usually involves a moderate ascent/descent and involves some thinking regarding the terrain and navigation. The distance doesn't matter to me.

TroyBa

Well, the dictionary says: Hike - To go on an extended walk for pleasure or exercise. I would personally consider it a short easy hike. I also agree with Hikergirl, getting out and moving is all that counts!

toothpastechica

Well, the dictionary says: Hike - To go on an extended walk for pleasure or exercise. I would personally consider it a short easy hike. I also agree with Hikergirl, getting out and moving is all that counts!

Of course getting out and moving is what counts! But walking is getting out and moving too, and there is nothing wrong with that!...I go on longer walks then that at least 4 times a week, so without incline and or terrain challenges I find it hard to call something a hike that is short and just as easy as a walk around the neighborhood. I was just curious as to what others feel the criteria is for them to call something a hike vs a walk.

cmcis

I feel like I'm going on a hike when I'm surrounded by nature, away from street noise. Because it takes a while to get there, I do usually go on longer hikes.

A walk for me is when I walk around my neighbourhood. I may go the same distance on my walks as hikes, but for me when I go on a hike the terrain tends to be more interesting and diverse. Just a matter of perspective.

kasaz

I would call that a short easy hike and hope he would like to find more and longer hikes. That particular hike may not have burned any more calories that walks in town, but the longer hikes with elevation gain and uneven terrain can burn lots of calories and be fun and challenging. I started with hikes like that and my next hike is the Tour du Mont Blanc in Europe.

lmarshel

I think if you can call what you're walking on a "trail" then you're hiking. If you're on a street or sidewalk, then it's a walk.

I live in the desert and do most of my hiking in that terrain. There are a lot of flat trails in our area, but I still consider a walk down those trails a hike. I can't see that distance makes any difference at all. If you hiked a 1/2 mile trail that connects to a 4-mile trail then hiked the 4-mile trail and back, would you consider the first & last 1/2 mile only a walk. That's all part of your hike.

So let your hubby call it a hike if he likes. Since he enjoyed that one, maybe you'll be able to entice him to try longer hikes with you and when he's more fit even the long and difficult hikes will seem easier.

pcotter54

I use the (kind of arbitrary) distinction between paved and unpaved trails/roads/walkways. If there's a hard paved surface, I mentally categorize it as walking; if not, I call it hiking.