Hiking is hiking right? Well, not really, as there are several different types of hikes one may pursue.
You will hear many terms that hikers use to describe the type of hike they are about to pursue. The list below is not meant to list every single type, but rather the most common types of hikes you may hear.
So what are they?
Day Hike
Just as the name suggests, you set out for a day of hiking a trail, usually with a backpack of water, snacks, and first aid supplies. This is a hike that can be completed in a single day. A day hike can also be used to describe a short hike during the day where the hiker only wears a small pack (usually a CamelBak with water and maybe a couple of snacks).
Overnight Hike
Again as the name suggests, you start hiking one day, spend the night out on the trails that night and return the next day.
Section Hike
A section hike is when a hiker hikes a section of long-distance trail, typically a section that a thru-hiker would hike, such as the Appalachian Trail. A section hiker will only hike a portion of the trail instead of the entire length of the trail all at once.
Depending on the length of the trail a section hike could take a couple of days or a month (or longer).
Thru Hike
A thru-hike is when a hiker starts at the beginning of a long-distance trail and hikes all the way through non-stop to the end of the trail. Depending on the length of the trail, this could take several weeks to several months.
For example, the average thru-hiker on the Appalachian trail takes about 5-7 months to complete it; as to where a thru-hike on the Lone Star Hiking Trail (which is 129 miles long) only takes about 1-2 weeks.
NOBO Hike
This type of hike refers to the direction of the hike. They are starting from the southernmost terminus and hiking North.
SOBO Hike
Again this refers to the direction of the hike. They are starting at the northernmost terminus and hiking South.
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