By Dina Mishev

What’s easier than hiking? Step 1: Open your front door. Step 2: Start walking. More exercise and fresh air are linked to lower rates of heart disease, hypertension, obesity, and anxiety. Spending time outdoors can also increase attention spans; creative problem-solving skills can rise by as much as 50 percent.

You can hike in the city or the country, on the Great Plains of Kansas or in the mountains of Switzerland. And though there’s certainly plenty of gear, all you really need is proper footwear. Here are the rules of the trail, as well as destinations near and far.

THE HOW-TO

Cautionary Tales

Plan ahead. Familiarize yourself with the difficulty and length of the trail and make sure it matches your physical abilities. Check the weather forecast and leave information about where you’ll be hiking and when you plan to be back with a friend or family member. If possible, make sure you have access to a map while on the trail, preferably a hard copy or offline version, since internet access can be spotty in remote areas.

Don’t go it alone. Especially when you’re starting out, it’s important to hike with at least one other person, for safety as well as companionship. Always bring a fully charged cell phone, but keep in mind that you may be out of range.

Know your limits. The slowest hiker in your group should set the pace. Likewise, if someone in your group can’t manage inclines, it’s best to avoid them. If you recently arrived at a higher altitude from sea level (or some other significantly lower altitude), give yourself several days to acclimate before attempting a strenuous hike.

Wear proper footwear. Where you hike will help determine the shoe you need. For simple, relatively flat trails, a good pair of sneakers with rugged soles might be sufficient, but when in doubt (or if you’re going to be deep in the woods or on a more advanced trail), it’s important to invest in a pair of hiking boots with good ankle support. And don’t forget to break them in with socks and  shorter walks before you take them out on the trail, since there’s nothing worse than getting blisters when you’re miles from your car.

Carry extra water, food, and clothing. You don’t want to carry more weight than necessary in your daypack, but your comfort (and, yes, safety) is worth an extra pound or two. Bring a refillable water bottle. Pack the food you think you’ll eat and then throw in an extra cookie, piece of fruit, or energy bar. Regardless of how hot it is when you leave the trailhead, stow a lightweight puffy jacket in the bottom of your daypack. Ninety-five percent of the time, it won’t come out, but one day it may save you.

Finding Your Way

Hiking trails can be marked (or “blazed”) in a variety of ways, depending on where you’re hiking. Some trails use wood signs mounted on posts at trail junctions, with arrows and distances to points of interest emblazoned on them. Others are marked by a pattern cut into trees or painted onto rocks or trees, alongside the trail. (For example, the Appalachian Trail is marked by rectangles of white and blue paint on trees and rocks.) Still others are marked with metal, plastic, or wood markers affixed to trees along the route. In terrain lacking trees, trails are sometimes marked by cairns, or piles of stacked rocks. Before you hike a new or unfamiliar trail, make sure to acquaint yourself with the markings used, the overall topography, and key points of entry and exit. You can also download a GPS-powered digital guidebook for hikers, skiers, and backpackers, with hiking trails, topographic maps (which can be downloaded for offline access), local weather information, and more. 

TRAIL ETIQUETTE

With more and more hikers hitting the trails, trail etiquette and respect—for yourself, other trail users, the land, and wildlife—is more important than ever. Here are the best practices to follow when you’re out on a hike. The goal? To leave no trace of your hike.

Be prepared. Don’t inconvenience or endanger other hikers with your cluelessness or helplessness. Check the weather and the difficulty of the trail before you go.

Stick to trails. Trails exist to concentrate foot traffic in an area and prevent the destruction of soil and vegetation elsewhere.

Pack it in, pack it out. Carry out all your trash, from energy-bar wrappers to chewing gum and toilet paper. (Take a large plastic sandwich bag to use as your trash bag.)

Take only photos. Don’t collect rocks, plants, artifacts, or other materials as mementos.

Wildlife is wild. Never feed any animal you encounter and always give animals a wide berth. If an animal reacts to your presence, you’re too close.

Be considerate of other trail users. Hikers heading uphill have the right of way over those going downhill. Talk in a conversational tone instead of shouting. Use headphones to listen to music. Don’t block the trail when you stop to rest.

WHAT TO WEAR

Equipment

If you hike regularly or are planning a full-day adventure, consider these helpful pieces of hiking gear worth the investment.

Tough, comfortable and waterproof hiking boots.     

A refillable water bottle with a built-in filter      

A hiking backpack with plenty of zippered pockets.   Some contain a dedicated pocket for a hydration bladder and room for everything you need to stay comfortable throughout the day.      

Make hiking more of a full body workout—and help protect your lower extremities (especially your knees) when you’re headed downhill—by using trekking poles, which are stiff, durable, adjustable, and lightweight.      

Wherever you hike, layers are key. Start with a  fast-drying base layer. (equipment.com, $85). If the temperature drops or the wind picks up, don a long-sleeved top made from a stretchy wind- and water-resistant fabric.

Stay dry if it starts raining with  a rain shell and rain pants.  Some squish down to the size of a cantaloupe and weigh about as much as a loaf of bread. 

Information

• If you’re heading to a national park, check out its website or visit the National Park Service website (nps.gov), to learn more about hikes in that park.
  
• Learn more about Leave No Trace principles at the website of the nonprofit Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics (lnt.org).
• The American Hiking Society (americanhiking.org) offers basic information and has partnered with the crowd-sourced Hiking Project to identify local trails.

THE WHERE-TO

You can find trails that lead to stunning views all across the U.S. And while some peaks require a bit of sweat equity, others come ready-made for the whole family. —Rich Beattie

EASY

Clingmans Dome, Tennessee/North Carolina: Just a half-mile long, the asphalt trail to this mountain summit literally paves the way for almost anyone. And at the top of the eastern U.S.’s third-highest mountain, in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the 360-degree view can stretch for 100-plus miles. (Climb the 45-foot-tall observation tower for even better sight lines.)

Sugarloaf Mountain, Michigan: An easy stroll—just one mile round trip—gets you to the top of this mountain on the shores of Lake Superior. Start out along the lush trail below a centuries-old canopy; the “easy” trail lets you bypass any rock scrambling. At the summit, hop between viewing platforms for 360-degree looks at the vast shimmering lake peppered with islands, along with rolling hills and dense forest.

Flattop Mountain, Alaska: Even Flattop’s super-simple option—a paved 0.3-mile loop—comes with inspiring views. But hike the full 3.3-mile round-trip trail, with an elevation gain of 1,300 feet, for a summit rich in vistas: the waters of Cook Inlet, the snow-capped Chugach Mountains, and Anchorage itself.

MODERATE

Echo Mountain, California: Along the 5.4-mile-long Sam Merrill Trail just outside Los Angeles, snaking switchbacks take the sting out of the steepness, offering ever-more impressive views of the city sprawl and the vast ocean. You’ll pass remnants of the 1893 railway that took travelers up to a luxury resort with an observatory. The hotel is long gone, but you can still use its “echophones” to bounce your voice around the valley below.

Guadalupe Peak, Texas: This 8,751-foot summit is the state’s highest point. This 8.5-mile round-trip hike goes from desert scrub to pine and fir forest before ashy rock appears underfoot on your way to 3,000 feet of elevation gain. The reward is desert views, rugged peaks, and, on a clear day, a peek into Mexico.

Black Elk Peak, South Dakota: The granite crags of this 7,242-foot mountain loom large over the Black Hills, a surreal setting for a seven-mile round-trip hike up 1,100 feet to the state’s highest natural point. The castle-like 1938 stone fire tower at the top adds to the Game of Thrones feel while serving up views into Nebraska, Wyoming, and Montana.

DIFFICULT

South Sister, Oregon: Reaching the 10,358-foot peak of Oregon’s third-tallest mountain involves a rugged, 12.2-mile round-trip hike up almost 5,000 exhausting feet. Fortunately, the summit serves up a unique reward: a small lake set in a dramatic volcanic crater. Even doing half the hike comes with a payoff: another picturesque lake and a 100-mile view.

Mount Elbert, Colorado: A nine-mile hike with a 4,400-foot elevation gain that tops out in the rarified air of 14,440 feet: Colorado’s tallest mountain is no cakewalk. Even the trailhead sits up high, at 10,040 feet, so spend a couple of days acclimating. Hikers start out in a forest of sweet-smelling pine, then follow the rocky path above the tree line as the air grows thinner. The reward: endless 360-degree views of snow-capped Rockies.

Mount Haystack, New York: The gently rolling Adirondacks hide New York’s third-tallest mountain. Haystack’s out-and-back trail is some 16 miles round trip, with an elevation gain of more than 3,800 feet. There are wildflowers and scenic views along the way; at the top, you can relax and enjoy a peak-filled landscape.