Eagle Required
Hiking
Merit Badge
Digital Resource Guide
Overview
Hiking is a terrific way to keep your body and mind in top shape, both now and for a lifetime. Walking packs power into your legs and makes your heart and lungs healthy and strong. Exploring the outdoors challenges you with discoveries and new ideas. Your senses will improve as you use your eyes and ears to gather information along the way.
History of Hiking
Then: The Hike of Necessity
Purpose: To get from one place to another.
Mindset: Survival and travel.
Hiking has always been a part of the human experience. When the first settlers arrived in North America, they were on foot, probably walking across the Bering land mass or on floes of ice from Asia to what is now Alaska. Their descendants made their way to every corner of the continent, one footstep at a time. They knew that going on foot would be the only way that many of them could get from place to place. They went far and wide, sometimes crossing large portions of what would become the United States.
Now: Hike of Choice
Purpose: Exercise, fresh air, and relaxation.
Mindset: Enjoyment and adventure.
By the 1800s, railroads, ships, and stagecoach lines began to offer Americans ways to travel with little physical effort. Even though hiking was no longer a necessity, many people chose to keep walking anyway. Some wanted the exercise and fresh air. Others enjoyed the leisurely pace or the scenery. Many found hiking relaxing.
Get Ready!
The adventure of hiking awaits you.
All you have to do is take the first step.
The adventure of hiking awaits you. All you have to do is take the first step.
Kinds of Hiking
Where do you want to go? What do you want to see? Hiking opportunities are all around you—in cities, on backroads, across deserts and tundra, on trails, and where there are no pathways at all. Each kind of hiking has its own challenges and delights.
Urban Hiking
City hikes can be among the most interesting and easiest to plan. Set a course that will take you through parts of town you would like to see, or to a zoo, an exhibit, a museum, or a historical site. Many metropolitan areas have parks, arboretums, hiking trails, and greenbelts that are made for wandering on foot. You might also be able to plan a route that takes advantage of public transportation. Obey traffic signals. Lend a hand whenever you can.
Urban hiking is fun and a great way to exercise!
Safety First
Outdoor ethics apply in the city just as they do in other areas. Leave a good impression wherever you go. Greet people along the way. If you are hiking with a dog, keep your pet on a leash and pick up and properly dispose of pet waste.
Back-Roads Hiking
America’s quiet backroads can offer miles of wonderful hiking. They may lead through farm fields, hug riverbanks, drift along in a shady forest, or head out into open prairie. Whenever you hike on a road, a few simple precautions will help keep you safe.
Safety First
Be ready, if necessary, to step onto the shoulder of the road to give vehicles plenty of room. When hiking on a road, always walk single file on the left shoulder—facing oncoming traffic. Wear light-colored and reflective clothing to help drivers notice you. When you want to cross a road, line up alongside one another and have everyone cross at the same time.
Snow Hiking
A winter hike can be a terrific way to enjoy cold-weather adventures. Anticipate the conditions you are likely to encounter, select routes with obvious landmarks, and plan well. Remember that territory familiar in the summer can look very different when it is blanketed with snow. A map and compass or GPS receiver may come in handy for helping you stay on course.
Safety First
To travel over deep, soft snow, use snowshoes or cross-country skis. If you’re on foot, avoid trails used by skiers and snowshoers, as deep footprints can make their activity harder. Sunglasses are important for snow hikers, especially on clear or hazy days, to protect your eyes from the glare.
Tundra Hiking
Hike high enough in mountainous regions, and you will reach an elevation where conditions are too harsh for forests to survive. The territory above this tree line is called alpine tundra. A tundra hike can take you up among the summits and surround you with tremendous scenery.
Safety First
Be alert for changes in the weather. Afternoon thunderstorms are common at high elevations. Turn back if the weather begins to worsen, pacing your hike so that you will be down in the trees before lightning threatens. Growing seasons are usually quite short, and plants are easily damaged if people walk on them. Protect tundra by staying on trails whenever possible.
Desert Hiking
Hiking across arid country will bring you close to remarkable vegetation, wildlife, and land formations. Consider doing desert hiking in the early morning and evening; spend the hottest part of the day relaxing in the shade.
Safety First
Storms can quickly fill dry stream-beds with raging torrents, so seek higher ground during desert downpours. Carry lots of drinking water—at least two quarts per person, and more if the day might be hot. A broad-brimmed hat for warm-weather use will shade your head, and light-colored clothing can help you stay cool. Always use sunscreen on exposed skin. Stay on trails so that you do not trample small plants or compact the soil around them. Be on the lookout for lizards, snakes, and other desert creatures.
Cross-Country Hiking
Cross-country hiking invites you to escape everything made by humans, trails included. You might cross a river or a lakeshore beach, or the crest of a hill. Or your way might be determined by a series of compass readings and a map to keep your bearings.
Safety First
Plot your route carefully before you begin a cross-country hike and you should not be surprised by rivers, cliffs, or other barriers. If you run into terrain you are not sure you can safely cross, stop and figure out a better way or go back the way you came. Check your location frequently to make sure that you are staying on your planned route.
Night Hiking
Hiking during daylight hours is usually the best way to go. You can see where you are headed, and others, especially motorists, can easily see you. There might be times, however, when you need to complete a journey in the dark. On nights with full moons, there might be advantages to hiking at night.
Safety First
Night hikes can be fun but must be done in a group, and an adult leader must be informed of your plan. Always use your flashlight when needed to see the trail and trip hazards. Follow the Outdoor Code by minimizing unnecessary light and noise to respect others and the environment. At some point in the trail, have everyone stop, turn off their flashlights and listen. Do you hear an owl, crickets, or something else?
Trail Hiking
Scouts do much of their hiking on trails. They may choose pathways leading deep into the backcountry or shorter routes connecting points of interest in a Scout camp or a city. A trail can lead to a mountaintop, a lake, a neighborhood park, or a prairie.
Safety First
Trails on steep hills often zigzag in switchbacks to prevent erosion. Always stay on the trail and go around switchbacks—cutting across can damage plants and loosen soil.
Now Let’s Explore the Requirements for the Hiking Merit Badge!
