Hiking: From Cavemen to Modern Man

It was millions of years ago that man stopped hopping around on all fours and stood upright to walk. The hiking that was done then doesn't really differ much from what we do today.

It is impossible to actually give a date when the first distant relative of ours went on the first hike. Man has walked upright for millions of years. During most of those years, the only way to get from point A to point B was to hike there. So, you might as well say the story of hiking begins back in this prehistoric time. The problem is that, today, hiking is considered the sport of walking when you do not have to walk. Although you might say that children walking to school are taking a little hike, we do not consider that walk a hike because, well, they have to do it. It is when you go out and walk to some place that you really do not have to walk to in the first place that you begin to speak of the sport of hiking.

So, when did people start walking when they did not have to walk? No one really knows. It would seem likely that our caveman ancestors, from time to time, just strolled around for the shear joy of it. On the other hand, maybe they did not walk anywhere that absolute necessity did not demand. There were those tigers with the big teeth out there and the walking that must have been done just to find food most likely took away any desire to take fun walks.

Another problem that comes up with the writing of a history of hiking is that there are several forms of hiking. There are some that consider Mountaineering as a form of hiking. It is really just walking up the mountain. Coasteering is another one. This is walking along the seashore. A more logical subdivision is Thru-Hiking. These are those long range hikes that involve great distance and camping along the way. Each of these divisions have some key dates like you was the first to the top of a particular mountain or what year did the Appalachian Trail open.

The Appalachian Trail, by the way, is a good example of a Thru-Hike. Its trailheads are located at Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Northern Maine. It is a 2000 mile long trail that typically takes between six and seven months to travel. By the way, the first section opened in October of 1923.

It is not really dates and times that make a true history of hiking. Hiking is one of those highly personal and individual things. You may belong to a hiking club or hike with friends or family, but it is still you that are walking. It is that special feeling of being part of the country that is missed zooming through it in an automobile or flying over it in a plan that makes hiking special. The true history of hiking is those special moments, those feelings of accomplishment, and even the aching feet that are engraved in your own heart and mind.

Aazdak Alisimo writes about camping and hiking for CampingandHikingStores.com.