On a Forerunner 55, track hikes by using Walk or Other, adding a custom activity, and switching the saved activity to Hiking in Garmin Connect.
The Forerunner 55 doesn’t ship with a dedicated Hiking profile, but you can still log every mile on the trail. The watch lets you add sports to your favorites list, create a custom activity, and tune GPS and data screens for rough terrain. After the hike, you can change the activity type to Hiking in Garmin Connect so your history, badges, and stats line up with your outdoor days.
Quick Ways To Track A Hike
There are three reliable paths on this watch. Pick the one that fits how you like to start an outing and how much setup you want.
| Method | What You Get | How To Start |
|---|---|---|
| Use Walk | GPS track, pace, time, distance; easy start | Press START → select Walk → START |
| Use Other | Clean slate you can rename; full GPS metrics | Press START → Add → Other → START |
| Create Custom | Your own hiking profile name and screens | Hold UP → Activities & Apps → Add → Create Custom |
Add A Hiking Activity On Your Forerunner 55: Step-By-Step
Method 1: Fast Start With Walk
- Press START.
- Scroll to Walk, then press START again.
- Wait for GPS lock if you’re outside.
- Press START to begin the recording; press again to pause; press START and choose Save when done.
Why this works: Walk tracks pace, time, and distance with GPS. On the Forerunner 55, that’s the simplest way to record a trail outing without extra setup. After saving and syncing, you can change the type to Hiking in the app.
Method 2: Make A Custom Trail Activity
- From the watch face, hold UP.
- Go to Activities & Apps → Add → Create Custom.
- Choose an outdoor template (Walk or Other).
- Name it (e.g., “Trail Hike”).
- Open the new profile and set:
- GPS: On
- Auto Lap: Off (trail pace varies)
- Auto Pause: Off (avoids stop-start clutter)
- Data Screens: see the layout ideas below
- Press START to record on the next hike.
This gives you one-button access to a hike-ready profile every time you press START.
Method 3: Add Other, Then Tune It
- Press START → scroll to Add.
- Select Other → confirm with Yes to add it to favorites.
- Hold UP → Activities & Apps → choose Other to edit data screens and alerts.
“Other” behaves like a blank canvas. It records GPS, but the name won’t say Hiking until you edit it after saving in the app.
Save It As Hiking In Garmin Connect
Once your hike syncs to the phone, open the activity in Garmin Connect and switch the Activity Type to Hiking. That keeps your totals and badges organized under the right category.
- Open the activity on the phone.
- Tap the three-dot menu → Edit Activity.
- Change Activity Type to Hiking → Save.
Tip: If you always start with Walk, you can still run a tidy feed by renaming the title to the trail’s name and setting the gear you used (boots, pack).
Make It Easy To Start From Your Wrist
You can move your trail profile to the top of the START list so it’s ready in one click.
- Hold UP → Activities & Apps.
- Select your profile → set as Favorite → choose its Position in the list.
This ordering sticks, so the watch always shows your go-to options first.
Data Screens That Help On A Trail
These layouts keep the most useful fields on one glance. Use three fields per page for clean readability.
Screen 1: Pace And Distance
- Top: Distance
- Middle: Pace (current or lap)
- Bottom: Time
Screen 2: Elevation And Climb
- Top: Elevation (GPS-derived on this model)
- Middle: Total Ascent
- Bottom: Heart Rate
Screen 3: Navigation Aids
- Top: Heading
- Middle: Average Pace
- Bottom: Battery
Want more niche metrics per page? Install a Connect IQ data field designed for hiking and add it to your custom profile’s screen.
Battery And GPS Settings For Long Days
Trail time can stretch a charge. Here’s how to balance accuracy with battery life on this watch.
| Mode | Battery Estimate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Standard GPS | Up to ~20 hours | Best track quality; use for shorter outings |
| Backlight Low | Extends hours | Set brightness low and timeout short |
| Smart Notifications Off | Small gain | Silences alerts; fewer screen wakes |
Troubleshooting: Can’t Find A Hiking Option?
On this model, a dedicated Hiking profile doesn’t appear by default. That’s why Walk or Other is the fastest path. If you still don’t see Add or Create Custom on the watch, update the firmware through Garmin Connect and try again. You can also add activities from the phone:
- Open Garmin Connect → Garmin Devices → choose your watch.
- Tap Activity Options → Displayed Activities → Edit.
- Select Walk and Other, then sync.
Post-Hike Cleanup: Titles, Gear, And Notes
Neat activity pages make it easier to find past hikes and compare routes.
- Rename the activity with the trail and direction (e.g., “Bear Creek Loop, clockwise”).
- Assign gear like boots and pack for wear tracking.
- Add course notes in the description: water sources, blowdowns, trail conditions.
Optional Add-Ons With Connect IQ
The Forerunner 55 supports Connect IQ data fields and watch faces. You can’t run full mapping apps here, but single-screen hiking data fields can add ascent rate, ETA, or breadcrumb tweaks. Install from the Connect IQ Store on your phone, then add the field to your custom profile’s screen layout.
Safety And Common Sense On Trail
Carry a paper map or a phone map app for navigation since this watch won’t show full topo. Keep the watch recording for your track and stats, and use waypoints on your phone for turns and junctions.
Why This Setup Works Well
You get a quick start on the wrist, clean activity history labeled as Hiking in the app, and trail-friendly screens without menu digging. That’s the sweet spot for this watch: simple buttons, steady GPS, and easy edits in Garmin Connect after you’re back at the trailhead.
One-Screen Layouts You Can Copy
Easy Pace Day
- Distance • Time • Heart Rate
Steep Climb Day
- Total Ascent • Elevation • Pace
Long Traverse Day
- Battery • Distance • Average Pace
What This Watch Can And Can’t Do On A Hike
- Does: Track GPS distance and pace, log ascent from GPS, show basic heading, record heart rate.
- Doesn’t: Show full maps, offer breadcrumb navigation cues, or include a barometric altimeter for storm alerts.
That’s why pairing it with a phone map is a smart combo for trails beyond your local loop.
Links You May Need
When you need the official button-by-button steps to add an activity on the watch or to edit an activity in Garmin Connect, those official pages spell it out with menus that match your device and app.