Backpacking means overnight travel with camping gear; hiking is a same-day walk on trails with a light load.

In hiking, a switchback is a sharp trail zigzag that reduces slope by traversing back and forth across a steep hillside.

On typical trails, a steady hiking speed is 2–3 mph (20–30 min/mile), dropping near 1 mph on steep climbs and rising to ~3–3.5 mph on easy paths.

Plan your route, pace, hydration, safety checks, and simple trail etiquette during a hike to stay safe, engaged, and respectful.

Yes, when you run into a snake on a hike, stop, give space, and back away slowly to avoid provoking the animal.

During a hiking lightning storm, drop elevation fast, avoid lone trees, spread out, and wait 30 minutes after the last thunder.

During a trail thunderstorm, leave high ground, spread out, avoid lone trees, and head for a building or hard-topped vehicle if reachable.

On a hike, plan the route, pack basics, pace yourself, hydrate, follow Leave No Trace, and turn back early when conditions shift.

In a mountain thunderstorm, drop below ridges, avoid lone trees, spread out, crouch on a pad, and wait 30 minutes after the last thunder.

If you sprain your ankle while hiking, stabilize it, reduce swelling, assess red flags, and plan a safe exit before starting rehab.