Challenge
52 hikes in a year: how to hike once a week
Hiking once a week for a year is a popular goal: enough to build real fitness and explore new places, but flexible enough to fit around work and family.
In short
- Any hike counts: a 1-mile nature trail is as valid as a summit.
- Plan a mix of quick local hikes and a few big days.
- Catch up when you can: two hikes in a week makes up for a missed one.
- Free printable tracker: color in a square for every hike.
Free printable
52 hikes in a year tracker
Two US Letter pages: 52 squares to fill in with the date and miles, and a 100 miles in a month page.
How to make it to 52
- Set your own rules. Decide what counts: a minimum distance, trails only, or any walk in nature. Keep it simple so you don’t talk yourself out of a short hike.
- Find five go-to local trails within 30 minutes of home for busy weeks.
- Put hikes in your calendar like any other appointment.
- Plan by season: waterfalls in spring, high country in summer, fall color in October, and low trails and desert in winter.
- Bring friends, family or the dog. Hikes you share are easier to stick to.
- Log every hike. Seeing the squares fill in is the best motivation.
52 ideas to get you started
- A sunrise hikeand breakfast at the top
- A waterfallafter spring rain
- A fire tower or lookout
- A state parkyou’ve never visited
- A National Parksee the full list
- A stretch of a long trailsee US long trails
- A full moon hikeon a trail you know well
- A snowy trailwith microspikes
Want it done for you? Our hiking planner has a 52 hikes board that fills in square by square as you log hikes, with monthly totals and personal bests.