Slackpacking is hiking a long trail while someone else transports your overnight gear, so you carry only a light day pack between points. Often arranged through hostels or shuttle services, it lets hikers cover trail miles with far less weight, trading some self-sufficiency for comfort and speed.
Peak bagging is the pursuit of climbing many summits, often working through a defined list — like the Colorado 14ers, the New England 4,000-footers, or a country's highest peaks. It turns hiking into a goal-driven challenge, with hikers 'bagging' peaks one by one to complete the list.
A section hike is completing a long-distance trail in separate trips over time, rather than in one continuous thru-hike. Section hikers tackle the trail piece by piece — over weekends, holidays, or years — making long trails accessible to people who can't take months off at once.
Scrambling is moving over steep, rocky terrain that's harder than hiking but easier than technical climbing, using your hands as well as your feet for balance and progress. It bridges hiking and climbing, ranging from easy hands-on terrain to exposed routes where a fall would be serious.
Backpacking is multi-day hiking that involves carrying everything you need — shelter, sleeping system, food, and water — in a pack and camping overnight along the way. It lets hikers travel deep into the backcountry beyond the reach of day hikes, and is the foundation of long-distance hiking.
A thru-hike is hiking a long-distance trail from end to end in a single continuous journey, typically over weeks or months. Famous thru-hikes include the Appalachian Trail and Pacific Crest Trail. It demands resupply planning, lightweight gear, and the endurance to walk and camp for the whole route.
A day hike is a hike completed in a single day, without camping overnight. Day hikes range from short nature walks to long, strenuous summit pushes, and let hikers access trails and views with a light pack and minimal gear. They are the most popular and accessible form of hiking.