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Urban Hiking 101: My Essential Tips for Walking the City

Sunday, January 26th, 2025

Urban hiking is one of my favorite ways to explore the city, and I'm excited to share my tips and experiences with you. Whether I'm wandering through awesome neighborhoods, discovering hidden parks, or strolling along river valleys, urban hiking offers an interesting blend of adventure and relaxation. I often grab my backpack and smartphone, using Google Maps to uncover new trails. In this guide-experience, I'll dive into what urban hiking means to me, share essential gear recommendations, and provide some safety tips to enhance your own urban adventures.

Before I share my urban hiking tips, let’s break down what urban hiking is (in my view).

What is Urban Hiking? (In My View)

I see urban hiking as walking and exploring an urban area using sidewalks, pavements, or trails. This includes observing city culture and walking through malls, river valleys, parks, green spaces, and more. I might take a bus or car to reach a specific area before exploring it on foot. Some hikes can last as long as four hours. I usually carry a backpack and my smartphone camera for any photo opportunities. I also use Google Maps to discover uncharted city trails. I love it, well, most of it, it’s a wonderful activity that benefits both my physical and mental health.

OK, let’s jump right into some of my tips and experiences.

What were my best times to urban hike?

To avoid the summer heat, I sometimes schedule my hikes for later in the day. This often means returning home in the evening when streetlights illuminate the main roads. But, parks and river valleys lack that benefit, making them unsafe to navigate in darkness. So, I prioritize planning hikes that ensure I’m back before nightfall.

Early mornings present another safety challenge. I once started a hike around 5 am to enjoy the sunrise in the city. While the urban areas were beautiful, venturing into the river valleys was not a good idea. The dense tree cover blocked the early light, creating low-light conditions. To ensure better visibility and safety, I pushed my summer start times forward to around 7 am.

How I plan my urban hikes effectively? Think public washrooms

By planning my route around accessible washrooms, I eliminate any potential stress or anxiety about finding facilities, especially on longer hikes. This allows me to enjoy the hike itself and my surroundings. Knowing that a restroom stop is within reach whenever I need it gives me the freedom to explore more confidently. I can venture further into parks and river valleys, following hidden trails or taking detours to discover new viewpoints, without the constant worry of limited washroom options. This works out and allows me to fully enjoy the adventure and take great photos.

Here's some of the essential gear I pack for urban hiking?

I usually urban hike with a slim backpack with all the essentials. The longer I urban hike, the heavier my backpack starts to get.

Here is most of the urban hiking gear I bring along.

The list below has been updated since this video. Oh, this is more for summer use.

First aid kit
Food
Water
Water bottle
A packing cube
Smaller Towel
Poncho
Pen
Bus Tickets
Scarf or duff
Gloves
Safety pins
Hand cream
Allergy meds (Over the counter)
Tissue
Protein bars
Advil
Electrolytes
Socks
Sunglasses
Sunscreen
Charging cords
Mosquito repellent
Hand crank weather radio

What footwear worked out best for my urban hikes?

The terrain of my planned route dictates my shoes. When tackling hikes with trails, gravel roads, or dirt paths, I only go for waterproof trail shoes. The keyword here is waterproof, not water-resistant, I learned this the hard way by buying water-resistant shoes and having ice-cold water leak in on the puddles, big mistake.

Trail shoes also provide superior traction on uneven surfaces, thanks to their aggressive treads. The treads also dig into loose gravel or dirt ensuring better footing. But, for urban hikes primarily consisting of sidewalks and paved paths, I go for running shoes.

I like using running shoes because they are designed for extended periods of walking on hard concrete. Their cushioning absorbs impact with each step, reducing fatigue and keeping my feet in good shape throughout the urban hike.

How I enhance those urban hiking experiences

I use Google Maps to find cool paths and trails throughout the city Google Maps is a great tool to use when I’m urban hiking because it finds additional walking trails that I may not have known about prior. I love this because it keeps the walk adventurous.

For example, I was urban hiking in a residential neighborhood on the good old sidewalks. I fired up my Google Maps and found a crazy beautiful walking trail with awesome trees and hidden bridges in the same direction. Totally unexpected and beats the sidewalks. Of course, safety first. I also try not to look down at my smartphone all the time looking a Google Maps though, That’s no fun.

If I discover an amazing landmark, I take photos of the historical plaque (Local culture)

I have gone on many urban hikes and found beautiful statues, public art, and landmarks only to forget about the fine details a week later. It’s always the same conversation, “Man, I was downtown and I discovered this crazy site, but I can’t remember the name.” To counter this issue once and for all, I take photos of any public information about the site on the plaques or signs. The photo also saves the date and time I was there, which is also great.

I’m also cutting back on using my digital Google photos and going old school with real tangible photo albums. This adventure is still in the works, maybe I’ll do a post on it later.

I carry bus tickets on me, just in case I get too tired

Sometimes, I walk out and “over urban hike.” This happens once in a while if my body just doesn’t want to cooperate. Instead of dreading the long walk back home, I carry bus tickets on me so I can conserve energy. It’s a great backup plan because usually, there is a bus stop somewhere.

One time, while in the city near the end of the river valley, I encountered a long uphill path that took nearly 15 minutes to walk up. The path ran alongside the highway, separated by a concrete barricade. Initially, I didn’t think much of it. However, by the time I reached the top, I was exhausted. Continuing onward, I walked to a set of traffic lights, turned left, and walked for another 15 minutes until I found a bus stop. Realizing I was about an hour away from my neighborhood with the sun setting, walking back was a no go. Boom, my bus tickets came in handy.

What about accessibility?

Since my two Achilles tendon injuries, I've had to adjust my urban hikes to more accessible and friendly routes. This can be an uphill battle (literally).

Let's say I've walked for three hours, and my legs and body are definitely tired. In this case, staying away from long sets of stairs would be ideal.

Long sets of stairs are popular in the river valley parks around my city. I look for winding paths that eventually get to the same location as if I were taking the stairs. Oh, handrails are also great.

So, how do I adjust my routes to find wider sidewalks, handrails, and winding paths instead of stairs?

Well, the answer is not to find new areas, but to use the same area and just get there another way. Let's take the river valley in my city. To get to the river valley area, the walk is pretty straightforward, only worrying about sidewalks, which, in my case, are mainly flat. So, I could set up Route 1, Route 2, or Route 3 to get to the river valley.

This is great because the accessibility options don't change within the river valley. For example, that set of stairs in the river valley I know has handrails. I also know there's a winding path I could use to bypass those stairs. In essence, nothing really changes in the river valley, with the exception of weather and the occasional construction maintenance.

The only walking routes that change are the sidewalk paths I take to get to the river valley, if that makes sense.

Wider sidewalks are also preferred. Lots of room for everyone, and it's safer because I wouldn't have to step off the path or sidewalk onto the grass.

Finally, big text on street signs and even coffee shops is great. It's easy to read.

What are some safety precautions I take while urban hiking?

If I’m going somewhere far, I’ll try to go with a friend or tell someone where I’m going.
I use the “Personal Safety app by Google,” on my Android smartphone and carry my ID.
It usually gets chillier towards the late afternoon, so I pack a sweatshirt.
I look ahead and try to stay away from icy sidewalks or muddy trails.
I try to wear brighter clothing or something reflective. I’m still working on this one.
I try to look around and just enjoy the scenery. I’m also still working on this one.
Here are a few things I don’t do on my urban hikes
I don’t take shortcuts and trespass on private property. If there’s a big sign that says, “PRIVATE PROPERTY,” I walk in the other direction.
I don’t climb walls or try to get creative by hopping over the short fences. No need to stress the ACs any more than I have to.
I don’t urban hike in overly secluded areas with no people around. Not a good idea.
I don’t wear headphones while I walk around. I need my ears to be alert.
I don’t hang around wildlife like coyotes. No thanks.
I don’t walk through rivers or streams.

What are some of the benefits I get out of urban hiking?

Stress reduction would be number one for me. It sounds counterintuitive considering I’m walking around in the city, but I don’t mind it if I can’t get out to the mountains.
Maintaining my weight is another reason I head out for a few urban hikes. I find walking helps with my weight with a few diet tweaks.
Urban hiking does build my core which is a good thing.
I tend to sleep much better when I head out for longer walks.
Appreciation for the environment around me. I notice the little things when I’m out urban hiking, love it.
I usually learn something new about a person, place, or thing while walking out and about. Such as a part of the local history in the area through plaques near landmarks.

Well, if I was to go out for an urban hike, it might go something like this

Weather check:

I usually check the weather the night before, then the day of, I’m checking the wind, double checking if it’s going to rain, snow, hail, everything. If it’s sunny, that usually means a progressive increase in temperature throughout the day (but not always). Cloudy days with a touch of wind have been the best for me. I also try to eat a good meal as well.

Route check

I fire up Google Maps and check out any interesting routes. Again, I avoid anything too busy or too secluded. I also make sure my smartphone is charged, and as a backup, I have a hand-crank weather radio that can charge my phone if needed.

Traffic check

Next, I time my walks to avoid the morning and evening rush hour traffic. This is an ongoing process that I haven’t quite mastered yet. 10am usually works well if I’m not doing a sunrise walk, and the walk home can be random — any time can be busy. My goal is to try to hike during less congested times.

Backpack check

I then pack my backpack with the following essentials: warm clothing, a first-aid kit, water, bus tickets, my smartphone, protein bars, and cash.

Clothing check

Now I have to decide if I’m going to wear cargo shorts or athletic pants. Usually, I go with the athletic pants option. Reason being, the river valley and trails are not forgiving. Thorny wild plants everywhere.

Walking shoes check:

For walking shoes, it’s usually my Asics running shoes. But if I’m going anywhere near large bodies of water, I opt for my waterproof trail shoes.

Now, the walk:

Awesome. Now I’m out the door. After about an hour of walking on concrete, my knees start to ache a bit. No worries, though. If there’s grass on the sidewalk and it’s public property, I walk on it — easier on the joints.

The statue:

About an hour and a half into my urban hike, I spot a beautiful statue. I take a picture of it, then look for historical information on a plaque or sign. I take two photos: one of the statue and another of the plaque, just in case the first one is blurry.

Lunch break:

Great. I got some fantastic photos, and now I’m starting to get hungry. I find a bench and have a protein bar with some water. Then, I double-check the time to see if I need to worry about rush hour and how much daylight is left.

Heading back:

The protein bar was delicious, and now it’s time to head back. I make sure to stay near busy streets.

Unexpected fatigue:

Suddenly, I feel tired. Crap, this walk made me much more tired than I expected, and it’s way hotter out than I thought. I use Google Maps to find the closest bus stop, grab my bus tickets, and head home safe and sound.

The mystery statue:

Finally, I get home and wash my hands. Wow, what a crazy walk today. Then, I think about the statue I found while hiking. “What was the name again?” I pull out my phone and check. “Got it.”

How has my fitness tracking been evolving since I started urban hiking

It's been quite an adventure when it comes to activity trackers during my urban hikes. I started with the Polar m200 sports watch, then moved on to the Fitbit Inspire 2, Inspire 3, Charge 5, Charge 6, and currently on my wrist, the Fitbit Versa 4.

First, I set the Fitbit to auto-walk detection, making it easier to track my steps without manually starting "walking mode." Steps are usually my go-to metric, but I sometimes switch to "Active Zone Minutes," which focuses more on heart rate tracking, helpful for that fat burning life.

Since urban hiking can be a long day of walking, I avoid using GPS to conserve battery life. I also turn off all notifications for the same reason.

My biggest pet peeve with any fitness tracker or smartwatch is the size of the display. I don't want to squint at a tiny step count at the bottom of the screen. Big displays are a must for these urban hikes.

Urban hiking photography

Here's my main urban hiking photography tip when using my Google Pixel phone:

I turn on gridlines on my smartphone (Google Pixel) camera.

What do gridlines do?

The gridlines on my smartphone camera create two horizontal and two vertical lines that divide the viewfinder into nine parts. Think of a rectangular version of tic-tac-toe. The rectangular lines are subtle but still visible on the screen.

Why turn on gridlines?

The first thing is that the gridlines help give me a better perspective of the subject in the photo. For example, if I'm taking a photo of a cool statue, the intersecting lines of the grid create a smaller rectangular box towards the center of the smartphone's screen. This makes it easier to center everything up quickly. It also helps with the "Rule of thirds."

What is the rule of thirds?

When I use the gridlines, it encourages placing key elements along the lines or at their intersections. This helps draw the viewer's eye to the subject. For example, if I'm taking an awesome photo of a sunset along the countryside, I would hold my camera horizontally and align the second horizontal line towards the bottom of the smartphone screen right up with the horizon. Now the photo is nice on the eyes.

Also check out the Rule of Thirds on Wikipedia.

Where are the gridlines?

To activate the gridlines

Open the camera app > settings > gear symbol > look for "grid type" or "grid lines" (might be tucked away in "more settings" or "additional settings"). > Select Grid Type: Look for the "Grid type" or "Grid lines." I use 3x3.

What about printing those urban hiking photos for the living room walls?

Okay, here's where the dead ends of the maze start to fire up. When I take photos on my lovely smartphone, the wonderful small screen gives what looks like a wonderful, clear image ready for print. And the reality is, this wonderful small image needs work as I move from the smartphone to the desktop, and to take this further, if I were to blow up this photo and hang it on my living room wall, imperfections are pretty easy to see.

So, what to do? First, I would clean up any major imperfections in the photo using a good photo editor, then move it over to a print-on-demand site.

I recently used Google Photo's print service for a tangible photo album, and so far, so good. As for other print-on-demand options, I've also used Zazzle, also good.

Final thoughts

In the end, I make sure I get out, be safe, and take a few photos I’ll remember.

Thanks for walking by: Here are some other walking, and walking related adventures below.

Side note: I’m not a professional. Please consult your local physician before starting any exercise program.

Affiliate disclosure: I am an Amazon Associate and may earn a commission from qualifying purchases. If you click through the links above and purchase items on Amazon, I may receive a commission at no additional cost to you.

I’m also on YouTube, yup, you guessed it, it’s called Ryan’s Walking Vlog (YouTube Link).

Resources related to urban hiking

I got some AI help here to summarize everything.

Williamson, E., Hind, K., Cheema, E., et al. (2021). Nature versus urban hiking for Veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder: a pilot randomised trial. BMJ Open, 11(9), e051885. https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/11/9/e051885.abstract

In short, the researchers investigated whether urban and nature hiking could benefit veterans with PTSD, and if such programs would be feasible to organize and implement. They also sought to determine if veterans would find the concept appealing and participate in the hikes.

Shanahan, D. F., Lin, B. B., Bush, R., et al. (2015). Toward improved public health outcomes from urban nature. American Journal of Public Health, 105(3), 470-477. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0169204614001480

This study explores how urban green spaces can benefit public health in cities, highlighting nature as a cost-effective tool for creating healthier urban environments. The researchers propose a framework to identify how nature directly and indirectly impacts health outcomes, emphasizing the need for more research to understand these connections and develop tailored solutions that could improve population health and reduce health inequalities.

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