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Do you Take Rest Breaks when Hiking?

Mt Chocorua - Taking a Rest at the Summit
Mt Chocorua – Taking a Rest at the Summit

How often you take rest breaks during a day hike or backpacking trip and how long you rest for. For example, is there a specific reason that you stop and rest?

Please leave a comment.

126 comments

  1. I usually don’t have to think about breaks since they come naturally. Photographing, looking at the map, eating snacks or drinking. I also cook lunch during the day. I’m in no hurry so I tend to stop for these actions. If I’m hiking with my wife we take more breaks because she get’s tired sooner than me. I probably take at least one ~10 minute break every hour and then one longer lunch break.

  2. I usually stopped for a short snack break every 3 miles or so, but further along the trail I changed it to 5-6 miles (as I started hiking faster). It turns out every 1.5 hours, for maybe 15 minutes max.
    I take a longer lunch break, but I don’t think it usually exceeds 30 minutes, and I don’t nap, or take off my shoes, normally.

  3. When winded or there is a view. I need to learn to relax but right now I tend to always push on.

  4. Resting is a sign of weakness ;)

  5. I never have put any thought into how often to stop while hiking. There are multiple factors that influence how often I take a break such as difficulty of terrain, who I am hiking with, if I am dealing with a hot spot or blister, refill water, hungry and found a nice spot to eat a meal, sometimes to simply “stop and smell the roses”, or take in an awesome view.

  6. A break whenever I feel like it, but never ‘scheduled’.That results in mostly taking ‘stops’ for layering/delayering, a quick drink or bite to eat, but not taking ‘breaks’. Part of my hiking enjoyment comes from keeping going–breaks take that enjoyment away.

  7. It depends on what I want to achieve for the day, but overall I like to time my breaks to scenic spots. Small breaks can grow out of control to hour-long ones which is alright if the distance to be done is only a couple of miles. My endurance hiking past usually dictates to keep breaks to a minimum, like one twenty minute pause every six hours. This weekend I’m going to take a 105km (65mi) endurance hike where I plan about 2-3 breaks at most. Constant Forward Progress, as Andrew Skurka puts it :)

  8. I have no set pattern for breaks, but perhaps a 5 minute break every 2-3 hours for a quick snack or a water break.

  9. On the trail, I take breaks when I start to bonk or when I want to take in the view or for lunch. It’s a matter of paying attention to your body and to the sights, sounds, and smells around you.

  10. I don’t stop very much for breaks. I eat and drink while walking. When I get tired on a climb, I just pause, catch my breath and continue on. When I hike with people I stop more often, but never more than a few minutes. I feel that longer stops make it more difficult to get going, and I’m more tired when I do. A pause works best.

  11. I take a short break every 1.5 to 2 hours, usually to eat a snack. I try to keep everything (including lunch) in my hip belt pockets so my “rest” only lasts a minute or two.

  12. I don’t plan or schedule breaks. Water is available from my reservoir hose, and snacks are in the hip belt pocket. Breaks happen when I need to adjust clothing or equipment, or when there’s something interesting to stop and look at. I prefer to just keep going at a pace I can sustain indefinitely. If I need a rest break, it’s a sign that I’ve been pushing too hard and need to slow down.

  13. I’ll take a break when my legs get tired (uphill) or my knees get sore (downhill) but in general I like to keep moving. I’m still new to backpacking so im not pushing too hard yet!

  14. On a difficult climb, I make myself stop every hour for 5 min or so to eat and drink. On an easier hike, it could be 2-3 hours between breaks. I almost always stop for an overlook.

  15. I am not one to stop just to stop. I am into getting to a destination seeing as much as I can as fast as I can. I prefer to sightsee on the return trip but even then I walk until I need to break. On easier hikes I will walk fro miles/hours before needing to stop. I hydrate on the move only taking a mandatory break to eat at a specific time but even then I may push it for another hour or so then I eat and its back on the trail.

    I break more often depending on how strenuous the hike is. On a very steep elevation gain I will stop to catch by breath (sometimes within sight of the last “rest” spot) and push on.

  16. We assess every 15 minutes or so for water/snack, plus at a view or when someone calls for one (layering, etc.) Hiking with Boy Scouts we have hikers of various levels, so making sure the group doesn’t get too spread out is important. Sometimes we use the “caterpillar” method for a rolling break.

  17. usually stop on long hikes every couple of hours for snacks and conversation or as needed for addressing hot spots, potty breaks, etc.

  18. We never stop on a schedule. As stated in earlier comments, it depends on the terrain, temperature of the day, etc. Definitely after a strenuous section!! Catch your breath, take a drink/snack – usually 5 minutes or so.

  19. Im a big fan of 2-4min water breaks regularly & rest/celebration at the summit! I usually hike with my family (ages 9, 12, 13, & 34), making a thermos full of hot cider & build-your-own sandwiches a feast to behold after conquering a mountain (or 2)!
    Breaking for adequate water is something we heavily influence on the kids on all of our adventures, encouraging them to loose their ego & call for a crew wide water break whenever the pinch of thirst truly strikes. Proper hydration is key to a successful adventure, afterall, & if you’re thirsty… well, you probably aren’t the only one! :)

  20. I’ll stop to snap a photo, to go to the bathroom, or to eat, but usually not for water since I use a water bag & hose. Often when I hike with my girlfriend we hike to a spot & just spend the afternoon there, essentially spending more time stopped somewhere than hiking.

  21. 5 minutes every two hours to help with water intake.

  22. I typically let the trail dictate when I take a break, if I top a rise with a view, enter a calm wooded area, cross a bridge over a stream. I’d rather rest with a view than stopping just because I’ve crossed a point on my clock.

  23. I’ll stop for good photo opportunities (mountaintop vistas or close-ups) but going uphill, I rest for 5 minutes every 45 minutes. Hiking downhill or level, I will stop when I get tired. Don’t stop for water since I use a hydration bladder & hose. Whether I stop to snack or eat while moving depends upon the terrain…in Maine I have to constantly watch my feet but Virginia, not so much.

  24. “What is this life if, full of care, we have no time to stand and stare.”
    W.H. Davies

    • Amen. But that doesn’t count as a raffle entry. :-) Do try again.

      • Fair enough, though that is what I think of. I do make sure to stop to enjoy views and atmosphere. When backpacking, I also stop every two hours for food and water. When going uphill, view stops double as getting my breath back.

  25. I usually stop every hour and a half to 2 hours and rest for about 20 minutes. It’s simply a habit. Shorter stops are only for those Kodak moments.
    On very rough terrain I tend to stop as needed depending on my bum knee.

  26. It helps to take a 5 min break every hour or so and take my shoes off. If I go two hours it catches up to me later.

  27. When the weather is nice I love to take a short nap sometime during the day. I just find a spot and drop the pack – take off my shoes and socks and rest for 20 minutes. Nothing like a bit of lollygagging in the piney woods.

  28. I once read a hiking blogger say something that really resonated with me: I treat hiking like ice cream – if I don’t force myself to stop I’ll just eat, and eat, and eat, and eat… ;o) I’ve found that when I’m hiking alone I just keep hiking, sometimes to the point of injury. I’ve certainly injured my feet or legs after a few days of strenuous hiking and I don’t realize it until I’m done for the day. When I’m backpacking I tend to go until I reach the best possible campsite I can just moments before sundown.

    Because of all this I’ve been working to force myself to take breaks when I’m hiking alone. I’ll take break at scenic viewpoints, at elevation inflection changes (like at the top of a climb), or sometimes when I find a nice hollow or wetland where birds are singing.

    It isn’t nearly so hard to take breaks when I’m hiking with others – I usually with a group for day hikes and it’s easy to hear/see when other folks need a break. Of course, on a day hike I always like to take a break, eat lunch, or just crack open a reward (like a can of beer or bar of chocolate) at the half-way point. I always pack a few little luxury rewards to eat/drink at the turnaround or at the major objective of the hike.

  29. Aside from meal times, my breaks are unscheduled, but usually around 10-15 minutes for every two hours. Once I feel that I will soon need a break, I decide on a milestone up ahead (the next shady spot, 5 more switchbacks, the next time the trail is wide enough to stand for a few minutes without getting in another hikers way, etc.).

  30. I stop for a break usually where there is a good view where I can look around. I drink some water and have a square from my dark chocolate bar.

  31. Rest breaks every 90 minutes to cool feet, change socks, put foot powder in socks, or anything else necessary to keep the feet happy.

  32. I usually stop about every half hour, this also depends on steepness. For about 3 – 5 minutes. Generally I stop for lunch on the summit in the warm weather. In winter I usually stop for lunch on the trail, out of the wind. My lunch break is usually about a half hour. In the warm weather if I have made good time I will sometimes spend up to an hour on any given summit to enjoy the beauty.

  33. I really could have used those cleats this past Sunday…
    I usually plan longer breaks around food, mid morning snack or lunch. If hiking with a group and we get spread out a break in a good chance for everyone to get caught up.

  34. Breaks are weather and trail condition dependent. Harder trail or better views equals more breaks. Poor weather equals shorter breaks. On average, break every two to three hours for ten to twenty minutes.

  35. I take a break whenever either the terrain, weather, my fitness, or something cool to look at demands it.

  36. I have no strategy for taking breaks and am quite inconsistent about them. Sometimes I’ll take a long lunch break but often eat on the go. Most of my breaks are caused by coming to a nice place that I’d like to enjoy for a few minutes.

  37. My breaks are usually dictated by a need to change my clothing layers- something always needs to go on or off, and that’s also a good time to grab a drink and maybe a bite.

  38. It depends upon the hike and terrain that I am traversing…If a hike presents a lot of great vistas then I don’t think about breaks because they are built in…In general I come to full stop rest once every 1.5 to 2 hrs, drink, bush break and any clothing/pack adjustments if needed…

  39. I usually take a 10 to 15 minute break once an hour. I sometimes delay it depending on the conditions, or the fact that something better is coming up, or if I’m nearting the top of a long climb.

  40. I’m much more relaxed about when I stop nowadays. I stop frequently just to look at the view. Otherwise I stop for anything I need to do like: check the map, take a drink, to catch my breath, to take a photograph, to watch some wildlife or just because I can.

  41. I usually don’t take rest breaks on day hikes. I want to get where I’m going. The only time I stop is to snap a picture. That’s enough.

  42. I usually take a break every 1-2 hours for water and snacks for around 5-10 minutes.

  43. Number of stops is proportional to heat and incline. Being a Vermonter, I now carry an emergency vial of maple syrup in case I bonk.

  44. I’ll stop every 2 hours or so to rest for about 10 minutes and take a drink

  45. Depends on temperature and conditions, but try to stop at least every hour to water up, and water the dogs.

  46. It depends on how far I have to hike and what kind of climate I’m dealing with for the day. If I’m only going 4-8 miles on a warm sunny day, and I have 8 hours to do it, then there is lots of time to take off the boots and lounge near the creek.

    If I have to get 15 miles through snow in 6 hours, fewer breaks for shorter lengths!

  47. I take rest breaks for several reasons: To enjoy a viewpoint, to eat food that I can’t eat on the go, to catch my breath, to adjust layering. In each case, I keep them as short as possible. My biggest rest breaks are for mid-hike meals or heavy snacks. These can be as short as 10 minutes, or as long as 30, depending on the size of the meal and if I’m hiking with my children. We love to eat our meals where we can be comfortable and have a beautiful view!!

  48. I don’t schedule breaks, just take them when it seems convenient (water stop, photo op, get a pebble out of my shoe, etc)

  49. About every hour and a half I sit for 15 minutes to replenish with water and a small snack some times a little longer I really get into my thoughts while hiking mountain trying to stay centered.

  50. I stop every half hour or so for a quick 5 minute break while hiking in steep terrain. When I summit a peak, I usually rest for atleats 30-45 minutes to eat and re hydrate and let my body cool down. Plus taking in as much scenery as possible is a must!!

  51. Im going on my third year of hiking the 4,000 footers in NH and up untill now I thought I was a pretty strong hiker. Very seldom does my ego allow someone to pass me on the accent unless that person is under the age of 13. That being said I can’t imagine 2 to 3 hours at a time without a break. I recently started pacing my steps and taking a 5 minute break once an hour. This method gets me well under normal book times.

  52. On a normal day of backpacking I’ll stop for a 15 minute break mid-morning and 30 minute lunch mid-day. I’ll take an afternoon break if I’m hiking til 5 or 6, but if I’m getting close to my destination, I’ll plow on through. Other than that, I’ll take mini breaks if I’m in steep terrain, I’ll stop for at least 10 minutes if I summit or I’m at a great view, and I’ll break when I have to re-fill my water.

  53. Typically, when I am hiking I like to start out in the morning and push through until lunch at about Noon. I will usually take a minimum of 20 minutes to eat, but will sometimes linger a while longer depending on how far I have gone and how far I have to go.

  54. On a backpacking trip we almost always have a sit down lunch with packs tossed, footwear removed, and toes wiggling in the wind. The exception is usually the last day of the trip where we opt for the lunch on the run and eyes set on the prize… Real food in civilization with copious amounts of coffee and hassle free water in a clean glass. Other breaks are unscheduled and on a needs basis… We need water, washroom, fresh berry patch or whatever else may strike our fancy.

  55. A half hour mid-morning, an hour at lunch, and a half hour mid-afternoon. All breaks involve the airing of feet and the ingestion of Snickers.

  56. I hike steadily (and rather slowly) and don’t need much in the way of rest breaks. I might stop every few minutes for 15-30 seconds on uphill grades to catch my breath. When I do that, I put one foot approximately 18″ up on higher ground such as on a rock or log and lean onto that leg for a while. I don’t really need to sit. Of course, I often pause to take photos or scope something out with my binoculars.

    My grandson and brother in law like to periodically stop and rest so when I’m with them, we’ll find a good rock to sit on for a couple minutes. My brother rests the same way I normally do so when hiking with him, you’ll see two guys looking like they froze while getting set to step up onto something.

  57. My rest breaks are largely dictated by the fact that I’m an insulin dependent diabetic. I will stop approximately two hours after breakfast to check my blood glucose level with my meter. If the blood sugar is on the low side, I will eat something. This rest break takes around 15 minutes. At lunch, I will check the blood glucose level, inject my insulin and eat. Two hours after lunch, I stop to check the blood glucose level again. I have had incidents of extremely low blood sugar on the trail, so I also carry packets of fast acting glucose gel. In those instances, I had to rest quite a while to allow the glucose to get into the bloodstream and I felt well enough to continue. The entire process is a minor hassle (especially in the rain and/or cold), but I’ve become accustomed to dealing with it.

    Philip, is a review of the Pocket Cleats forthcoming?

  58. on average about every 1.5-3 hrs. and about 5-15min.long, depending on weather body condition environment.i use this time to add flavored drinks to my water(one bottle for water,one for flavor drink) have a snack. check maps, put sun screen on, or evaluate how to get around the copper head in the trail safely on an occasion air out my feet. 30min. for meals and a minute or two at views in green tunnel. a lot of my brakes are more time management and assessing my needs so i am not forced to stop or get fatigued.

  59. I’ll take a break after about 3 hours to eat some food. Water breaks aren’t really necessary since I just drink it along the way.

  60. I don’t ever seem to take rest breaks while backpacking. I like to just keep hiking, especially during the cold. Now if I go up a really steep hill I’ll take a small rest at the top, then keep on moving. If I ever stop, it’s usually to take in a view.

  61. I have no schedule for taking breaks. I stop often for just a moment to take photos or check the map, and I always take a long, shoeless lunch break (~45mins) in nice weather. I will always stop and sometimes sit for a few minutes to take in a view or conversation with a passing hiker.

  62. I learned my rest technique in Special Forces. Stop, hands on knees, shift pack (ruck) to the highest part of your back to get the weight off your sholders and hips, take 5-6 good deep breaths and start walking again. The only thing of changed is that I use the hiking/ski poles now so I lean forward and support some of my body weight on the poles. I don’t stop until I reach a destination.

  63. If on a half-day hike I usually don’t take any rest breaks; just the occasional stop for a picture or to empty debris out of my trail shoes on days when I’ve forgotten to bring my Dirty Girls. However, I will take a 30-45 minute lunch stop if on a full-day hike, taking shoes and damp socks off to dry (or rotating these out with a 2nd, dry pair if its a cool, cloudy day). I find that taking frequent rest breaks hampers my hiking fitness/endurance conditioning. A hydration hose and trail snacks kept in an accessible pocket keep me nourished and on the go.

  64. I don’t have a set scheduled for taking breaks. I take a break when I am hungry or need to change my socks, but I do not do those things at fixed intervals. Not having a schedule is one of the things I enjoy about hiking, the ability to stop and start whenever with almost no deadlines.

  65. I only stop for meals because I always want to see what’s up ahead. I would like to do a better job of forcing myself to rest so that I can better preserve my body over long distances.

  66. While hiking I like to keep it simple, when I need to rest Ill rest. I like to take it easy while out so when I do need to stop I’ll do a short break for a few minutes keeping my pack on to catch my breath from a climb. Not enough time to really allow my body to cool down or relax. Once or twice I’ll take a longer break for a half hour or longer, I’ll spend this time having lunch, taken off my shoes and socks or even changing them if I need to. My goal here is to give my body some time to relax, and cool down.

  67. I take breaks depending on terrain.

    When hiking in the mountains, I’ll break every 15-20 minutes, but only for 5 minutes or less. When hiking on flatter terrain, I’ll take a 5 minute break every 30 minutes.

    I notice that shorter quicker breaks are more rejuvenating, and prevents the lactic acid from building up and making your legs tired.

  68. I rest in the following situations –
    climbing & legs start to burn – stop & stand still until legs stop burning
    mouth dries out – stop for sip of water
    lunchtime – planned rest stop at a shelter or summit with a view – could be 45 min in fall or spring – 20-25 min in winter unless there is a fire keeping us warm
    great views – stop to take photos; sometimes I set up a quick shock-cord tripod to take a big group shot
    pee stops – finding a boulder or bushes to go behind
    observation stops – admiring a tree or fungus or wildlife or waterfall

  69. I hike because I want to be in nature. So I stop for nice views, wildlife, a spot in the sun when it’s cold or in the shade when it’s hot. Oh and when I’m tired, hungry or thirsty. The whole idea is to NOT be on the clock or meeting goals, but to just be. I don’t care if that means that an easy 5-mile walk turns into a whole afternoon, although I usually manage 15 miles at least.
    Getting to hike in a beautiful spot is great. Forgetting about time and distance and be a part of that beautiful spot is even better.

  70. Michael Brouillette

    I usually take a short break every ten minutes take a drink of water and a handful of grup then hike on

  71. My hiking currently consists of the Big Bend area, so resting comes with the hottest part of day. Typically set out around 4:00 a.m. and hike hard until noon. Rest for 2-3 hours, nap, HYDRATE until pee is clear, hydrate some more. Hopefully this occurs in a canyon w/springs if you time it correctly, if not throw up a shade tarp. Then, right before it starts cooling down start gain slow and increase my pace as it cools. These spikes will be helpful on my current planned PCT hike, transition out of the desert and start new!

  72. I usually take a break once I reach a point of interest, like a cave, peak, viewpoint, etc. I like to stop and appreciate the outdoors!

    I also take a break every time I see people climbing, purely because it’s awesome and I don’t get out on the rock as much as I’d like, so I love to see other people enjoying it!

    I do often have the “let’s just keep pushing on until the next peak… And the next one… And…” attitude, but only when I can be bothered…

    Thanks for the raffle!

  73. Over the years I’ve eliminated many of my rest breaks as my pack weight has gone down; pack weight and rest breaks seem to have an inverse relationship. With hip belt pockets I’m able to eat a snack two hours into a hike without stopping (traditionally a rest break for me). I will be picky and find a nice spot to rest for lunch. I take about an hour, take my shoes off and rinse them in a stream if I can, soak up the sun, etc. I can snack again around 3:00, and then I don’t like to hike after dinner so my next stop is camp around 5:00. That works out to be around 10 hours on the trail, 9 hours of hiking, and about 20 miles or so.

  74. About every 20 yards! But, then I’m 80, overweight and out of shape and trying to hike at 8,000′ in the Colorado Rockies. Rest time varies, depending on the location of my water bottle and the needs of my three-year-old Lab. I found that hiking into the Poudre Falls, north of RMNP, which is mostly downhill, was a lot easier than the reverse.

  75. I try to take a 5 minute rest break every hour, but most times than not, more than an hour has gone by as I get lost in the beauty of the world around me and my own thoughts. More often than not my rest breaks coincide with stopping to admire a view or some other points of interest.

  76. I am a slow hiker. I tend to just to enjoy the scenery. I do stop for lunch, whenever that may be. For 15 to 30 mins.

  77. I usually take five minutes every 30 to 40 min as I am hiking with a six and eight year old, who require / demand a lot of snacks….

  78. I stop for breaks at irregular intervals at landmarks, either predetermined or spontaneously found . . . a shelter, an open summit, or an unexpected overlook. When hiking with a group, it allows for a spot to let everyone catch up and enjoy the place together.

  79. I stop and rest to inhale and enjoy the fresh air and of course the scenery..Then scour the rest area for critters or birds.

  80. Depending on the terrain and temperature, break every hour or two. Break to slow things down and take in a particular spot as well as have a snack.

  81. I’d say that rest breaks are never a reason why I would stop for myself. There is enough rest time when stopping for other reasons, such as 15-30 minutes midday to dig lunch out of the pack, enjoying a scenic overlook, taking photos, grabbing water, consulting the map, etc.

  82. I stop every 1 to 2 hours for some food and water. Most stops are 5 to 15 minutes.

  83. I take breaks before getting tired to have a reserve of energy in case i run into an emergency situation.

  84. My hiking trips are usually two-day trips, and I usually stop every hour or every other hour for 5-10 minutes, or 30 minutes for lunch.

  85. I usually take a 5 minute break every couple hrs to drink, eat something , or take in a view. Sometimes during a climb, I take breaks as well

  86. We stop and take a 5 minute break when we get tired to take a little food and water.

  87. When hiking I go at a slow and steady pace. (My friends say if I go any slower i’d be going backwards) so I will snack and hydrate on the fly, and that depends on the weather and terrain.

  88. I stop about every hour to drink water, or at any scenic outlooks. :)

  89. When hiking on my favorite local trail I hike up to a pristine lake about 1-1/4 hours up the mountain from trail-head, sipping water from my bite-valved water bottle as needed. I sit down on a large boulder to enjoy the lake view and eat an energy bar for lunch spending 15 to 20 minutes there. I continue on to another lake about 15 minutes or so further on the trail atop the mountain. Here, atop exposed bedrock and usually windy conditions, I enjoy another view of nature’s wonders. In winter with a snow fall, in all it’s beautiful and gentle or wind-driven glory, I enjoy the same hike. Certainly taking longer – the silence of the woods, the snow accumulation upon the trees and terrain is an overwhelming pleasure to experience.

  90. It depends on how challenging the trail is. On level ground with a 20# pack, one 10 minute break an hour. On a steep grade it will still be 10 mintues but much more often.

  91. I usually hike for an hour or two then take a 15 min break, if I’m by myself. If I’m with company I’ll probably stop for a bit longer. I absolutely take my time when I get to scenic peak, especially if I can time it right about sunset. Then you have a fun night hike back.

  92. i rest about every 10-12 miles, just to snap photos or get a snack. sometimes sooner, if weather demands a wardrobe change.

  93. I LeT my body dictate how often and how long i rest.

  94. I stop when my legs are sore, my belly is aching, or a few hundred other times to take photos. The photo gig annoys my hailing partners as I am usually far behind everyone else but my new macro lens may push them over the edge.

    John

  95. I stop every couple hours depending on terrain, weather and my physical condition. When hiking harder, faster or carrying heavier loads I stop more often to hydrate, snack, rest my feet and soak in the views.

  96. On backpacking trips when hiking all day (typically 7 am to 5 pm), I will stop mid-morning and mid-afternoon for 15 minutes or so, and to drink/snack. Lunch break midday is usually half an hour. At all three times I take shoes off to air out the feets.

  97. I make a point to stop briefly–5-10 minutes at most–every 1 1/2 hours or so to have a snack. I keep sipping water as I hike. If I’m behind where I think I should be I may eat while walking, but regardless every few hours I’ll stop for a spell to check in with my body. When possible I try to double up photo taking, vista viewing, etc. with breaks. If I need to dry out and it’s sunny I’ll take a longer break to do that. One reason I try to keep breaks short is because there always seems to be a reason at some point of the day to stop for longer than I could have anticipated. :-)

  98. If I am on a day hike with my three year old boy, the whole hike is a break. We climb rocks and play in the dirt. Just exploring.
    If I am on a day hike with clients, we stop about every hour. I make sure that they are eating and drinking, ask about their feet. That kind of stuff.
    Sometimes, I find hikers who have become sick, or have injured themselves. When I ask about their “in&outs”, invariable they tell me that it has been over an 1.5 hours since their last food/water intake.
    I am strong believer that eating once and hour will keep a hiker strong and agile, preventing many slips and trips.

  99. I take a five to ten minute break every hour or so when hiking. I do stop for lunch but only for about 30 minutes. I drink water along the way, perhaps stopping for a few minutes to re-set my pack and drink, but I prefer to keep moving.

  100. I mostly stop “as needed”, because I drink and snack as I go, but if I am with a group, we stop for about 5 to 15 minutes about every hour.

  101. I need to learn to slow down and relax a bit more. I get focused on the finish line and sometimes forget to take a break and enjoy the environment. When I do remember to take breaks, I usually have a snack and let any sweaty clothes dry off.

  102. My wife and I try to stop for 5 minutes about every hour on average to snack or just chill. Additionally, we stop to use our Sawyer Mini filters to top off on water if there is a long dry stretch ahead. A lunch stop is nice so we generally take about 30 minutes for lunch or a little longer if the stop is near a lake and the weather is appropriate to get in a swim!

  103. Take breaks about once a hour for about 5 to 10 minutes. Try not to rush and not enjoy the scenery.

  104. I generally stop for 5 minutes every hour or so. However, if I come upon something beautiful I will stop.

  105. I don’t have routine,my hiking brakes are triggered by conditions and scenery.

  106. One of the great joys in hiking is the hiking nap. Finding a cool grassy spot in the afternoon when I am gassed, 15-20 minutes of rest with my feet elevated a little, glorious!

  107. When we hiked the AT my girlfriend and I would take 15-30 minute breaks about every 2-3 hours. We’d ALWAYS take our shoes and socks off. If we were by a stream, there’s nothing like a foot soak to rejuvenate your feet. We’d always head far enough downstream though so we wouldn’t foul up a water source at places where people would usually stop for water. Even without water, taking off our shoes helped us hardly ever have any blisters. When we were done eating we’d put our socks on our pack, change to a slightly less dirty and damp pair of socks and keep on going.

  108. I don’t have a set routine for breaks, but I’ll stop and have a drink and a snack when I’m tired. This is usually at least once per hour, and maybe for 5-10 minutes.

  109. It all depends on where I am hiking and how far I am hiking. I generally have landmarks that I stop at, but usually try not to stop for more than 10-15 minutes at a time.

  110. I probably stop every few hours but I generally stop for a while as I like to take photos.

  111. Sometimes I forget to take a break. i am so focused on the trail with the beauty, that breaks seem silly….

  112. No scheduled breaks. I/we stop when necessary, whether for a view, to catch our breath, to enjoy some wildlife, have a snack or just to contemplate life. Most breaks are fairly short, but there really is no time limit.

  113. No scheduled stops. Sometimes no stops. I typically dont stop on peaks but find other niches to break with less crowds.

  114. If I’m hiking alone, I’ll break for a view, interesting flora, snack, etc…I try to enjoy the journey, not the end result. I will certainly break when I’m tired, but try not to stay for too long. When hiking with my family, my husband thinks it’s fun to hike as fast as possible, no snacking, and get to the top, then break. Needless to say, I enjoy hiking alone or with just my kids! :) Sorry, honey, but it’s true.

  115. Depends on the kind of hike. On average 5 minutes per hour if having to meet tough distance or time requirements.

  116. I have a big breakfast before I start a hike. Then usually just stop for short breaks going uphill for a sip of water. Unless I am with some one who needs more than that. May stop for a snack on 5miles or longer about half way more for. Then eat when done.

  117. It all depends on the outing. If I’m out for half a morning (at most 6 miles), I’ll typically not stop, unless I’m stopping at the peak to take in the views. Being a parent of young children, these account for most of my trips.

    For longer day hikes, I typically stop for a morning snack, then lunch, then push hard to get out in the afternoon for a treat. At this pace, we’re talking every 2 hours.

    Same schedule held true on my recent NH AT Hut trip – stopping every 2 hours for a snack or meal. This helped me cover the 15 miles from Zealand to Greenleaf Hut in one day (fast early lunch at Galehead).

    Cliff Notes: I stop about every 2 hours. But since most of my short day hike outings are about 6 miles, I tend to not stop.

  118. I usually only take 2 breaks during a long day hike. I try base my hikes around a long climb and then a faster descent with no breaks. Normally I’ll take about 15 min for a snack and long water break after a couple of hours ascending, then at least 30 min for lunch at my main destination before I turn around and job back down.

  119. I usually stop every couple of hours for 5 minutes or so, then take 20 minutes for lunch. First thing in the morning I will do a brief stop after 10 to 15 minutes just to adjust shoe laces, pack straps, or clothing layers. A good view or scenic waterfall always stops me as well.

  120. I try not to plan out breaks. I just take them as I need or want them. Laid-back approach I suppose. I’ll leave scheduling and length of breaks to RL situations, I’m on the trail to get away from all that.

  121. I don’t really plan breaks. I start with 2 liters of water and a bar or some dried fruit, and I go until I run out. I break when I need to refill water, so that ends up being about 2 times each day. Somewhere in between I eat lunch. I should probably do a better job in planning breaks, but I don’t, and so far it has worked.

  122. Zachary Robbins won this raffle.

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