On the Trail: A History of American Hiking

by Silas Chamberlin

The first history of the American hiking community and its contributions to the nation’s vast network of trails
 
“This winning, thought-provoking book offers insight into a relatively unknown aspect of environmental history.”— Library Journal (starred review)
 
In the mid-nineteenth century urban walking clubs emerged in the United States. A little more than a century later, tens of millions of Americans were hiking on trails blazed in every region of the country. This groundbreaking book is the first full account of the unique history of the American hiking community and its rich, nationwide culture.
 
Delving into unexplored archives, including those of the Appalachian Mountain Club, Sierra Club, Green Mountain Club, and many others, Silas Chamberlin recounts the activities of hikers who over many decades formed clubs, built trails, and advocated for environmental protection. He also discusses the shifting attitudes of the late 1960s and early 1970s when ideas about traditional volunteerism shifted and new hikers came to see trail blazing and maintenance as government responsibilities. Chamberlin explores the implications for hiking groups, future club leaders, and the millions of others who find happiness, inspiration, and better health on America’s trails.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Nature

243 pages, Hardcover

Published October 25, 2016

Reviews

[Carl Nelson · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars. Silas Chamberlin examines trail development and culture in the United States in On the Trail: A History of American Hiking. Starting with the developments in technology and culture that first led to the rise of walking as a leisure activity, the author traces how interest in hiking developed, what factors drove its growth, how trails were built, and the decline of the trail club in favor of individual hikers.

The book is rich with noteworthy information about the hiking clubs that actively developed trail networks and promoted hiking as a leisure activity. At its genesis, hiking required the rise of a working class exempt from physical labor (who wants to walk for fun when one must walk all day to put food on the table?). The clubs were largely egalitarian, with membership being extended to all interested regardless of sex or race; an interesting sociological observation. Clubs typically designed, developed, maintained, and shared information about routes within their purview.

The history of these clubs contains many fascinating tidbits that give insight into the mindset of the hiker community. The story of the Dartmouth Outing Club is a great read. I liked the tale behind the founding of the Mazamas in Portland, Oregon: to ensure that membership was for accomplished climbers, the first meeting was held on the summit of Mount Hood. Another great anecdote was how a club in New York was laying out a trail with string, only to find that they were just ahead of hikers following their route.

After World War II, On the Trail turns nostalgic, examining a decline in membership and influence of the trail clubs. Many clubs, such as the Sierra Club, turned to a conservation and environmental focus. Governmental funding focus changed towards multi-use pathways seen as a transportation alternative rather than featuring closeness to nature as the main purpose. Technological changes in equipment, the availability of military surplus, and advances in food storage enabled people to hike individually. As hiking has become more popularized, the paradox of being "loved to death" has forced hikers to adopt lower-impact methods and environmental causes.

And here I veer from review to rebuttal...

At the genesis of hiking culture, hiking or backpacking was virtually impossible without club membership or guidance. Routes did not exist until clubs established them, and there were not resources available outside club newsletters and word of mouth. Equipment was not readily available, and was of such a weight that it was only suited to group use. Since then, the availability of trails, information, and equipment has lessened the importance of a club (or for that matter even a group) to a beginner.

Another factor in group hiking's decline that this book does not cover is that barriers often exist that prevent large groups from hiking. Permits or campsite reservations often specify maximum limits on group sizes, and popular areas frequently need to be reserved considerably prior to the trip.

I would also posit that many hikers had their first experience outdoors within a social structure: friends, family, and organizations. My first hikes were on family vacations, and my first backpacks were with my Boy Scout troop. In college, I was a trip leader with the school outdoor recreation program, taking many first-timers out into the woods. One of the common sights on trails around me is the fruits of an Eagle Scout service project: benches, trailhead kiosks, interpretive signage, and often even the trails themselves. Most hikers are ecstatic to share trips, hike preparation tasks, and skills instruction with newcomers. Leave No Trace is widely practiced and preached. Many hikers actively participate in governmental park and trail planning. We may hike individually more often, but we've also taken a much larger sense of personal responsibility for trail development, maintenance, and evangelism.

One of the huge weaknesses is that the author's perspective seem to drive his narrative. He spent the summer of 2003 on the trail crew of the Adirondack Mountain Club (thank you for your contributions to the trails of that beautiful area, Mr. Chamberlin!), and he clearly lets his experiences there determine his idea of what hiking should be. Through its erroneous need to equate trail clubs with the hiking community, this book becomes far less authoritative and interesting as its reporting approaches modern day.

I was also rubbed the wrong way by occasional prejudices and unsubstantiated claims. As an example, he points to the National Trails System Act of 1968 as the turning point of when we began to expect government-provided trails to be the norm and "the volunteer ethic that had defined the hiking community for more than one hundred years was lost." Yet he provides no evidence to substantiate this assertion other than club membership numbers. His statement would have far more credence had he quantified a change in volunteer hours, number of trails, general decline in condition of trails, etc. He then goes on to build a strawman, again without offering any evidence: "New hikers believed that they were entitled to clean, well-maintained trails. Why, they wondered, should they be asked to do more?"

In the epilogue, his prejudices are again apparent:

"Even the most unlikely of places, Brentwood, Tennessee--located in what has been called the most conservative county in America--had at least 20 miles of trails."

I happen to live in the county he refers to, and have hiked many times in Brentwood (make sure you check out the Red Trail at the recently-established Marcella Vivrette Smith Park if you visit!). I'm curious as to why it is "the most unlikely of places," as Tennessee has a rich outdoor tradition. And what does its political leaning have to do with its trails? The author has already established that the rise of the hiking club culture he so prizes was fueled by middle class and wealthy preservationist benefactors, and if there's a place that's middle class or wealthy in Tennessee, it's Brentwood for sure.

Chamberlin fails to mention current ambitious trail projects, which are often driven by clubs who coordinate government and volunteer effort. Examples are Boston's Bay Circuit Trail and California's Bay Area Ridge Trail. In my area, many park trails are maintained by "friends of" groups that organize work days and promulgate information. As an example, private land access revocations led to a significant rerouting of the excellent Fiery Gizzard Trail, and the Friends of South Cumberland State Park led the charge to have it rerouted, and volunteers working with Tennessee State Parks were able to complete the rerouting ahead of schedule.

On the Trail's most glaring oversight is its total ignorance of online hiker communities. There is no mention whatsoever of the huge number of online gathering places for hikers--hugely popular Facebook groups for the Appalachian and Pacific Crest Trails, the large number of Meetup groups regarding hiking, collaborative trail sites featuring user submissions, recommendations, and reviews of trails, Instagram sharing by and for hikers, and so on. I find it very hard to take Chamberlin's account of the decline of hiking community seriously when he neglects these resources.

Permeating On the Trail is the author's implication of "wrongfun" that if you're hiking by yourself, you're doing it wrong: you're an individualistic "consumer" hiker (boo! hiss!) instead of a "producer" club member who is social and contributes to the community (applause!). For me, part of the appeal of hiking is that it can be a private activity, or it can be a social activity with family, friends, and even strangers. There isn't a "right" reason to set boot to trail, and I certainly can't see any basis for stating that hiking as a social activity is better or worse than hiking alone. The hiking community has a phrase that perfectly captures how different hikers have different goals: "hike your own hike."

The text is authored at a very high reading level, with dense, information-packed paragraphs. One simple improvement to its readability would have been to break up its five chapters into smaller, more focused ones (for example, one chapter on the Long Trail, one on the Dartmouth Outing Club, one on the National Trails System Act of 1968, etc.). The text would flow better without even having to be altered, as the reader would have both a logical stopping place between topics instead of monolithic prose and a cue that the text was shifting to a new topic. (I suspect that the author's chapter layout was dictated by his "decline of the hiking club" theme, and a shift to shorter chapters would not have helped his case, though.)

The interspersed pictures are excellent, adding life to the text. They are drawn from a variety of sources and are nicely illustrative of the history of trails and trail clubs.

I'm very torn on my rating for On the Trail. Were it simply a history, it would be a 4 star examination of trails and trailbuilders. Where Chamberlin veers into sociology, his obvious and pedantic axe to grind detracts substantially from the value of his work as he laments the supposed "golden age" of the hiking club. The information is good; improvements in the presentation and thematic content would have made a much better volume.

[Neil Humphrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chamberlain's entertaining and informative book examines the history of American hiking mainly in the East (especially focusing on Pennsylvania) while also venturing in lesser detail to the West and Midwest. His narrative arc traces the history of hiking beginning with the activities of local clubs that blazed trails and led group hikes through to the independent, isolated, consumer-hiker that is common today.

[Letitia Moffitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well-researched history of hiking in the United States. I appreciated the author's thoroughness and attention to detail.

[Matthew Ciarvella · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first started hiking as a kid with my family and later as a boy scout, I never gave much thought to how trails were made or who made them. Even as a teenager and then as a young adult, I had some vague sense that these trails were probably created by the CCC half a century ago. It wasn't until I joined a local trail organization myself and started working to maintain and build new trails that I began to understand the sheer amount of man-hours (person-hours?) that go into keeping the trails open and enjoyable.

"On the Trail" describes the evolution of trail walking and hiking, from its inception of nature and rural graveyard strolls to organized clubs to the current incarnation of largely solo and ad hoc group hiking. Chamberlin's history focuses on a few key groups and areas, such as the Dartmouth Outing Club, the Sierra Club, the Appalachian Trail, and (briefly) the Pacific Crest Trail, though many other organizations and trails get some coverage. His work nicely bridges the gap that seems to exist in outdoors-nature writing, which often goes "Thoreau > present."

If you're a hiker, backpacker, or outdoors enthusiast, this is a book I'll happily recommend. It'll give you something interesting to contemplate or discuss while you're out on the trail yourself and make you wonder: "who built the trail I'm on now? Who takes care of it?" It might even make you feel inspired to get involved in a local trail organization of your own; always a good thing! Certainly, I felt a sense of vindication and pleasure knowing that I've shifted my hiking style from "net consumer" of trails to "net producer" (terms that Chamberlin uses to describe the shift).

If you don't see what all the fuss is about when it comes to the outdoors or if your sense of what hiking should be is largely associated with forced family gatherings that are to be endured rather than enjoyed, there's nothing here that's going to make you want to strap on a pair of boots. But that's okay, because this book is really aimed at the crowd of hikers who like to go out, enjoy the woods, but maybe haven't thought too much more about how they can give back to their hobby. If nothing else, it'll make you appreciate how much work went into, and still goes into, created all the paths we enjoy.

[S. Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

On the Trail is a scholarly history of hiking in America. As such, it may not appeal to those who prefer somewhat lighter fare--in other words, some might find it a little dry, or even boring. However, it addresses the topic well. I learned a great deal about hiking's roots in American culture, as well as the transition in American hiking culture since its inception. I would recommend this book to any hiker who's also a history buff, and to those interested in American environmental organizations.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good information but Mr. Chamberlin is an outdoorsman, not a writer.

I was hoping for more regarding the Adirondacks and NY State support of the park, especially since the opening section described the author's involvement in ADK trail-building.

[Gulo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Clearly a work of passion by the author, who’s extensive knowledge on the history of hiking in the U.S. is both surprising and refreshing. The author is biased towards the necessity for private clubs to further outdoor activities though, the claim that outdoor hobbies have become overtaken by consumerist culture is very likely and troublesome to many. This is certainly not a how-to book and, in that vein, perhaps it is not a book for people who do not possess an abnormal enthusiasm for the hobby of hiking; I will be passing it along to select friends that are ‘abnormal’ in that regard.

My one takeaway quote:
“The decline in club memberships is part of a broader shift in American culture during the postwar period that saw many voluntary institutions - once powerful and influential community institutions - stagnate or disband. The decline coincided with rapid suburbanization and the ideology of conscious seclusion that increasingly permeated many new suburban developments. In autocentric landscapes lacking public space, public transportation, and the other ammenities of urban life, suburban Americans redefined community in new ways that minimized volunteerism, regular meetings with others, and communal outings. The experience of moving to and living in the suburbs could lead to a general awakening to environmental issues that contributed to the rising numbers of hikers, backpackers, and campers; however, most suburbanites chose to hike alone or with friends and family rather than contribute time, effort, and dues to a club.”
-S. Chamberlin

[Kyle · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good look at the development of hiking as a hobby/sport in American history. I think the chapters could have been broken up a little more, or written more concisely; I feel that the author repeated himself frequently.

Initially, the clubs were necessary to lay the groundwork and generate interest. They organized walks and events, laid out trails, built a knowledge base. As the trail networks developed, and with better technology and military surplus equipment, there was a transition to become a "consumer hiker." As a result, fewer people joined clubs. The mindset changed from going out and creating to one of taking for granted the trails and equipment that are available, and the ones who use the resources don't necessarily contribute to their maintenance or creation. That explanation was enlightening to me, as someone who hikes a lot and doesn't often think about how the parks/trails were developed.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I neared the end of this book I felt a bit overwhelmed by the amount of supporting information provided. How would I sum it up for a review here on Goodreads?

The last chapter solved that with two phrases.

1) "Most Americans are unaware of the rich culture of hiking that has been lost..."

2) This book is about "the transition from producer hiker to consumer hiker".

These phrases can be applicable to many areas of our lives... Everything has a history... we just don't know it and as a society we certainly seem to have transitioned from producer to consumer.

[Joshua · Rating 2 out of 5]

What promised to be an interesting look at one of my favorite hobbies quickly became a very dry tome that was more a history of hiking clubs than of the activity itself. This book was monotonous at times, repetitive during other parts, and very often contradicted itself. The author failed to defend this thesis adequately. To be honest, navigating this book was as frustrating as some of the earliest hiking trails.

[grayson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thorough, beautiful review of the history of hiking/hiking clubs in America. For someone who has enjoyed hiking for the last few decades, this book really made me thankful for the fact that others paved the way for hiking as a recreational activity of sorts. I feel that I learned an immense amount (and have a new appreciation for) hiking clubs.

[Thomas Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

What this book does well is build the case for retiring (or living in if work is available) to a town with a well developed trail hiking system and why such towns are in fact so few. In addition, the classification of consumers and producers is ever so interesting and telling.

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book if you are really interested in the history of hiking and hiking associations and trail building in the United States. So, niche audience.

[Andrea Anderson · Rating 2 out of 5]

was just ok. i couldn't get into it. felt like i was reading a term paper

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did you ever wonder how -- and why -- the Appalachian Trail and other local and national trails developed? What motivated people to take up walking as an activity... and not a necessary means of getting from one place to another? Chamberlain addresses these and others hiking related topics in this enjoyable work. For those fans of the Buckeye Trail -- yes, it is mentioned! A good read for anyone interested in the outdoors or in the development of the organizational infrastructure necessary for trail development and support.

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are looking for a survey book of American Hiking and how trails were developed then look no further. Silas Chamberlin covers the early hiking clubs that blazed and organized the trails and formulated the walking culture of America until its boom after the second world war where the shift from organized hiking club to rugged individual enjoying trails maintained by the government began to take shift. While the clubs did not disappear during this time their efforts changed from direct trail maintenance to lobbying efforts. Focused primarily on the hiking clubs of the northeast and the Appalachian Trail this book looks at how the trails formed and their impact on society. There are some snippets from the Sierra Club and the Pacific Crest trail but the focus remains on the east. As someone who did not know much about this topic I found it a fascinating read exposing a lot of information on an often looked over leisure activity that almost everyone of us participates in today. A lot of information packed into a small book but highly readable and enjoyable. Well worth the time for those who want to understand how we got to the hiking trails we have today.

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly fresh, aided by great writing. I learned new information about aspects of outdoor action in relation to leisure hours as society became more mobile and transitioned to industrial activity. Colin Fletcher kicks off Chapter 5. Backpacker Magazine shows up, and the massive presence of the both the Appalachian Mountain Club and the Sierra Club are detailed. Whether it is hiking for health, social, or even spiritual connection, it's seriously explored here. I found myself yearning for a hike on this rainy fall day after completing the book, and plan to put on one of my specialized items of walking gear to merge with the falling leaves on one small adventure. It still thrills me to think we have a whole system of National Scenic Trails that are in our reach when we are ready to click back into the one act that humans are made to excel at- hiking !

[Ken · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting study of the rise (until about 1968) and decline (since) of hiking clubs in America, and related information. From an East Coast viewpoint, although he does include Mazamas of Portland Oregon, Mountaineers of Seattle, and the Sierra Club. He does not mention, however, the signifiant FWOC/Federation of Western Outdoor Clubs (of which Melvin Becker was Sec/Treas), or the Trails Club of Oregon founded in 1915 to build and maintain hiking trails in Oregon, and founded by Sam Lancaster who built the great Columbia River Scenic Highway in 1915. I recommend this to anybody involved in hiking clubs and/or their history.

[gnarlyhiker · Rating 4 out of 5]

“On the Trail” is an informative and delightful read. I’m a long distance hiker and I often wonder about the history of the trails I hike. Well, now I know.


**ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley

good luck

[Tim Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting survey of how hiking became a popular recreational activity among Americans. Trails I myself have hiked feature in the history, including those built and supported by the New York New Jersey Trail Conference, and forest preserves established in Chicago and Cook County, Illinois,

[Wendi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Covered a lot of familiar ground, but still enjoyable. As a west coast hiker it seemed too much of his narrative was focused on the east. At times he even made it seem that invitations came later to the west, but the dates just didn't add up.

[Sandi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good read but no mention of the Continetal Divide . But good except that . Hiking Clubs formed early in our history and are still going. For my history of hiking I have a son thru hiker on AT and CDT

[Ruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well written, thorough survey of recreational hiking.