Ramble On: A History of Hiking

by Jeffrey J. Doran

How did hiking evolve from the upper-class European sport of alpinism and the publication of an English travel guide into an activity that now has millions of participants all over the world? Who built the thousands of miles of trails that now crisscross America? What did early hikers wear, and what were some of the key innovations that led to our modern array of hiking gear and apparel? And what were some of the reasons why people hiked, and how have those changed over time?

Ramble On attempts to answers these and many other questions. This book chronicles hiking’s roots in alpinism and mountaineering, the societal trends that fostered its growth, some of the early hikers from the nineteenth century, the first trails built specifically for hiking, the formation of the first hiking clubs, as well as the evolution of hiking gear and apparel.

The book includes anecdotal stories of trail development in some of our oldest and most iconic national parks, such as Glacier, Yellowstone, Yosemite, Great Smoky Mountains, Mt. Rainier and Acadia, as well as the first trails that were blazed in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, America’s first hiking destination. It also takes a look at some of the peculiar and quirky traditions of some of the early hiking clubs. One of the most compelling stories was the apparel women were forced to wear during the Victorian Era, and the danger those fashion standards posed to women who dared to venture into the mountains.

Ramble On also takes a look at some of the issues that currently impact hikers and trails, such as overcrowding and social media, and takes a peek into the future on how some of these trends could unfold.

Genres: Nonfiction

258 pages, Paperback

First published September 20, 2018

About the author

Jeff Doran grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, and now resides in East TN. A graduate of Xavier University, Jeff worked in marketing before starting his own online hiking trail guide business. After many years of hiking in some of America's most beautiful national parks, he founded HikinginGlacier.com, RockyMountainHikingTrails.com and TetonHikingTrails.com, which provide detailed trail information, including many historical anecdotes. In addition to being an avid hiker and a history buff, Jeff is also an avid cyclist.

Reviews

[K.A. Doran]

As an avid hiker, I read Doran’s first book on this topic several years ago and thought it was very informative. He recently published a second edition, which is an expanded version that goes deeper into detail on a few topics. For example, there’s quite a bit more information on the history surrounding Mt. Washington (in New Hampshire), and the significant role the family who built the first hiking trails played during the early years of hiking in America. I also thought he did a better job of explaining why people started hiking during the 1700s, primarily the result of the social changes brought about by the Enlightenment and the Romantic periods. He also makes a compelling case that it was specifically the Industrial Revolution that spurred wide interest in hiking, arguing that it both enabled and inspired people to hit the trail. As a woman whose been hiking for 30+ years, I really enjoyed all the information about the first female hikers, the important roles they played in the early hiking clubs, as well as the clothing they wore. Yikes! Thank goodness we don’t live in the Victorian Era! As the old saying goes, we’ve come a long way baby! Overall, I thoroughly appreciated and enjoyed the additional information. If you love the outdoors, especially walking and/or hiking, I think you’ll find this to be a great read.

[Paul Wilkinson]

I've been an avid hiker for several decades, and knew very little about the sport I cherish so much. This book provides a great overview of how hiking was able to proliferate throughout America, and much of the world. I especially appreciated the stories and anecdotes of how and why the trail networks in some of our national parks were built.

[Anne Whiting]

If you like factoids and history - especially about the outdoors movement in America - this is a great book. It's mostly an overview with lots of facts along the way, with more detailed history of two or three national parks. Womans' history of hiking, hiking attire over the years, milestones in hiking, the possible future of hiking - it's all here. Recommended for anyone who loves hiking and the outdoors.

[Lisa Wehrle]

Great read for anyone who is a hiker and wants to learn more about the evolution of hiking.