What Does Your Trail Name Mean? Plus the Best Next Hike for You!
Humble adventurer, we’re guessing you found this page from the “What type of hiker are you?” quiz in the Fall 2025 issue of Explore Magazine. If so, go right ahead and scroll down to discover more about your trail type. If not, please go subscribe to Explore Magazine first, because supporting independent Canadian journalism that cares about nature and the outdoors is one of the coolest things you can do today—and each issue will be shipped to your front door for less than the cost of a pumpkin spice latte.
Sunrise Chaser
So, you think dragging everyone out of bed at 3 a.m. in the morning is a “bonding experience”? You’ll insist that the lack of sleep and future insomnia are worth it for those 12 minutes of golden light, but we’re only coming if you promise to bring coffee to share at the summit. We’ll admit you find the best spots with the best views to watch the red, pink and purple sunrise, and without any crowds, but we’ll still keep mumbling “five more minutes” when the alarm goes off again. You’re built of something different.
Your next hike: Watch the sun rise (or set) along the Skyline Trail in Cape Breton Highlands National Park, Nova Scotia. Or stay overnight at Cobalt Lake to reach Mount 5040 Peak on Vancouver Island, British Columbia.
Overnight Expert
Part hiker, part builder, part teacher on the trail, everyone is impressed by the speed and quality of your tent setup. Your backpack looks like it belongs on a Himalayan expedition, yet somehow has room for a teeny tiny coffee maker and an inflatable pillow. You’ve sawed the end off your toothbrush and scoff at deodorant. If anyone forgot something, you probably have the lightweight version—and you can teach us how to use it. Please camp next to us!
Your next hike: Book a backcountry camping reservation for two nights at Taylor Meadows or Garibaldi Lake; on the second day, make the trek up to Panorama Ridge. Or go all-out for a month-long thru-hike on Ontario’s Bruce Trail.
Group Sherpa
You carry enough snacks, water and emergency gear to qualify as a walking Costco. You know every gear hack, trail shortcut and even how to stop a full-blown crash out over missing M&Ms in the trail mix. Without you, the rest of our group would still be at the trailhead arguing over who forgot the snacks.
Your next hike: Since your bag will be weighted down with extras, keep it simple on PEI’s woodland paths. Need more of a challenge? Try the Valley of 1000 Devils Trail in Saskatchewan’s Grasslands National Park.
Adventure Influencer
You haven’t taken a step outdoors without a tripod since 2017. If there’s no drone shot, perfectly balanced rock pose and at least two adventurous emojis in the caption, did the hike even happen? You’ll stop mid-climb to fix your hair because “the lighting is giving.” Even while sweating and struggling up a steep hill, you’ll have three posts crafted and edited in your head—along with the trending audio to accompany it.
Your next hike: Where else but Alberta’s Rockies? Trek to the Lake Agnes Tea House near Lake Louise, the Plain of Six Glaciers in Banff National Park or Sulphur Skyline in Jasper.
Committed Camper
You know a weekend in the woods is a lifestyle, not a hobby. And no, there are no spontaneous camping trips here. Your idea of fun is comparing tent stakes, testing out five different fire-starting methods, researching backcountry hikes and reserving coveted campsites like it’s a national sport. Speaking of competition, you might want to chat with the Overnight Expert to brush up on your gear and survival skills.
Your next hike: Now that it’s reopened, it’s time to experience the epic Berg Lake Trail in in Mount Robson Provincial Park, Alberta. Or consider the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail on Vancouver Island, BC.
Wingin’ It Wanderer
You showed up in sneakers, brought one old granola bar found in the bottom of your backpack and forgot to fill your water bottle—but you insist that you’re ready to go. Your navigation strategy is going with your intuition at every fork, yet you always seem to stumble onto the prettiest viewpoints. And if you get lost? You’ll be oddly cheerful until someone tells you you’re halfway down the wrong trail. We hope you find your Pack Leader.
Your next hike: Stay close to the city and go on an urban adventure in Pacific Spirit Regional Park in Vancouver or Rouge National Urban Park near Toronto.
Solo Strider
You’re out there having full-on conversations with yourself and somehow winning every debate. You walk alone not because you have to, but because you’re half Zen master and half sweaty philosopher. You’ve probably healed your inner child by the time you’re done the trail.
Your next hike: Go for a long walk or cycle on Calgary, Alberta’s Bow River Pathway. Or summit King Mountain in Gatineau Park near Ottawa, Ontario.
Record Setter
Blink and you’ve summited, rehydrated and recorded your time on Strava. If anyone bumps into you, you’ll casually mention that you’ve completed this trail twice in the last hour. Your motto: “but did you die?” While others catch their breath, you’re already posing for a victory photo at the summit. For you, the point of getting outside is to challenge yourself.
Your next hike: Where else but the Grouse Grind in North Vancouver, BC or the Top of the Giant Trail in Sleeping Giant Provincial Park, ON?
View Seeker
You probably wouldn’t step your Merrell boot on a trail if the payoff wasn’t a postcard-worthy panorama, but you are willing to get up early to beat the crowds to the scenic summit. For you, the sweaty part of hiking is worth it to find the perfect views that will make it into a drool-worthy Instagram carousel with a nostalgic caption about “making memories”. Your best motivation is a new phone wallpaper, possibly with a John Muir quote overtop.
Your next hike: Soak in the scenery from the top of Tunnel Bluffs near Vancouver, BC. Or the Lookout Trail in Algonquin Provincial Park, ON, offers excellent views of fall hues in autumn.
Stylish Scrambler
You somehow manage to scale rocks and climb mountains in coordinated outfits that look like they came from a catalogue, not a gear shop. Mud stains? You make them look like a fashion statement. The dirt on your cheeks is just an accessory, and the sweat is just dewy glow. You may be wheezing uphill, but you’ll still be wearing sunglasses and a stylish bandana.
Your next hike: Strut your stuff on the Badlands Trail in Dinosaur Provincial Park, AB or match the scenery on Rice Creek Tower Trail in Porcupine Provincial Forest, MB.
One With the Wildlife
You know every bird call, paw print and have even named all the local squirrels. You can track deer like you work for National Geographic and understand a bear’s diet by looking at their poop. You stop mid-climb to point out a plant someone just stepped on. With you, every hike feels like being part of a nature documentary.
Your next hike: Spot birds in Point Pelee National Park, Ontario or keep an eye out for grizzlies along the Bullion Plateau in Kluane National Park, Yukon.
Pack Leader
You are the group’s unofficial GPS (although you swear every wrong turn is just “a side quest”). You care more about watching for the next fork or trail sign than about the snacks your friends are finishing up behind you. You’ll lead the group bravely, but you might have downplayed the intensity of the trail to get your friends to agree to come along. If a mutiny forms, it’s probably somewhere around kilometre eight.
Your next hike: Plan an epic adventure on the Akshayuk Pass in Auyuittuq National Park, Nunavut. Or hike the White River Suspension Bridge trail in Pukaskwa National Park, Ontario.
The Easygoing Explorer
Never in a hurry, always vibing and carrying the best snacks, we all secretly want to be as chill as you are. Your motto: why rush when the mountain isn’t going anywhere? You’re out here for the trees, the breeze and a potential nap on a rock. Hiking with you is more like a meditation retreat and a beautiful reminder why we get outside at all. When a friend texts you, “want to go on a hike tomorrow?” they already know your answer is yes.
Your next hike: Take your time exploring the Cameron Falls Trail near Yellowknife, Northwest Territories or become one with the foliage on the Dickson Falls Trail in Fundy National Park, New Brunswick.
Afternoon Adventurer
Why wake up at dawn when you can start the hike after brunch, catch golden hour and be back in time for dinner? You’ve got a lot on the calendar, so you’re just excited to fit in a quick mid-day hike. You’ll happily skip the early grind in favour of a well-timed sunset stroll. You’re efficient, casual and you’ll never be caught yawning through the hike. You’re always back in time for a hot shower and home-cooked meal.
Your next hike: Explore the Niagara Glen in Ontario’s Niagara Gorge or bring a picnic lunch to the top of the La Chouenne Trail in Parc national des Grands-Jardins, Quebec.
Mountain Goat
You climb things that aren’t even climbable. You’re an ankle-bending, rock-hopping machine (who never skips leg day). Mountain goats gape at you in awe. You’ll be halfway up a vertical scramble before the others have even found their footing. Be warned: gravity has been trying to file a restraining order.
Your next hike: Kananaskis is calling! Head to Alberta’s rocky region and hike up Ha Ling Peak or go to BC’s aptly named Goat Mountain.
