A Guide to Hiking for Beginners on a Budget
Tackling a trail in Congaree National Park to help build our kiddo’s hiking confidence
Getting into hiking can be daunting, especially for beginners on a budget.
There are so many (incorrect) notions about what it means to be outdoorsy or a hiker, and I think that starts many people from getting into hiking as a hobby.
I should know. I was one of those people!
I’ve always liked being outdoors from the time I was a kid building leaf forts in the forest behind our house.
But I wouldn’t have called myself a “hiker” until well into my adulthood as I thought I needed all of this stuff and all of this experience to earn the label.
That’s compounded if you’re trying to get your entire family into hiking.
After all, you might think, how can I teach my kids how to hike if I don’t know what to do or bring?
I’m here today to dispel those myths and help you gain confidence as a hiker so you can get you and your family out on the trail in no time!
And, best of all, we’re going to get you out there on a budget, so you can save money while trying out a new hobby.
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How Do You Start Hiking for Beginners?
The shortest answer is: just pick a trail and go!
I know that’s not satisfying—or particularly helpful—so let’s break down how to get started hiking further.
1) Know yourself.
The biggest thing you’ll need to assess as a beginning hiker is how much you think you can handle, physically.
Of course, someone who is a marathon runner will be able to tackle a different set of starting trails than someone who’s hiking with 2 small kids and a dog for the first time ever.
Keep this idea in mind: “How much hiking would be fun?”
You don’t want it to turn into a chore or something that hurts.
For example, when I was in high school, my family and I visited Table Rock State Park in South Carolina.
We were from the opposite side of the state and used to flat land, so I don’t know why we chose the 7+ mile hike that even the SC State Parks website calls “very rugged” and “very strenuous.”
I ended up hugging a tree and bawling when every muscle in my body started yelling an hour or two into the hike. (I have a flair for the dramatic.)
Needless to say, we should’ve evaluated our abilities better!
If you’ve got kids along the for the ride and you’re hoping that hiking will be your family’s new hobby, you want to keep the entire experience light, fun, and happy.
The best way to test those limitations is summed up in our second point >>
2) Start small.
Even the most athletic among us shouldn’t take off on a rim-to-rim hike in the Grand Canyon as a first hiking experience.
That is, by far, the best way to NEVER enjoy hiking.
And, it’s the best way to utterly fail at the real point of hiking: enjoying yourself in nature.
For your first few hikes (or even first few dozen if you’re hiking with toddlers), pick short trails.
Aim for trails that are around a mile total until you’ve gotten your bearings.
Then, slowly build up to 2-3 mile hikes until you are very confident in your abilities and gear.
Smaller hikes mean more of a focus on fun, not technical ability.
It also means less of an opportunity to get lost, bitten by bugs, hungry, tired, or thirsty.
3) Stay close to home.
The Marsh View Trail, one of our go-to trails in Mount Pleasant, SC, when my kids were little
You’re used to the terrain around where you live.
So, start there.
We’re from the flat, coastal area near Charleston, South Carolina, so I wouldn’t ever start my hiking journey on a vacation to the Rocky Mountains.
Instead, I’d pick a short trail close to home and test out the waters, so to speak, on a warm spring afternoon.
Planning for a first hike near your house means that you know where the closest stores are if you need last minute items—or if your crew gets bored and wants to go home.
We love our nearby state parks as they often have a variety of trails for each skill level.
For example, Oconee State Park (one of our favorites in South Carolina!) has everything from the flat loop trail around the lake to the Oconee Connector Passage of the Palmetto Trail.
4) Ask for advice.
The best way to guarantee a great hiking experiences as a beginner is to follow in the footsteps of those who’ve already been there.
Reach out to a Facebook friend who’s always posting inspiring photos of her family outdoors, or flag down a neighbor who spends weekends doing nature photography.
Follow outdoor family blogs like Camping Kiddos, and message them for suggestions in your area. (I’m always an open book, so email me!)
State and national parks are WONDERFUL places to visit as a beginning hiker as the park rangers are warm, welcoming, and endlessly patient.
They will be happy to share trail suggestions for your family without being condescending or pushy.
5) Keep gear simple.
Here’s what you absolutely need as a beginning hiker on a budget:
Comfortable shoes, such as sneakers
Well-fitting socks, preferably wool
Lightweight layers
A small, comfortable day pack/backpack
A water bottle—aim for about 3 cups of water per hour per adult
A few snacks like granola bars or trail mix
And that’s it.
Of course, this assumes that you’re going on short, easily accessible trails with little chance of getting lost or being stranded overnight.
Just those basics—which you probably have around your house already—will allow you a few wonderful hours out on a local trail.
In short, you can get started hiking for beginners on a budget for free (or very close to it).
6) Add gear as needed.
Of course, if you decide that you love hiking and want to upgrade your gear for longer hikes, you’ll want to do so slowly.
As tempting as it is to walk into REI or go on an Amazon shopping spree, the best way to build your gear on a budget is to do so slowly.
This will allow you to thoroughly test each piece and see what your family lacks.
I’d recommend the absolute basics (noted above) for the first few hikes, then taking on the best budget hiking gear suggestions, below, as your family gets more comfortable on the trail.
When you’ve really been bitten by the hiking bug, and you want to go ALL of the time, that’s when you upgrade to the expensive stuff and plan longer, more technical hikes.
When you’re ready to start compiling a capsule hiking wardrobe, I’ve got some tried-and-true suggestions over on my list of best women’s clothes for hiking.
Some trail markers are clearly printed, while others are barely visible painted blazes.
7) Do some research.
Finally, you’ll want to do research on trail markers as these will be your main navigational guides while hiking.
The colors, placement, and number of blazes on trail trees help you to know what trail you’re on, when you’re intersecting with another trail, and more.
Knowing what the trail markers mean isn’t intuitive, but it can help out immensely as you get comfortable hiking.
Best Budget Hiking Gear: A Buying Guide
Okay, so you’ve hiked a few times in your sneakers and your old college backpack, and you’re ready for your first round of decent hiking gear on a budget.
I’ve put together the entry-level gear that you’ll need as a beginning hiker while also keeping in mind that you’re probably still early in your hiking experience and don’t want to drop thousands of dollars before you’re fully committed.
You’ll see a combination of big brand names and lesser known brands, but all of this gear is solid for a beginner.
My husband and I first started hiking together as freshmen at Clemson when we (like every other college student) had very little expendable income.
Yet, that experience showed me that we could still have wonderful hikes without splashing out on expensive gear.
Now that we have kids, we take the same approach with them. They are tough on gear and are constantly growing, so the chances of them using their specialized gear long term is unlikely.
We budget shop for their gear for this reason.
Plus, who doesn’t like to save some money!?
Here are our suggestions for the best budget hiking gear for beginners.
Best Day Pack for Beginners
When you’re first starting out hiking, I’d recommend a smaller day pack.
There’s nothing like going too heavy when you’re a beginner, and dealing with aching shoulders for the duration of the hike.
Remember, this should be FUN!
For this reason, I’d suggest an 18L or 20L when day hiking as a beginner.
This size will be large enough to store your needed gear, but small enough that it won’t weigh you down.
The Osprey Hikelite 18L has plenty of room for your day hike basics without being bulky.
Plus, at a price point well under $100, you’ll be able to get out on the trail on a budget.
If you want an even lighter day pack as a beginner, the Osprey Ultralight offers 18L of storage in a streamlined, minimalistic design.
You lose the pockets and smaller storage of the Hikelite, but the Ultralight’s mesh straps and silky fabric allow for a tiny 3 ounce pack.
Plus, the Ultralight is light on the wallet, coming in at less than $40.
As a more experienced hiker—and a parent who always has littles in tow—I opt for a bigger day pack.
My go-to is the Osprey Skimmer 28L, but that’s likely too big for your first day pack.
Don’t forget a water bladder! If your chosen day pack doesn’t have one, you can purchase a solid one for under $20.
Having tried both a water bladder and a water bottle, I prefer the bladder hands-down for how easy they are to use.
Best Day Pack for Beginning Kid Hikers
The Camping Kiddos wearing their Deuter Kikki day packs on a trail near Highlands, NC
I cannot recommend the Deuter Kikki day packs enough.
We got these for our kids last year, and they have been game changers for us on family hikes.
Not only are they adorable, but these 8L packs are lightweight and durable.
My kids carry these packs willingly on the trail, and they haven’t asked me to take the packs from them (not even once! I promise, I’m as shocked as you are.)
While the packs don’t have water bladders, you could easily add a small one, or tuck a water bottle in one of the exterior pockets.
The large interior pocket has room for nature pamphlets, Junior Ranger booklets, snacks, whistles, and more.
Get my full guide to the best kids hiking gear here!
Best Hiking Shoes for Beginners
My husband wearing his favorite hiking shoes at Natural Bridge State Park, Virginia
This is one area where we don’t hold back for our family.
Hiking shoes in general are expensive, but I think it’s money well spent if you’re taking your family out on the trail.
You’ll first need to decide if you’d like low profile, mid-profile, or above-the-ankle hiking shoes.
I prefer a low profile hiking shoe, so I have the Altra Lone Peak shoes, which are technically for trail running.
However, I like the flexibility I get with a more sneaker-like shoe.
A great starter low-profile hiking shoe would be these Knixmax hiking shoes, which are built similarly to the Altra Lone Peak shoes, but come in at around a 1/3 of the price of the Altras.
My husband prefers a traditional hiking boot that goes over the ankle.
While he has the Asolo Fugitive GTX boots, the price of those is way too high for me to recommend to a new hiker. (They are great boots if you decide to upgrade!)
Instead, try out these Timberland White Ledge hiking boots, which have a similar profile and ankle support for about 1/6th of the price.
I’ve got more suggestions for the little hikers in your pack in this round of up of best toddler hiking shoes.
Best Tent for Beginners
Your camping kids don’t need anything fancy when it comes to a beginning tent!
If there’s another place on this gear list that you’ll feel like you should spend a lot of money, it’s here: tents can be CRAZY expensive.
If you really get into overnight, hike-in camping, then go for the ultra-lightweight, mega expensive tents later on.
But when you’re starting out, a basic tent is going to serve you well in your round-up of budget friendly hiking and camping gear.
And you only need one of those if you’re planning to camp overnight after your hikes.
Until then, this 2-person Coleman Sundome tent is all you’ll need.
It’s waterproof, well made, and a great basic tent.
This is one of the tents that we use when we go tent camping—and we’ve had it for years.
It holds its own against the REI 2-person tent we also have, which is twice the price.
Necessary Safety Equipment for Beginning Hikers
Once you’ve gotten your day pack sorted, you’ll need a few essentials for every hike.
(Don’t worry. These are all lightweight!)
No matter how short the hike might seem, we still grab our packed day packs and water.
In the last year, I’ve only forgotten mine once—we were hiking the 1 mile round trip to Clingman’s Dome in Great Smoky Mountain National Park, and I didn’t think I’d need it.
Yet, on that hike, my mom nearly passed out from the combination of altitude and thirst, and my younger kid busted his knee open.
I was left on the trail without any water or first aid, and I promised myself I’d never, ever leave on a hike without the filled day pack again.
So, here’s what you absolutely should have:
Basic first aid kit: band-aids, Neosporine, pain reliever, iodine wipes, and Kleenex at minimum. Make your own or get a little one like this case.
Whistle: get a cheap, loud one. This one doubles as a bracelet and has a compass.
Emergency bivy: lightweight, but life saving if you get lost or overcome by sudden weather. We buy packs of them and keep them everywhere.
Headlamp: crucial if you get lost or the hike takes longer than expected
Sunscreen: 50 SPF is best.
Poncho: cheap ones work for sudden rainstorms
I hope this list of affordable hiking gear helps you as you get ready to hit the trail for the first time.
Remember, if you and your family are having fun outdoors, you’re already part of the hiking community. (No Instagram-worthy photos necessary!)
Happy hiking!
