Trail Names for Everyone
For you, your kid, and your grandpa.
I’m about to offer you a rule-free guide to finding yourself a trail name. If you’re new to the concept of trail names, they’re nicknames given to backpackers and long-distance hikers, and they’re usually earned somewhere on the trail. Hikers have trail names for a whole handful of reasons. Here are a few:
for fun
to own an alter ego
for privacy and anonymity
to embrace thru-hiking culture
for easy recall
Some examples of trail names are: Sunshine, Beaver, Mad Dog, Eagle-Eye, Hornet, Hot Pants, and Grey Beard. If you haven’t heard of that last one, please Google him. You’ll find videos of the 91 year old hiker who recently completed the entire Appalachian Trail (AT) dancing in an AMC hut. Grey Beard is providing real inspiration for all the aging hikers (raising my hand over here). Anything is possible if you believe in yourself.
There are unwritten rules for trail names, such as: “you cannot give yourself a trail name” and “you must accept a trail name for it to become yours.” In addition, trail names are most often associated with long distance hikers, like those thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, or Continental Divide.
Since I’m not the best rule follower, I’ve made up my own trail name rules. Here they are…feel free to add on or edit as you wish:
Anyone who wants a trail name can have one.
Hikers of any distance (including those walking around the block) are entitled to a trail name.
Every child who’s spent any amount of time outdoors should have a trail name, and this will definitely encourage them to become hikers.
Every pet should have one too. Romy’s trail name is “Slow and Sexy.”
If your trail name doesn’t make you laugh or feel like a superhero, you should probably choose a new one. And you’re allowed to do that too, any time you want to swap it out.
On a recent hike to AMC’s Lakes of the Clouds Hut and Mount Washington with my son Henry, his friend Ben, and my hiking partner Jaime, we decided it was a good time to give eachother trail names. Not only did this become an entertaining topic of conversation that fueled our hike, it also made us feel like an official team. Or tramily, as thru-hikers say.
Here’s what we came up with for names:
“Monarch” for me, because butterflies are a sign from my late grandmother (Bubbe) and tend to follow me on hikes. I once had a monarch circling over my head, then landing on my foot on a summit…a day after asking her for a sign. I now call monarchs “Bubbeflies.” Even insects get trail names.
“Maverick” for Henry, because that’s the name he chose. Do we need an explanation?
“Lynx” for Jaime, because according to Henry, she has “awesome hair and lots of energy,” and he’s right.
“Ladybug” for Ben, because they kept landing on him during our hike. His name was anointed by the beetles.
So here’s my challenge for you: find yourself a trail name, and a tramily while you’re at it. It’s fun, it’ll give you a good laugh, and it will make you feel like a real hiker.
If you have kids, even more reason to have trail names. They’ll embrace the challenge and you’ll all be entertained for hours. It may even distract them long enough to get the entire family to the summit for once.
Happy trail name hunting and let me know what you come up with!
