Understanding people’s motivations for a long-distance hiking trip

Abstract

ABSTRACT This research examines the process behind the decision to undertake a multi-week hiking trip. It analyzes memoirs to understand people’s interest in, preparation for, and consumption of three long-distance thru-hiking trails – the Camino de Santiago, the Appalachian Trail, and the Pacific Crest Trail. The study reveals that the inspiration for long-distance hiking often arises as a vague notion, serendipitously through accidental exposure. This idea may incubate for years as people add the idea to a mental ‘bucket list’. Most typically, an important event triggers the decision to attempt the trail. Once people commit, preparatio requires information and intensive planning. The trip itself is typically a time of self-discovery. Finally, some hikers become devotees and serve as online evangelists to other potential hikers. These narratives provide an understanding of the psychological aspects behind the consumer journeys and the value of examining people’s narratives as a source of this understanding.