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Earned before 4/1/99     Earned after 4/1/99

HIKING

Either this Merit Badge
or Swimming MB or Cycling MB
is Required to earn the Eagle Scout Rank

REQUIREMENTS REVISED January 1, 2000
are highlighted by bold underlined text.
Deletions are shown struck through in red italics, like this text.
Unchanged text is shown like this.

  1. Show that you know first aid for injuries or illnesses that could occur while hiking, including hypothermia, heatstroke, heat exhaustion, frostbite, dehydration, sunburn, insect stings, tick bites, snakebite, blisters, sprained ankle, altitude sickness, and hyperventilation.
  2. Explain and show, where possible, and, where possible, show the main points of good hiking practices. including the principles of Leave No Trace, hiking safety in the daytime and at night, courtesy to others, choice of footwear, and proper care of feet and footwear.
  3. Explain how hiking is an aerobic activity. Develop a plan for conditioning yourself for 10-mile hikes, and describe how you will increase your fitness for longer hikes.
  4. 3. Make a written plan for a 10-mile hike, including map routes, a clothing and equipment list, and a list of things items for a trail lunch.
  5. 4. Take five hikes, each on a different day, and each of at least ten continuous miles. Prepare a hike plan for each hike.*
  6. 5. Take a hike of 20 continuous miles in 1 day. one day following a hike plan you have prepared.*
  7. 6. After each hike, of the hikes (or during each hike if on a continuous "trek") in requirements 5 and 6, write a short report of your experience. Give dates and descriptions of routes covered, the weather, and any interesting things you saw. Share this report with your merit badge counselor.

*The hikes in requirements 5 and 6 can be used in fulfilling Second Class (2a) and First Class (3) rank requirements, but only if Hiking merit badge requirements 1, 2, 3, and 4 have been completed to the satisfaction of your counselor. The hikes of requirements 5 and 6 cannot be used to fulfill requirements of other merit badges.

BSA Advancement ID#: 61
Pamphlet Revision Date: 1997
Requirements last updated in 2000

Page updated on: November 18, 2021

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