Hiking Songs

For those who use their feet to get away from it all, we give you Hiking Songs, our tribute to walkers and the landscapes they love. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, and our Hiking Songs Basics kicks off with Lou Reed's unstoppable hipster stroll "Walk On the Wild Side," before wending its way through the classic-rock elevations of Joe Walsh's "Rocky Mountain Way," the twin-peaks soul of Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell's "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," and the motivational reggae of Jimmy Cliff's "Many Rivers to Cross."

"Can't Find My Way Home," sings Blind Faith, but we've laid out a clear path to more great hiking songs in Next Steps.

"I'm Walking," insists Fats Domino, even if the rock pioneer's waistline suggests he wasn't the world's foremost hiker. Fast-forward a decade or two, and Led Zeppelin leads a hard-rock charge on "Misty Mountain Hop," as Rush debates unrest in the forest on the arboreal prog classic "The Trees." This is definitely where the hiker's high sets in, priming you for the altered-states sounds of Ralph "King of the Ukulele" Shaw's left-field mind-bender "Whispering Grass." And hey, no need to worry about rain gear when alt-pop masters Crowded House offer atmospheric assurance that you can take the "Weather With You."

The summit is in sight — move it on into Deep Cuts to hit the heights.

The perfect soundtrack to a sunny-day hike? How about George Benson's smooth-jazz sojourn "Breezin'," or the wild sonic adventure "Sounds of the Safari" from urban trailblazers the Jungle Brothers? Ambient mastermind Brian Eno is looking to escape this realm completely for a trek to "Another Green World," while jazz queen Nina Simone makes the most of a new dawn and a new day on "Feeling Good," and neo-soul priestess Jill Scott sets a slow and sexy mood for "A Long Walk" with a special someone.

If your idea of a day well spent involves legging it up a mountain side, traversing meadow and dale, and just generally rambling about the great outdoors, then this is the playlist for you. We've roamed far and wide to bring you the best in hiking songs, with tracks dedicated to the glories of nature and your perambulations through it. So while the Friends of Distinction are diggin' the great wide open with some retro-pop "Grazing In the Grass," the Allman Brothers Band is rocking a Southern-style salute to the best kind of overhead projection, "Blue Sky." Sly & The Family Stone offer encouragement for the ascent on a super-funky "I Want to Take You Higher," while Van Halen goes a capella to wish you paths both straight and smooth with a goofball "Happy Trails."