A question keeps popping up in Garmin communities: I have done several hikes and trail runs, but I still have not earned the Hiker Badge. What am I doing wrong?

The answer surprises most people – it's not about the activity type. It's about how you start the activity.

The Garmin Trail Badges

HikerNavigate your first Garmin Trails hike or trail run activity.ExplorerNavigate your fifth Garmin Trails hike or trail run activity.AdventurerNavigate your 10th Garmin Trails hike or trail run activity.ExpeditionerNavigate your 25th Garmin Trails hike or trail run activity.

There are four badges in this series, each requiring a certain number of Garmin Trails hiking or trail run activities:

What Counts as a Garmin Trails Activity

This is where most people get confused. A regular hike or trail run recorded on your watch does not count. The activity must be explicitly linked to a trail from Garmin Trails.

Here is exactly what you need to do:

Step 1: Save a Trail in Garmin Trails

Open the Garmin Connect app on your phone and go to Trails. Browse or search for any trail near you. Tap on it and save it to your watch – look for a button like Send to Device or Save to Watch.

Wait a moment for the trail to sync to your Garmin device.

Step 2: Start a New Activity on Your Watch

On your Garmin watch, start a new activity. This can be a Hike, Trail Run, or a similar outdoor activity type.

Step 3: Select the Trail Under Courses or Navigation

Before you begin recording, navigate to the Courses or Navigation option within your activity. Select the trail you saved in Step 1.

This is the crucial step. Simply recording a hike without selecting a trail from Courses will not count toward the badge.

Step 4: Start and Record the Activity

Once the trail is selected, start your activity. Here's the good news: you don't actually have to follow the trail. You don't even have to walk far. The important thing is that the trail was loaded and the activity was recorded with it selected.

After finishing, sync your watch to Garmin Connect. If everything worked correctly, the activity will appear as a Garmin Trails activity and count toward your badge progress.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Just recording a hike doesn't work. Many users assume any hiking activity counts. It doesn't – the trail must be selected via Courses/Navigation before starting.

Saving the trail is not enough. You need to actively select the saved trail within the activity before recording begins.

Activity type matters. Use Hike or Trail Run. Other activity types like Walk or Run may not count.

Quick Summary

1. Find a trail in the Garmin Connect app → Save it to your watch
2. Start a Hike or Trail Run activity on your watch
3. Select the trail via Courses / Navigation before recording
4. Start the activity – you don't need to follow the trail
5. Sync to Garmin Connect → badge progress updates

Once you understand the mechanic, collecting all four trail badges becomes straightforward. You can repeat this process with the same or different trails to build up your count.

Good luck on the trail – or at least at the trailhead!