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A Short Hike
A cosy exploration game about Claire climbing, gliding and wandering across Hawk Peak Provincial Park, collecting Golden Feathers on her way to the summit.
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In A Short Hike you start as Claire, stuck on vacation at her Aunt May’s cabin in Hawk Peak Provincial Park, waiting for an important phone call with no reception anywhere except the top of the mountain. That condition matters, because the summit is your goal, and everything else on the island is a beautiful distraction you can take or leave.
| Genre | Cosy exploration adventure |
| Protagonist | Claire |
| Setting | Hawk Peak Provincial Park |
| Typical length | Around two to three hours |
Climbing and Gliding Around Hawk Peak
Claire can run, climb and glide, and how far she climbs depends on Golden Feathers. Each feather adds stamina, letting her scale taller cliffs and glide longer distances, so collecting them is the core progression.
New players often head straight for the peak and run out of stamina on the first big cliff. Wandering the island first, finding feathers and meeting the park’s characters makes the final climb far easier.
Explorers fall in love with how open the island is. Almost any direction leads to a secret, a friendly character or a new feather tucked away on a ledge.
Feathers, Coins and Side Activities
Golden Feathers can be found hidden around the map or bought from shops. Coins come from exploring, and shops sell useful gear like a shovel and running shoes alongside extra feathers.
Side activities are a big part of the charm. Fishing with a rod, playing beachstickball and helping residents with small requests all reward coins or items, and none of them are required to finish.
Completionists chase every fish and every feather. Players who just want the story can reach the summit relatively quickly, which is why runtimes vary so much.
Why A Short Hike Stays With Players
The art uses a deliberately chunky pixel filter, and the soundtrack shifts dynamically as Claire climbs. Players often remember the moment the music swells as they glide off a cliff toward the sea.
The game is short by design, and that is its only real point of debate. A few players want more island to explore, while most feel the length is perfect for a single relaxing session.
Conversations with the park’s visitors carry quiet emotional weight. The writing is light and funny, yet the ending lands harder than its size suggests.
Hiking Questions About A Short Hike
- How many Golden Feathers do I need? More feathers mean more stamina for climbing, and the steep final sections of Hawk Peak are much easier with a good number collected. Explore and buy feathers before attempting the summit.
- Where can I find more coins? Coins are scattered around the island and earned from activities like fishing and helping residents. Spend them in shops on feathers, the shovel and other gear.
- Do I have to finish side activities? No. Fishing, beachstickball and most requests are optional. You can go straight for the summit, though the side content makes the hike richer.
A Short Hike lets Claire take the long way up Hawk Peak, gathering Golden Feathers, chatting with hikers and gliding over the sea before that final phone call at the summit. Take your time, because the detours are the real trail.
