A Short Hike Full Walkthrough

A relaxed solo playthrough of A Short Hike (Steam), a short open-world exploration game about climbing Hawk Peak to make a phone call. The host considers it one of the highest-rated games in their library — a peaceful, childlike adventure that can be beaten in roughly 30 minutes on a rush or 4–5 hours for 100% completion. The walkthrough emphasizes exploration, side objectives, and enjoying the journey rather than speedrunning to the summit.

Premise & Opening

• The game opens in a car: a child (Claire) is being driven — likely by Aunt May — and told not to fall asleep while enjoying the view. Claire falls asleep anyway, framing the adventure as a dreamlike experience.
• You play as Claire, a little bird-girl on a park island populated entirely by anthropomorphic animals.
• Main goal: Reach the peak of Hawk Peak to make a phone call. Who Claire is calling is a story spoiler left for the player to discover.
• Directions given early: take the White Beach Trail, head north at the fork, follow signs to Hawk Peak.

Core Mechanics & Collectibles

Movement

• Gliding: Hold the glide button while running to soar through the air.
• Rock climbing: Requires a golden feather; push against walls and hold the climb button. Stamina depletes while climbing but recharges.
• Running shoes: Reward from a side quest; enables sprinting (though base run speed may feel similar).

Currencies & Items

General Tips

• The world is fully open from the start — no hard area gating.
• Dig spots, coins, and treasures do not respawn once collected.
• Best advice: don't rush. The game is designed as a journey, not a race to the destination.
• Conversations can be continued later; NPCs give favors/objectives without a formal quest log.
• A fan-made interactive map exists online listing feathers, quests, fish locations, and points of interest (useful for 100% or as a guide).

Development Notes

• Created primarily by Adam Robinson (pen name), who handled writing and programming, with a few contributors.
• PC: July 2019 | Switch: 2020 | PS4/Xbox One: 2021
• Art and open-world design were partly inspired by The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
• Features a reactive, acclaimed soundtrack (worth playing with music on).
• An April Fool's joke once added a 99-player battle royale mode for a single day; it was never permanently added to the game.

White Beach & Early Exploration

Shovel Quest (Beach Turtle)

• A turtle on the beach has a large shovel for sandcastles but wants a toy shovel instead.
• Find the toy shovel nearby, return it, and borrow the real shovel for digging.

Digging & Treasures

• Equip the shovel and dig marked spots. Most yield coins; some yield full treasure chests or golden feathers.
• Buried items are scattered across the entire island — an NPC at the Visitor Center confirms this.

Rock Climbing Club

• Chipmunk NPCs at Hawk Peak trail mention a rock climbing club but you need climbing gear.
• Visitor Center: Buy a golden feather for 40 coins (prices may vary). Each feather extends stamina for climbing and aerial movement.

Sue's Lucky Headband (Running Shoes)

• Sue (rabbit) is training for a marathon but lost her lucky red headband.
• Find Taylor the Turtle wearing a red headband; trade headbands through dialogue.
• Sue rejects the first headband (wrong sweat stains) but accepts Taylor's — reveals Taylor as a regional champion.
• Reward: Running shoes for faster movement and participation in island races.

Island Exploration Highlights

Lighthouse

• Contains collectibles on upper levels; requires multiple golden feathers to reach.
• Race Avery to the top of the lighthouse — limited to 3 golden feathers during the race. Follow Avery's path or find shortcuts; winning on rematch may yield a medal. Avery may mimic your route on subsequent attempts.

Meteor Lake & Marathon

• Marathon participants warm up around Meteor Lake; registration to join the official race is closed, but runners are visible throughout the island.
• Multiple foot races exist across the island, including one to the peak.

Lost Watch

• An NPC lost their watch; keep an eye out while exploring (watch can be found on the island).

Visitor Center Feather Stock

• After buying feathers, the shop may run out — someone bought the remaining stock. Track down that NPC to buy more (up to 3 total from him).

Fishing

• An NPC at Meteor Lake teaches fishing: cast, then wait. Patience is part of the design.
• Fish shadows are visible in the water. Catching specific fish types unlocks trophies/achievements.
• Fishing bait can be found elsewhere on the island.

Bucket & Saplings

• Fall into water with the bucket equipped to fill it.
• Press the action button on tree saplings to grow lily pad flowers you can jump off for height boosts.
• Picking up sticks or other items may empty the bucket.

Scenic Overlook

• A viewpoint lets you see other parts of the island and characters moving in the distance — a nice environmental detail.

Beach Stickball

• Volleyball-style minigame using sticks on the beach. Score 20 points to win; rewards include a golden feather and an achievement.

Western Island & Pickaxe

• The western section is more barren but holds the pickaxe, boat-racing area, and shortcuts.
• Use the pickaxe to destroy blocked rocks, opening alternate routes (one path leads back to the original campsite).
• Boat racing exists in the northwest corner among small islands with air updrafts — considered the most frustrating optional activity in the game.

Other Discoveries

• Painter NPC on the coastline (easy to miss on first playthrough).
• Umbrellas and other environmental objects can serve as jump platforms.
• Sparkling rocks may require the pickaxe to access.
• Shout to Aunt May from a high vantage point near the starting area — she responds from below.

Final Ascent — Hawk Peak

Preparation

• Aim for 7+ golden feathers (11 obtained in this playthrough). Buy extras from the feather vendor if needed.
• Equip pickaxe for shortcut routes if desired.

Summit Mechanics

• Frozen feathers: At higher elevations, golden feathers freeze and become unusable. Stamina management is critical.
• Hot springs unfreeze feathers — plan routes around them.
• Campfires also help recharge feathers.
• Red trail posts may assist navigation on the climb.
• Final section involves platforming across gaps; if you fall short, return to a hot spring and retry.

Reaching the Peak

• Claire makes the phone call at the summit, completing the main trek. The game continues afterward with more to explore.

Ending (Spoilers)

• The phone call reveals Claire's mother is in the hospital awaiting or recovering from surgery. The exact illness is left ambiguous.
• The emotional weight comes from a child's perspective on a parent's illness — understated and affecting.
• After the call, Claire flies back down to see Aunt May at the cottage where the journey began.
• Talking to May and taking a nap concludes the story. The game recaps adventures (races, exploration, etc.) during the ending sequence.

Post-Game & Completion

• Beating the main climb does not end the game — shells, fish, races, buried treasure, and remaining NPC favors still await.
• 100% completion estimated at 4–5 hours.
• Similar games in tone: Lil Gator Game (spiritual successor in the peaceful childlike adventure space).