Tutorial:Hiking trail

This tutorial page is a work in progress.

Please help expand and improve it. The talk page may contain suggestions.
Note: This article needs pictures, and it needs to describe the idea of a trail in more depth. It also needs to explain why a player would build a "hiking trail" and how it would be used (Usage section).

A hiking trail is a path or route through a natural area. They are generally used for showing hikers the scenic landmarks of the area, while being accessible easily. It is widely used because it is easy to and, rather than a highway or normal road, it fits well with the landscape. This tutorial will show you the pros and cons of building in a specific biome, and will give tips to build a starter trail for your world or server.

Biomes

You can build a hiking trail through almost any biome in the Overworld or the End (after killing the Ender Dragon). In the Nether, it is recommended to build one in a Crimson Forest or Warped Forest biome.

Biome comparisons

Forest

Pros	Cons
Great place for beginners and common spawn point Large source of wood, saplings and apples Wolves can be found in clearings The wood can be used for building the trail as decoration or as tools.	Wolves can be aggravated when hit Many more resources than are necessary—can cause inventory clutter May require several axes, hoes or shears to clear out, which cost valuable resources

Plains

Pros	Cons
Lots of space Easy to build Almost no tools required	Too much open space, may not look natural If you want to make it look natural you will need a lot of saplings

Mountain

Pros	Cons
Great scenery and views Unique resources Goats are a unique form of wildlife	Hard to traverse Snow could block the path if not lit up properly Powered snow could easily freeze players to death if they are not aware of the danger

Desert


Pros	Cons
Abundance of rare structures, like temples and wells Has extremely rare bones underground	Has a barren, inhospitable landscape Only few passive mobs spawn here Sand could collapse easily, with no warning

Badlands (Mesa)


Pros	Cons
Has a large amount of gold that generates at all levels Has mineshafts that generates on the surface Has coloured terracotta to use in builds	Very few trees spawn No passive mobs spawn, meaning no meat from animals Like deserts, they have a barren, inhospitable terrain

Jungle


Pros	Cons
Like forests, they are a large source of wood, which can be crafted to make the materials for the trail. Jungles are the only biome to have cocoa and melons, making it more special to walk through it. They also have Jungle Temples, with contain valuable loot.	Like mountains, they are hard to traverse. The high density of trees causes a low light level, so hostile mobs can easily spawn. You can easily get lost off the path.

Savanna


Pros	Cons
Horses and Llamas spawn frequently in savannas. Villages are also common here, so they're a good biome in which to gather resources and be a meeting hub.	They have arid, dry conditions, making it hard to farm. They also have plateaus and peaks which can be difficult to traverse.

Snowy Tundra


Pros	Cons
Snowy Tundras are flat, making it easy to build trails. Igloos are a rare but treasured sight, acting as both an emergency shelter and a place to loot.	This biome is extremely cold, so water freezes and farming is near-impossible. Few trees spawn here, so it isn't a great place for beginners. Because of the expansive, white landscape, trails can be less interesting than other biomes.

Swamp


Pros	Cons
Swamps are a rare and diverse sight from your normal home biome, making it a good place for tourists. The pools of water are a great place for fishing and damp grass is covered with small and giant mushrooms.	Hostile mobs such as slime and witches spawn here, making it difficult to live here. The surface is filled with water, so paths building is difficult and needs more resources for bridges.

Taiga


Pros	Cons
Taigas are a great source of spruce wood, making it a good place to hike if you're a beginner. Many passive mobs spawn here, including wolves, foxes and rabbits. Sweet Berries provide a natural food source to hikers.	The large trees could get in the way of building.

The Nether


Pros	Cons
Unique blocks such as netherrack and basalt, and special mushroom trees. Massive, detailed structures can be a great sight if properly cleared out.	The Nether is a very dangerous place, with huge lava lakes that can kill anyone in seconds if you accidently fall off from the trail. In addition, no passive mobs spawn here (with the exception of the Strider) and hostile mobs are even more powerful than the overworld's and can have special abilities (e.g. Ghasts and Blazes can shoot fireballs). Avoid structures such as fortresses or bastions as they have powerful enemies such as Blazes, Wither Skeletons, Piglins and Piglin Brutes.

The End


Pros	Cons
Great place to collect loot, especially after you've beaten the Ender Dragon. Both the inner and outer islands have interesting features, such as the pillars, the Chorus Fruit trees and End Cities.	Just like The Nether, you could easily fall into the void if you leave the trail. Almost completely barren, making for a dull hiking experience. Even after you've defeated the Ender Dragon, the deadly Shulkers (in End Cities) and Endermen (under certain conditions) can still attack you.

How to build your trail

You can build your hiking trails in any way you like, but here's some tips for a starter one:

Always make builds that fit in with the landscape. Using materials that are similar to the natural landscape will be the best choice in terms of material choice.
If possible, use stairs or slabs on climbs so you won't have to press the jump button every time the trail goes up one block.
Only build within your ability; if you build overconfidently, it won't look as good than if you know your limits.
Don't do everything at once. Start with the path itself, add railings, light sources and then the decorations.
Watch other tutorials on media platforms or talk with your friends to get ideas, inspiration or just to be better at building.
THE GOLDEN RULE: Be yourself! Your builds are your builds, do want you want with them, no-one can change it.