“The Hike is Cormac McCarthy's Alice in Wonderland—gritty and terrifying but with deliriously surreal twists and turns.” Barnes & Noble

Generally received poor reviews , with critics describing it as an "amateurish" and "charmless chore" with a muddled plot.

This podcast/series features a Season 3, Episode 1 dedicated to introducing new thru-hikers embarking on major trails like the Appalachian Trail. Reviews of The Hike (Other Media)

Reviewers and fans often have polarized views on the "hike" as a narrative device:

If you were referring to the standalone story rather than a specific TV episode, reviews vary widely across different versions: