Trampers

Trampers are itinerant travelers who move from place to place, usually on foot or by informal means such as hitchhiking, carrying minimal belongings, and seeking temporary employment, shelter, or charitable aid along their route. In some regions the term also refers to long-distance hikers who undertake extended treks, a use that can cause ambiguity between vagrant travelers and outdoor enthusiasts.

Historically the term originated from the verb tramp, meaning to walk heavily. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, people who traveled without a fixed home—often called tramps or hobos—frequently rode freight trains and worked odd jobs as they went. The word “tramp” carried a range of connotations from wandering resourcefulness to marginalization; “trampers” is a less common label but appears in some historical accounts and regional dialects.

Life for trampers typically involves improvisation: finding shelter, securing meals, and avoiding legal trouble; many rely on networks of fellow travelers, charity, day labor, or panhandling. Travel can be hazardous, with exposure to weather, injuries, and the risk of arrest under vagrancy or trespass laws in some jurisdictions.

Today the term is used inconsistently. In historical studies, it denotes itinerant workers; in hiking communities, “tramping” describes extended trekking. Public perception ranges from romantic to critical and often reflects broader attitudes toward homelessness and mobility.

See also: Tramp, Hobo, Pedestrian, Hiker, Vagrancy.