I can't say I "hike" in the woods. That sounds too much like something you'd do in the army with a very heavy pack on your back.
That said, when I'm bumming around, I carry a 22 most of the time. I don't really have a favorite. Just whichever one I feel like picking up at the time. I've got a couple of Ruger standard auto's, I've got two or three revolvers. One isn't better than the other, just different. Lately I've been carrying an old High-Standard R-106, Sentinel, but I admit that I just bought it so it's some novelty factor there. It's also really light, so that's going to help it stay on the top of the heap I think.
(show off picture)
Seriously, just pick the one you like best and have fun with it.