So many scenarios and ways to go. For me in the Sierras and Motherlode it's largely dependant on distance, weather, season and the waters I'm going to fish. I wear everything from a hiking shoe to wearing a pair of wading boots. Sometimes I'm wearing in a fanny pack, others I'm carrying a medium to small sized back pack with the wading boots ( in a trash bag - to hold the wet boots, etc. on the way out. ), fanny pack, dry socks, towel, underwear & top, bear line, etc..

If it's a shorter distance then I may opt to wear my waders in, for longer hikes I'll go with a pair of fast drying zip off leg fishing pants ( Aruba III's are my current favorites ) over a pair of under wader shorts ( they look like bike shorts - fast drying ) that I wet wade in. Again, the conditions are the key.

Generally speaking, if it's less than two miles in, I'll most often wear my wading boots and waders. Beyond that distance if I can, I'll opt for zip off leg fishing pants with a pair of capilene socks under neoprene socks. ( To take up the extra room left in the boot, when not wearing waders with neoprene feet ), or just go with a hiking shoe and change when I get there. Then put the pack up on the bear line.

Then there are those Mountain Bike in days ...usually looking at areas five to twenty miles each way.

Best, Dave