26 reasons to love hiking

I was a kid when I went on my first hike with my mother. We were at a county park that had trails and playgrounds. She decided we needed to take a little walk in the woods. I was not pleased. I thought it would be a real struggle. What I really wanted to do was play on the playground. I thought hiking would be hard and boring. Boy was, I was wrong.

As an adult, I have come to love and enjoy hiking with my family and alone. I often encourage my friends, family, and fellow bloggers to go for a hike. Often I am met with great enthusiasm. But sometimes I hear comments like: it’s boring, hard, dirty, hot, sweaty, no fun, etc. That is until they give it a try (or a second try in some cases).

There is no “right” or ” wrong” way when it comes to hiking. There are no set rules on how to do it, where to do it when to do it. Flexibility thrives. Here are 26 reasons why I believe that you will love hiking when you get on the trail for first time.

Adventure. You can change your level of thrill with each hike. With a little research, you can find the adventure that suits you.  

Beauty. With hiking, you get to view the breathtaking views and the marvel of the wilderness.

Cheap. Hiking is cheap. It requires no money, and you can spend as little or as long as you want doing it.

Decompress. Hiking helps you to calm your mind and body by allowing you to reconnect with nature.

Exercise. Taking a hike is a great form of physical activity. Depending on your trail, your activity can range from easy to challenging.

Fresh air. Getting into nature, you can get away from the dirty city air.

Getaway. You can plan your hike as part of a weekend vacation or an afternoon hiatus, it’s up to you.

Health benefits. There are numerous mental and physical health benefits to hiking from decreased stress to weight loss.

Inner peace. Hiking helps you to reconnect with yourself, helps to quiet the mind, and promotes serenity.

Joy. Want to have a little fun? There is a hike for that.

Keen. Hiking helps to keep the mind and senses sharp.

Landscape. Hiking allows you to see the magnificent wonders of nature.

Motivation. Hiking gives you inspiration and focus not only to complete your trail but also for challenges in life.

Nature. Hiking takes you out into the most natural, untouched parts of the world.

Open spaces. From vast forests to mountain ranges, hiking gives you the opportunity to explore wide open space.

Peacefulness. Hiking gives you a sense of calm and serenity rarely found outside of nature.

Quiet. Getting away from the noise pollution that penetrate our modern lives is one of the best things that you can do for your soul. Get into nature and turn down your thoughts.

Relaxing. Even though hiking works your muscles, it can be just as comforting as sitting by the pool. Don’t believe me? Try it!

Stress relief. Hiking can help to decrease your stress levels by removing you from hectic situations.

Travel. The great thing about hiking is that it can be done anywhere. You can hike in your neighborhood or across the country.

Ultimate adventure. You can create an amazing journey by performing a little research on your interests.

Views. Hike offers you some of the best viewpoints in the world. Why look at in a picture when you can see it in real life?

Wellness. You can increase your overall health and wellness by performing regular hikes.

XC (cross country). Hiking is often referred to as cross country-hiking.

Your pace. The great thing about hiking is that you can go as fast or as slow as you want. There are no rules when it comes to the amount of time you spend on the trail.

Zeal. The joy of hiking gives you eagerness and desire to do it again…soon!

I hope when you go for your first hike, it will be as pleasurable as it was (and still is) for me. Do a little research and find a trail that suits your needs. Take it easy and slow the first time out, put on a little insect repellant, and grab your water bottle. You will be amazed at what hiking can do for your health and serenity. American Hiking Society’s National Trails Day is Saturday, June 6.