Since hiking is mostly seen as a group activity, many hikers often ask, "is hiking alone weird?" Let's take a closer look at this question below.

Hiking is a great activity that you can enjoy outdoors, but sometimes, it can be tough to find other people that will join you for a hike. Moreover, there can be occasions when you just don't want to be around anyone so that you may need a hike alone. But this brings us to an interesting question "Is hiking alone weird?"

The answer is absolutely no. Hiking alone is not weird. In fact, it brings several benefits, such as the ability to choose your pace, breaks, and destination while providing you some time in solitude. However, it comes with a few drawbacks, including safety concerns that you should be aware of.

Most people consider hiking to be a group activity where you can spend some quality time in nature with your friends and loved ones. Surely hiking with a group offers additional safety and great company, but that doesn't mean that hiking with friends is the only way to go about it. A few adventurous spirits may prefer to do it alone as it brings several unique benefits.

Having been a part of a group of avid hikers who have hiked on several trails alone, I have poured my expertise into this post so you can understand why hiking alone is not weird. Let's take a closer look at both the benefits and drawbacks of hiking alone that you should know.

Benefits of Hiking Alone

There are definitely several benefits of hiking alone. While you may have always overlooked them, reading some of these benefits highlighted below will allow you to consider going for a solo hike.

Boosts Self-Esteem

When you plan a hike with your friends or a group of people, you have several others around you with whom you can discuss the trail, the breaks, and everything that comes along the way, including a change in weather or choosing the right path.

But when you are hiking alone, you don’t have anyone to discuss the problems that come up along the way. Similarly, you don’t have anyone to discuss any other choice of decisions. Therefore, you need to make your own decisions and take responsibility for your decisions. If you are not sure about which way to proceed, take a look at the map and find out the answer. If you see the weather changing, decide on whether you want to continue with your waterproof jacket or you seek nearby shelter.

By putting yourself in a position where you are in charge of all the decisions, you will boost your reliance on yourself, eventually boosting your self-esteem. After all, you will be pushing yourself to make the best of the information available and decide on the best course of action for yourself. The process starts from the moment you decide to go for a hike alone to planning for the destination and deciding on the route and everything else that comes along the way and continues a long way even after you have returned from your solo hike.

Gives You an Opportunity to Immerse Yourself in Nature

Hiking alone may seem weird because it requires you to walk on a trail without talking to other people. Walking with a partner or a group of people may become easier because there is a lot of chattering along the way. But did you know that when you are hiking with a group of people, you tend to miss out on a lot of things that nature has to offer?

Solo hiking can allow you to make the best of being in nature. When there is no one to distract you, and you fully immerse yourself in nature, it can significantly help restore your sense of well-being. Moreover, it allows you to experience the fresh air and everything that nature has to offer, including birds, wildlife, flowers, and some beautiful scenery. And the more you immerse yourself in nature, the sooner you will feel relaxed and become more aware of your surroundings.

In all, solo hiking is one of the best ways to practice mindfulness and make the most of your experience out in nature.

Allows You to Think Through

There are instances in everybody's life where you may just need to think through a problem or a particular life situation. Whether it is a problem at work, a relationship issue, or a serious family problem, when you go out in nature alone, your mind gets the free time to think through all the possible scenarios, options, and solutions.

By going on a hike alone, you can take out the opportunity to ponder over all your options and come up with the best possible solution to your particular problem. Once you start your solo hike, make sure you relax first, and once you have covered a certain distance, you can ponder over particular life situations that require your thoughts while wandering in nature.

However, if you are going for a solo hike to think through your life problems, choose a route you know really well. With a familiar trail, you will be able to concentrate on the problem at hand while navigating through the trail better.

Alone Time for Self

It is always great to be around your loved ones. If you are in a relationship, you would know that being around your partner is often a good idea; however, being around your loved ones all the time may take a toll on your relationship. Therefore, it is integral to spend some time apart, and it is healthy to pursue your interests. It helps you keep relaxed and happy and positively impacts your relationship because only when you have your personal interests that make you happy will you have something positive to talk about with your partner. And when your partner shows interest in your activities, it will make you feel loved, and over time, it will strengthen your relationship.

Hence, hiking alone can boost your relationship by offering you the space you need, just to be yourself.

You Can Decide for Yourself

When you are in a group, even if it’s just a pair, there is a lot of discussion about choosing where to hike, the route to take, the hike's pace, and how often the group should take the break.

With all the discussions and decisions, you may feel overwhelmed. In some cases, you can also feel that you are not going to your preferred destination or are being rushed or held back.

When hiking alone, you can decide for yourself. From choosing the trail to deciding on the pace of your hike, it all comes down to your preference. You can continue to walk for the entire day at the same pace without worrying about a partner who cannot keep up with the pace or decide to slow down and take a seat in nature to enjoy the scenery before moving on.

Make Amazing Trail Friends

One of the best aspects of solo hiking is that it makes it a lot easier for you to meet and interact with people on the trail. Usually, hikers are quite friendly in nature, and they often show concern, especially for solo hikers. They may also help you with taking photographs and capturing your memories. In all, interacting with new people on the trail encourages you to build friendships and allows you to meet people in your life that you would otherwise miss out on.

Who knows, what started as a solo hike may end up with an amazing group hike and lifelong friendships.

Why Hiking Alone May Not Be a Good Idea?

There are plenty of reasons to go for a hike alone, but there are several reasons why people think hiking alone is weird. Let's take a closer look at some of the reasons why hiking alone may not be a good idea.

Safety Concern

Perhaps the biggest reason why hiking alone may seem like a weird idea to many hikers is safety. Hiking can be a dangerous activity, but hiking alone can be more dangerous.

When you are hiking alone, what happens if you fall and hurt yourself? There is a much higher likelihood that you may trip over or twist your ankle or fall while you hike. In such a situation, will you be able to carry on? Moreover, will you be able to ask for help? In such a situation, getting somewhere safe may be a challenge. Similarly, getting help from others may be difficult because not all trails are busy all the time. However, that's not the case when a group of friends is hiking together as there is an additional safety net.

Secondly, coming across wild animals while you are on the trail is quite common, and in some cases, the animals may even attack you. And even when there is a minimal chance of being attacked by an animal on your chosen trail, there is always a risk of snakebite. In such instances, you need both physical and emotional help that you may miss out on if you head out for a solo hike.

And while most of the people you meet out hiking are nice to you, there is always a risk that you might get attacked by another hiker or passerby. Some people may even see you as an easy target for stealing from you or attacking you.

So why risk it?

Instead, go with a friend or group of loved ones who can stick together and offer a helping hand in times of need.

There is a Risk of Getting Lost on the Trail

You would never want to get lost on a hike. But there may be instances where you miss-read the instructions and take the wrong turn even when you really know the trail.

Yes, getting lost on a solo hike is still possible in this age of digital navigation.

Usually, when you are walking with a group of people, you can discuss the instructions and navigations and decide in collaboration with others about the best possible way forward. But when you are hiking alone, you don't have to read the instructions more carefully but also have to make all the decisions yourself, which can significantly increase your risk of getting lost on the trail. And the risk multiples when you have already been put into a panic mode where you have started to doubt yourself.

The Trail May Be More Challenging Than Expected

You might have made the best choice when choosing the trail and might have read everything you need to know about it. And you might even make a great start, but what if halfway through, you feel that the trail is a lot more challenging than expected. What do you do in such a situation?

While the same situation may arise when you are with someone else or are in a group, it's likely that the group members may have taken a closer look at the route in advance and may have identified potential challenges that you may have overlooked. And even if that’s not the case, simply being with someone in a challenging situation can help boost the spirits.

You Have to Motivate Yourself

Loneliness can be a challenge when you are walking alone, and it's especially true when you have chosen a trail that's not happening. If you are hiking somewhere remote, then you may not see people for miles, and obviously, when there aren't a lot of people and you are walking on your own, it may be tough to keep yourself motivated to keep going. Friends usually encourage each other in several different ways that make hiking a joyful experience.  

So when you are going for a solo hike, it's best to choose a popular route so loneliness while hiking doesn't hit you hard, but there will never be anyone else to motivate you to accept yourself.

Hiking Alone is Not Budget Friendly

Similar to traveling alone, hiking alone is not always budget-friendly. In case of overnight hikes where you have to find accommodation for spending the night, there is no one to share the cost, and since you will be the only one staying in the room, you will have to pay for the room, bathroom, and everything else.

You Have to Carry All the Weight

While you have to carry the weight of your belongings when you are going for a hike in a group, there is a sharing in the weight you carry for the camping gear, tents, and all. It is particularly helpful when you are hiking for long distances. But when you are hiking alone and intend to set up a camp, you will have to carry all the weight alone. And you will have to do so even when you are on a challenging trail or are tired and cannot keep up with the heavyweight. But you don't have to carry all the weight when you are with a group of hikers. After all, you will go hiking with your friends, and they would love to share the load with you.