Why Is Hiking Fun? 6 Reasons Why You Should Hike.
Why is hiking fun? It’s something that my city friends constantly ask me and is a fair question. Hiking is physically challenging, uncomfortable, and potentially dangerous. But despite all that, hiking is the single greatest hobby that I have taken up.
I was not always a hiker. As a New Yorker, six years ago, the closest I have ever come to hiking was walking to the subway and certainly never considered it as something I would do “for fun.” However, after my first trekking vacation, I fell in love with the freedom and beauty of hiking in nature. Below are some of the reasons why hiking is so much fun and why everyone should do it!
#1. Great Exercise
Hiking is a great form of aerobic exercise that, if done regularly, can improve your cardiovascular health and endurance. What’s great about it is that people of all fitness levels can do it; after all, all you have to do is walk! Some health benefits of aerobic exercise include:
- Weight loss
- Lower blood pressure
- Boost mood
- Boost immune system
- Lowers bad cholesterol raises good cholesterol
If you want to learn more about the health benefits of hiking, you should check out my article “Is Hiking Aerobic Or Anaerobic Exercise? 10 Health Benefits Of Hiking”.
#2. Unplug:
One of the best parts about hiking and something our society needs most is that it allows you completely unplug from the crazy tech world we live in. It’s easy to get lost in the endless barrage of emails, texts, and social media feeds. Hiking gives you an escape from it all and an opportunity just to enjoy yourself in nature. Although it may be daunting for some of you to spend a day without wifi or cell service, you may realize that hiking is a fun way to cut loose. You may even find that it helps you recenter your headspace, focusing on more important things.
#3. Amazing Views:
Hiking has given me breathtaking experiences seeing the beautiful landscape views from the trail. Coming from the concrete jungle, I always found it so much fun to experience different environments when on a hiking trip. But keep in mind that these views aren’t free. Your payment for these incredible vistas includes sore legs, swollen ankles, and a whole lot of sweat. But it is the struggle and difficulty that makes the experience and the views you witness that much more special. You had to earn them. You didn’t take the easy route because there is no easy route. If you want to see beautiful things, you have to hike the trail like everyone else!
#4. Improve Your Mental Health
Hiking through nature can also do wonders for your mental health. As we previously mentioned, aerobic exercise helps with boosting mood and decreases stress. This, combined with being outdoors allows you to relax and enjoy the present moment. For me, I compare hiking to wringing my mind out like a dirty sponge getting all of the unnecessary thoughts and stresses out of there.
As someone who used to suffer from anxiety, it can be difficult to break the cycle of having a thought, worrying about it, then having anxiety. Hiking serves as a great way to break this cycle. When out hiking, I am not worrying about the past or future but enjoying myself in the present. If you want to learn more about the mental health benefits of hiking in nature, you should check out this article from heart.org.
#5. Connect With Nature
Hiking is an amazing way to connect with nature. Especially if you are from a city like myself, being in a wilderness is a much-needed break switching the concrete sidewalks and skyscrapers for a footpath and beautiful mountains. Like me, you may find that you get this strange feeling of connectedness when you are spending a prolonged time in nature. It’s weird to say or describe and is almost a mystical experience where you feel like you are exactly where you belong among the trees, mountains and wildlife. If you get into hiking, you may even start to look at hiking trails like amusement parks where you can climb mountains, hike through deserts, and sleep under the stars.
#6. Get A New Perspective
Hiking and backpacking are great ways of putting things into perspective. Unlike everyday life when on the trail you do not have wifi, a laptop, or even toilets. All you have is the clothes on your back and the gear in your pack. But if you spend enough time hiking, you realize that there is not much you need to be happy. Sometimes all you need is a goal, good friends, and to enjoy the views along the way despite those sore legs!
Now Get Out There And Hike!
I have always thought of hiking as a metaphor for living a good life. Hiking, like life, is about making progress and enjoying your time during the journey. It can be tempting to put your head down and just trudge along a trail until you reach your destination. But if you do this without picking your head up to enjoy the view, you may miss the best parts.
Coming from a guy who lives in one of the funnest cities on the planet (NYC), I can tell you that hiking in a beautiful national park is an experience unlike a night out in any city. You learn about yourself and experience nature with every trail you walk. So If you have never been give hiking a shot, you’ll find it is a fun way to explore the world and unleash your sense of wonder.
