I used to think the best part of hiking alone was the freedom. The freedom to go wherever I wanted, whenever I wanted without having to wait for someone else to go with me. That freedom is a huge part of why I love solo hiking so much.
After hiking thousands of miles by myself over the last nine years, I’ve realized the best part of hiking alone actually goes much deeper than that.
Somewhere along my solo hiking journey, hiking alone stopped feeling scary and lonely and started feeling like one of the only places where my brain could finally get quiet.
No notifications.
No pressure.
No expectations.
No distractions.
Just me, the trail and my thoughts.
When I’m out on trail alone, I feel the most like myself. Not the stressed version of myself. Not the overwhelmed version. Not the version trying to keep up with anyone else. It’s just me.
And honestly, I think this is the real reason why hiking alone has changed my life so much over the last nine years.
Hiking Alone Used to Terrify Me
I know a lot of people assume solo hiking comes naturally to me now because I talk about it so much online, but when I first started hiking alone, I was terrified.
I had all the same fears most people do:
- wildlife encounters
- getting lost
- getting injured
- running into creepy people
- feeling lonely
- not knowing what to do if something went wrong
Underneath all of those fears was another fear I didn’t fully realize at the time: I was scared of relying on myself.
I’ve spent a lot of my life waiting.
Waiting for the right timing.
Waiting for someone to go with me.
Waiting until I felt more confident.
Waiting until I felt more ready.
Eventually, I got tired of waiting to go hiking simply because I didn’t have someone else to go with me.
One day I finally asked myself: What if I just went by myself?
So I did.
That one decision ended up changing my life in more ways than I could have ever imagined.
This Year, I Stopped Waiting for Perfect Conditions
This is now my third spring living in Missoula, MT and honestly, it feels different this year.
For the first couple years I lived here, I was really intimidated by all of the nearby mountains and trails. I think a part of me assumed those trails belonged to people who were more experienced, more outdoorsy and way more confident than me.
This winter, I decided to stop waiting until I felt ready to explore more of them.
Instead of hiding inside all winter waiting for spring, I made it a goal to hike consistently throughout the winter season. Not just for physical training before backpacking season, but because I realized there was so much of this place I still hadn’t explored yet.
At least once a week, I’d pick a trail or mountain I’d never done before and go hike it alone.
Some days the trails were snowy and icy.
Some days I didn’t feel motivated.
Some days I questioned whether I should even be out there.
Little by little, every single hike I went on started changing something in me. The mountains that once felt intimidating started feeling familiar. And with every hike, I started trusting myself a little more.
The Most Unexpected Part of Hiking Alone
I think a lot of people assume solo hiking is mostly about independence. And yes, getting to go wherever you want, whenever you want without needing someone else’s schedule to line up with yours is AMAZING.
For me though, hiking alone feels less like independence and more like relief.
Relief from noise.
Relief from pressure.
Relief from constantly feeling like I need to be available, productive or “on” all the time.
When I’m hiking alone:
- I don’t have to carry on a conversation
- I don’t have to keep up with anyone else’s pace
- I don’t have to worry whether I’m hiking too slow
- I don’t have to explain why I stopped to take photos of wildflowers for twenty minutes
I can just exist.
Usually within the first mile of a solo hike, the noise in my head starts quieting down.
I stop thinking about my to-do list.
I stop thinking about work.
I stop thinking about social media.
I stop thinking about what other people might think about me hiking alone.
Instead, I start paying attention to what’s happening around me instead.
The sound of birds.
Wind moving through the grass.
My footsteps on the trail.
My breathing.
The way the sunlight hits the mountains.
It’s one of the only times in my life where I feel fully present.
Hiking Alone Has Helped Me Trust Myself More
Recently, I hiked up the L Trail to the top of Mount Jumbo here in Missoula. From the summit, I could see so many of the nearby mountains I’ve hiked up to recently like Mount Sentinel, University Mountain, Mount Dean Stone and Blue Mountain.
Standing up there looking out at all of them felt weirdly emotional. Not because they’re the biggest mountains in the world, but because every single one of those mountains used to feel intimidating to me.
Each one represented something I once thought I wasn’t ready for. Now they represent something completely different.
Confidence
Growth
Consistency
Proof
Proof that confidence doesn’t magically appear before you do hard things. Confidence gets built because you keep doing things before you feel fully ready.
That’s probably the biggest thing solo hiking has taught me over the years.
You don’t become confident first and then start hiking alone. You build confidence by continuing to show up for yourself over and over again. Even while scared.
If You Want to Start Hiking Alone…
You don’t need to start with a giant mountain or a huge backpacking trip. Seriously. One of the biggest mistakes people make is thinking solo hiking has to start with something extreme. It doesn’t.
You can start ridiculously small.
A short local trail.
A nearby nature walk.
A familiar trail after work.
A busy trail on a Saturday morning.
The goal isn’t to prove anything. The goal is simply to start building trust within yourself. That’s it.
Over time, hiking alone starts feeling less scary and feels way more peaceful.
The Real Reason I Love Hiking Alone
The real reason hiking alone has changed my life so much isn’t because of the miles I’ve hiked or the mountains I’ve hiked up to. It’s the person I’ve become while doing it.
Hiking alone has helped me feel:
- more grounded
- more capable
- less stressed
- more confident
- more connected to myself
Every time I go on a solo hike, I come back feeling a little stronger and a lot more like myself.
Honestly? I think that’s the best part of hiking alone.