If you have a day or two with no work lined up, you might be interested in finding an activity that will be exciting and memorable. Like most folks in the United States, this means you’re probably hoping for a recreational adventure or activity.
Out of your multiple options, hiking is one of the best. You might be wondering, though – what makes hiking so popular in the United States. Different people have different reasons for enjoying this outdoor activity. Let’s talk about these and answer why is hiking so popular.
How Accessible Is Hiking?
First, if you want to pick up hiking, you’re probably curious whether it’s easy to get started. If you live in the USA, you’ll find that most cities and towns have a park or trail you can go to if you want to hike. Many have multiple for you to choose from.
This means that whenever you get some days free and want to have fun hiking, there’s no scarcity of locations for you to
pick.
It’s Challenging
One of the top reasons people love hiking is because it’s a challenge. There’s a lot of fun in other activities, like playing video games, swimming, or having a game of soccer casually. However, it’s easy to see that these don’t take you out of your comfort zone as hiking does.
At the root of it, hiking is walking and climbing, but even if you hike the same path multiple times, the experience is always different. That same path changes with the weather and the season and even varies each time you traverse the trail! Everything is changing in nature, after all. It’s a new experience each time.
It’s Flexible
Another reason why hiking is so popular is because of how flexible an activity it is. Do you want to go hiking alone? That’s an option. Would you rather go with a group of people, whether friends or relatives? You can do that too! You might find that you prefer hiking when you have someone you know coming along with you!
Just keep in mind – if you’re going to go hiking solo, you need to be safety-conscious. Take the proper precautions to ensure you won’t be in serious trouble if something goes wrong. For instance, make sure to let someone know the park or trail you plan to hike and give them an expected time for your return. Also, dress appropriately and have a mobile device with you.
It’s Exercise
Many recreational activities that people perform are workouts in disguise, and taking a hike is no different. If you want to know why hiking is so popular, the fitness aspect is one of the best reasons.
When you hike, you’ll be contending with the tricky and varied landscape of the hiking path that you’re on. This means climbing up and down slopes, avoiding rocks and other loose ground, walking up steps, and sometimes even using your hands when the slopes get really steep!
A hike is a full-body workout at its very best. It’s a great way to stay fit while still having fun and enjoying the beauty of the outdoors. Some local parks offer memberships and discounts to people who come to hike frequently.
Give Hiking a Shot!
People love hiking for many reasons. It’s a recreational activity, but for some, it’s an escape from daily stress and a great way to relax. Not only can you stay fit and feel good, but you can have fun and see the sights while at it. Hopefully, this has helped answer the question: why is hiking so popular?
The best way to know if you’ll like hiking is to try it. No matter where you are in America, you should have a trail or park for hiking near you. This makes it easy to get started.
