Solo Hiking: 25 Incredible Benefits of Hiking Alone

Solo hiking is one of the most life changing experiences you will ever have. There are an endless number of benefits to hiking alone.

As a solo hiker you have complete freedom to hike whenever, wherever and with whomever you want. You have the opportunity to absorb the moment you are in and to process your own thoughts and emotions on a much deeper level than you ever thought possible. And you will have the chance to make an endless number of incredible, and potentially lifelong new friendships.

Read on to find out about 25 of the many benefits to solo hiking.

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1. Hike Whenever You Want to

This is one of the most immediate and obvious benefits of becoming a solo hiker.

Heading out onto the trail on your own means that you do not have to wait for anyone else to join you. You don’t have to line up your schedule with someone else, you aren’t restricted by your friend or partner’s budget constraints, and you can literally decide the morning of that you want to pack your bag and start a hike — no need to check with anyone else first.

Most solo hikers I meet claim this to be the main reason they started hiking solo in the first place. They became tired of waiting for someone else and decided to tackle the trail on their own. And then, like most solo hikers, they became addicted to the freedom of hiking alone and all of the other benefits that go along with it.

2. Have a Sense of Empowerment and Accomplishment

If you love the euphoric feelings of reaching a summit, then you will be excited to hear that they are amplified ten-fold when you achieve them on your own, as an independent, powerful and confident solo hiker.

[bctt tweet=”There is nothing quite like the sense of empowerment and accomplishment you feel after reaching that summit or making it to the end of a multi-day hike.” username=”@gseekingpurpose”]

I’ve honestly never felt as good as I do when I am out on the trail on my own, knowing that I had the courage and tenacity to go it alone. It always makes the reward so much sweeter and more magnificent.

3. Learn A lot About Yourself

While this one should also be fairly obvious, I don’t think people realise just how much they are going to learn about themselves before they embark on a solo hiking adventure.

When you have no-one to rely on but yourself, everything falls onto you. You quickly realise what your limits, capabilities, shortfalls, and skills are. You discover how capable you can be, how resilient you are, and also what you need to work on most to become a confident and successful solo hiker.

As a solo hiker, you will learn how far you can push yourself on a physical and mental level. You will realise what it it is you love about the outdoors and nature. And you will also discover how patient you are (or aren’t), what your true fitness levels are, how you perceive the world through your own eyes, and also your motivations for being on the trail in the first place.

You will also learn an endless number of things about yourself in general — even regarding topics totally unrelated to hiking. The opportunities for self-discovery really are endless when it comes to solo hiking.

4. Make an Endless Number of New and Amazing Trail Friends

This is one of my all time favourite aspects of solo hiking. Being on your own as a solo hiker makes it so much easier to meet people on the trail. It encourages you to build friendships. And it allows you the opportunity to bring new people into your life — on and off the trail.

I have met some of my most treasured friends while solo hiking. I have also had some of my most memorable moments on the trail with people I had literally met that day. It is hard to portray in words the true magic of trail friendships.

5. Have the Opportunity to Journal and Read

This is another one of my favourite aspects of solo hiking. If you feel so inclined, you can take a journal, book or kindle along with you on your solo adventure. Then when you get to camp, or that gorgeous view point, you can take a moment to let your thoughts flow onto the page or dive deep into a juicy book you have been meaning to read for a while. Sometimes you will be too busy chatting to new found friends, but if you do find yourself entirely alone then it is a great opportunity to put pen to paper or get lost amongst the pages of a good book.

6. Become More Independent and Resourceful

If one of the main reasons you don’t want to hike alone is because you are worried about an endless number of bad situations occurring, then this benefit is for you.

[bctt tweet=”Solo hiking allows you to prepare for and prove to yourself that you are capable of absolutely anything you set your mind to — with or without anyone else’s help.” username=”@gseekingpurpose”]

It is true that there is power in unity, but you may be surprised by just how resourceful you can become when needed. And how prepared you will be before you even get to the trail.

You won’t be able to rely on someone else to problem solve your way out of sticky situations, or to have packed the first aid kit item you need, the navigational gear you might be desperate for, or an emergency beacon for that dire situation. You will need to be more prepared and informed about the potential risks and how to combat them. You will become a lot more independent and resourceful than you would be when hiking in a group. This just means you will be the most organised, well-researched and well-prepared hiker out there. Again, this is not a bad thing!

7. Hike Wherever You Want to

Another incredible benefit to solo hiking is that you can hike absolutely anywhere you want to. You don’t have to base your next hiking trip on someone else’s preference for climate, views or terrain. You don’t have to factor in anyone else’s budget or time constraints in deciding how far you want to venture to reach your desired, and dream trails. And you don’t have to factor in someone else’s physical or gear limitations either. You can hike as near, or as far to home as you prefer.

You can literally hike wherever you want in the entire world, without having to consider anyone else’s requirements but you’re own. Why don’t you start planning your dream hiking list right now so you can start ticking them off on your own?

8. Hike at Your Own Pace

This is one of my favourite reasons for solo hiking. It is a well known fact that we all hike at different paces, have different physical capabilities, and have varied motivations for why we hike.

Some people hike for the sole purpose of seeing how quickly they can finish a trail. Some want to take their time to bask in the views and take as many photos as they can. And others are trying to overcome their own mental and physical obstacles along the way and need to several breaks. We are all different, and hiking on your own means that you can go at your own pace — whether that be “a hundred miles per hour”, or “slow and steady wins the race”.

I particularly love completing longer, multi-day and thru hikes as a solo hiker. I usually meet tonnes of people on the way to chat with at viewpoints, and to spend time with at the camp sites each night, but I can hike at my own pace during the day. That way I don’t feel any pressure to maintain anyone else’s pac, I don’t have to give up the opportunity to take the photographs I want to, and I don’t feel any guilt for holding anyone up.

Then on the days when I feel like trying to keep up with someone else, or am really enjoying someone else’s company, I can make the effort to keep up with them or slow down a little depending on their pace. It’s the flexibility of being a solo hiker that is an invaluable benefit I can’t live without.

9. Learn From Your Mistakes

Trust me on this one — you will definitely learn from your mistakes one way or the other. Hiking in general is great for this. But solo hiking in particular, really puts the pressure on you to never make the same mistake more than once.

10. Have Incredible Conversations with People of Varied Backgrounds

I have had some of the most engaging, interesting and topical conversations with people I have met on hiking trails, at camp sites and even at view points. Hiking attracts people from all walks of life, so you often end up talking about some pretty foreign and entertaining topics.

I also find that people are a lot more open and less guarded while hiking. And especially if they are also on their own. There is just something about the trail that allows people to open up more and speak their minds. I absolutely love it!

11. Become a More Confident Person on and off the Trail

Setting out to tackle a daunting challenge on your own can be terrifying. But once you have done it, you will walk away feeling confident and as though you can achieve anything you set your mind to. You will prove to yourself that you are capable of achieving so much more than you ever thought possible. It will allow you to become more confident in your abilities both on and off the trail.

12. Become Fitter and Stronger — Physically and Mentally

This one is kind of obvious, but not in the way you think it is.

Of course hiking will make you fitter and stronger. You are usually climbing uphill with a large amount of weight on your back. So you will obviously be building up your fitness and strength as you go. But climbing that mountain on your own will make you even fitter and stronger than hiking does already.

You know why? Because you have to carry absolutely everything you need to survive, yourself. You can’t share the load with anyone. That means you will be pushing yourself even harder both physically and mentally. And while that may seem like it isn’t a benefit — it really is.

Being capable of surviving on your own, training your body and mind to be able to do it, and then proving to yourself that you can do it is one of the most intoxicating and rewarding feelings in the world. Solo hiking is an incredible achievement that you should be proud of. Once you’ve done it once, you will be addicted to the endorphins of it all.

13. Take as Many (or as Few) Photos as You Like

You either love photography or your don’t. If you are passionate about photography, or selfies, then you will absolutely love the freedom of being able to spend as much time as you want setting up your shot, getting the perfect lighting, and framing, and ensuring you capture the moment exactly how you want to.

And on the other hand, if you couldn’t care less about photographing that mountain top, getting that jumping photo, or preserving that moment in a photo then you don’t have to. Being on your own means you can take as many or as few photos as you like.

14. Process Your Thoughts and Feelings More Deeply

Solo hiking allows you the time and space for your own thoughts and feelings in such a unique and rewarding way. It can be as beneficial as meditation, or therapy. If you find yourself completely alone on a trail you may find that you are initial thinking about your feet, the trail, and the views, but that your thoughts soon turn to something more reflective, internal and deep.

It can be quite a surreal and beneficial experience and is an aspect of solo hiking that I cherish. I have made some of the most valuable realisations of my life while solo hiking. I have felt the most overwhelming happiness, joy and gratitude for life and my existence while hiking alone. And I have processed and overcome many mental blocks while trudging towards a mountain summit on my own.

15. Focus on Your Favourite Parts of Hiking

Everyone hikes for a different reason. Hiking on your own means you can really focus on the particular reason why you are hiking.

Some people love nature, wildlife and the finer details of the flaura and fauna that is around them. They want to take the time to bird watch, to discover the plants around them and to take note of the eco-systems.

Some people love the challenge of a time trial or are doing the hike solely for the physical challenge. They are usually the ones with the ultralight packs who cut the trail times in half.

There are then others who are obsessed with photography and the views as much as they are with the act of hiking. You find them spending extended periods of time at the view points and summits, and making ample stops along the way.

All of these are valid reasons to love hiking. When you are solo hiking, you can take the time to focus on your individual and unique reasons without having to make compromises. Unless you want to, of course. 🙂

16. Become More Courageous and Less Fearful

If you have never hiked or travelled alone then you are probably terrified by the thought of solo anything. For a lot of people, even the idea of eating dinner in a restaurant alone is terrifying.

That is why you should give solo hiking a go. It will teach you to be less afraid of being alone. It actually isn’t as bad as it sounds.

It will show you how to be more courageous and less fearful of, well, absolutely everything. Once you discover how capable, happy and accomplished you can be on your own, the thought of being alone won’t seem as scary. You will then start tackling those trails, and the rest of your life with confidence and courage.

17. Improve Your Selfie Game

This one is just a bit of fun. Although it is also very true.

Once you start solo hiking you will quickly realise that you need to up your selfie game if you still want to get excellent hiking photos, on less-trodden trails.

While there is usually ample people who will offer to take a few photos for you, it can actually be a lot of fun to work out how to take amazing photos of yourself out in nature when you are on your own. You can take an actual selfie, but if you want to the photos that are of more than just your head, you will need to be a little more creative.

I used to hike with a tripod, but sometimes I like the challenge of taking photos without one. You will be surprised how creative you can get with a rock, branch, backpack strap or lens cap when you lead to be.

I actually have a lot of fun playing around with my shots, using the self-timer on my camera and running back and forth into random positions. While I really appreciate it when someone offers to take a photo for me, I enjoy taking my own photos just as much.

18. Grow as a Person and Find Your Inner Peace

You may also find a sense of peace and serenity while hiking solo that you haven’t been able to find otherwise in your life. The lessons you learn on the trail will seep into your soul and find their way into your everyday life. You will learn and grow as a person, and often find your inner peace.

[bctt tweet=”I am a more thoughtful, and wholesome person now than I was before I began hiking.” username=”@gseekingpurpose”]

I love the ways in which I have grown and changed as a direct result of solo hiking, and solo travel in general.

19. Start Talking to Yourself and Find Yourself Hilarious

While this doesn’t sound like a benefit, it kind of is. If you are ever hiking solo and find yourself completely on your own for a period of time (which can sometimes actually be quite rare), you may find that you start talking to yourself. Confession — I actually do this a lot and it always cracks me up.

It eventually just starts happening without me even realising it and I’ve grown to kind of enjoy it. You might be running a live commentary, maybe you are asking yourself existential questions, or perhaps you are just laughing at your own mishaps, misfortunes or hilarious jokes. Either way, it can be quite an entertaining, rewarding and fun experience to find that you have a unique voice when you are on your own. Don’t laugh — it might happen to you too. Maybe it already has? 😛

20. Be More Comfortable in Other Situations on Your Own

Once you’ve managed to sleep an entire night in the wilderness without anyone beside you, the thought of eating alone in a restaurant won’t seem so daunting. Neither will going to the movies on your own, going for a stroll on the beach without anyone, or perhaps even travelling to a foreign country solo. Solo hiking will not only make you a more confident hiker, it will make you a more independent person in general. It will encourage you to stop waiting for other people in order to get out there and experience more of what life has to offer. And that is definitely an enormous benefit.

21. Process Past and Current Trauma

This is a bit more of a deeper benefit to solo hiking.

In my own experience, I have found that solo hiking has truly allowed me to process and deal with my past traumas. There have been events that have occurred in my life that I spent a long time trying to not think about, or trying to pretend did not happen. There were also situations that were occurring in real time in my life beyond hiking that I was also trying to ignore.

It wasn’t until I started solo hiking that I really began to process all of my trauma and baggage both past and present. Being on your own, putting one foot in front of the other, and making your way towards a pre-determined destination has a way of allowing your mind to open up.

It provides you with the mental and physical space to think deeply about underlying issues and memories that you would otherwise not have time for. While it can be a traumatic and difficult to dredge up your past, or to hone in on something that is currently upsetting you, it is usually a healthy process in the long run and one that I am overtly grateful for.

22. Make Lifelong, Likeminded Friends

Solo hiking doesn’t just allow you to meet more people on the trail, it allows you to meet lifelong friends who also happen to be likeminded and just as obsessed with hiking as you are.

If you have ever felt a little lost, out of place or as though you just haven’t found your people yet, then maybe you were just looking in the wrong place. I have never felt more accepted and amongst “my people” than I do when hiking. Some of the people I have met on the trails have turned into some of my best friends. I am so grateful to have been solo hiking when I met them, otherwise our paths may never have crossed.

The fact that these people are also hiking addicts means I am more likely to be able to have future adventures with them as well, which is an even greater benefit. Honestly, solo hiking is the actual best…

23. Say Yes to More Hiking Opportunities

Being a solo hiker means you can say yes to more hiking opportunities. And more hiking opportunities is obviously a good thing, right? Being solo means you are extremely flexible. Not only can you hike whenever and wherever you want, but you can also say yes to hiking with whoever you want.

Maybe you’ve met some amazing people around a camp fire at the place you decided to pitch your tent on a particular night? Maybe they are headed out on a trail the next day and invited you along? Well guess what — you can definitely go and you don’t have to check with anyone else before you do! (This has happened to me on more than one occasion, by the way!)

If I haven’t said it enough already, this is obviously one of my favourite benefits of solo hiking — the flexibility to go whenever, wherever and with whoever. It really opens up the world of hiking, and life in general, completely to you.

24. Be Blown Away by Mother Nature

I find that I am able to take in the views and appreciate mother nature on a much deeper level when hiking on my own. When it is just me and the mountains, I can stand there in awe of the sheer beauty and power of it all for hours on end. I am not thinking about anything else, other than what is right in front of me. It is an absolutely life changing experience that you should have at least once in your lifetime.

25. Become Addicted to Solo Hiking

This is a benefit inside a number of benefits. It kind of loops on itself — I guess solo hiking begets solo hiking?

Basically, once you start hiking solo you won’t want to do it any other way. You will want to hike whenever you want, wherever you want, and with whoever you want. You will be addicted to the euphoria of hiking alone. You won’t be able to shake that sense of accomplishment, empowerment and confidence and will be yearning for more.

You will feel proud of yourself, and maybe even a little surprised by just how capable you are. You won’t be able to go back to needing someone else to be courageous or adventurous. You will be absolutely and completely addicted to solo hiking, I just know it.

Extra Solo Hiking Tips

Build Your Bucket List

If all of this has convinced you to get out there and start hiking solo, then check out some of my other hiking related posts. I have a lot of posts about Patagonia on the blog at present and will soon be putting together several posts about hiking in New Zealand and Australia. Sign up to my newsletter to stay up to date, and have a read of these awesome hiking destinations and trails in the meantime: –

• The 4 Day Trek to Cerro Castillo, on the Carretera Austral in Chile
• The Best Hikes in El Chaltén, in Argentina
• Hiking and Camping in Pumálin Park, on the Carretera Austral in Chile
• The Best Hikes in Bariloche, in Northern Patagonia, Argentina
• Adventure Activities and Hiking on the Carretera Austral, Chile
• The Ultimate Guide to Torres Del Paine, The O Circuit, and The W Trek, Chile

Be Prepared with Travel Insurance

If you are hiking solo overseas, then it may also be worthwhile ensuring you have adequate travel insurance. Whenever I am hiking outside of my home country, I always make sure I have a sufficient travel insurance policy to cover me for the types of adventure activities I will be doing and the conditions I will be hiking in.

I’ve used  World Nomads several times in the past and have always been impressed by their coverage, service and claims handling. But still make sure you read their PDS and terms and conditions for yourself to ensure it is right for you before making a purchase. Follow the link below to get your quote now. If you decide to go ahead and you want to support this blog, then use this link when purchasing your policy and I will receive a small payment at no extra cost to you.

Know What to Pack

If you are relatively new to solo hiking, or hiking in general then you may be asking yourself what to pack for your next hiking adventure. I have a separate post about packing which details everything I believe you need to take on a multi-day trek in an alpine environment. Obviously you may need or want to adjust this to suit your own personal preference and the conditions of the area you will be hiking in, but it is an excellent place to start if you are a beginner.

If you are only tackling a day hike as a solo hiker then you won’t need all of the gear that is laid out in that more extensive post. All you really need are snacks, water, layers for potential weather you may encounter, and your first aid kit / emergency gear. On an average day hike I usually take the following items;

• 18L Osprey Ultralight Stuff Pack or Osprey 20L Tempest day pack
• Fujifilm X-T2 Camera, a wide angle lens and a general purpose / portrait lens, and accessories
• CamelBak water reservoir / Nalgene water bottle
• Snacks (muesli bars, dried fruit and nut, Clif bars and / or fresh fruit or snacks depending on the length of the hike)
• Water/windproof jacket if the weather turns — this jacket from Arc’teryx is excellent quality, or or a jacket from The North Face 
• XT Ultralight Packable Down Jacket or Arc’teryx fleece in case it will be cold at the summit or if completing a sunrise hike
• Headlamp in case you lose light
• Phone for emergencies and maps.me
• First Aid Kit
• Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) — depending on how remote your hike will be, although I always carry one regardless

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If you have any questions then please ask me in the comments section and I will answer them to the best of my knowledge. Solo hiking will change your life.

--Girl Seeking Purpose