Hiking is incredibly beneficial for both your mental and physical health because it combines aerobic exercise, nature exposure, and often social interaction, all of which are individually powerful — and together, they create even stronger effects.

Physically:

• Cardiovascular Health: Hiking gets your heart rate up, improving blood flow and lowering the risk of heart disease.
• Strength: Walking on uneven terrain strengthens muscles (especially legs, core, and stabilizers).  The resistive demand of climbing up and down hills is high, depending on the difficulty of the hike. Hiking can build both muscular strength and endurance.
• Balance: the varying terrain of hiking challenges your entire body to maintain an upright position. The ankle, knee, and hip joints/muscle are working continuously during a challenging hike to maintain a balance and keep you safe.
• Bone Density: Weight-bearing exercise like hiking helps keep bones strong and reduces the risk of osteoporosis.
• Weight Management: It burns calories — often more than flat-surface walking — helping with weight control.
• Endurance and Flexibility: Longer hikes build stamina and often involve stretching movements that enhance flexibility.

Mentally:

• Stress Reduction: Nature exposure decreases cortisol (the stress hormone) and triggers relaxation responses.
• Mood Boost: Physical activity releases endorphins and serotonin, chemicals that make you feel happier.
• Mindfulness and Focus: Hiking encourages you to be present — noticing the landscape, the path, the sounds — which is a natural form of meditation.
• Creativity: Studies show that spending time outdoors can boost creative problem-solving by up to 50%.
• Mental Resilience: Overcoming the challenges of a hike, like steep climbs or long distances, builds confidence and a sense of achievement.

Bonus:

• Social Benefits: If you hike with others, it strengthens relationships and provides emotional support.
• Connection to Nature: Being outside reminds you of your place in the natural world, which can increase feelings of awe, gratitude, and interconnectedness.

Hiking is a wonderful activity with many benefits.  However, if you are a novice hiker or new to exercise, you should start with a flat and/or beginner level trail.

If you are looking to tackle more advanced trails and/or want to avoid injury, give us a call and ask us how we can help you build the strength, mobility, and dynamic balance needed to summit the most challenging peaks.