There are many hobbies worldwide and why not adopt one of the almost free, inexpensive ones like hiking? Hiking brings numerous benefits to your health, mental, and time.
- First and foremost, hiking is free (almost always), inexpensive, and economical
It is true that some of the hiking trails will require you to drive to the trailhead/ parks, and so forth, but so does many other hobbies, such as playing bowling, badminton, doing escape room, walking in the zoo, going shopping, etc. Sometimes you are required to pay for parking, entrance fees, etc. but there is a wiser way to get bang for your buck by purchasing a yearly/ seasonal pass to the park, for example, the America The Beautiful pass, a pass that grants you access to the National Parks, National Monuments, Nationa Seashore, National Historic Site etc in the United States for the a year. This pass is good for one year from the month of purchase and if you can at least go to three National Parks in a year, you are already maximizing for what is worth. Plus you are supporting the National Parks for its upkeep and maintenance. In other countries or state, and regional parks have their own fee system which could save you a lot of money. Either way, hiking takes minimal purchases to begin with. You would only need shoes and clothing to be roaming around the trails.
You could sometimes even plan your route to fit hiking while doing your errands or visiting a friend which then saves you gas, time, and money. This method allows you to explore further in other areas that you are used to. And this is why I enjoy hiking
2) It is a great way to exercise
In addition to hiking being inexpensive, you can reap even more benefits and enjoy while doing it. Hiking is a great way to exercise and there is no monthly commitment fee like the gym or yoga/ classes studios.
3) It is a great stress relief and improves mental health
I know for sure that hiking is a great stress relief. I remember going through a process of buying a property for what felt like years long to decide and I was torn whether or not to move forward with it or not. I decided to do a 2-mile hike around the neighborhood hiking trail park and felt so much better after the hike. My head was clearer, my thoughts were clarified, and definitely felt happier. Hiking can definitely make you feel happier as it counts as exercise and it releases happy hormones that make you happy. Being outdoors and seeing nature and greenery is a great distraction to the clouded mind besides going to the therapy. This is all the more reason why I find good benefits in hiking.
4) Can be done solo or in groups
Hiking is a hobby that can be done solo or in groups. Although it is highly recommended and advised to do in groups, especially in non-cell-service areas, it is possible to do a solo hike at a trail you are familiar with or even with a pet. Understanding the trail and knowing your limits is the utmost importance to your safety.
5) Enhance and improve photography skill
Hikers often enjoy and like hiking because this is the time to shine with your photography skills. Take pictures of the trails, nature, wildlife, plants, tree, and people for memories. You will be able to gauge and learn to change the settings of the camera to take better, clearer, and more meaningful pictures and create memories. This will allow you to adjust the lighting, zoom, and sharpness of the settings. You can even submit the pictures for contests or National Geographic or local magazines and newspaper.
6) Hiking is easy to start
Similar to reason #1, you do not need much to start hiking. Clothing, shoes, and water are the essentials to get you started and like hiking Just keep doing it, and you will notice the difference in your body and mind. Compared to other hobbies, you may need a lot of practice and gear before you even begin, for example, scuba diving and snowboarding. If you are hurt and have limitations in walking, an assisted tool can get you started and just being outdoors helps renew your mind and soul.
7) Hiking is a good way to explore the world
Have you ever wanted to visit another state or country? Hiking can nudge you to make it a reality. There are a lot of places to visit because of its beautiful hiking nature, such as Banff National Park in Canada. The memory of traveling with sneaking hiking in the itinerary last a lot longer than the memory of someone in the shopping mall. Profile pictures on social media are mostly of nature and rarely a picture of someone at a shopping mall.
8) Hiking is a way to get vitamin D adsorption
Hiking is a great way to get vitamin adsorption. One of the death rate reason in 2020 during the pandemic was lack of vitamin D. Here you go, an activity that is free and allow you to get the vitamin D.
In summary, when you are physically able to do it hiking is essentially good for you.