For a long time, I thought the “best” hikes were the big ones.
The ones I saw on social media.
The hikes in national parks.
The hikes with dramatic views.
The hikes people would stop and comment on when I posted a photo.
But somewhere along the way, I realized the best trail isn’t the most impressive one. It’s the one you’ll actually walk.
I’m as guilty as the next person to make something more complex than it needs to be...
I can’t hike today because I need more time.
I can’t hike today because I need better gear.
I can’t hike today because I would have to drive far away to somewhere exciting.
I can’t hike today because I don’t have anyone to go with me.
I can’t hike today because it’s raining.
Meanwhile, there is a trail less than 10 minutes from home waiting for you right now. Might be a local trail or conservation land in your town, might be your neighborhood sidewalks.
Either way, you’re outside and that’s what matters.
Don’t spend so much time looking for the perfect hike that you miss the perfectly good one waiting down the road for you.
But here’s the truth. One of my favorite trips happened in 3 days of mostly rain. And while I’ll say I don’t prefer the rain, it turned into something magical when I proved to myself I could do it.
Would I choose that forecast again, probably not. Three days backpacking in the rainy White Mountains is hard for anyone! And I did it!
But somewhere between the wet clothes, muddy trails and constant debate in my head about whether I should quit, something shifted.
I proved to myself I could do hard things.
There was a moment when I had to decide to do less than I originally planned. I didn’t reach every goal I set for myself, and for someone who likes to finish what she starts, that wasn’t easy. But looking back, it taught me something important.
It was okay.
It’s okay to turn around.
It’s okay to change the plan.
Sometimes the lesson isn’t in getting to the top. Sometimes the lesson is learning that you can keep going even when conditions aren’t perfect.
I now know that when I get in my head about walking out back on the trails and roads behind my house, it’s my brain getting in my way. I just have to tell myself, to get the heck out there and go!
These days most of my hikes are in my own town and in the woods behind my house. They count just as much as bigger ones in New Hampshire, or even the trip I’m planning for Washington in the fall. While those will definitely be EPIC, they aren’t everything.
They are just a PART of my hiking journey and local trails mean just as much to me.
Honestly, the hikes I remember most aren’t always the ones with the biggest views, they’re often the ones that got me outside on a day when I almost stayed home.
Consistency Beats Adventure
Trails don’t have to be epic to help your health and wellness either and this has been top of mind for me this year going through some of my own health struggles.
Walking and hiking can lower stress.
Improve fitness.
Clear your mind.
Build confidence.
None of those benefits require a bucket-list trail. And one hike doesn’t make you an amazing hiker.
You become a hiker by hiking. Putting one foot in front of the other and getting out there. One ordinary trail at a time.
Here’s your Sign
I want to formally give you permission to do the thing.
Walk the local trail.
Take the short hike.
Repeat the same route you’ve walked a hundred times.
Go even if weather isn’t perfect.
Go even if you only have an hour.
Go even if nobody comes with you.
The trail doesn’t have to be impressive to matter.
In fact, it might be exactly what you need.
These days, I still dream about big mountain adventures. I still love planning trips and exploring new places. But I’ve stopped waiting for the perfect hike.
Because the best trail isn’t the one on a bucket list.
It’s the one you’ll actually walk.
Thanks for spending a little time with me today.
See you next Sunday.
— Kaci