Hiking Etiquette 101: Post It, Share It, Let Others Love It Too

You Didn’t Invent The Mountain

So here I am... again. Making myself unlikable.

Again.

It's a gift.

Truly.

In my defense, being blunt and shamelessly authentic has always been either my superpower—or my social death sentence. Depends who you ask.

But when the savage must rise... well, let’s just say she straps on hiking boots, carries her pack, and rants.

Being Part of a Hiking Community

If you’ve read anything I’ve written—or just stood within ten meters of me while I gush—you already know I adore hiking. And the hiking community? Don’t get me started.

I’ve raved about them. Swooned. Probably even got a little misty-eyed if we’re being honest.

These are the people who caught me when I left the comfort of hiking with my sons, Salt and Pepper—well, more like when I was rudely dropped by them.

I love them to bits. Still do. (The hiking community, not my traitorous children.)

Nature Is For Everyone

BUT (yes, here it comes)—Somewhere in between the “take only pictures, leave only footprints”, you will find… pockets. Little cliquey, crusty, cranky pockets of weird territorial energy.

Pockets of “how DARE you hike this trail I casually posted across all social media, but didn't give you explicit permission to visit.”

Excuse me Jared?? Is this a public trail or your backyard?

And listen, if you post it, reel it, story it, blog it, tweet it, TikTok it—you put it in the public hiking buffet. Don’t glare at me while I chew on it.

Finding Trails That Match Your Hiking Style and Interests

So, to sum up—for the dehydrated and trail-weary:

If you post it, I might hike it.

If I hike it, I will blog it.

That’s… basically how it works, right? There are people out there—lots of them—who genuinely want to share their trails. And thank goodness for them. Because hiking isn’t about hoarding views like some kind of mountain myth; it’s about sharing, connecting, inspiring.

Honestly? I wouldn’t know about 90% of the trails I’ve hiked if I hadn’t seen them plastered across social media. Isn’t that literally what the hiking community does online? Share the joy. Pass it on. See someone else’s adventure and think, “Oh wow, I want that view too!”

And yes—that’s why I post too. Nothing makes me happier than hearing someone hiked a trail because they saw it on my page. That’s the goal.

Hiking Trail Politics—Is It A Thing?

Yes it is! Don’t even get me started on the judgment—oh, the judgment—about who hikes with who. Since when did walking uphill become a social contract? It’s not personal—it’s hiking.

Isn’t the whole point of this thing to share nature? To lift each other up with beautiful trails and broken-in boots... no matter who you’re with?

Sometimes it’s a group that won’t stop talking.

Sometimes it’s a friend whose just doing you a solid.

Sometimes it’s a stranger who suddenly becomes your favourite accidental hiking buddy.

All of it counts. All of it’s hiking.

All of it’s better than staying home, scrolling, and judging.

Namaste. (And seriously—chill.)