Older, Anxious, and Adventurous: Don't Let Anxiety Stop You From Hiking

Hiking Anxiety Tips: Getting Past the Fear of the Drive

Everyone assumes the hike is the hard part. Oh, sweet summer child. For some of us (hi, hello, it’s me), the real Everest is the drive.

Nothing says “adventure” quite like clutching the steering wheel, convinced I’ve taken a wrong turn, imagining the headlines the next morning “Mature Hiker Vanishes Without a Trace. Children Comment: : "At Least She Finally Lived a Little—Until She Didn’t.”

Overcoming the Fear of Leaving The Neighbourhood

A year ago, the thought of driving outside my suburb was terrifying. If I couldn’t find a hiking buddy to car pool with, or follow, I didn’t go. Case closed.

Back then, fear was bigger than my FOMO for missed hiking adventures.

Now I look like I’ve got it all together—out there driving distances every week (sometimes even twice). The truth?  My anxiety hasn’t magically disappeared. It just knows it has to come along for the ride.

The Panic Spiral Before a Weekend Hike

So by Wednesday, I’m bouncing off the walls—counting down to hike day. Can’t come soon enough.

But by Friday afternoon, one innocent re-check of Google Maps, my “quick little 45-minute trip” can magically turn into a full-blown 90-minute expedition.

And that’s when the spiral begins.

What if I get lost?

What if I hit traffic?

What if the destination is secretly a portal to another dimension and I’m never heard from again?  (Honestly, frequently my first thought.)

Sleep? Cancelled.

Logic? Gone.

Me? Wide-eyed, starring in my own cinematic highlight reel of every Worst Case Scenario ever conceived.

The Drive: From "No Way" to “Okay”

Honestly, the fear is always worse before I even start the car. Once I’m actually driving—armed with my garage cappuccino (a legal requirement at this point) and a built-in 30-minute buffer for “detours I will absolutely take”—the panic starts to fade.

By the time I arrive, and step out of the car, breathing in that mountain air, it feels like I’ve already won. The hike? Still ahead. But the real hurdle—just getting there—is behind me.

Yes, I’ll hum the national anthem myself if I have to.

How to Outsmart Your Pre-Hike Anxiety

For my fellow anxious-but-adventurous types:

Before tackling a two-hour trip, start by choosing trails closer to home, where you can do practice drives under similar conditions.

Carpool on a group hike or ask to follow a friend’s car until you feel braver.

But if you can't...

Create rituals. My “garage cappuccino” is non-negotiable. Not explainable. Find your own comfort routine.

Check the route once, save it offline, and back away from Google Maps before you spiral.

Remember. Your brain will scream before you leave, but once you’re moving it’s rarely as dramatic as your anxiety promised.

And once you’ve arrived? The hardest part is over. Yes, you still have to drive back—but somehow that trip never feels as scary as it did on the way there. Too tired to panic? Too peaceful to care?

Either way: win–win.

Facing Hiking Anxiety: The Hardest Step Is Showing Up

Climbing mountains looks impressive. But honestly, for me? The real victory is getting in the car, and driving past the edge of my comfort zone.

Do that, and I’ve already conquered the hardest part.

So when someone says, “I could never do what you do,” I just smile and reply:

“Neither could I—until I did. And until I keep doing it, anxiety will probably keep screaming in my head.”

I have learnt that the goal shouldn't be to magically erase fear—it’s to buckle up, turn the key, and show up anyway.

And if you need more convincing, scroll back. That’s a whole year of adventures I would’ve missed if I’d let anxiety win—and trust me, anxiety already wins enough arguments.