Group Hikes vs Solo: Which One is Right for You?

Choosing whether to hike alone or with others largely comes down to personal preference. Both are incredibly rewarding and some people will find themselves more suited to one over the other. However, depending on a variety of factors one may be more suitable depending on your experience level or the route itself. Before choosing whether to hike by yourself or with others think about safety and your skill set, loneliness, boredom, and your personal freedom.

When you’re first starting out, hiking with others who are more experienced is not only a much safer approach, but also a good way to learn skills hands on in real life settings. Solo hiking without much experience can be quite risky. If you don’t have the practice dealing with situations commonly encountered in the backcountry, such as how to deal with river fords, inclement weather, navigation, animal encounters, or hydration, etc. hiking solo can quickly go from pleasant to harrowing. It’s best to build up your skills with others and practice in areas that are not far from civilization before branching out on your own. Even if you are an experienced hiker, off-trail and/or technical travel is also a safer and more appropriate setting for hiking with others. If you’re embarking on a hike that is much longer or in an area or climate you are not familiar with hiking with someone else is a good idea from a safety standpoint. Even on well-trodden trails, solo travel is inherently riskier and that fact should never be dismissed, no matter how many miles you’ve logged over the years.

Loneliness is perhaps the most common reason that people do not enjoy hiking alone. This is especially pronounced on longer trips. On very long trips, such as thru-hikes, solo hikers often hike for periods of time with other hikers they meet along the way to alleviate this. However, hiking in a group can be difficult if you do enjoy quietude. You may not know whether loneliness will be a factor for you until you have hiked solo for a significant period of time.

Boredom is another consideration, especially on longer trips. While hiking in a group doesn’t necessarily mean you won’t get bored on mundane stretches, it does mean that there will be others to distract you from it. If you plan to hike solo, ensure that you have something to keep boredom at bay. This can be audio or physical books, shows downloaded onto your digital device, a sketchbook, watercolor set, or something else that you prefer.

Hiking with a group, whether it’s large or small, requires a certain loss of autonomy. Decisions such as when to start, when and where to take breaks, when and where to camp (if on an overnight), and other choices should be discussed with the others involved. When you are solo, you make all of these decisions yourself. This is freeing, but it can also be overwhelming if you don’t feel confident making them on your own. Those who have strong preferences on how they like to schedule their time during hikes may find sharing decision making to take away from their experience.

Ultimately, while choosing whether to hike solo or with others is up to each individual, there are some factors that need to be considered. No matter which option feels more like home to you, there are some wonderful aspects of both. It is well worth trying each in order to reap the benefits, stretch your boundaries, and increase your growth as a backcountry hiker!