If you’re someone who looks at a trail map and immediately thinks, “Absolutely not,” this one is for you. Hiking has a reputation for being an “outdoorsy” hobby reserved for people who enjoy sweating voluntarily and eat energy gels on purpose. But here’s the truth. Hiking is for everyone. Yes, even you. Even if you hate hills. Even if you complain on every incline. Even if your idea of nature is the plant aisle at Home Depot.

Below are eight surprising, research-backed reasons to give hiking a shot — written for beginners, reluctant hikers, and anyone who needs a little push to step outside.

1. Hiking is incredible exercise, even when you move slowly

Hiking strengthens your legs, core, and stabilizing muscles while improving your cardiovascular fitness. Uneven terrain forces your body to constantly adjust, which engages muscles that don’t activate much during everyday walking.

Bearfoot Theory notes that hiking “improves balance, strengthens your legs, and boosts overall fitness” in ways you simply don’t get on flat pavement.
Source: https://bearfoottheory.com/benefits-of-hiking/

Most beginners hike at a comfortable pace and still get major benefits. No sprinting. No burpees. Just walking.

2. Nature gives your brain a break from mental overload

If your brain feels like 47 browser tabs are open at all times, the outdoors can help. Research from UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center shows that spending time in nature lowers stress, reduces rumination, and improves mood. That’s science saying, “You might feel better if you went outside once in a while.”

Source: https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/five_ways_hiking_is_good_for_you?

In other words, nature is basically the world’s original mental health app. And it’s free.

3. Hiking improves balance and mobility (even if you currently wobble doing basic tasks)

Every log, rock, and root strengthens your ankles and stabilizers. Studies consistently show that uneven terrain increases proprioception and mobility, especially for beginners.

Source: Bearfoot Theory.

If you’ve ever tripped over nothing in your kitchen, a few trails might actually make you more coordinated in daily life.

4. It’s one of the easiest ways to burn calories without feeling miserable

According to the American Hiking Society, the average person burns roughly 100 calories per mile while hiking — more if there’s elevation.

Source: https://americanhiking.org/health-benefits-of-hiking/

Unlike a treadmill, hiking distracts your brain with scenery. You burn energy without watching the seconds tick by like a prison sentence. Outdoor movement naturally feels less like a chore.

5. You don’t need special skills to hike. Walking is literally the requirement

One of the best things about hiking is that beginners don’t need training or technical gear. A guide on The Adventure Diet puts it plainly:
“Regardless of what you believe, everyone can hike.”
Source: https://www.theadventurediet.com/blog/how-to-start-hiking-in-7-simple-steps-a-guide-for-beginner-hikers

If you can walk, carry water, and follow a marked path, you have what it takes.

6. Hiking is incredibly cheap (compared to nearly any other hobby)

You don’t need a gym membership, high-end shoes, or designer gear. Start with:

• Comfortable shoes with grip
• A backpack you already own
• Water
• A snack
• A beginner trail

American Hiking Society’s beginner guide reinforces that “you can start with very little and upgrade later.”
Source: https://americanhiking.org/hiking-for-beginners-essential-guide/

Hiking is one of the most affordable fitness options available.

7. Hiking boosts mental clarity and mood (even for grumps and complainers)

Research consistently shows that time outside improves focus, reduces anxiety, and increases overall emotional well-being. These benefits apply to all ages, including kids and teens.

Source: Greater Good Science Center.

Even reluctant hikers often admit they feel calmer and more grounded after a short trail. Nature doesn’t fix everything, but it helps more than people expect.

8. Going outside forces you to unplug — which humans desperately need

Most trails do not care about your phone. Reception fades, notifications disappear, and for once you get to exist without digital noise.

That break from constant stimulation gives your brain space to reset. It’s the real-life version of hitting “clear cache.”

As Hiking Guy puts it, “You don’t need any special skills to hike; you just have to walk and know where you are."

Unplug. Walk. Breathe. Repeat.

Source: https://hikingguy.com/how-to-hike/hiking-for-beginners-11-essential-tips/

Conclusion: Hiking isn’t about conquering mountains. It’s about feeling human again

You don’t have to be fit, outdoorsy, or enthusiastic. You don’t have to love every minute. You don’t have to finish the hard trail your friend tricked you into doing. You just have to show up, walk, and see what happens.

At Lousy Outdoors, we celebrate trying over triumph. We celebrate the hikers at the back of the pack, the ones complaining uphill, the ones who thought the trail “looked flatter on the map.” The real win is getting outside at all.

Hiking is lousy. Life is better when you do it anyway.