r/The10thDentist • u/xHey_All_You_Peoplex • Feb 09 '26
Animals/Nature Hiking sucks as a fun activity.
Pretty much what I said in the title. Hiking is ass. It's boring and dreadful. How is it fun to go climb up a mountain, spend your time out of breath, hot and sweaty, fighting off bugs (if it's grassy or in the summer), or being alert for potential animal attacks depending on where you are.
The risk of falling to your death, if you go off beaten paths that are high up. Hell even potential running into weirdos out and about. Sucks. The view through the hike usually sucks its just a bunch of trees and rocks 99 percent of the time.
The only thing it has going for it, is that it's a work out. And occasionally the end of the result looks nice, (pretty gorge, outcrop) but most of the time it sucks its not fun
Yes I've hiked multiple times before, in Mexico, Niagara Falls, etc. It just sucks. I hate it.
I like nature when I'm at a nice beach, or a pretty meadow before someone says I hate nature. Or the top of a hill looking out in the horizon. Grand canyon gorge is cool also. Field of flowers
Also hiking is not a fun first date activity, either. Why would i want to get to know you, sweating and puffing and out of breath. Gross. If we're doing a walk that counts as a hike and just talking, why not just sit and talk indoors?
Edit: So apparently a flat 20 minute walk counts as a hike. Also hikes are not all steep uphill treks. With that new information, hiking still sucks. Even without it being exhausting or strenuous, it's still boring. Could be a perfect day, slight incline, and I'd still rather do something else, then look at trees and rocks boring. Also apparently I must be out of shape, cause I got winded from 2 hour steep hikes up mountains. Lol.
Edit 2: Insulting me because I think hiking is boring is a choice. some of you seem personally offended that I think hiking sucks lol. Funniest thing from this is people assuming/calling me fat, first time for everything i guess. Guarantee I’m in better shape than the people saying otherwise
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u/Goeppertia_Insignis Feb 09 '26
Some of us like looking at trees and rocks.
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u/guyincognito121 Feb 09 '26
Yeah, there's just something about being out in any kind of wilderness that I find very relaxing. Exotic wildlife and grand vistas are nice, but not at all necessary.
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u/Charger18 Feb 10 '26
And the smell of being in nature can also just be amazing.
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u/TheGanzor Feb 09 '26
Also fungi, insects, animals, other plants, lichen ...... I think people who hate nature events, actually just don't know how to appreciate nature.
"It's boring because it doesn't have a screen and 100% interaction time"
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u/StatisticianSmall864 Feb 09 '26
I like boating. Fishing. Swimming. Bug hunting. Actual hunting.
I hate hiking.
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u/alwaysnear Feb 09 '26
Op likes nature like “nice beaches”
Pretty sure this is the fly-to-greece-and-never-leave-the-hotel type of person
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u/ggnorebud Feb 09 '26
Hiking doesn’t have to mean rigorous/intense
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u/Jbooxie Feb 09 '26
Very true! and a lot of places have options for multiple trails. Near my hometown there’s a place you can go that has a half a mile loop and a 5 mile loop, as well as others in between.
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u/1ost1nheaven Feb 11 '26
Agreed! I live in an area with lots of state parks and there’s plenty of trails that are completely beginner friendly and not strenuous at all. Hiking can be a great workout/challenge but it can also just be a nice chill way to relax, unwind, and get outdoors
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u/MasterDiiscord Feb 09 '26
your last line makes little sense to me. why are you pushing yourself to exhaustion for something that is a leisure activity? when you get a little tired, take a couple minute break to enjoy the scenery
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u/dotdedo Feb 09 '26
I think it sucks because people think hiking is supposed to be like
“I never been outside for longer than an hour in my life….. let’s go hike mount Rainer tomorrow”
No one is forcing you to hike in back country. No one is forcing you to go on the longest and highest trails in your area.
Saying hiking isn’t fun just says you are unable to make fun or just want to copy what others do. Hiking is one of the most customizable activities out there, and two hikers rarely look the same.
Sounds like you just don’t understand the limits of your body and force yourself on the harder trails because you think you have to to hike for “real”
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u/xHey_All_You_Peoplex Feb 09 '26
I truly thought thats what hiking was. I didn't think walks around a park counts, but apparently it does.
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u/Khajiit_Has_Upvotes Feb 09 '26
It's not just cultivated and maintained parks vs climbing cliff faces lol there are lots of trails in between
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u/Fine-Bar9745 Feb 09 '26
Idk bro, I live near Niagara Falls and I’d describe the hiking in the area as pretty “walk around the park” 😭
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u/dotdedo Feb 09 '26
Theres plenty of trails for all experience levels! I started hiking by just breaking out of my shell and walking in my back yard (we have a large property) and just went from there.
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u/Teknicsrx7 Feb 09 '26
I like nature when I'm at a nice beach, or a pretty meadow before someone says I hate nature. Or the top of a hill looking out in the horizon. Grand canyon gorge is cool also. Field of flowers
You don’t like nature, you like picturesque scenes.
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u/Ok_Oil_995 Feb 09 '26
This! It's a "everything is about the rewards presented at the end" attitude, and a narrow one at that. Hiking is enjoyable as much for the journey as the destination.
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u/xHey_All_You_Peoplex Feb 09 '26
I do tend to bring my camera and take pics
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u/Teknicsrx7 Feb 09 '26
Yea nature is gorgeous just as often as it is a pain in the ass, I just love being surrounded by it.
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Feb 11 '26 edited Feb 11 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/johnedn Feb 12 '26
I don't even really know where you'd go for actual hiking in nature at Niagara Falls, it's a waterfall surrounded by cityscape on all sides that aren't some of the largest bodies of fresh water in the world. Could hike a little on goat Island IG, but it takes like 15 mins to walk from end to end on that island and Abt half of it is a restaurant and parking lot
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Feb 09 '26
You’re more than welcome to dislike the activity, but you shouldn’t really be out of breath while doing it usually.
It’s generally just walking at small inclines.
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u/Otterbotanical Feb 09 '26
Depends on your state? I'm in Washington and you can't "hike" basically any trail without hitting a 30° at least at some point lol. It's extremely mountainy here
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u/Akomatai Feb 09 '26
Same in utah. There are definitely some kid-friendly trails but when i think "hike," most of the trails that come to mind aren't exactly leisurely strolls lol
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u/Pentium4Powerhouse Feb 09 '26
Brother I live in Washington and think of hiking as taking a walk. I guess I don't push myself though and try to have leisurely hikes
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u/Otterbotanical Feb 09 '26
Sure sure, I didn't have much trouble with Little Sy myself, but I'm just talking about OP there
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u/jewllybeenz Feb 09 '26
Yeahhhh idk where you’re at (I’m in Wyoming) but a lot of hiked absolutely DRAIN me
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u/Round_Rectangles Feb 09 '26
Small inclines? Not some of the hikes I've been on, lol.
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u/Intelligent-Ad-1424 Feb 09 '26
Finally, someone gets it lol. Many outdoors and mountaineering organizations use tiered difficulty rankings for a reason.
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u/Round_Rectangles Feb 09 '26
Yeah, there's a lot of variety when it comes to hikes. I use AllTrails to look up good spots in my area, and they have different difficulty ratings and other information for each trail. I'm not sure why there are some people saying that all hikes are just "walks in nature" or "shouldn't make you exhausted." There's different levels, lol, they're not all the same. It seems like OP was doing a lot of rigorous hikes and isn't a big fan of nature.
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u/Intelligent-Ad-1424 Feb 09 '26 edited Feb 10 '26
I would argue that even AllTrails rankings are too general. They list a lot of stuff as “Hard”, but most alpine organizations will divide hikes listed as “Hard” on AllTrails into minimum 3 different difficulty categories (and possibly more if the organization supports high level mountaineering activities).
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u/Intelligent-Ad-1424 Feb 09 '26
“Small inclines”, honey no. This is dangerous misinformation lol. Never go on a hike assuming it’s just going to be a “small incline”. You need to look at the relative elevation gain per distance of particular hike stretches to get an idea of whether what you’re doing is within your skill level. Many hikes involve very steep inclines and scrambling. Always do your research ahead of time.
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u/Round_Rectangles Feb 09 '26
They must be doing some pretty chill hikes, or they don't live in a hilly/mountainous area.
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u/10YearsANoob Feb 11 '26
A small incline is a walk not a hike to me. when someone says hike I expect a daytrip and possibly camping
i think it's a dialectical difference. like how commute to me means public transportation and not "going to and from work"
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u/LuckyHarmony Feb 09 '26
I love to hike in the Sierras, but I live at sea level and I'm huffing and puffing every time I go, at least for the first day.
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u/LizardsAreBetter Feb 09 '26
It's a way to get exercise while being outside and seeing interesting things. Went with a buddy, we saw a group of deer flee through the forest and we talked about people we think should be in prison.
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u/PomegranateFluid7619 Feb 09 '26
I love hiking, it’s one of the best activities for my mental health
Take my upvote
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u/ChimericMelody Feb 09 '26
There is no more meditative an expierience than a good hike. It clears ypur mind, allows you to separate yourself from the worst parts of humanity, and appreciate real beauty. Hikes don't have to be athletic, but I do also enjoy them when they are.
It makes you feel like an adventurer. Almost every vacarion I've been on has consisted heavily of hiking. It's always a cool expierience, especially when far away from home. One of my greatest privleges is that I have had the opportunity. I've hiked a lot of cool places, Yosemite, Yellowstone, Tuscon Arizona, West Virginia, Ontario, and a dozen places across the Midwest. Some of my most memorable moments have been on hikes. I wish I lived somewhere with more trails.
The best hikes are the ones you didn't know existed, cool little places tucked to the roadside that you stumble upon on the way to somewhere else. I loved the small waterfalls and trails I saw much more than Niagra when I went on a roadtrip that way. The next best kind of hike is the hike that sucks just a tiny bit, that pushes you to be a little more than you were before. I've gone on a few ten mile hikes, and loved all of them. The most strenuous hike I went on was in Yosemite last year. It was around 3 hours, and ended after climbing some 4000 feet of altitude. Worth.
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u/IGrimblee Feb 09 '26
There's so many different levels of hiking your acting like the only hike is a strenuous one in the mountains. Now if any form is hiking is getting you that exhausted you should probably take a look at your physical health. It's a relaxing, mind-clearing activity and especially with the amount we all spend online I think it's great. Also you don't need to fear for your life going for a hike lol
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u/thehomeyskater Feb 09 '26
I think if you’re in poor shape you’re probably not going to enjoy hiking.
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u/Isekai_Trash_uwu Feb 09 '26
I'm pretty out-of-shape and hiking is the only form of exercise I truly like. Call me crazy, but doing 4,000 footers in the White Mountains is exhausting for me and I have to take frequent breaks but it's so rewarding and the people I meet are awesome. I love it so much.
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u/deuxcabanons Feb 10 '26
At my peak I weighed over 300 lbs at 5'7". I huffed and puffed and took breaks and struggled up even moderate inclines, but I still loved hiking! I have always preferred slightly more technical hikes vs flat paths, it keeps my brain busy so I don't notice my body screaming at me.
Last time I went hiking was after losing 110 lbs and I was shocked at how easy (and fast!) it was by comparison. Turns out that hiking with an extra hundred pounds is excellent strength training, lol. I'm looking forward to trying some more strenuous trails as my kids get a bit bigger, we're limited to moderate right now.
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u/Odd-Reward2772 Feb 09 '26
Hiking is a bad first date because most women don't want to be alone in the woods with an unfamiliar man.
Hiking itself you do to challenge yourself. For me it's an all day process that starts with getting up at 4:30am and getting to the trailhead by 8. You do it because you're not a bitch. And yes it's not always safe, you have to go by your own safety tolerances.
I also often get hours of solitude and I live in a major city and hike within the metro area.
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u/Shmolti Feb 09 '26
A hike shouldn't push you to exhaustion unless you're very unfit/overweight.
Very rarely is a hike a trek straight up the side of a mountain lol.
Regarding it being boring - to each their own I suppose. If you don't appreciate the beauty of the outdoors then that would make hiking less enjoyable
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u/WorkerAmbitious2072 Feb 09 '26
Get into shape and it’s a lot better
To put it bluntly, many Americans these days are not built for physical activity
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u/xHey_All_You_Peoplex Feb 09 '26
I'm in shape. I like physical activity outside of hiking
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u/Rhoshack Feb 09 '26
Yes, round and blubbery is the shape of most Americans.
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u/xHey_All_You_Peoplex Feb 09 '26
Lol you know what they say about assumptions
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u/Rhoshack Feb 09 '26
I upvoted your post because I disagree with you. Hiking an incredible way for people to experience nature and get some exercise, which most Americans need drastically more of. I think of hikes as workouts and intentionally add weight to my backpack for that purpose. Given that your feelings towards hiking are in the minority, it suits this sub perfectly.
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u/MountOlympu Feb 10 '26
My bad I didn’t realize I shouldn’t be sweaty after a 2 hr hike up a steep mountain on a humid day, definitely a skill issue
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u/Inevitable-Lock5973 Feb 09 '26
I agree with you. Hiking is not for me, all my friends hike and they’re really into like putting 30 pounds in your backpack and going on your own and I’m just like no bugs, heat, getting up too early in the morning, sweaty and out of breath, not interested there’s always some Rando trying to shoot you or kill you and bears. I’m good.
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u/sharterfart Feb 09 '26
It's nice being out in nature. It doesn't have to be super rigorous.
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u/OneTonProductions Feb 09 '26
The view is just trees and rocks?! Hey everyone! This guy can’t find the beauty in the natural world!
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u/FlakeyGurl Feb 09 '26
I mean... Hiking is okay, but it's okay that you don't like it. I would recommend just not going hiking if you don't like it. Why do something that's not enjoyable for yourself? I mean if a family member or someone wants you to go, that's a little bit different. You could say yes sometimes in that case and then it would make it special.
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u/SnooPeripherals5969 Feb 09 '26
This thread is so weird. To me ( and I’m pretty sure to everyone who live in my state?) hiking has always meant climbing a mountain usually using a hiking trail. If you are walking through the woods for 10 miles you are just on a nature walk. You can reach the summit on a hike but not on a walk. Now I’m wondering about this linguistically. Is it regional?
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u/xHey_All_You_Peoplex Feb 09 '26
I bet they say nature walk in the wood instead of hike through the woods when talking to people in real life for sure but on Reddit people like to be pedantic so it’s whatever
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u/StatisticianSmall864 Feb 09 '26
Flat walks are NOT hikes. If it was a hike, it would be called a hike. I like walks. I hate hikes.
I also hate hiking partly because as someone with an invisible illness, everyone assumes I’m either out of shape or lazy when I’m actually overheating, dehydrated from excess sweating, and get exercise fatigue.
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u/grandma-activities Feb 11 '26
Yeah I love it when people try to tell me to take my asthmatic, arthritic body out for a hike. Like... no? Let me have my 20-minute flat walk that doesn't make me hate life.
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u/redgreenorangeyellow Feb 10 '26
Yeah I don't get hiking either.
And it's not a "I'm not in shape" thing. I was in marching band in high school. I spend most of my free time at theme parks. At college I don't have a car. I walk everywhere.
My family and I have tried to go on a few short hikes in the last few years. Flat. Well marked paths. Not hard at all. We're not out of breath.
We do, however, have to watch the ground more than our surroundings to watch for tree roots, spiders, snakes, etc. So we're not even watching our pretty surroundings. We're just... Walking? For apparently no reason? Just why??
So yeah. I don't find it fun either 🤷🏻♀️ I don't think it's actively bad... But at best I find it to be a waste of time
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u/CuriousPumpkino Feb 09 '26
99% agree
To preface, I’ve never (outside this thread) seen ppl call a 20 minute walk a hike. That’s bewildering to me. Short walks are nice
Actual hiking is…the views are nice but basically never worth the hours of effort. I like being around nature and all but yeah, a flat ground 30min walk will do
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u/xHey_All_You_Peoplex Feb 09 '26
Right all of a sudden, 20 minute walks count as a hike. But if you go out in public and say I went on a hike, and they say where and you say you took a 20 minute walk in a park, they'd say otherwise.
But people wanna be pendatic in the thread so it's whatever
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u/GuineaBee94 Feb 09 '26
I don't get why everyone in the comments are so butthurt. I too hate hiking, and that is my opinion. The whole point of this sub is opinions... but I agree with you OP, hiking sucks.
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u/VinegarMyBeloved Feb 09 '26
It’s nice but I don’t love to go with others since my legs are short so my fast pace is often their slow pace
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u/halfwit258 Feb 09 '26
I don't necessarily agree with all of your reasons, but I also hate hiking. I've done it plenty of times, just plain don't enjoy it
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u/mikewheelerfan Feb 09 '26
I love hiking in flat spaces. Hiking with hills, on the other hand, is a fucking nightmare. My resting heart rate is already about 110 BPM. Just imagine how high it gets when I’m going uphill. Yeah, it’s bad…
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u/amolluvia Feb 10 '26
Haha you make good points. A walk is good to clear the head but damn - hiking up mountains etc is miserable.
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u/Anemonememe Feb 10 '26
I know most of the comments disagree, but I'm with you OP. I live in the pacific northwest and I love nature and hiking but like... hikes are usually sweaty. Like, my sweat steams off my forehead. Most of the time there's some kind of mountain to climb. Anything else and I will call it a nature walk!
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u/BloodFromAnOrange Feb 09 '26
I get that some people like it, but I sure don't. The one view I get to is never worth two hours-plus of sweating and bugs and all that.
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u/Particular_Can_7726 Feb 09 '26
Not a 10th dentist opinion. Maybe 3-5/10 not everyone enjoys hiking. You also seem to think hiking must be strenuous but it can be an easy walk in nature too.
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u/Already-asleep Feb 09 '26
Yeah I live in the Rockies so hiking is popular but I think I know more people who don’t hike than who do. And I’m fine with that. I have friends who want to be there. I have no interest in dragging someone along who’s going to whine the whole time and arrive at a 360 panoramic view of jagged peaks and alpine lakes and say “this is lame.”
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u/Caftancatfan Feb 09 '26
Yeah, I’m a very indoorsy person, and going on a hike is the equivalent of dropping a friend off at the airport. It’s a hassle I’ll do as a favor, but I’m not going to look forward to or enjoy it.
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u/xHey_All_You_Peoplex Feb 09 '26
Yeah I feel the same. I go with friends and enjoy their company, but I'm like I could've also enjoyed their company inside
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u/StressorAnxiety Feb 09 '26
I agree with this actually. I also have a joint condition which makes everything painful, and hiking definitely doesn't make my top 10 list of activities to do.
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u/TheNamesClove Feb 09 '26
I’m actually with you, I tried stand up a few times and one of my bits was about the difference between taking walks and hiking and how one is leisure and chill and you can pretty much opt out when tired and go home, the other requires you to commit to several miles normally in a more remote place and you forfeit your right to say “Okay I’m ending this right now.” It did okay, but the moral is I also feel strongly about hikes lol.
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u/Kobalt6x10 Feb 09 '26
You have the option to hike when it's not hot, you know. And if going up hills is too much for your shitty cardiovascular system, don't go up hills.
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u/Ok_Veterinarian2715 Feb 09 '26
Here's my advice. Go to Mt Teide in the Canary islands. There's a parking lot at the base of the mountain and, this is a very important point, a bar next the parking lot and cable car going from the bar to the top of the mountain When I went they had to ask me to stop screaming the words "Why the FUCK don't all mountains have one of these?!?!!!"
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u/Timely_Mix_4115 Feb 09 '26
Totally disagree, I find hiking to absolutely reset me because I do not treat it like a work out, I put no pressure on myself to get to a particular destination, and I find nature to be beautiful and tranquil when I apply more than a cursory glance at it.
You use such categorical terms that I question if you’ve ever truly looked in detail around in nature. I don’t see trees, I see pines and firs and elms and various leaves in their various states of growth or decay. It’s thrilling because I’m looking for uniqueness, whereas I think your exertion level is making it difficult to have an attitude of appreciation because you’re pushing hard with a goal in mind.
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u/Intelligent-Ad-1424 Feb 09 '26
Everything you talked about liking at the end there is part of the hiking experience. Hiking is what you make it. It’s something that enables you to see more nature that you otherwise wouldn’t be able to see. That’s how I see it. Pick hikes that you like doing and in the conditions you like and you’ll like it better.
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u/LightlySaltedPeanuts Feb 09 '26
You might like skiing. Some of the downsides of hiking but you actually get to do something fun. Lifts make it so you don’t have to walk much, pr at least a reasonable amount of walking.
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u/seancbo Feb 09 '26
I mean yeah, fair enough, it's not for everyone. I completely hated it for decades and only recently started to enjoy it.
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u/Godeshus Feb 09 '26
Hey if it's not for you, it's not for you, and that's ok. I love hiking. Especially after working all day. Getting the dog in the car and fucking off I to the woods for an hour or 2 is therapeutic.
I live in an incredible area though. Lots of hikes lead to the ocean, so pack a piknik, reach the beach, chill for a bit while me and my pup chow down, throw sticks for her in the water, then another beautiful trek back.
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u/YouArentMyRealMom Feb 09 '26
Completely get it, though I love it for the reasons you don't. I love super steep hikes that make me hate everything. I dont know how to describe it but its so satisfying to me.
The suffering coupled with the completely gorgeous views (especially above tree line) is a drug for me. Its an incredible reward for the effort and by the end of a brutal hike I've worked through months of stress lol. Many of my favorite hikes have involved me and my friends saying "this fucking sucks" for like 8+ hours. Yet we can never wait to plan the next hard hike! Itd take so long for me to fully describe everything I love about a good hike. All I will say though is reaching the summit of a mountain and breaking out the food we carried up for lunch is an experience Ill always value to my core.
Ive done plenty of hikes that are simply pleasant little outdoor walks and I dont get the same joy from them unfortunately. Typically focus on photography for those.
I TOTALLY get what youre saying though and the hikes I enjoy arent something most of my friends have any interest in beyond the photos we show them. Super personal preference. Me and you are just wired differently is all!
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u/mrBreadBird Feb 09 '26
You said it yourself in your third paragraph. It's exercise and the end result looks nice. It's not fun in the way playing a game or going to the movies is but it is exercise that I vastly prefer to going to the gym because you get fresh air, see different sights from usual and you get a sense of accomplishment of making it up the hill.
You're in just as much danger in the gym, you're getting almost as sweaty and you are maybe more likely to run into weirdos in the gym than you are in nature where most people are friendly and leave you alone.
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u/bluejellyfish52 Feb 09 '26 edited Feb 09 '26
I loved hiking when I could still do it. Nature brings me so much joy and peace. What you find boring, I find fascinating and I can’t even enjoy it myself anymore.
I loved to go hiking on the trails at Williamsburg VA while on vacation, and when I’m in my parents home town, I loved to hike at Oglebay, and I loved walking through Wheeling Park and Wheeling Park Cemetery (like 6 or 7 of my family members rest in Wheeling Park Cemetery, when I’m walking there I’m stopping to visit them. I visit my grandparents and cousins, and I visit my great-great-grandmother and her last husband).
Now, it’s just painful. Trying to walk longer than 15 minutes at a time without a mobility aid causes my entire lower back to scream, and my upper back to feel like it’s being stabbed. My cane lets me walk up to 20 minutes at a time with less pain, but I still have to take breaks because otherwise I could give myself a flare so bad that I won’t be able to walk for 3-5 days. Pushing through isn’t an option when your disease gets worse from pushing your limits.
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u/xHey_All_You_Peoplex Feb 09 '26
Damn I'm sorry. I'll go on a hike this weekend in your honor and try to adopt your mindset.
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u/mothbbyboy Feb 09 '26
I hate hiking... if I try to go fast and reach a destination. IMO everyone tries way too hard goes way too fast and yeah makes it strenuous and sweaty. I like to treat it as a stroll in the park. If I don't get to the the magic waterfall or whatever I don't give a shit; I still spent some time getting mild exercise and some fresh air, plus there's a lot of science behind being in green spaces significantly improving mental health. So I avoid people that say they like to hike and just go at my own pace because otherwise it sucks.
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Feb 09 '26
I love the outdoors and something being physically difficult has never deterred me. Often times it makes me more excited.
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u/ILikeDragonTurtles Feb 09 '26
Why are you so sweaty and puffing and out of breath from...checks notes...walking?
Aight, obligatory chop busting done.
Yeah, hiking is pretty boring. But only by comparison. I enjoy being outside in nature, but there's too much other stuff I'd rather be doing.
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u/gorehistorian69 Feb 09 '26
i hiked so fucking much as a kid and i despised it. i was forced into boy scouts and had to do so much hiking. even did 2 like 100 mile hikes that were around 12 days and the whole fucking time while hiking i was just thinking about being back home playing videos games/listening to music.
however as an adult i think its pretty cool that i did all that now and think hiking is very cool especially if its alpine hiking/mtn climbing kinda stuff.
id never force my kid to do it if they didnt enjoy it though.
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u/Charming-Objective14 Feb 09 '26
Hiking isn't about finding the steepest hill possible and pushing yourself to you collapse, enjoy the freedom of being alone in the middle of nowhere take time to process your thoughts and enjoying the scenery and wildlife, you might even find some interesting people to talk to along the way.
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u/eddy159357 Feb 09 '26
Honestly I agree. The only hike I would go out of my way to do again is the one on Santorini, the views were insane. Otherwise, it's just a mediocre exercise activity to do with friends/partner because it's easy to do. If someone's primary hobby is hiking, they're likely kinda boring.
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u/JoeMorgue Feb 09 '26
Alert the fucking media, the internet has "The outdoor sucks" opinion yet again.
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u/red-fox-972x Feb 09 '26
I agree except when its just a casual 20 minute walk down a trail. That's the fun and relaxing part that they're talking about.
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u/SkillusEclasiusII Feb 09 '26
I've never had any of those issues except very rarely the bugs and when it's hot the sweatiness. If you're out of breath from hiking, you must be really out of shape or walking excessively fast.
As for using it as a date: periods of silence can end up kinda awkward when you're just sitting somewhere. When you're doing something, like hiking, this is much less of an issue.
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u/ImpressiveJohnson Feb 09 '26
So if enjoying the great outdoors is bad what do you consider fun and relaxing?
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u/Turbowookie79 Feb 09 '26
It’s an excuse to get outside and get my steps in, and the dog loves it. You’re just out of shape.
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u/salty_z0mbie Feb 09 '26
I don't sweat or deal with bugs on 90% of my hikes.
I hike a lot and pace myself so I'm not out of breath constantly. A conversation during the uphills is entirely doable.
The only animal that has ever remotely threatened to attack was the snake which a group member nearly stepped on, and it would have been self defense on the snakes part.
Don't go close to ledges or on sloped areas you're not comfortable with. Wear appropriate footwear.
I don't know what you expect to see other than trees and rocks in nature. Maybe falling water? Like, that is the view.
I'd love it as a first date but only if she suggested it. Asking a woman on a hike for a first date sounds like a great way to make her feel uneasy around me.
Personally, I'm ecstatic that you hate hiking. Less crowds for me 😁
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u/skip6235 Feb 09 '26
I would rather do a moderate hike in a beautiful forest than sit on a boring beach getting sunburned 10 times out of 10.
I just don’t understand the appeal of the beach at all.
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u/Jbooxie Feb 09 '26
Nature is beautiful and hiking is a way to enjoy nature. I get not liking it if you’re not into nature activities, or physical activities, but if you like those things, it’s great! I love hiking when I get a chance ,I miss living near the mountains when I could just drive 10 minutes and be on the trail. Besides, you don’t get the views of hiking without actually getting into the work I mean, yeah there’s other beautiful places, but have you ever been to the top of a mountain where you could see three states at once and roaring river, It’s breathtaking.
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u/PuddingImpressive389 Feb 09 '26
I agree that climbing rocks is too intense for a casual hobby, but walking through the forest is actually pretty fun
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u/am_i_boy Feb 09 '26
I don't like hiking with a set end goal. I love walking aimlessly. Idc where I am. I can walk aimlessly in a forest or a city forever without knowing how long it's been. Hilly/rocky areas are less appealing because of my joint instability. But just walking and looking around at whatever is around us while I talk to someone and get to know them is really nice.
I hate a huffing and puffing, can't speak a full sentence because I'm so out of breath, sticky with sweat, don't have the capacity to understand what you're saying because I have to focus on the path, have a specific destination in mind and we MUST reach it, kinda hike. Those ones are not fun, especially as a date activity. They're too intese, too tiring, require so much of my executive and sensory function that I won't be able to actually get to know the person I'm with.
But I love a stroll in the woods, talking about local folk tales, learning how to identify plants, showing each other cool little rocks, making flower crowns while learning about each other, kind of hike. Gentle and slow with no hevy exertion. Being able to give my attention to little distractions without anyone being annoyed at my constant shifting of focus. Some sharing of interesting and/or relevant information. A little time spent learning about each other. Things like that. I like activities that are not strenuous, but are physically activating, yk?
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u/SirRaiuKoren Feb 09 '26
Hypothesis: You also find art museums and galleries boring. Is this correct?
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u/Demon-Cat Feb 09 '26
“I don’t personally like this, so I think it’s bad.”
You’re more than welcome to dislike it, OP, but don’t project your personal taste as an objective opinion.
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u/xHey_All_You_Peoplex Feb 09 '26
Is this or is this not an opinion sub? Why are you taking my opinion as objective
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u/hallerz87 Feb 09 '26
Sounds like you just prefer to hike through certain terrain, not that you dislike hiking as a whole. Everyone has a preference, that’s fine
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u/Melinoe2016 Feb 09 '26
I agree it’s not a first date activity. You’ve clearly never hiked somewhere like Glacier NP though if you think only the end of trails have a good view. Check out the high line trail. Hiking is amazing but that doesn’t mean it’s a good first date activity.
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u/Highmassive Feb 09 '26
Man, hard upvote. I love hiking, fresh air, beautiful scenery (even if it’s just trees and rocks), meet cool people if it’s a popular trail or the solitude if it’s more off the beaten path, see cool animals, take cool pictures, and it’s basically free
Though I’m not really sure if this is 10th dentist. Most people I know irl definitely don’t enjoy hiking
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u/shadowscar00 Feb 09 '26
OP you might also want to consider a secondary hiking-adjacent hobby. Birding gets insane quick. I know it sounds like an old lady hobby, but you can literally track the birds you’ve seen like Pokémon Go, and birds are CRAZY once you stop to look and learn.
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u/WitsBlitz Feb 09 '26
Upvote for a true 10th dentist take. But also you're clearly doing something wrong here.
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u/Dredgeon Feb 09 '26
Sounds like you just aren't the kind of person that appreciates overcoming challenges. A lot of people genuinely enjoy the difficulty. Getting to the top of a mountain and knowing you really earned that view is just special. Going with friends is so fun because you get to overcome the challenge together.
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u/RainbowArchery9079 Feb 09 '26
That's your opinion and you're certainly allowed to have it. I personally enjoy hiking, especially because that's how I obtain pretty rocks. I like seeing wild animals, the trees, and lakes or rivers. Certain hikes are strenuous, sure--but I know my limits and skills. Hiking doesn't always have to dangerous or challenging. There's a hill near me that has several trails for different levels of experience, and one trail is pretty flat. It's more for beginners and older folks.
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u/SOwED Feb 09 '26
spend your time out of breath, hot and sweaty
The only thing it has going for it, is that it's a work out.
Wait so you like working out but your entire hikes are you being hot, sweaty, and out of breath?
I do agree that it's not a good first date activity unless you were already friends with them. If it's like a Hinge thing, who would agree to "hey, I know we've never met, let's go where there's no cell reception and long stretches of time not seeing another person."
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u/OddDc-ed Feb 09 '26
This falls in line with the divide between folks who enjoy working out and don't.
It comes down to either you do get happy chemicals when exerting yourself or you don't and that plays a huge part in this. If you don't enjoy a big part of an activity you just overall wont like it even if the rest of it is okay.
Hikes tend to fall into the workout territory but the nature and other factors help distract from that part of it to some degree but its not for everyone.
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u/WideHuckleberry1 Feb 09 '26
I think most hikers simply like the views inside the woods, with all the plants and birds and rocks and things.
But even if I didn't, the challenge is part of the fun. In some sense, the journey validates the destination. When I'm on a back trail and I've not seen anything but foliage for 30 minutes but I find a clearing in the brush where I can see across the valley, that's where I'm most happy. Because in a way, I had to earn the view and it's something very personal to me, somethig that only a few dozen people will share. For all I know it's the last time I will see it if I don't turn my head at the right time next time I'm on the trail.
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u/xChiken Feb 09 '26
I don't really think you're the 10th dentist here. Most people just don't hike. Because it takes effort and people imagine it's not something they'd enjoy, most people simply don't do it.
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u/Illustrious_Tart_258 Feb 09 '26
Idk, my boss does “climbs” that are like 3 days long while carrying gear. The photos are always breath taking. She went to Mt. Rainier last year and it was just stunning. Not something that is fun to me but I could see it being fun for others. She has to train throughout the year to do some of these climbs, I think it’s pretty dang cool
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u/Craiglekinz Feb 09 '26
Get into birding and hiking becomes fun. Or take your dog for walks. Upvoted.
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u/freddbare Feb 09 '26 edited Feb 09 '26
NOT being out of breath and dying is the fun part. Being in shape and capable is living. As a first date it's a decent filter for who is "on the same page" can't LIE if you can't BREATHE
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u/OutrageousInvite3949 Feb 09 '26
Hiking is not supposed to be to be fun. It’s supposed to be to be relaxing. But also it can be fun. For starters the place I absolutely love going hiking at is one that has paths that hug right up against a small little stream/river. It’s deep enough in places to swim and shallow enough in places to just walk. I throw my vibrams on and go hiking through the stream. Skipping rocks. Sometimes I have fished. One time I went and just sat in the deeper end up to my neck. Cold af but so nice.
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u/Working_Bones Feb 09 '26
It sucks for the first 30-60 minutes but then you break through that wall and feel so much better.
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u/jrgraffix Feb 09 '26
I’ve hiked more times than I can remember, in all different parts of the world, and I am not often in fear of falling to my death, being attacked by animals, or constantly fighting off bugs. You’re overdramatizing the entire activity to make a point
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u/doom_chicken_chicken Feb 09 '26
Some people enjoy exercise and nature. You're allowed to not enjoy what everyone else likes. I think watching sports on TV is boring as hell but I won't editorialize about it or whine if friends invite me
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u/UseDaSchwartz Feb 09 '26
I’m with you 25%. I love hiking. But once it’s time to head back down, I’m less enthusiastic about it. Usually about halfway down, I’m done. The last big hike I did, we took the access road back down.
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u/jrice138 Feb 09 '26
All your risks listed are extremely unlikely to happen unless you have no situational awareness and can’t look after yourself. I do agree it makes no sense as a date tho.
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u/Mountain_Swim_6321 Feb 09 '26
upvoted because i disagree completely! i love walking uphill, breathing fresh air, hearing and seeing very few people, and looking at nature. where i live there are lots of old fortresses which are also very beautiful. winter hiking is questionable, though :D
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u/DatBoiKage1515 Feb 09 '26
Idk. I feel a sense of peace when I go out in nature. It's not for everyone, but I love it.
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u/uggghhhggghhh Feb 09 '26
TBH it sounds like you're just out of shape and have hella anxiety issues.
It's just walking. Unless you're doing something that's straight up hill the whole way (which I could understand not being down for) you shouldn't be huffing and puffing the whole time.
And all of the issues you mentioned about safety and are ridiculous. Animal attacks are really rare, it's stupidly easy not to fall to your death, you run into more wierdos in a city than on a trail...
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u/Routine_Solution_897 Feb 09 '26
Idk man, think it's just you love or don't I guess. Summited 45 mts in just 5 yrs, plus tons of other non summit hiking. The steeper, more remote, and higher chance of seeing cool animals the better imo.
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u/Sokiras Feb 09 '26
I hike because I love the silence, peace and lack of feeling weird when I spend 20 minutes looking at random rocks on the floor. I'm not really afraid of animal attacks as I live near a mountain that pretty much only has boars, which are both somewhat rare and are fairly avoidable here. However I love rocks, my girlfriend loves plants and we're both crazy about animals so hiking is awesome for us. I generally don't mind hot weather and aren't the favourite food of most insects and I can manage a fair pace on a light incline with no problem. I don't do any sports, haven't done so in about 15 years, but I am fit and skinny so I have that going for me in regards to athleticism. I also enjoy walking, especially walking from A to B when it doesn't feel like a chore, but an adventure.
I think it really just boils down to if you find the silence peaceful or boring, the animals threatening or interesting and if you have any interest in stuff you find in nature and it's totally okay if it just ain't your thing.
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u/greyduck42069 Feb 09 '26
Correction: hiking sucks as a fun activity for you. Different people find different things enjoyable. If I would kick you in the balls you would probably rue it, but a different person who is into ball busting would find enjoyable and fun
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u/ohsopoisonous Feb 09 '26
i’m not sure why you keep telling people that you didn’t realize a walk in the park was hiking as if that’s what people mean when they say you don’t have to hike up a mountain. there are many different hiking trails with a wide range of accessibility. a two mile trail around a lake is as easy as a walk in the park while being a hike. hike doesn’t mean up. there are flat hikes, there are steep hikes.
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u/Embryw Feb 09 '26
Hiking should never be a first date. That's a terrible idea and a good way to get murdered by a stranger in the woods.
But hiking with a trusted person is a great way to see nature, enjoy trees and mushrooms and flowers, catch salamanders and snakes, and just explore. If you're very lucky, you might find a cool stick!
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u/Johnbonham1980 Feb 09 '26
Id you don’t find anything interesting to check out along the way, the area you’re hiking in either isn’t very interesting or you lack the kind of curiosity for things found in nature that people who enjoy hiking do.
I hike a ton, 1000 miles a year or so on average. Combination of solo, hiking with my dog, and backpacking. Rarely with other people as most of my friends I developed relationships with when I didn’t care about my health at all… so while I live differently now, most are still in their old sedentary patterns.
Each type of hiking I do has its own interesting variables… with my dog, watching him run all over the place digging stuff up, exploring, etc … tons of fun.
With backpacking I get to live temporarily in interesting places but get to go home at the end of the week…
Solo hiking gives me time to listen to podcasts, think about things going on, and with places I go regularly … watch the seasons change and discover hidden things I had no idea existed.
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u/KittenInAMonster Feb 09 '26
I think if you're spending most of it out of breath that you might be doing too intense of a hike or going way too fast. I really like running and the goal there is to finish as fast as I can. But, during a hike, I think it's more important to take your time and take in the sights.
Though I do kind of agree that they aren't the most fun solo activity, but, with some podcasts and some seismic views, it can be a lot of fun if you take it easy.
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u/gfxprotege Feb 09 '26
I hike so I can wake up to sunrises like this. Some views you just have to earn.
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u/FlameStaag Feb 09 '26
This is less unpopular and more just a weird neckbeard rant
It's a preference. It's not unpopular. I'm sure lots of people don't like hiking, though probably for less stupid reasons.
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u/qualityvote2 Feb 09 '26 edited Feb 11 '26
u/xHey_All_You_Peoplex, there weren't enough votes to determine the quality of your post...