Most recently updated January 18th, 2022
Estimated Reading Time: 4.3 minutes
When I first began hiking as a hobby, I was working at a fulltime tech job, was a single mom of a toddler with few babysitters available, and my closest family was 1500 miles away.
Of necessity, most of my activities (outside of work) included the company of my Mini-Me, and hiking was no exception.
My daughter loved the adventure, seeing new things, and being an intrepid explorer with her Mama!
We explored local parks and greenways, both on foot and on bikes and rollerblades.
Then, when she was old enough, we were able to visit a lot of State Parks, and go on longer unpaved trails with more varied terrain.
Hiking Is Ideal for Busy People
Recreational hiking was and still is an ideal activity for me because it’s healthy, inexpensive, and something I could do with my child or on my own whenever I had some free time.
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When she was younger, I would carry her in a backpack or push her in a stroller on paved trails in local parks or greenways.
Unlike the local softball league, you don’t need to hang around waiting for the rest of the team to show up to get started – you just go when and where you want at your own pace for whatever time you have available.
You don’t need to wait until:
- Your kids grow up,
- You can afford special equipment, or
- You are in amazing physical shape.
Just throw on your tennies, put the kid(s) in some sort of carrying or rolling device and go for it!
That said, if you’re not sure what you might need, you might want to look into some basic day hike gear here to get some ideas.
If you don’t have kids to wrangle, it’s even easier.
Hike Where You Live
Fortunately, I live in a place where a big beautiful forest – Umstead State Park – is practically outside my front door, so I’m able to spend less time in the car and more time on the trails – a big plus when hauling kids.
But you don’t need a forest – any park with trails or paths will do.
Greenways, local parks and long stretches of sidewalk along neighborhood streets will work, too.
My local art museum also has great paved trails and outdoor space for kids to play.
I’ve even walked laps around school running tracks if there was nothing else available.
Do some research and identify places where you could walk at least 3 miles without driving more than 15 minutes. Be creative!
3 WAYS TO MAKE TIME FOR A HIKE:
1. Do you have a lunch hour at work and it’s gorgeous outside? Ditch the pumps for some trail shoes and walk a mile or two before you need to get back.
2. Do you arrive at the after school care pickup an hour before the deadline? Take a walk before picking up the kids while you can go at your own pace with your arms free.
3. Do you sit in rush hour traffic on the way home? Find a trail close to your workplace and hike instead of sitting in stop-and-crawl traffic. You may get home at almost the same time.
Whatever you do, do something. Identify what you can do now, and go do it!
Don’t wait for the “perfect” time: Identify your opportunities to get outside – as small as they might be right now – and take them!
They say the longest journey begins with a single step, and that is literally true for every hike and your hiking journey.
It’s Time To Start Your Journey
I love being active hiking on my own, or with like-minded people – and I hope my posts will inspire you to give it a try, too!
Whether or not you have any kids to bring along, or any sort of ongoing health issues, hiking (or even just getting outdoors in the sunshine ) is a great way to simultaneously see the world and improve your own health.
I’ve been hiking for fun regularly for more than 20 years now, and have been leading group hikes since 2009, in local and regional parks and exploring on my own all over the world.
I hope that the adventures and lessons learned I share here will inspire you to have some adventures of your own.
If you have any questions or comments drop me a line at idratherwalkblog@gmail.com and I’ll respond as quickly as I can.
Thanks for stopping by – see you next time! LJ
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LJ has spent much of her free time as a single Mom – and now as an empty-nester – hiking in the US and around the world. She shares lessons learned from adventures both local and in exotic locations, and tips on how to be active with asthma, plus travel, gear, and hike planning advice for parents hiking with kids and beginners of all ages. Read more on the About page.