Hiking is one of the most overlooked pastimes in our society today. With so many other forms of entertainment in our culture, it’s no surprise that hiking has gone under the radar. Despite being fun, hiking can provide participants with more than just entertainment. It can provide many benefits for everyday life.

1. Reduce depression.

Depression is a hard thing to deal with. Taking the time to get out of civilization and get away from people can be very necessary for dealing with depression. All the scenery and animals that are witnessed when hiking is a good way to get your mind off whatever has you down. Hiking clears the minds of the participants, allowing the problems, that may be causing the depression, to be dealt with.

2. Healthy lifestyle.

Hiking is a great way to stay physically active. Hiking can burn up to a minimum of 500 calories per hour, this makes hiking a great way to lose weight. Hiking also increases cardio. An increase in cardio will lead to less heart problems later life. Not to mention, it will just make you feel better about yourself. Strengthens bones, of course, by lifting weights at the gym is always an option for building strong bones. However walking for many hours with a large backpack on top of your own body weight is said to be one of the fastest ways to build the bones in your legs.

3. Improve social life.

It's never a good idea to go hiking alone. Going hiking with a group or just one more person is always a good idea. Experiencing nature alongside other people is a great way to form bonds and make memories that will last forever.

4. Build confidence.

Confidence is something a lot of people struggle with. Hiking is a fantastic way to build confidence. A great way to build confidence is making goals and achieving them. When participating in hiking, there is usually a destination that is trying to be reached. When the destination is achieved through many hours of walking it improves your ability to make goals and achieve them. This aspect improves daily confidence towards normal situations.