Dig into this massive list of positive motivational hiking quotes to get you longing for the trail!
Looking for an awesome hiking Instagram caption or an inspiring quote for trekking and hiking? I get it, sometimes, finding words that describe how you feel about the outdoors is hard.
That’s why Haylea has compiled this HUGE list of epic hiking quotes for positive motivation and inspiration. Feel free to share any of these on your social media accounts!
Instagram: @ollygaspar and @hayleabrown
Positive Hiking Quotes for Motivation
1. “Do the difficult things while they are easy and do the great things while they are small. The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” – Lao Tzu
2. “Two roads diverged in a wood and I – I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” – Robert Frost
3. “Because in the end, you won’t remember the time you spent working in the office or mowing your lawn. Climb that goddam mountain.” – Jack Kerouac
4. “No bird soars to high if he soars with his own wings.” – William Blake
5. “Keep climbing, and when you reach the top, don’t forget to turn around and help someone else up.” – Annonymous
6. “The best views come after the hardest climb.” – Unknown
7. “Walking: the most ancient exercise and still the best modern exercise.” – Carrie Latet
8. “There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.” – Beverly Sills
9. “Life is short and the older you get, the more you feel it. Indeed, the shorter it is. People lose their capacity to walk, run, travel, think and experience life. I realise how important it is to use the time I have.” – Viggo Mortensen
10. “After a day’s walk everything has twice its usual value.” – G.M Trevelyan
11. “Did someone say hike?.” – We Seek Travel
12. “Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.” – Albert Einstein
13. “The climb might be tough and challenging, but the view is worth it. There is a purpose for that pain; you just can’t always see it right away.” – Victoria Arlen
14. “We don’t stop hiking because we grow old, we grow old because we stop hiking.” – Finis Mitchell
15. “Be brave. take risks. nothing can substitute experience.” – Paulo coelho
16. “Chasing angels or fleeing demons, go to the mountains.” – Jeffery Rasley
17. “We move through this world on paths laid down long before we are born.” – Robert Moor
18. “One day you will wake up and there won’t be any more time to do the things you’ve always wanted. Do it now.” – Paulo Coelho
19. “The world reveals itself to those who travel on foot.” – Werner Herzog
20. Keep your face always towards the sunshine, and shadows will fall behind you.” – Walt Whitman
21. “Often, bumpy roads lead to beautiful places.” – Dave Martinez
22. “May your dreams be larger than mountains and may you have the courage to scale their summits.” – Harley King
23. “I’d rather be hiking in the rain than sitting inside at a desk on a sunny day.” – Unknown
24. “Jobs fill your pockets, adventures fill your soul.” – Jaime Lyn Beatty
25. “You need special shoes for hiking- and a bit of a special soul as well.” – Terri Guillmets
26. “The biggest reality check you’ll get amongst mountains is realizing how small you are.” – Inspire with Quotes
27. “You have to hike up the mountain path to reach the summit. Thinking won’t get you there.” – Marty Rubin
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28. “If you find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn’t lead anywhere.” – Frank A. Clark
29. “If we were meant to stay in one place, we’d have roots instead of feet.” – Rachel Wolchin
30. “We live in a fast-paced society. Walking slows us down.” – Robert Sweetgall
31. “Let us then, be up and doing.” – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
32. “Every step we take on earth brings us to a new world.” – Federico Garcia Lorca
33. “Every mountaintop is within reach if you just keep climbing.” – Barry Finlay
34. “Nature is painting for us, day after day, pictures of infinite beauty if only we have the eyes to see them.” – John Ruskin
35. “I see my path, but I don’t know where it leads. not knowing where I’m going is what inspires me to travel it.” – Rosalia de castro
36. “My father considered a walk among the mountains as the equivalent of church going.” – Aldous Huxley
37. “The experienced mountain climber is not intimidated by a mountain, he is inspired by it.” – William Arthur Ward
38. “If you are seeking creative ideas, go out walking. Angel’s whisper to a man when he goes for a walk.” – Raymond Inmon
39. “I’ve been up and down the four corners of this big old world. I’ve seen it all and I’ve done it all. – Fritz the Cat
40. “you need mountains, long staircases don’t make good hikers.” – amit kalantri
41. “I could never resist the call of the trail.” – Buffalo Bill
42. “If happiness is the goal, and it should be, then adventures should be top priority.” – Richard Branson
43. “The moment my legs begin to move, my thoughts begin to flow.” – Henry David Thoreau
44. “No matter how sophisticated you may be, a large granite mountain cannot be denied – it speaks in silence to the very core of your being.” – Ansel Adams
45. “If everyone in the world took care of each other the way folks do out on the trail, and if everyone approached each day with as much hope and optimism as hikers do, the world would be a better place.” -Jon Tullis
46. “Mountain hikes instilled in me a life-long urge to get to the top of any inviting summit or peak.” – Paul D. Boyer
47. “When the sun is shining I can do anything; no mountain is too high, no trouble too difficult to overcome.” – Wilma Rudolph
48. “Clouds come and go, the mountain remains.” – Meeta Ahluwalia
49. “No single mountain ever came to me, so I always go to them.” – Erik Tanghe
50.”Travelers, there is no path, paths are made by walking.” – Antonio Machado
51. “You never climb the same mountain twice, not even in memory. Memory rebuilds the mountain, changes the weather, retells the jokes, remakes all the moves.” – Lito Tejada-Flores
52. “Hiking is the best workout! You can hike for three hours and not even realize you’re working out. And, hiking alone lets me have some time to myself.” – Jamie Luner
53. “You, who know that all the bruises and scrapes from scrambling and rambling are the best because they remind you of being alive.”- Madison Perrins
54. “For hiking is one of those things that you can only do when you have the determination in you.” – Unknown
55. “It always seems impossible until it is done.” – nelson mandela
56. “The higher you climb on the mountain, the harder the wind blows.” – Sam Cummings
57. “There is always an adventure waiting in the woods.” – Katelyn S. Bolds
58. “I love walking because it clears your mind, enriches the soul, takes away the stress, and opens up your eyes to a whole new world.” – Claudette Dudley
59. “I felt my lungs inflate with the onrush of scenery – air, mountains, trees, people. I thought, ‘This is what it is to be happy’.” – Sylvia Plath
60. “Mountains know secrets we need to learn. That it might take time, it might be hard, but if you just hold on long enough, you will find the strength to rise up.” – Tyler Knott
61. “The way up to the mountain is always longer than you think. Don’t fool yourself, the moment will arrive when what seemed so near is still very far.” – Paulo Coelho
62. “Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears.” – Les Brown
63. “We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.” – Jawaharlal Nehru
64. “Take only memories, leave only footprints.” – Cheif Seattle
65. “I might look like I’m listening to you, but in my mind, I am hiking.”- unknown
funny hiking quotes to get you laughing to the top of the mountain
66. “Just put one foot in front of the other.” – Austin Peck
67. “Never follow someone else’s path unless you’re in the woods and you’re lost, and you see a path. By all means, you should follow that.” – Ellen Degeneres
68. “The most difficult part of long-distance hiking is the long distance.” – We Seek Travel
69. “You’re off to great places, today is your day. Your mountain is waiting, so get on your way.” – Dr. Seuss
70. “A little more altitude, a little less attitude.” – Unknown
71. “When life gives you mountains, put on your boots and hike.” – Inspire with Quotes
72. “Hiking and happiness go hand in hand, or foot in boot.” – Diane Spicer
73. “No single mountain ever came to me, so I always go to them.” – Erik Tanghe
74. “It’s a hill. Get over it.” – Unknown
75. “HIKING IS THE ANSWER, WHO CARES WHAT THE QUESTION IS.” – UNKNOWN
76. “Hiking is not for everyone. Notice the wilderness is mostly empty.”- Sonja Yoerg
77. “Cover the earth before it covers you.” – Dagobert D. Runes
78. “Getting to the top is optional. Getting down is mandatory.” – Ed Viesturs
79. “I don’t want to go to the mountains today, said no one ever.” – Inspire with Quotes
80. “There is no such thing as bad weather, just soft people.” – Bill Bowerman
81. “Instead of Netflix and chill, we watch sunsets on a hill.” – Unknown
82. “Turn your brain off and send.” – Chris Sharma
83. “Mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.” – Ed Viesturs
84. “I don’t get it. The trail looked so flat on the map.” – Unknown
85. “The greatest adventure is what lies ahead.” – J.R.R Tolkien
86. “Sleeping bags are the soft tacos of the bear world.” – Unknown
87. “If you’re in a bad mood, go for a walk. If you are still in a bad mood, go for another walk.” – Hippocrates
88. “Travelers, there is no path, paths are made by walking.” – Antonio Machado
89.”If you’re on the right path, it will always be uphill.” – Henry B. Eyring
90. “Hiking is the only slightly less ugly stepsister of running.” – Lindy Hughes
91. “I like being near the top of a mountain, One can’t get lost here.” – Wislawa Szymborska
92. “Life is better in hiking boots.”- Unknown
93. “At the end of the day, your feet should be dirty, your hair messy and your eyes sparkling.” – Shanti
94. “The cliche is that life is a mountain. You go up, reach the top and then go down.” – Jeanne Moreau
95. “On a date with the mountains.” – Unknown
Short Hiking Quotes
96. “Everywhere is walking distance if you have time” – Steven Wright
97. “If you think you can do it, you can.” – John Burroughs
98. “Not all who wander are lost.” – J.R.R Tolkien
99. “A walk in nature walks the soul back home.” – Mary Davis
100. “Hike more. Worry Less.” – Unknown
101. “Going to the mountains is like going home.”- John Muir
102. “Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
103. “Freedom lies in being bold.” – Robert Frost
104. “The road to success runs uphill.” – Willie Davis
105. “Deep in the forest, I stroll to hear the wisdom of my soul.” – Angie Weiland Crosby
106. “If there is no struggle, there is no progress.” – Frederick Douglass
107. “If you think you’ve peaked, find a new mountain.” – Unknown
108. “Never miss a chance to enjoy some fresh air.” – Joseph Pilates
109. “All the good things are wild and free.” – Henry David Thoreau
110. “Oh, the places you’ll go.” – Dr. Seuss
111. “Walking is man’s best medicine.” – Hippocrates
112. “In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous.” – Aristotle
113. “Let’s wander where the wifi is weak.” – Anonymous
114. “Leave the road, take the trails.” – Pythagore
115. “Add a national park to your bucket list. I promise you won’t regret it.” – Unknown
116. “Listen to the rhythm of nature.” – Unknown
117. “The passion to explore is at the heart of being human.” – Carl Sagan
118. “It’s opener, out there, in the wide, open air.” – Dr. Suess
119. “A long walk, is a good walk.” – Unknown
120. “And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul.” – John Muir
121. “The best remedy for a short temper is a long walk.” – Jacqueline Schiff
122. “When preparing to climb a mountain, pack a light heart.” – Dan May
123. “Mountains draw you to a deeper place in yourself.” – Joan Bauer
124. “You can’t climb up a mountain with downhill thoughts.” – Wislawa Szymborska
125. “All you need is a mountain breeze and tall trees.” – Unknown
126. “Some beautiful paths can’t be discovered without getting lost.”- Erol Ozan
127. “Trekking means a traveling experience with a thrilling excitement.”- Amit Kalantri
128. “Remember to look up at the stars, not down at your feet.” – Steven Hawking
129. “I found far more answers in the woods than I ever did in the city.” – Mary Davis
130. “Live your life by a compass not by a clock.” – Stephen Covey
131. “Nature is the purest portal to inner peace.” – Angie Weiland Crosby
132. “I now walk into the wild.” – Jon Krakauer
133. “Hoping this trail leads somewhere.” – Unknown
134. “It feels good to be lost in the right direction.” – Unknown
135. “Mountains are the cathedrals where i practice my religion.” – George leigh mallory
Best Hiking quotes By Famous Mountaineers & Outdoors-People
136. “Mountains are the beginning and the end of all natural scenery.” – John Ruskin
137. “Without new experiences, something inside us sleeps. The sleeper must awaken.” – Frank Herbert
138. “Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt.” – John Muir
139. “It is better to have your head in the clouds, and know where you are, than to breathe the clearer atmosphere below them, and think that you are in paradise.” – Henry David Thoreau
140. “In every walk in with nature one receives far more than he seeks.” – John Muir
141. “There are some places so beautiful they can make a grown man break down and weep.” – Edward Abbey
142. “To do good, you actually have to do something.” – Yvon Chouinard
143. “May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds.” – Edward Abbey
144. “Somewhere between the bottom of the climb and the summit is the answer to the mystery why we climb.”- Greg Child
145. “Each fresh peak ascended teaches something.”- Sir Martin Convay
146. “Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wildness is a necessity.” – John Muir
147. “Returning home is the most difficult part of long-distance hiking. You have grown outside the puzzle and your piece no longer fits.” – Cindy Ross
148. “I’ve realized that at the top of the mountain, there’s another mountain.” – Andrew Garfield
149. “Real adventure is defined best as a journey from which you may not come back alive, and certainly not as the same person.” – Yvon Chouinard
150. “It’s not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves.” – Sir Edmund hilary
151. “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only essential facts of life, and see if I could learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.” – Henry David Thoreau
152. “Wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit, and as vital to our lives as water and good bread.” – Edward Abbey
153. “The long-distance hiker, a breed set apart, from the likes of the usual pack. He’ll shoulder his gear, be hittin’ the trail; Long gone, long ‘fore he’ll be back.” – M.J. Eberhart
154. “Wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit, and as vital to our lives as water and good bread.” – Edward Abbey
155. “All truly great thoughts are conceived while walking.” – Friedrich Nietzsche
156. “There are two kinds of climbers, those who climb because their heart sings when they’re in the mountains, and all the rest.” – Alex Lowe
157. “Life’s a bit like mountaineering, never look down.” – Sir Edmund Hillary
158. “The clearest way into the universe is through a forest wilderness.” – John Muir
159. “Hiking is not escapism; it’s realism. The people who choose to spend time outdoors are not running away from anything; we are returning to where we belong.” – Jennifer Pharr Davis
160. “The fleeting hour of life of those who love the hills is quickly spent, but the hills are eternal. Always there will be the lonely ridge, the dancing beck, the silent forest; always there will be the exhilaration of the summits. These are for the seeking, and those who seek and find while there is still time will be blessed both in mind and body.” – alfred wainwright
161. “On a hike, the days pass the wind, the sun, the stars; movement is powered by a belly full of food and water, not a noxious of fossil fuels. On a hike, you’re less a job title and more a human being… A periodic hike not only stretches the limbs but also reminds us: Wow, there’s a big old world out there.” – Ken Ilgunas
162. “Walking makes the world much bigger and therefore more interesting.” – Edward Abbey
163. “Mountains have a way with dealing with overconfidence.” – Hermann Buhl
164. “Better we raise our skill than lower the climb.” – Royal Robbins
165. “I think it all comes down to motivation. If you really want to do something, you will work hard for it.” – Sir Edmund Hillary
166. “Climb the mountain not to plant your flag, but to embrace the challenge, enjoy the air and behold the view. Climb it so you can see the world, not so the world can see you.” – David McCullough Jr.
167. “Real freedom lies in wildness, not civilization.” – Charles Lindbergh
168. “Every mountaintop is within reach if you just keep climbing,” – Barry Finlay
169. “The hills have the power to soothe and heal which is their very own. No man ever sat alone on the top of a hill and planned a murder or a robbery, and no man ever came down from the hills without feeling in some way refreshed, and the better for his experience.” – Alfred Wainwright
170. “A crude meal, no doubt, but the best of all sauces is hunger.” – Edward Abbey
171. “Our minds, as well as our bodies, have need of the out-of-doors. Our spirits, too, need simple things, elemental things, the sun and the wind and the rain, moonlight, and starlight, sunrise and misty and mossy forest trails, the perfumes of dawn and the smell of fresh-turned earth and the ancient music of wind among the trees.” – Edwin Way Teale
172. “Nature loves courage. You make the commitment and nature will respond to that commitment by removing impossible obstacles. dream the impossible dream and the world will not grind you under, it will lift you up.” – Terence Mckenna
173. “If adventure has a final and all-embracing motive, it is surely this: we go out because it is our nature to go out, to climb mountains, and to paddle rivers, to fly to the planets and plunge into the depths of the oceans. When man ceases to do these things, he is no longer man.” – Wilfrid Noyce
174. “If you want to train for big mountain endeavors, spend time in big mountains.” – Jimmy Chin
175. “I wanted to show the world what a human could do.” – Nims Dai
176. “Walk away quietly in any direction and taste the freedom of the mountaineer. Camp out among the grasses and gentians of glacial meadows, in craggy garden nooks full of nature’s darlings. Climb the mountains and get their good tidings, Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The wind will blow their own freshness into you and the storms their energy while cares will drop off like autumn leaves. As age comes on one source of enjoyment after another is closed but nature’s sources never fail.” – John Muir
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I hope this MASSIVE list of inspiring hiking quotes for Instagram has inspired you to get out and hit the trail!
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