Hiking Expectations vs. Reality

You see the photos. The mountain views. The peaceful trails. The epic summit shots.

You think: This is going to be amazing.

And it is.

But hiking also has a funny way of humbling you.

Here are some of my favorite hiking expectations vs. reality moments from 14ers and national parks to local Minnesota trails and even hiking in Germany.

Expectation: Peaceful sunrise hike.

Reality: Alarm goes off at 3:30 a.m. Me questioning every life choice that led me to this moment.

My friend and I were hiking Mount Bierstadt, a beautiful 14er in Colorado. Everything I read said to get there really early if we wanted a good parking spot and an early start.

So there we were, on the trail around 4:30 a.m. Starting a trail in complete darkness is… an experience. You can't see the scenery. You can't really tell how far you've gone. And every sound makes you wonder what exactly is out there. But then the sun starts coming up, and suddenly you remember why you got to the trail at 4:30 a.m.

Expectation: It's only 5 miles. That's a short hike!

Reality: Those 5 miles can be filled with switchbacks, scrambling, steep climbs, rocks, roots, and a whole lot of questioning your life choices. A trail can turn a short distance into a LONG day, so be prepared for more than just the mileage.

I remember talking with my dad about a trail I was doing while preparing for Mount Whitney. I told him I was going to hike 11 miles.

His response?

"I could walk 11 miles easily."

My head turned around so quickly. WHAT???😂

Any miles on a paved, flat, straight path are VERY different from miles on a trail filled with rocks, roots, elevation gain, scrambling, and whatever else Mother Nature decides to throw at you.

Expectation: I'll stop for lots of photos and get that epic summit picture.

Reality: Wind whipping your hair directly into your face. You're sweaty. You're trying to breathe through that last mile to the top. Or the rain you started hiking in has turned into sleet, and now you look like you just jumped out of the shower fully dressed in your hiking gear.

Sometimes the epic summit photo is actually you looking absolutely exhausted. And honestly? Those are some of my favorite photos.

Expectation: Hiking clears my mind.

Reality: I have been thinking about the exact same thing for the last two miles.

My mind is now exclusively focused on it.

Maybe it's something important.

Maybe it's something I need to figure out.

Maybe it's what snack I'm going to eat next.

I'm not judging.

Expectation: Solo hiking = peace and solitude.

Reality: You realize you've been talking to yourself because you haven't seen another person on the trail for miles.

At some point, you become your own hiking buddy. And honestly, the conversations can get pretty good.

Expectation: It's a beautiful, scenic trail.

Reality: It's 90% roots, rocks, and staring directly at the ground so you don't trip.

This is exactly how I felt when I hiked Eagle Mountain in Minnesota. It was beautiful. But it was also covered in roots and rocks. Sometimes you spend so much time watching where your feet are going that you forget to look up. And then you look up.

Wow.

Expectation: The trail will be clearly marked.

Reality: Standing at a fork in the trail thinking, "This looks like the trail…"

My friend and I experienced this while hiking in Banff. We knew which trail we needed to be on. We were following the signs. It was only supposed to be a few miles in and out. Then, all of a sudden, we realized we'd been following the wrong color trail marker.

Oops.

We now refer to it as Plan B and laugh about the mistake. At least we eventually figured it out!

Lesson learned: Don't just follow a marker. Make sure you're following the RIGHT marker.

Expectation: I'll be sore tomorrow.

Reality: I'll be sore for the next 4–5 business days.

I just got back from hiking in Germany, and let's just say… my legs are still filing complaints.

Sometimes you don't realize how much your body worked until the next morning.

Or the morning after that.

Or three mornings after that.

I am so glad that I brought Bio Freeze.

Expectation: Downhill = easy.

Reality: Let's talk to my knees.

I learned this one while hiking in Glacier National Park on the Highline Trail.

After putting in all those miles, the downhill section can feel like a completely different workout. Your legs are tired, your knees are tired, and gravity is now your enemy.

Going downhill isn't always easier.

Sometimes it's just a different kind of hard.

And this is exactly why I understand why hikers love their trekking poles.

At this point, I'm just waiting for AI hiking legs to become mass-produced and affordable.

Expectation: Just one more hike before I go home.

Reality: Already searching for the next trail on the drive home.

This past Labor Day weekend, I was camping up north. I knew I was close to a few Minnesota state parks, but when I mentioned it to the people I was camping with, they informed me that I was actually close to several.

Naturally, I had to investigate.

The first day, I did two trails.

The next morning?

I woke up and started planning three more.

Because apparently, "one more hike" is never actually one more hike.

Expectation: Hiking requires expensive and specialized gear.

Reality: Start with what you have.

A few layers, comfortable shoes, water, and a backpack can get you surprisingly far when you're starting out.

*Hiker's note: Do your research before investing in a bunch of gear.

Ask around.

Hikers LOVE talking about their gear. We will tell you what we use, why we love it, what we hate, what we wish we had bought sooner, and probably show you pictures of it.

Honestly, asking a hiker about their favorite gear is a lot like asking someone about their pets or kids. We are going to have pictures. We are going to have stories. And yes, we are probably going to tell you way more than you asked for.

You don't need to buy everything at once. Start hiking. Figure out what you need. Then build from there.

Expectation: Rain ruins the hike.

Reality: Rain and clouds can create a dramatic backdrop, fewer crowds, flowing waterfalls, and some pretty great trail memories.

When my friend and I were hiking in Colorado, we were as prepared as we thought we could be.

Then the weather changed.

As we started toward the summit, the rain quickly turned into sleet and then hail.

Was it what we expected?

Absolutely not.

Did we come away with some great memories?

Absolutely.

Sometimes the weather you didn't want ends up creating the story you remember.

Expectation: You summit every time.

Reality: Sometimes you have to turn around.

And that's okay.

Safety comes first.

Remember that Colorado hike with the hail?

We ended up turning around just a few hundred feet from the top.

The hail and sleet were freezing, and we couldn't get good grips on the rocks anymore.

It wasn't safe.

So we turned around.

And on the way down, we both ended up falling.

We laughed as we got back up but falling nonetheless.

It was kind of sad to be so close to the summit, but turning around was the right decision for us.

The mountain isn't going anywhere.

Expectation: You made it to the top!

Reality: Now you have to walk ALL the way back to the trailhead and the only goal is to make it to your car.

Going up is voluntary. Coming back is mandatory.

I think about this one a lot when I hike. Especially when I was hiking Bright Angel Trail in the Grand Canyon. Going into the canyon can feel deceptively easy because you're walking downhill.

But eventually, you have to turn around. And after you've already hiked several miles into the canyon, that uphill climb back out is no joke. The heat can make it even harder, so preparation matters. Bring plenty of water and snacks, know your limits, and pay attention to the conditions.

That beautiful downhill hike?

You still have to get back out.

Expectation: You have to pee. Just go in the woods! 🌲

Reality: It's… not always that easy. 😂

You have to find enough privacy. You have to figure out how to balance. You have to remember if you brought something to wipe with. And suddenly you're realizing that using the bathroom in the woods requires WAY more planning than you thought.

We all go through it.

My cousin once told me a story about using the bathroom in the woods and grabbing something from nature to use instead of toilet paper.

Let's just say… it did NOT go well. She ended up scratching herself and getting an infection. Yikes.

So, hikers, learn from her mistake. Bring toilet paper.

Your future self will thank you.

The reality of hiking.

Hiking isn't always peaceful. It's not always easy. It's not always pretty.

Sometimes you're sweaty, muddy, sore, lost, freezing, covered in bug spray, or wondering why you thought hiking 14 miles sounded like a good idea.

But then you reach the overlook. You catch a sunrise. You see a waterfall. You summit a mountain.

You laugh with your hiking buddy about the time you followed the wrong trail marker. Or you find yourself completely alone in a beautiful place, realizing you wouldn't trade the experience for anything.

That's the reality of hiking.

The hard parts become the stories. And somehow, when you get home, you're already looking for the next trail. Because apparently, that's what we do.