Don’t Want to Hike Alone? Join this Indiana – Kentucky Hiking Group

Nature is Free Therapy

I will never forget the time my boyfriend, Chance and I felt adventurous enough to try out a hiking trail during a camping trip last year. What started out as any typical hike turned out to be one of the scariest trips I've ever encountered.

While spending a weekend at Deem Lake, we decided to check out one of the trails. I would like to think I'm a pretty outdoorsy person. Spending time surrounded by nature, trekking through the woods is its own type of therapy for me. Not to mention, it's FREE therapy.

With three energetic pups, we bounded down the trail enjoying the crisp October air on a late afternoon. The trail was my favorite kind... a simple dirt path engulfed in miles and miles of forest. We checked the campground map that said this particular trail was only two miles, completely doable before dark. I was even excited to catch the sunset as it exploded bursts of red, yellow, and orange through the tree line.

The Scariest Hiking Experience of my Life

Now, I've done quite a few hikes in my day, and you get to a point to know how much time it takes to hike a mile, or two, or three. As we battled wild brush and dodged branches, we began to notice our hike felt a lot longer than two miles. The sun was beginning to set, and our dogs were panting, hoping to rest back at camp soon. When you spend a lot of time in the woods, you'll quickly learn it gets darker a lot faster than when you are out in the open.

Soon, the sun was behind the trees, and we were left using our phone flashlights to see where we were going. When we attempted to look for a map online to see how much longer we had to go, we were greeted by that wonderful "no signal" symbol. Now, we were downright scared.

Crisis Adverted

Saying this hike felt like it took forever is an understatement. It was dark, we were scared, and we just wanted to see civilization. Thankfully, just as the last bits of light were fading into a starry sky, we arrived back at camp sore and scared, but safe.

When we revisited the campground map and calculated the distance, we learned that our two-mile hike actually became a six-mile hike. Of course, I laugh about it now, but I was beyond grateful that at least I wasn't alone.

Strength in Numbers

Besides safety, hiking with a friend or in a group offers tons of advantages. By finding people who enjoy the same hobby, you can meet new people as well as fill your social butterfly quota while doing one of your favorite activities.

Hiking in a group can also introduce you to people with varying degrees of experience, allowing you to learn from those more skilled and acquire some new knowledge of your own.

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Not to mention, hiking with others also means someone can capture photos of you posing in front of any amazing views you encounter that a selfie just can't beat.

Tristate Hiking Group

Don't have anyone to join you on hiking adventures? The Tristate IN KY OH Hiking Events Group, makes it easy to find and connect with people in the area to plan your next trip together. According to the group's bio:

The group features hiking trips throughout Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio, as well as a few even further if you don't mind traveling. You can check out posts from past trips including photos of unexpected views and new friendships.

Your new group of hiking buddies is only a click away. Grab your gear, pack your backpack, and get hiking!

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