Incredible Hiking Statistics and Facts

Hikers everywhere love the thrill of exploring forests or scaling mountains just for fun. I share that excitement and have always wondered about the demographics, attitudes, and lifestyles of other hikers like me.

In this article, I’m going to explore some of the most common facts about hiking and hikers, based on the newest surveys and reports provided by the authorities on the matter.

That being said, let’s see how many people are still trekking the paths, what the most popular trails and national parks are, and how beneficial hiking is for your health.

Is Hiking Still a Popular Activity in 2024?

The pandemic put a cap on tourism, reaching an ultimate low in 2020. However, starting in 2021, most tourists resumed their favorite activities. 2023 proved to be a good year for tourism, with people choosing local food sampling (46%) and sightseeing (42%) as their pursuits.

While not the most popular, hiking is making a great comeback too, with about 24% of tourists including it on their travel lists in 2023. [1]

main activities plan for the next vacation by travelers in october 2023

Let’s take Kilimanjaro National Park as an example. After receiving only 12,100 visits in 2020, in 2023, with 47,200 visits, it is slowly approaching its maximum, which was reached in 2012 (57,400). [2]

number of tourists who visited kilimanjaro national park in 2011-2023

Essential Hiking Demographics

As of August 2023, Statista published its annual report concerning the hikers in the United States. The survey was taken by 12,000 people from all around the world, ages between 18 and 64. [3]

Before taking a look at the findings, I want to mention that this survey is updated quarterly, so the data may slightly change by the end of the year.

Now, let’s talk about the 2023 hiker’s profile as revealed by Statista’s survey:

Hikers tend to be older – 37% of them are Millennials, 32% belong to Generation X, and 14% are Baby Boomers. Only 17% of the respondents were part of the Generation Z.
There are more female hikers (51%) than males (49%).
Most hikers come either from a nuclear family (27%) or a couple household (23%). Only 4% of them belong to a multigenerational family.
11% of hikers belong to the LGBTQ community.
32% of hikers received a college education, while 27% have a bachelor’s degree, which shows a tendency for people with further education to be interested in hiking.
36% of hikers stated that they have a middle-house income, while 40% have a high income.
The largest number of hikers come from large cities (27%) and medium-sized towns (25%). At the other end, cities with over 1 million inhabitants (8%) and megacities with over 5 million inhabitants (6%) are poorly represented.

How Long Does the Average Hiking Trip Last?

Several factors can influence the duration of a hiking trip, from the hiker’s experience to the difficulty of the trail. To get an average, I used the calculator provided by TrailsNH.

According to their estimation, it would take 3 hours and 8 minutes to hike 5 miles with a 2,000-foot vertical gain at a normal pace on a good trail surface and while wearing a regular pack weight.
The average hiking speed is between 1 MPH and 3 MPH.
The average hiking pace ranges from 20 minutes per mile to 60 minutes per mile. [4]

In Which Countries Is Hiking Most Popular?

According to a poll from Ranker, the most popular countries in the world for hiking in 2023, based on 9100 votes, are [5]:

New Zealand

One of the most popular hiking trails in New Zeeland is the Hooker Valley Track in Mount Cook National Park. According to the Department of Conservation of New Zealand, this hike is 5 km long, and it takes 3 hours to reach the top and return. [6]
The Tongariro Alpine Crossing also attracts a lot of tourists with its alpine landscape and volcanic encounters. To explore this trail, you’ll have to hike 19.4 km. [7]

Canada

When they decide to visit Canada, hikers choose Garibaldi Provincial Park in British Columbia as one of their favorite destinations. The park offers 90 km of trails to choose from and is crowned by the 2678m Mount Garibaldi. [8]
Another popular hiking destination in Canada is Lake Agnes in Alberta, a 7 km hike that takes 1 or 2 hours one way, depending on your experience. [9]

Switzerland

Known as an easy hike, the First – Bachalpsee – First No. 1 trail is the number one choice for hikers exploring Switzerland for the first time. It is only 5.4 km long, which means less than 2 hours on the trail. [10]
The Lake Oeschinen circular hike is 6.7 km long, offering breathtaking views with a low level of difficulty, which makes it yet another big attraction for hiking enthusiasts. [11]

How Many Hiking Trails Are There in the US?

According to the Pacific Crest Trail Association, the American trail system consists of 88.600 miles or 142.587 km of trails, divided as follows:

1 national scenic trail
19 national historic trails
1,300 national recreation trails
7 side and connecting trails. [12]

What Are the Longest Hiking Trails in the US?

If you are looking for an adventure that can last months on the American trails, there are a few options that will provide the thrills you expect.

American Discovery Trail

The American Discovery Trail (ADT) stretches approximately 6,800 miles (10,944 kilometers) across the United States from Delaware on the east coast to California on the west coast.
It follows its course through 15 states before it reaches its end at Point Reyes National Seashore.
Assuming a daily hiking distance of 15 miles and one rest day per week, it would take you approximately 390 days to complete the trail on foot. [13]

North Country National Scenic Trail

The North Country National Scenic Trail (NCT) extends over approximately 4,600 miles, being the longest of the eleven National Scenic Trails authorized by Congress.
The trail passes through seven states: North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York. [14]

Pacific Crest Trail

The length of the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail (PCT) is 2,650 miles (4,265 kilometers), and it runs along the high crests of the Sierra and Cascades Mountain ranges in California, Oregon, and Washington, hence the name.
From 1952 to 2023, 9,865 people managed to complete the trail. One hundred fifteen of them did it more than once. [15]
10% of the Pacific Crest Trail is on private land.
The trail traverses 26 national forests, 7 national parks, and 5 state parks. [16]

Appalachian Trail

Not the longest but still a big deal when it comes to hiking trails, the Appalachian Trail is one of the most popular hiking destinations in the USA.
It totals a whopping 2,198.4 miles and crosses 14 states, being visited by over 3 million people every year. [17]
It takes from 5 to 7 months to complete the hike.
From 1930 up until now, more than 21,500 hikers have managed to complete the thru-hike. They are called the 2,000-millers, a term which was coined in 1970. [18]
The oldest person to have completed the hike was 82 years old.

How Hard Is to Hike the Appalachian Trail?

According to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy website, hiking the Appalachian Trail is a highly demanding adventure that requires adequate equipment and serious prepping.
The landscape remains mountainous throughout its entirety, featuring an elevation gain and loss comparable to hiking up and down Mt. Everest from sea level a total of 16 times.
You will come across plenty of rocky paths and even streams that can be dangerous to cross after heavy rains. [19]

What US State Has the Most Hiking Trails?

Montana boasts over 700 trails, making it the US state with the largest number of hiking trails. This extensive trail network offers outdoor enthusiasts a diverse range of landscapes and experiences, from rugged mountain terrain to scenic lakeshores and pristine wilderness areas. [20]

The state is famous for housing the longest section (820 miles) of the 3,100-mile Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (CDT), which spans across 5 states.

What Are the Hardest Mountains to Hike in the World?

Climbing to the top of a mountain is never an easy job, but some mountains are deemed impossible for most people. Statista’s inquiry about the tallest mountains in the world names Mount Himalaya as the tallest, followed by K2. [22]

However, being the tallest doesn’t necessarily mean being harder to climb. According to the Climbing Kilimanjaro website, these are the most challenging peaks in the world [23]:

Annapurna I, Nepal

One of the 14 mounts with a height of over 8000 meters, Annapurna I is known as one of the deadliest mountains out there due to the reduced oxygen levels present at its summit. [24]
Besides its extreme height, this mountain also features icy slopes, steep areas, and difficult rock regions.
It has one of the lowest success rates, with only 395 successful summits until the present day. [25]

K2, Pakistan-China

K2 has a height of 8,611 meters and was the last of the 14 eight-thousanders to be conquered.
It was first successfully climbed by an Italian team led by Ardito Desio on July 31, 1954. [26]
It is the second-highest mountain in the world.
The locals call it the “Savage Mountain” due to its rough landscape that makes it extremely difficult to climb.
K2 has lower summit success rates compared to other 8,000-meter peaks and has climbed only by 425 people since 1954. [27]

Kangchenjunga, India-Nepal

Kangchenjunga has an elevation of 8,586 meters above sea level, making it the third-highest peak in the world. [28]
It was first climbed on May 25, 1955, by a British expedition led by Charles Evans. The team stopped a few feet short of the actual summit out of respect for the beliefs of the local Sikkimese, who consider the summit sacred. [29]

What Are the Most Popular National Parks in the US?

According to a report of the US National Park Service from October 2023, based on the number of recreation visits, the most popular national park in the US is the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. [30]

No.	Park Name	Total Number of Visitors in 2023	Total Number of Visits in October 2023
1	Great Smoky Mountains National Park	11,520,182	1,703,768
2	Yellowstone National Park	4,446,509	299,127
3	Zion National Park	4,125,817	504,584
4	Grand Canyon National Park	3,951,584	442,697
5	Rocky Mountain National Park	3,930,984	474,957
6	Grand Canyon National Park	3,951,584	442,697
7	Acadia National Park	3,787,751	540,521
8	Yosemite National Park	3,467,377	481,544
9	Cuyahoga Valley National Park	2,632,592	318,589

What Season Is the Best to Go Hiking?

The short answer is any. If you have the right hiking gear, you can head to the great outdoors at any time of the year. However, there’s no doubt that there are some seasons that are more suitable (and pleasant) for hiking than others.

A survey by Going Places reveals the hikers’ preferences when it comes to their favorite hiking season:

36% of hikers would choose spring over summer, autumn, or winter.
31% nominated winter as their first choice, trading in spring.
Summer is preferred by 20%.
Only 13% of hikers would hit the trail during fall. [31]

For the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), thru-hikers that start from the North side start their hike between mid-April and early May, while southbound hikers begin between late June and early July. [32]

Most northbound hikers of the Appalachian Trail start their adventure between March and the first half of April. [33] Southbound hikers start their thru-hike in June, as the trails are closed until then. [34]

Is Hiking Good for Your Health?

Hiking, like any outdoor activity that engages your muscles and raises your pulse, has excellent results on health, whether we are talking about physical or mental health.

Hiking for Physical Health

Hiking can help regulate glucose levels and improve the quality of life for people living with Type 2 Diabetes. [35]
Hiking can help individuals burn an average of 435 to 760 calories and is good exercise for losing weight. Learn how many calories you can burn hiking using our calculator. [36]
Hiking downhill can lead to an increase in glucose tolerance, with a 9% decrease in the area under the glucose-time curve, reducing the risk for coronary atherosclerosis. [37]
Leisure physical activities like hiking can help fight high blood pressure. [38]
Hiking can reduce chronic pain in 75% of the cases of female participants in this activity. [39]

Hiking for Mental Health

Forest bathing boosts mood by reducing feelings of anxiety, negativity, tension, anger, fatigue, and depression. Additionally, it enhances mindfulness, positive feelings, energy, and social connections. [40]
Thru-hiking encourages self-reflection and helps develop better communication skills between groups as well as self-confidence. [41]

Is Hiking Safe?

Hiking is generally a safe activity, assuming that you wear the right equipment and stay alert while on the trail. Let’s take a look at some data concerning the risks of hiking.

How Many People Die When Hiking?

120 to 150 people die every year in the national parks of the US, with slips and falls accounting for 50% of the deaths.
According to Statista, the deadliest mountain in 2023 is Annapurna I, followed by K2 and Nanga Parbat. [43]
Approximately 900 people died at the Grand Canyon since the 1800s, the current rate being about 12 people a year. [44]
Over 100 deaths were recorded on the Appalachian Trail from falling trees, weather conditions, heart attacks, and even murder.
Since its opening in 1890, 1,300 deaths happened at the Yosemite National Park, with a rate of 12-15 deaths per year. [46]

selected mountains with the heighest share of deaths compared to climber summits worldwide may 2023

How Many People Get Injured While Hiking?

Project Untethered estimates that there are 4,000-5,000 injuries related to hiking each year in the US. [47] The most common injuries while hiking are:

Blisters
Ankle sprains or twists
Knee pain
Sunburns
High-temperature related illnesses. [48]

How Many Hikers Get Lost a Year?

Every year, the Preventive Search and Rescue program of the Yosemite National Park receives about 250 emergency calls. [49]
Of all the people that have gone missing from national parks, only 23 cases are still unresolved. [50]

Is 2023 a Good Year for Hiking?

As we are wrapping up, let me say that I consider 2023 a good year to head out on the trail. The hikers are returning after the pandemic, populating the mountains after being left in solitude for a couple of years.

Unfortunately, if you are heading for K2, you will need to pay a garbage tax starting this year due to the big garbage problem on its summit. [51]

But overall, the costs haven’t increased considerably compared to 2022 and there are plenty of beautiful peaks waiting to be discovered.

Thank you for reading. For more hiking posts, visit our homepage.

Resources