When I moved from East Tennessee back to the West Coast where I grew up, I had just finished hiking every trail in Great Smoky Mountains National Park—roughly 900 miles. I was used to the cadence of at least one hike per week. I’d been regularly trekking 15+ miles in a day and could plan overnight backpacking trips or weekend adventures with relative ease. I expected to keep this momentum when I landed in Oregon, from the Coast Range to the Cascades. But, as it turns out, sometimes life has other plans.

Somewhere between the stress of a cross-country move, balancing a busy freelance business, remembering how much it rains in Oregon during the winter, and trying to find my footing and identity within my new community, I mostly stopped going on outdoor adventures. And when you stop doing something you love, overcoming the inertia to get started again can be a real challenge. I began to feel like maybe I just wasn’t an outdoorsy person anymore and my backcountry adventure days were over.

There are many reasons why hikers might find themselves in a hibernation phase from doing the outdoor activities they love. Maybe you’re a new parent and you’re adjusting to a wildly altered schedule and way of life (congrats, by the way, and this one is for all the moms out there!). Perhaps you finished a big outdoor challenge and are trudging through some post-trail depression (hey, you’re not alone, friend). 

You could be recovering from an injury, in an unfamiliar place, or impacted by any number of life’s twists and turns that lead you off the trail for a season. While I’m still actively getting my feet back under me in my Pacific Northwest home, I’ve learned some tips along the way to start putting one foot in front of the other again. I hope these insights can inspire you to reclaim your place in the wilderness too, or that you can keep them in your back pocket in case you find yourself in a series of cloudy days in need of a compass.

1. Take Care of Your Body

My break from hiking was at least in part fueled by a knee that started acting up. The more it bothered me, the more I avoided physical activities I thought might injure it. And the more I reduced exercise and movement, the more finicky my knee became. Not a great cycle.

Sometimes ignoring an issue will only make it worse. I found a physical therapist locally who helped me understand what was going on and created a plan I could follow to strengthen muscles that would take pressure off that knee. Have I always been diligent about doing my PT exercises? Absolutely not. But even the amount I’ve done has made a noticeable difference and restored my confidence in my body’s capabilities.

If you want to get back into hiking or backpacking after a break, check in with your body and show it the care it needs. What strength training might help? Would a weekly yoga class be useful? Can you connect with a body worker to help with pain or other physical challenges you may be experiencing?

2. Get to Know Your Surroundings

What I loved about hiking in the Smokies was how intimately I came to know those mountains and how I felt like, as a result, they knew me too. When I landed in a new environment, the mountains appeared as strangers. But when spring came, wildflowers burst in local parks and along trails, their bright colors and intricate fringe begging to be known.

I turned to my favorite nature app, iNaturalist, to start putting names to flowers: wingstem monkeyflower, Pacific bleeding heart, Oregon grape, giant white fawn lily, western fairy-slipper, Tolmie’s pussy ears, coastal larkspur, star-flowered lily-of-the-valley. The more I learned, the more I wanted to learn—and the closer I felt to the landscape.

If you’re needing some inspiration to get back into hiking after a break, get to know the plants, animals, history, or geology of the area you’re wanting to explore. Merlin is another great citizen science app for the bird lovers out there.

3. Start in Town to Keep It Easy

I think we often view hiking as something “over there” that we have to “go to” for an experience. In doing this, we overlook the easy trail systems—or even quaint neighborhood walks—that exist within our own towns and offer a low-barrier outlet for outdoor movement. 

I found a book that highlights 50 “townscape” walks within my city—2- to 6-mile strolls throughout the community via sidewalks, greenways, and trails. Adding these into my weekly routine helped me connect to my new home and start carving out the time to simply walk again.

If you’re wanting to hike and backpack again after a break, start where you are! What greenways can you walk? What neighborhood parks have you yet to explore? Where can you take a last-minute trek in town?

4. Pick Up Hard-Copy Maps and Guidebooks

I often hear people extol apps like AllTrails that house endless lists of nearby hiking routes. Personally, I get a bit overwhelmed when I try to use an app or the internet to decide where to hike. The decision fatigue and user ratings get in the way of me discovering a new place on my own terms. Plus, it’s hard for me to envision where I’m planning to hike from the confines of a smartphone screen.

After my move, I went to a local outdoor shop and bought hard-copy maps of the nearby public lands. I also picked up a guidebook that highlights 100 hikes within the area. There’s something about having a physical copy of something that gets the adventure vibes going. And I appreciated having a guidebook to narrow down options for a starting place.

If you’re getting back into hiking and feel flooded by the endless possibilities on the internet, return to simpler times. Step away from the screen and pick up some real maps.

5. Say “Yes!” to Adventure Opportunities

The more I didn’t do outdoorsy things, the less motivation I had to do them. When friends would mention an upcoming trip idea, I’d get bogged down by the details and lose the energy to prepare for the weekend. But the times I did say yes and pushed myself a little were the moments I started getting a true taste for the wilderness opportunities waiting all around me—from plentiful waterfalls to dune-hugged seashores.

It can be hard to muster the energy when getting back into hiking sometimes, but if others ask if you want to join an adventure, try your best to say yes. It’ll give you a place to start—and you won’t have to do all the planning!

6. Join Local Outdoor Groups

By the time I’d left the Great Smoky Mountains region, I’d amassed a solid community of fellow Smokies hikers I could rely on for trail companionship, help with shuttles, and general motivation. I found that sense of community inspiring, so after my move, I looked for local hiking groups I could connect with to start forming a similar support network. It felt so good to gather with a group of other outdoorsy ladies for a sunset hike one evening.

When you’re new to an area, you might not have a solid group of friends who want to go on outdoor adventures with you, but there are definitely others in your community also looking for adventure buddies. Check resources like Facebook groups, local weekly papers, or Meetup groups to find outdoor clubs. Some organizations like Women Who Hike or Women Who Explore have chapters across the U.S.

7. Ask a Friend for Accountability

It wasn’t until I started saying out loud that I missed having a more regular hiking routine that I could hold myself more accountable to creating one again. I asked a few friends to check in with me weekly to see if I’d made any outdoor plans. I also started to invite friends to join me on walks. It was harder to bail on a hike if I had a friend counting on me to go.

If you really want to get back into hiking after a break, you needn’t do it alone. Voice your intention to friends or family and let them know ways they can support you in getting back into it.

8. Keep Your Daypack Loaded 

One of the best hacks I’ve learned over the years for making adventure easier is to keep my daypack ready to go. I load my Loris 25 Daypack with the ten essentials so I know I have everything I’ll need for a quick adventure once I add my water, snacks, and anything specific to the day’s activity. As I’ve tried to get back into a hiking routine, I now also hang my pack on the coat rack near my front door to serve as a visual reminder of my goal.

If you’re trying to get back into hiking after a break, it’s crucial to make the process as frictionless as possible. No need to waste time gathering the gear you need before you can get out the door. Keep your pack loaded and ready for your next trek.

9. Plan an Easy Overnight 

After doing more local walkabouts, regaining stability in my knee, and getting to know some of what makes my new home so special, I noticed that I naturally started craving more time outside. However, as much as I wanted to run off-grid for a week, for the sake of keeping momentum, I instead planned a wildly simple one-night backpacking trip to start.

If you’re working to return to backpacking following a longer break, it helps to make the process as easy as possible. When you’re ready, find an overnight route that requires minimal planning—no permits needed, reliable water access, enjoyable mileage. Not sure where that is? Ask the folks you met in your local outdoor group for recommendations!

10. Set a Hiking Goal

Now that I’ve reacquainted myself with my outdoor identity following my cross-country move, I’m eager to keep the momentum going. I do well with specific hiking goals because it makes it easy for me to choose my next hike. When I took on the Smokies 900, I always knew I’d plan a hike in the national park each week. For now, I’m working my way through my guidebook’s 100 hikes and all the trails in Redwood National and State Parks as I’m able.

Whether you create your own adventures bucket list, take on a regional summits challenge, or work from a map or guidebook, having a tangible hiking goal will keep you motivated after returning to the trail following some time away.

Get Back Into Hiking or Backpacking After a Break With Easy Steps and Ample Connection

Even the most dedicated mountain athletes find themselves in seasons of their life where they’re not as active in the outdoors. It can feel challenging to get back into a rhythm with hiking or backpacking if you’ve stopped doing it for a while, but remember: you can always return. The wilderness will be waiting for you with open arms whenever you’re ready.

Now that I’m back to swapping trail stories with friends and plotting local adventures, I’m more excited and motivated than ever to hike and backpack up and down the West Coast.

Have you ever taken a long break from hiking or backpacking? We’d love to hear about your stories and what tips helped you get back into a rhythm on trail! Share your insight with us by tagging Gossamer Gear on social media (@gossamergear) and using the hashtag #takelessdomore.

Looking for more outdoor adventure inspiration? Check out some of our other articles on the Light Feet blog:

• 3 Triple Crown Thru-Hikers Compare the AT, CDT, and PCT
• 8 Best Summer Hiking Trails in the U.S. to Beat the Heat
• 6 Best Places to Hike for Wildflowers
• Learn the 7 Principles of Leave No Trace
• 6 Parents Share Their Tips for Getting Kids Outside

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