Hiking is almost like meditation. You need to watch your breathing, you feel surrounded by nature and all its wonders, take time for yourself…But we all know you are going to, at some point, take a picture. That’s okay! We all love pictures and Instagram. Sometimes, the view is so stunning that you can’t help it but take your phone out of your pocket and take a picture and later post it on social media. I don’t blame you. I’ve done it as well.
Yet, when you‘re back home ready to impress your friends with the amazing weekend you had, what are you going to write in the caption?
It must be as impressive as the photo. Even if I’ve written a ton of articles about hiking quotes and mountain quotes, sometimes I find myself having a mental block. What can I write that describes this moment perfectly? I mean it was a challenging hike, but it was fun and rewarding.
You want to give this photo justice with the perfect caption. Luckily, you have come to the right place! I’ve put together more than 100 of the most memorable, meaningful, and encouraging hiking captions for Instagram. Basically, everything that Instagram loves that’ll sit alongside your photo perfectly.
Memorable Hiking Captions for Instagram
These next couple of hiking captions are a variety of some of my favorite ones and some that I’ve written myself. Feel free to use them on your Instagram and social media, and please make sure to add credits. I love seeing my quotes around Insta! These captions are sure to bring good memories and a smile to your face.
You will also find short interpretations of captions and why that quote is special to me. I’ve selected and written these quotes having Instagram in mind, so it will help your engagement and nicely feed the algorithm! I hope you find any of them useful and use them in your next hiking adventure post.
“They say returning home is difficult after a long hike. I say, take your home with you.”
“We’re not even really hiking, more like meandering in cinematic light.” – Kristen Henderson
“The ground we walk on, the plants and creatures, the clouds above constantly dissolving into new formations – each gift of nature possessing its own radiant energy, bound together by cosmic harmony.” – Ruth Bernhard
“Wood you believe that I’m actually on a hike right now?”
“When we walk into a grove of trees or under an open sky the magic of nature takes over and the heaviness of life lifts a little.” – Natassia Cassinero
“I love that moment in a hike when you snap to and suddenly realise for the last 10 minutes you’ve not been observing nature but have instead become a part of it.”
Why I love this Caption: This hiking captions reminds us that hiking is a form of meditation. It requires effort and conscious breathing so you can really enjoy it. You get so hooked up in the hike that suddenly you lift your head and see the most breathtaking view.
“On a hike, the days pass with the wind, the sun, the stars; movement is powered by a belly full of food and water, not a noxious tankful 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
“The perfect pair of hiking boots brings you safely through thrumming rivers and broken rocks; the perfect partner is walking right beside you.”
“Walking: the most ancient exercise and still the best modern exercise.” – Carrie Latet
“If there’s one thing I’ve learned from hiking, it’s that the early bird gets the face full of spider webs.”
“The trek uphill makes you wish for the future; the view up top anchors you to the present.”
“You need special shoes for hiking—and a bit of a special soul as well.” – Terri Guillemets
“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
Quote Interpretation: We get so used to “fake” environments, distant from our own nature, that when we go out hiking and reconnect with our nature, once we’re back in society, it somehow feels like the pieces don’t fit anymore.
“Hiking is a bit like life: The journey only requires you to put one foot in front of the other…again and again and again. And if you allow yourself the opportunity to be present throughout the entirety of the trek, you will witness beauty every step of the way, not just at the summit.”
“You can visit the same trail twice but you’ll never take the same hike.”
“My father considered a walk among the mountains as the equivalent of churchgoing.” – Aldous Huxley
“I’d rather be in the mountains thinking of God than in church thinking of the mountains.” – John Muir
Quote Interpretation: Don’t be in places you don’t really want to be. The author is encouraging you to follow your passions while still having a connection with nature and God. It is one of my favorite inspiring hiking quotes!
“I walked slowly to enjoy this freedom, and when I came out of the mountains, I saw the sky over the prairie, and I thought that if heaven was real, I hoped it was a place I never had to go, for this earth was greater than any paradise.” – Daniel J. Rice
“Remember to turn everything off once a week including your brain and walk somewhere quiet.”
Why I love this quote: Like many other quotes about walking in nature, this quote reminds us how refreshing and important it is to get outside and wander alone in the peace of nature.
“You need special shoes for hiking – and a bit of a special soul as well.” – Terri Guillemets
“Do you know how fast you are walking? To get a close estimate, count the number of steps you take in a minute and divide by 30.” – Albina Fabiani
Encouraging Hiking Captions
Let’s face it, hiking can be challenging. These next hiking captions will easily accompany any photo of a somewhat challening or difficult hike. They remind us how good hiking is for the soul and how rewarding the climb really is. These hiking captions will have your Instagram followers inspired!
“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.” – John Muir
“You need mountains, long staircases don’t make good hikers.” – Amit Kalantri
“In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks.” – John Muir
“You have to hike up the mountain path to reach the summit. Thinking won’t get you there.” – Marty Rubin
“If you are in a bad mood, go for a walk. If you are still in a bad mood, go for another walk.” – Hippocrates
Why I love this caption: Walking is like therapy to me. Every time I’m feeling troubled or like I need space, going for a while relaxes me and clears my mind. You can also have great conversations while walking.
“None of your knowledge, your reading, your connections will be of any use here: two legs suffice, and big eyes to see with. Walk alone, across mountains, or through forests. You are nobody to the hills or the thick boughs heavy with greenery. You are no longer a role, or a status, not even an individual, but a body, a body that feels sharp stones on the paths, the caress of long grass, and the freshness of the wind. When you walk, the world has neither present nor future: nothing but the cycle of mornings and evenings. Always the same thing to do all day: walk. But the walker who marvels while walking (the blue of the rocks in a July evening light, the silvery green of olive leaves at noon, the violet morning hills) has no past, no plans, no experience. He has within him the eternal child. While walking I am but a simple gaze.” ~ Frédéric Gros
“Hiking is just walking where it’s okay to pee.” – Demetri Martin
“If I see a mountain, I just pick up and hike it.” – Aurora
“You never know if you’re in the right place until you reach it. Keep walking.”
“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
Why I love this caption: We will never know what our passions are if we don’t try them first. How would you know that you love singing if you have never tried it before? You need to try things in life, be active and go for it. Just like when walking, if you feel lost, keep walking and you will eventually arrive at where you meant to be.
“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
“I slow down when hiking. The rhythm of nature is more leisurely. The sun comes up, it moves across the sky, and you begin to synchronize to that rhythm.” – John Mackey
“As a result of my hike, I am much more inclined to “do” things. I will have fewer “should have done even if it means incurring some “wish I hadn’t.” David Miller
“Don’t confuse the hike with the destination. The hike is about the sounds, the smells, the sights. It’s a complete sensory experience… But yes, that waterfall is also pretty freaking awesome.”
“If you are seeking creative ideas, go out walking. Angels whisper to a man when he goes for a walk.” – Raymond Inmon
Caption interpretation: We all know fresh air gives oxygen your brain and leaves you ready to think big. Great conversations also happen during walking or hiking. Nature is one of the most inspiring things we have left and this hiking caption speaks to it.
“Speed is not a priority, just enjoy your hike.”
“It’s impossible to walk in the woods and be in a bad mood at the same time.”
“On a hike, the days pass with the wind, the sun, the stars; movement is powered by a belly full of food and water, not a noxious tankful 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
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
“An early morning walk is a blessing for the whole day.”- Henry David Thoreau
Meaningful Hiking Captions
These next hiking captions for Instagram are meaningful and thought-provoking. Each caption has it’s own message that sure to get you thinking. Some might even teach you a thing or two, or present a new perspective – enjoy!
“Some people walk in the rain; others just get wet.” – Roger Miller
“The true miracle is not walking on water or walking in air, but simply walking on this earth.” – Thich Nhat Hahn
“Hiking’s not for everyone. Notice the wilderness is mostly empty.” – Sonja Yoerg
“I needed to begin respecting my own body’s boundaries. I had to draw clear lines. Ones that were sound in my mind and therefore impermeable, and would always, no matter where I walked, protect me.” – Aspen Matis
“For hiking is one of those things that you can only do when you have the determination in you.”
“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
Why I love this caption: It’s sad that some of us forget who we really are and start acting the lives of characters like doctors, lawyers, or accountants. Walking and nature allow us to reconnect with our true inner self and find happiness.
“Mountain hikes instilled in me a life-long urge to get to the top of any inviting summit or peak.” – Paul D. Boyer
“I go on hikes expecting to see the great outdoors but spend most of the time lost in my own head.”
“I took a walk in the woods and came out taller than trees.” – Henry David Thoreau
“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
“I’ve never understood treadmills when there’s so many trails to hike.”
Why I love this caption: This hiking caption tells us that there’s nothing better than going for a walk outside and seeing the world around you. I love going for walks while listening to music, I feel the world is moving my own way. It’s a sort of magic you won’t experience if you don’t try it.
“Fact: Hiking is actually just walking, only on dirt or rocks or other uneven surfaces. Or walking where an animal larger than you can kill and eat you.” – Brendon Leonard
“My most memorable hikes can be classified as ‘Shortcuts that Backfired’.” – Edward Abbey
“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
“If the winter is too cold and the summer is too hot, you are not a hiker.”
“We live in a fast-paced society. Walking slows us down.” – Robert Sweetgall
Quote Interpretation: I’ve been repeatedly told to slow down. Sometimes I feel my life passes too quickly in front of my eyes. Honestly, I get so hooked up in the harshness of everyday life that I forget the small details that make things worth it. Walking and hiking remind us of those small details and remind us to slow down.
“I understood at a very early age that in nature, I felt everything I should feel in church but never did. Walking in the woods, I felt in touch with the universe and with the spirit of the universe.” – Alice Walker
“Reading about nature is fine, but if a person walks in the woods and listens carefully, he can learn more than what is in books, for they speak with the voice of God.” – George Washington Carver
Popular Hiking Captions
Some of the best quotes and captions out there are in this next section. They are popular phrases that you might’ve even heard before. Keep in mind, “popular” doesn’t necessarily mean over-used, and some of these next captions will speak volumes to your Instagram followers. They are witty, cleaver, and impactful – perfect to caption your hiking photo on social media!
“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
“What a funny world we live in when we won’t turn our phones off but we get excited to see we’ve hiked far enough to lose service.”
“I love walking in the woods, along the trails, by the beaches. I love being part of nature. I love walking alone. It is therapy. One needs to be alone, to recharge one’s batteries.” – Grace Kelly
“No hiking boot fits right until you’ve taken it on many hikes to become familiar, comfortable and protective.”
“You can visit the same trail twice but you’ll never take the same hike.”
Caption interpretation: This is one of my favorite mountain captions for Instagram that reminds us that even if you take the same path every time, the experience will never be the same because you are not the same person. To that point, you have lived different experiences that make each hike a totally different journey.
“It had nothing to do with gear or footwear or the backpacking fads or philosophies of any particular era or even with getting from point A to point B.
It had to do with how it felt to be in the wild. With what it was like to walk for miles for no reason other than to witness the accumulation of trees and meadows, mountains and deserts, streams and rocks, rivers and grasses, sunrises and sunsets. The experience was powerful and fundamental. It seemed to me that it had always felt like this to be a human in the wild, and as long as the wild existed it would always feel this way.” ~ Cheryl Strayed
“Hiking and happiness go hand in hand or foot in boot.”
“What did the river say to the hiker with the clunky boots? Water those?!”
“In my afternoon walk, I would forget all my morning occupations and my obligations to society.” – Henry David Thoreau
“I might look like I am listening to you, but in my mind, I am hiking.“
Why I love this caption: I clearly am a huge fan of hiking. So much so that I’ve written over 10 articles about it! When I haven’t gone for a hike in a while, I really miss it and get lost in the feeling of fresh air and stunning views. Sometimes too much…and this funny hiking quote is about just that.
“Hipsters often prefer hiking backcountry rivers. They’re less mainstream.”
“Hiking and happiness go hand in hand or foot in a boot.” – Diane Spicer
“Hiking is the answer. Who cares what the question is.”
“You know the old joke about how to survive a bear attack: Make sure you hike with someone who you can outrun.” – Carolyn Jourda
Why I love this caption: This is something we often say during long hikes. I will make sure to outrun you! It’s hilarious and sets the environment for a fun hike. It’s a great quote that suits the Rocky Mountains where bears are common.
“You lift your head, you’re on your way, but really just to be walking, to be out of doors. That’s it, that’s all, and you’re there. Outdoors is our element: the exact sensation of living there.” – Frédéric Gros
“Remember to turn everything off once a week – including your brain – and walk somewhere quiet.”
“We?”
“You and me, yes.”
“The two of us hiking to Condor Peak? Alone?”
“I wasn’t planning on inviting the bear along, but if you think we need a chaperone.”
– Jenn Bennett.
Short Hiking Captions
Some of the best captions for Instagram (or any photo for that matter) are short and sweet. These next hiking captions are straight to the point – which is perfect for Instagram when only the first few words of your captions are shown on your followers home feed. Say a lot with only a few words by using these next hiking captions.
“To walk in nature is to witness a thousand miracles.” – Mary Davis
“We survived hiking together; we can survive anything.”
“Last but not least, it’s time to take a hike.”
“Walking is the favorite sport of the good and wise.” – A. L. Rowse
“Everywhere is within walking distance if you have the time.” – Steven Wright
“An early morning walk is a blessing for the whole day.” – Henry David Thoreau
Why I love this caption: It’s sometimes hard to wake up earlier than usual and go out in the cold to walk. But believe me, you will be thankful you did for the rest of the day.
“Hiking in undiscovered places is a lot of fun.” ~ Karolina Kurkova
“Happiness walks on busy feet.”
Anywhere is ‘within walking distance’.
“I love hiking — I don’t take it for granite.”
“Hike more, worry less”
“Hiking is a hill of a lot of fun.”
Caption Interpretation: Hiking on your own can be challenging, dangerous, and boring. There’s nothing better than walking with friends or with your loved ones. It can be a bonding and romantic experience.
“Walk into my world and I’ll make it ours.”
“Hike Your Own Hike.”
“I wood never leaf a hiker behind.”
“Ingredients for the perfect date: a trek, picnic and you.”
“I know I hike like a girl, try to keep up.”
“I hike to burn off the crazy.“
Why I love this caption: Some weeks by Friday I’m completely out of my mind. Especially after a challenging week. Going for a hike during the weekend is my medicine to start the following week sane and full of energy!
“Walking is a man’s best medicine.” – Hippocrates
“I used to hike… but then I got a drone.”
“I went for a hike, now I’m feel oak-ay.”
Find more quotes…
I hope you found any of the hiking captions above useful! My intention with this article was to provide you with an arsenal of powerful hiking captions for your Instagram, so next time you go hiking, you don’t have to worry about perfectly describing the moment but rather come here for inspiration.
If you have stunning photos archived in your camera roll, what are you waiting for? Take one of these quotes and share it with people! You might inspire someone else to go hiking!
If you didn’t find the perfect hiking caption here, you can visit the rest of my blog about mountain captions for Instagram. Are you looking for inspirational quotes about other destinations? I’ve also written a few articles about beach captions that you can check out too! My hope is that you can find all the quotes and captions to describe your gorgeous photos right here in my blog!