Remember to Slow Down and Take in Your Surroundings

More often than not, hikers get distracted by the destination or the mileage they rack up on the trail, and sometimes it's hard to focus on the trail itself (at least for me). When I first got into hiking, I was always busy not tripping over my feet, watching the skies, and making sure I was drinking enough water. But now, after hiking for nearly five years (I started out late!), I'm starting to realize that it's okay to slow your pace, that you don't need to have a one mile per 30 minute pace every single time.

It's perfectly fine to stop in the beginning, middle, or end of the hike, sometimes multiple times per hike, to enjoy the scenery. The trees are begging for us to marvel over their grandness, the flowers yearning for us to come close enough to whiff their fragrance, and the vastness of the mountains/rivers/deserts/whatever setting are just calling for our attention - so take it all in. Take the time and bask in everything.