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It’s one of the strangest ironies of our time that as we get more connected in many ways, we also become more isolated. When Covid-19 entered our lives, that already-present trend got pushed to an extreme. The thing about our chronic loneliness is that it’s not all in our heads. It’s also in our bodies. The stress from a lack of social connection has profound effects on our health. In that vein, it’s strange how well hiking corresponds to those negative health effects. Even more perfect, the added social connection of joining a local hiking club almost seems like a final puzzle piece being put in its place. We’ll break down what the loneliness epidemic is and how hiking clubs might just be the remedy we need.
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What is the Loneliness Epidemic?
Image by Max Harlynking
In 2023, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy released an 82-page advisory called “Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation” on “the Healing Effects of Social Connection and Community.” It was comprehensive, and it lended legitimacy to what a lot of the United States’ population, and perhaps even the global population, had been experiencing. For Dr. Murthy, his understanding of these issues came from a cross-country listening tour. In hearing accounts and testimonies from people all across the nation, he eventually had a lightbulb moment. He realized that social disconnection was far more common than he’d realized. He also cites scientific literature, which put the number of Americans that have recently experienced loneliness at 50%.
While the report itself goes more in-depth, Dr. Murthy lists a few negative health effects of loneliness in the introduction. These include associations with cardiovascular disease, dementia, stroke, depression, anxiety, and premature death. “The mortality impact of being socially disconnected is similar to that caused by smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day, and even greater than that associated with obesity and physical inactivity,” he writes.
This is shocking information. It’s troubling to hear, yet validating for people across the world who are having this life experience. Dr. Murthy’s report focuses primarily on how to remedy this problem. He rightfully acknowledges this loneliness as not just a problem of the individual, but a symptom of unhealthy communities. He outlines six pillars for advancing social connection. The report as a whole is a call to action. “We are called,” he writes, “to build a movement to mend the social fabric of our nation.”
What is a Hiking Club?
Image by Jed Villejo
Most simply, a hiking club is a group of people that meet regularly to hike together. These clubs can be based on proximity with each other or based on shared factors of identity. Not only do they make hiking more accessible for novices, they also provide an added incentive to get out and hike. It’s easier to motivate yourself to strap on your boots when you’re meeting other folks at the trailhead.
When looking for a hiking club to join, likely the first you’ll find will be one based in your area. Depending on where you’re located, then, you might find yourself in the Cleveland Hiking Club, the Coachella Valley Hiking Club, the Northern Virginia Hiking Club, or some similar location-based group anywhere across the United States. For another angle on things, there are also plenty of hiking clubs designed to provide access to the outdoors for those who may not be so used to that access. You might check out Unlikely Hikers, Outdoor Afro, or Fat Girls Hiking.
What are Hiking Clubs Good For?
Image by Hudson Hintze
Hiking clubs have two positive factors: physical activity and community engagement. Hiking in any capacity, whether it be a short, flat walk outdoors or a multi-day alpine adventure, has great health benefits. Remember that list of negative health effects brought on by loneliness? The Cleveland Clinic has a similar list, outlining some of hiking’s effects on our health. These include reducing your risk of heart disease, lowering your blood pressure, combating diabetes and obesity as well as anxiety and depression. Hiking by itself is already a great thing, but when you incorporate a good community, it becomes more than that.
The first of Surgeon General Vivek Murthy’s “Six Pillars to Advance Social Connection” is to “Strengthen Social Infrastructure in Local Communities.” Two of the main components of that pillar involve scaling community connection programs and investing in local institutions that bring people together. Hiking clubs are a perfect example of such community connection programs. One based in physical activity has a twofold positive effect on our individual and community health.
What is it Like to Join a Hiking Club?
Image by Holly Mandarich
Outside of the scientific side of things, take a second to consider the experience of a hiking club. It’s nerve-wracking, meeting a new group of people, especially alone. However, when you show up and get over that awkward hump of initial introductions, those people will quickly stop being strangers. It’s shocking how much you can learn from an afternoon hiking alongside a member of your community, especially one from a different background, with different life experience. Something about walking makes for great conversation. Something about walking in the outdoors makes for especially great conversation. Not only will you meet new people, but those same people will be eager to get to know you. If you’re feeling nervous about trying out a local hiking club, keep in mind that all of the people in that club are there for the exact same reason as you. They want to take a walk and make some new connections. It’s good for the soul.
