Senior Hiking Tours
When senior trips are planned most people think about the basics: where to stay, what senior transportation is available, what kind of restaurants are in the area, etc. However, there is one group of seniors who plan senior vacations around one thing: the terrain.
Senior hiking has increased dramatically in the last decade as the older generations are living longer and staying healthier. Senior hiking is not a race. It’s a steady walk through countryside, along cliffs, with the coastline, or over the mountains and through the woods!
Health Benefits of Seniors Hiking
Senior hiking is more than a fun attraction on a senior trip. Walking is the staple of living independently as a senior. If you cannot get out of a chair or lack leg strength you will have to go into assisted living sooner rather than later. Starting a senior hiking regime early in your retirement might actually prolong your push to a nursing home, and keep you living stronger and healthier for years to come.
Tips for Senior Hikers
Even if you have been hiking through most of your adult life, there are certain things that change when you reach the title of senior hiker. For starters, your body is not in as good shape as it once was. Whereas seniors are in fact healthier than before, there are still things one needs to be wary about on a senior hiking trip. Here are some tips for your next hiking adventure:
- Pace yourself. Stopping to take in the scenery, take pictures, or catch your breath is more than OK – it’s encouraged!
- Start early. The mornings are always cooler, and starting early means you have the entire day to enjoy your hike.
- Wear comfortable shoes. Senior hiking shoes should have solid ankle support as well as be light weight and be non-skid.
- Bring a backpack. Make sure it is light weight, and only pack it with essentials: water bottles, light snacks, a map, and a cell phone in case of emergency. Any medications you take might be good to have a zip lock bag of as well, just in case.
- Pack extra socks. Keeping your feet warm and dry is essential.
- Bring a walking stick. Not only do you look like a seasoned professional (who doesn’t think a walking stick looks cool?) but they come in handy for people with knee, back or balance problems.
- Use the buddy system. No one should ever hike alone, but senior hikers especially need to be weary of losing their way or having an emergency. Also hike with a buddy, or join a senior tour hiking group.
In addition, make sure you set mileage goals for yourself that are consistent with your experience, stamina, and fitness. Roland Mueser, author of Long Distance Hiking: Lessons from the Appalachian Trail, did a survey of more than 100 hikers and concluded that thru-hikers over the age of 60 average 10 1/2 miles per day, opposed to the 14 1/2 miles per day averaged by younger hikers.
Most common ailments of seniors hiking are sore muscles in the legs, neck and back, blisters, and knee problems. If you already have ailments in these areas then starting with a smaller hike would be the best idea.
