Why Every Hike Starts With ‘It’s Just a Short Walk’

It starts innocently enough. Someone says, “It’s just a short walk,” and you agree, thinking you’re about to enjoy a leisurely nature stroll. Fast forward an hour, and you’re climbing a steep incline, sweating profusely, wondering if this “easy trail” was actually designed by mountain goats. Somehow, every hike—no matter the original plan—turns into an unexpectedly exhausting adventure. But why does this happen every time?

The Great Hiking Underestimation

People consistently underestimate hikes for a few key reasons:

• Optimistic memory: Someone who has done the hike before remembers only the highlights, not the pain.
• Poor trail descriptions: “Moderate incline” could mean anything from a gentle slope to a near-vertical climb.
• Google Maps deception: A 1-mile hike on a map doesn’t show elevation gain, rough terrain, or unexpected detours.
• Overconfidence: Someone always insists, “We don’t need a map, I’ve been here before.”

The Point of No Return

Hikes always seem manageable at first—until you reach the moment when turning back feels just as bad as continuing forward. This usually happens when:

1. You’re halfway up a steep climb: Going back down feels like a worse option than finishing.
2. Someone insists the viewpoint is “just a little farther”: (It never is.)
3. You realize there’s no shortcut back: That “loop trail” is much longer than expected.

The Unexpected Hiking Struggles

What starts as a peaceful walk often turns into a series of small struggles that no one accounted for:

• The weather changes: It was cool when you started, but now it feels like a survival expedition.
• Someone didn’t bring enough water: Now you’re rationing sips like it’s the Oregon Trail.
• Blisters and bad shoes: “I thought these sneakers would be fine” is never true.
• The trail suddenly disappears: One wrong turn, and you’re on an unintended adventure.

Why We Never Learn

No matter how many times a “short walk” turns into an endurance test, we keep falling for it. The fresh air, the excitement of exploration, and the promise of a great view make us forget the struggle. And somehow, by the time we get back to the car—exhausted, sore, and swearing we’ll never trust another hiking estimate—we start planning the next one.

So next time someone says, “It’s just a short walk,” take a deep breath, pack extra snacks, and prepare for anything—because you know exactly how this story ends.