An honest look at what keeps us Motivated to Hike in Your Older Years

Hiking is popular among those who are retirement age; in fact this older age group is one of the fastest-growing segments in outdoor recreation – more than doubling over the past decade. 

That’s a great stat – but, honestly, getting out and being active as we get older isn’t easy for everyone. It takes dedication, tenacity, a decent health history, and what we’ll talk about today: motivation.

Motivation is deeper than what I first believed before digging into this. In many ways it’s “normal” or “automatic” behavior. It’s instinctive, one of those built in survival mechanisms – one of the forces behind all of human achievement throughout history.

So, when we say – “I’m just not motivated today”, that might be true, but I have to wonder: why and how could something that is so natural and instinctive be suppressed? It’s not like we’re being forced – or are we?

One of the biggest hurdles people mention as they get older is the fear that their bodies won’t keep up. Stiff joints, slower recovery, lower muscle mass, and the occasional “I’m just not as energetic as I used to be” can all feel like a stop sign.

Then there’s the myth that hiking is only for the super‑fit, which makes many seniors shy away from even trying.

Modern western society often paints aging as a time to settle down, to stop doing things that are meant for the younger generation. There’s this pressure to conform.

I heard someone recently say: “I’m retired now. I’ve earned the right to be lazy.” That’s a little scary to me, because we all know the consequences of a life that is less active – you’ll hear it referred to as a sedentary life. It seems there is an expectation: grow old, slow down, become dependent, accept chronic diseases, and die.

And if we don’t have a clear reason or purpose for being active, those doubts can take center stage; they become the loudest voice in our head, turning a simple walk into a mental mountain. And we start asking ourselves: “what am I doing out here?”

Then try to find someone your age to join you. We know that having someone to share our experiences is sometimes the only thing that gets us out there. But with all these people our age conforming to the “it’s not for us anymore” thinking, sometimes it feels like we’re standing alone.

Not to be a downer, but there are some compounding factors here that are working to squash our motivation for being active, hiking, or simply enjoying nature as we get older.

So, what exactly is motivation and how do we tap into it? The answer is more than most people think.

The Many Faces of Motivation

Motivation has three core elements. According to those who study human behavior, motivation is all about challenge, curiosity, and control. They say that these elements come from deep seated human needs. It’s normal behavior to be motivated; it’s part of our survival as a species. It’s the fuel of accomplishment. Let’s go through them:

1) Challenge. We have a need to be challenged, but at the right level. Too much challenge, we fail and become discouraged. Too little challenge means no reward or satisfaction. Being challenged is feeding personal growth and having a sense of accomplishment and purpose. And we all want; we all need that. When we hike we are challenged to do the miles or the climb. Hiking is a great way to satisfy the need to be challenged.

2) Curiosity. Humans also have a need to satisfy curiosity; to fill the gap between what we know and what we want to know – this could be sensory (what we hear, see, or feel) or cognitive (knowledge fulfillment). When we hike we are satisfying our curiosities when experiencing or observing nature. Hiking is one good way of satisfying our curiosities.

3) Control. We have a need to control outcomes by our actions. We are creative beings who like to see results and feel there is value in our actions. When we hike we believe we are controlling, to some degree, our level of fitness and health. Hiking satisfies our need to control.

So, hiking fulfills all three required elemental needs that define motivation. But, there’s more to it

But motivation has many faces. Some hikers thrive on the sheer love of being in a forest, watching and listening to birds and other wildlife, taking a deep inhale of fresh pine scent, or being captured by an amazing view. Others chase the health perks: stronger bones, better heart health, and that natural mood lift that nature provides.

There’s also a social need that can be satisfied here. The camaraderie on group treks can be inviting: laughs around a campfire, shared stories and experiences, and a sense of belonging keeps people wanting more of this kind of experience.

Then for those who are focused on goals, there’s the satisfaction of ticking off a new trail or reaching a peak. It’s a tangible reminder that age, although impacting at some point, should not stop us from having and chasing physical goals.

Mindfulness also plays a role; the rhythm of our feet on trail and the cadence of our breathing can be meditative, clearing the mind and grounding the spirit. One of my motivators is that I get a chance to get out of cell range, reduce the noise and distractions of daily life, and to recenter my thoughts and priorities in peaceful settings.

I met a lady a few years back. At the time she was 74 years old and she had been hiking nearly every week for the past 30 years. She told me she once missed a family reunion because a sudden storm forced her to take shelter on a ridge, extending her backpacking trip another day. The next morning she watched the sunrise over a jagged mountain range in the distance. She said the feeling of watching the world wake up made her absence from the family reunion seem trivial. She recounted all the ways the trail gave her a sense of purpose and belonging. Her eyes lit up when she described the moment a shy deer stepped into camp, and she laughed about how she still “out‑paces” her grandkids on the easier sections. This is less about endurance and more about finding a reason to rise, even when the body resists. Her hard, persistent work gives her way more than what she puts into it.

The Real Obstacles

I know several people who have real obstacles. Some have physical conditions from past injuries that limit their movement. Some have dietary or medication constraints from diabetes or heart conditions or other health issues that introduce restrictions. And there are those who have become caretakers, who simply can’t leave their loved one’s side for very long. All these situations are difficult.

But every time I face something difficult, I recall the time I met a man with one leg who was hiking the Colorado Trail by himself. Because he didn’t have the support from friends, he had to do out-and-back section hikes – so, he was actually hiking the trail twice, around a thousand miles total – on one good leg. After a 10 minute talk with him about how he faces his challenges, I couldn’t think of a single thing in my life, if I dig deep enough, that I couldn’t attempt, or even overcome. To that guy it was just another Tuesday. Inspiring. Motivating.

I know that being active when we’re older with health limitations is not easy. I’ve talked about my health matters in several of my YouTube videos – chronic heart condition, pre-cancer treatment plan, previous injuries – to name a few. But this isn’t a discussion about how easy this is. It’s not easy. 

This is a discussion about our innate ability to satisfy those elemental needs that drive motivation; and to use motivation to overcome obstacles that might try to obstruct or recondition what is instinctual, or to use motivation to at least give us a pathway to keep trying to stay active regardless of our age.

If you can’t hike up a steep hill, hike on a flatter trail – start from there – then slowly find more challenging trails. Understand your limits; don’t try anything that is obviously going to cause serious injury. But don’t completely quit because it’s hard.

I had a gym teacher with one arm when I was a kid. She didn’t allow us to use the word “can’t”. She always made us try, and to try a little harder next time. She taught us, and more importantly she demonstrated to us, that many of our limitations are self-imposed.

If you are on medications, maybe your meds need to be refrigerated. There is probably some opportunity to schedule your hikes around your doses, or take a small cooler with you in your car – or one of those refrigerators you can plug in your car. Maybe your meds limit your heart rate. Get advice from your doctor. Start small, experiment with what you can actually do, then build from there. If you’re nervous about this, carry an emergency communicator with you just in case you need it. You’ll always see me with my Garmin Messenger when I’m out hiking.

If you are on a restricted diet, talk to a licensed dietitian about creating a backpacking or hiking menu for you – or do the research yourself. There are specialists out there who deal with this exact situation and can help you remove this obstacle. Even if you can’t go out for a week-long backpacking trip, maybe you can do an overnight trip or day hikes.

Another obstacle is finding good hiking partners. Most places have hiking clubs of some sort. If not, there are also social media groups where you can find people with the same interests. Your church. Your neighborhood. Recruit a friend to join you. Or simply meeting people on trail may lead to finding good hiking partners.

As we get older, the potential list of hiking partners shrinks, but I guarantee you that there is someone near you who has the same interests and abilities.

I know that it takes the right personality too – so that can be a challenge. Some complain too much. Others may be too slow or too fast. Or talk too much. If these kinds of things are holding you back, consider making some adjustments. Your standards or expectations may be too high – loosen that up a little bit to help you widen your field of choices.

Another approach is to simply decide to meet at specific way points – like at landmarks along the way; you don’t have to hike hand in hand the whole way – and this may give everyone a little solitude and some time as a group; a little of both.

Maybe the answer is to hike with other age groups. There are people with different abilities and dispositions in every age group; you’ll find someone that will match yours.

What about finding trails that are right for you? That can be an obstacle, but usually it’s just a matter of where you look. Get an app like AllTrails to help you search out places you can hike. These apps give you distance, elevation profiles, trail conditions, and comments from other hikers. These kinds of features are great help in selecting trails that are right for you. If nothing else, start in local parks or even walk your neighborhood. There’s really no reason to not step out your door, get active, and enjoy nature. My Mom is 92 years old with one leg, bad eye sight, impaired hearing, arthritis, and even she gets outside. So, come on.

I understand there are real limitations as we get older. There are also enormous benefits in staying active that may actually reduce those limitations. Have you heard about people who reduced their medication dosing or even completely eliminated the need to take their medications by becoming more active? It does the body good – sometimes really good. Of course, always consult your doctor before messing with your medication.

There’s an opportunity here that could change your life, and maybe in a big way. So why not take it?

The Take Away

What should we take away from this? 

All humans have the instinctual need to be challenged, to satisfy curiosity, and to control elements of their life. These are what define motivation. For some of us, motivation is suppressed by outside forces, for others maybe it’s more self-imposed. But no matter the obstacle, they all can be overcome, to some degree. 

An increasing number of the older generation have found the motivated to stay active in the outdoors. It’s a blend of physical care, mental focus, emotional connection, and overcoming those things that may limit us. When those pieces click together, it’s magical. 

If you’ve got a tip or a story about what motivates you to stay active and keep hiking, drop it in the comments. It might inspire others live like they want it! See you next time.