An ordinary person would be alarmed to hear that people would prefer to hike at night. However,
night hiking is a different story to the expert hikers and especially the tropical hikers, a thrilling kind.
But could the ordinary person be right to imagine that it is fishy to hike at night?
In the first place, we all know that danger lurks in the darkness, and especially jungle hikes can be tormenting.
Hence, What Are The Pros And Cons Of Hiking At Night?
It is not a question to answer with one straight swipe, but as you would imagine, if professionals consider night hiking a thing, there must be a positive reason. At the same time, it is not obvious that the ordinary person feels threatened to imagine a night hike.
When you go hiking at night, experts will tell you that it is not much different from regular hiking. The only two things that stand out are cooler, and you might have to be more prepared and watchful. But, especially in warm places, hiking at night can be a great option to avoid the scorching sun.
If you are considering a night hike, you might want to know the pros and cons before jumping right into it.
Why Do People Hike At Night?
When you talk about nighttime hiking, many people would wonder why one would want to do that in the first place.
The thing is, you might not understand it better until you get into it.
The Pros Of Nighttime Hiking
When it comes to the pros of nighttime hiking, their reasons are more naturally inclined.
Despite it being dangerous and challenging, nighttime hiking has many advantages that experts encourage. Some of these reasons include the following.
1. Less Heat
Being a summer activity, you can imagine how brutal it can be to walk up the trails or be sweaty and dehydrated to the last drop.
And yes, summer activities are meant to enjoy the sunshine, but this is not a beach walk or sunbathing.
Hiking involves serious hill climbing and trotting through the bushes, with backpacks on and heavy gears.
And don’t forget long, tiring walks up and down the trail. That is not something you want to do with so much heat on your skin.
A nighttime hike will solve the excessive heat with a single snap.
So if you want to get a relishing hiking experience and give your body an environment for the best metabolism within the same great trails, try nighttime hiking.
2. Fewer Crowds
Isn’t it annoying when you walk up the trail, and it is all parked and noisy?
But, you know, hikes are meant to be refreshing, and that is better achieved when there is a solid connection with nature.
You want to feel nature whisper things to you in silence and take in the freshness, not another city like chaos.
The busiest trails in the day are usually devoid of people during the night.
That means that you have the whole trail and nature to your disposal uninterrupted and undisturbed.
However, if you want to experience the real connection with nature, the refreshing kind, nothing can go wrong with nighttime hiking.
Everything is quiet apart from nature speaking to you in natural whispers.
3. More Adventure
Besides the absence of large crowds, nature has more adventure during the night like you would imagine more than the day.
The wilderness comes to life during the night, which means you have more to see than just trails and trees.
If you are fun of watching animals outside the zoo, this could be the best time for that adventure.
4. Different Experience
Night-time hiking gives you a whole new experience of the same place.
There is not only much to see at night, but also there is a different dimension of the same place.
The trail will look competently different in the night under the stars and moon than it does under the sun.
5. More Time
The best thing about nighttime hiking, perhaps the most important, is that you are not rushing against time.
With less crowd and the whole night to trail along, you have all the time to take in the adventure.
Even better, there is no brutal scorching sunshine which means you can walk more miles and enjoy nature better.
The Cons Of Nighttime Hiking
1. Predators
Though not always, sometimes there can be a lot of fun in nighttime hiking until there isn’t.
The thing about the hiking trails is that while it could be all friendly during the day, you might not know whose territory it belongs to by night (prey animals and hunters).
2. It’s Colder
Yeah, that it is for sure. While less heat can mean a lot to a great hike, too much cold can be challenging too.
Depending on the place and the season, nighttime hiking can be extremely cold.
3. Difficultly Seeing
The greatest part of watching out in nighttime hiking is in the sense that your sight is impaired.
That means fewer chances to anticipate danger which is not a good thing.
In this regard, it is always great to come prepared for the nighttime hike with the necessary lighting equipment.
4. Legal Issues
The greatest danger in nighttime hiking, perhaps, is that you are likely to get yourself in trouble with the authority.
It is not legal to hike at night in most places. That means that while the hikes are relishing, there is a high risk of ending up in trouble.
Conclusion
While nighttime hiking can be dangerous and challenging, there is a lot of fun in it.
In all honesty, nighttime hiking can bring out the best hike experience considering all the factors.
Even then, the dangers of nighttime hiking can go south pretty first.
In this regard, it is always in good interest to be prepared and have the right people besides you.
Nevertheless, the advantages of nighttime hiking always outweigh the dangers. Just be sure to take your planning seriously.
Related
References
https://www.garagegrowngear.com/blogs/trends-top-10/night-hike-hiking-tips-dark