The Unspoken Group Hiking Rules That Keep Everyone Sane (and Safe)

Tegan’s boiled down the peculiar sociology of the hiking group to five concrete rules. Here they readeth.

Over the past three years, I’ve completed four multi-day hikes with the same group of women, ranging from close friends to relative strangers. 

I’ve learned that what makes or breaks these trips often has less to do with logistics and more to do with working through group dynamics. 

Here are the unwritten etiquette rules that help avoid tension on the trail.

Accept That There Will Be Different Hiking Speeds and Fitness Levels

Any group is going to be made up of people with various fitness levels and hiking preferences. Invariably someone will have a niggly knee, while others may not have trained as much as they’d have liked.

Some walkers prefer to get the day’s kilometres under their belt as quickly as possible and have more time to relax at the other end. There will be those who want to do all the side trips, and others who love to meander, take in the scenery and stop frequently (this is me).

Oh you know I’ll be spending a while on this bridge

The best way to handle these differences is to accept them. It’s not a race and it’s best for everyone to find a happy medium. After a few hours of hiking, a natural rhythm forms, with the fitter and faster walkers leading the way and stopping semi-regularly to give the peloton a chance to catch up.

If the gap becomes wider as the group inches closer to the campsite, it often makes sense to split into two groups – making sure each has a PLB or satellite comms device, a first aid kit, and a sense of direction. This also goes for when you have people wanting to do side trips and those who don’t. 

Read more: PLBs and Satellite Messengers – Everything You Need to Know About Off-Grid Safety

The golden rule for any group hiking situation is to make sure no one is left walking by themselves. Being able to see or hear the person in front or behind you is critical so that you’re not left isolated if you get injured or become disorientated. 

Share Tents, Stoves, and Food Fairly

To avoid carrying unnecessary weight and feeling resentful, it’s a good idea to pair up or go in a group of three to plan dinners and share lunch provisions. You can then carry parts of the stove and fuel, and divvy up the food, redistributing it as you go to even out the weight. 

It can also be handy to group those together who have dietary requirements. Splitting people up for organising purposes also stops the Whatsapp chat getting out of hand, which it inevitably does!

Share the load so everyone’s packs are a similar weight, for the whole hike!

Make everyone responsible for their own snacks, but be prepared to share. On every walk I’ve been on, someone runs out of food and others have too much. Be generous and bring along something to pass around like chips, chocolate, dried mango, or jerky.

In terms of equipment, technology is so advanced these days that the weight of some tents is basically redundant, making it easy to each bring one (especially for snorers and restless sleepers). It might not be practical for everyone to have their own though, so those who pair up can divide the weight between them. 

Balance Social Time With the Need for Solitude

As an introvert, I find hiking the perfect activity. I can engage in chat along the walk or go into silent mode as I concentrate on not rolling my ankle, or acknowledging how sore and unfit I am. 

I’ve found that everyone is much the same – happy to switch between comfortable silence or engaging in some in-depth discussions. The key thing is picking up on the cues of those who might have woken up on the wrong side of the air mattress, or are finding it tough going and need space. 

Head noise on the Grampians Peaks Trail

If you want some time alone once you make camp, pack your eBook, or maybe some pencils and paper to draw or journal away from the others. Going to bed really early is also perfectly acceptable when hiking, don’t worry about FOMO! 

If you’re keen to hang out, carry a pack of cards, some paper, crosswords and travel Scrabble to help pass the time or get to know people better.

Openly Discuss Changes to the Plan

On a multi-day hike, something is bound to happen that wasn’t part of the plan. On a recent Walls of Jerusalem walk in Tasmania, the forecast was for a wet end to our trip. We were able to get a more up-to-date weather report from a fellow hiker on the day the rain was meant to hit and found out that the winds were going to be at a gale force level. 

We had to decide – ride it out or walk out a day early? I wasn’t that keen on the extra long day of hiking – we’d added a few days to the usual three-day circuit walk and had been bush-bashing and snake-dodging – so people’s energy levels were low. But some were advocating for the safer call.

In the end, we discussed the options and had a vote. Common sense prevailed and we walked out. It was a good decision in the end, and we spent a fun night in the Mole Creek Hotel instead. 

Sticking together is better than getting exactly the outcome you want

When faced with a change in plans, weigh up the information and consider how everyone is feeling and what the safest option is. It’s always good to veer on the side of caution and defer to the weather. No one wants to have to call in the rescue team if they can avoid it!  

Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

Group hiking requires compromise and acceptance. You might not get to do all the side trips you wanted, and you might have to walk a little faster or a little slower than you normally would. 

While a few agreed upon rules help – like what time you’re going to leave the next morning – some flexibility is also required. 

A cheeky look at the view can help bring some perspective to tense moments

Be patient and aware of social cues. Some people might just want to be left alone or hate being rushed. Chocolate also goes a long way in keeping up morale. 

Hiking in a group comes with a sense of camaraderie and the comfort that if anything goes wrong, there are lots of people around to help. There will always be someone with snacks, a bandage, or an extra hiking pole.

It’s the shared stories and memories (good and bad) that make a group multi-day hike so memorable and fun – even when the walking might be hard and the weather is against you.