Getting high on a hike means two very different things. For most people, it’s the natural rush of a summit and clean mountain air. For a sizable minority, it involves a little chemical help along the way. We surveyed 1,008 U.S. adults who hike about what (if anything) they reach for on the trail and why. Most hikers keep it clear-headed, and the ones who do use are surprisingly disciplined about where and when.
Key takeaways
- More than 2 in 5 hikers (44%) have hiked under the influence.
- 56% of hikers have never used anything on the trail.
- 49% of hikers have taken a hike specifically to reset after drinking or a night out.
- Nearly 1 in 4 hikers (24%) are curious about trying psychedelics in nature but have never done so.
- More than 1 in 3 hikers (35%) have hiked high on cannabis, the most popular trail substance by far.
- About 1 in 7 hikers (15%) have hiked on psilocybin, the most popular psychedelic on the trail.
- Hikers who hike under the influence stick to easy ground, with half (51%) reaching for something on short, easy trails near home. Just 5% use substances on steep or technical climbs.
- 9 in 10 hikers who hike under the influence say there’s at least one place they would never use a substance.
- 51% of hikers who hike under the influence say they would never use a substance at high altitude.
- About 1 in 5 hikers who hike under the influence (19%) have done something on the trail that they wouldn’t have tried sober.
Many hikers have used, and one generation leads
Using something on the trail is more common than most would guess, and it skews heavily toward one age group.
Nearly half of hikers (44%) said they have hiked under the influence at least once. The habit peaks with millennials, 51% of whom have done it, compared with 43% of Gen Z and 37% of Gen X. Men were slightly more likely than women to have used (46% vs. 42%). Even so, the clear-headed majority holds, with 56% saying they have never used anything on the trail and prefer to chase the natural high.
Nearly 1 in 4 (24%) said they’re curious about trying psychedelics in nature but never have. Judgment cuts both ways, though more hikers said they’ve felt judged for staying clear-headed (9%) than for using something (7%).
Substances aren’t the only way hikers reset. Nearly half (49%) said they have taken a hike specifically to clear their head after drinking or a night out, a habit most common among avid hikers (65%).
Cannabis leads, mostly on the easy trails
Hikers’ substance use varied by trail difficulty and what they wanted from the experience.
Cannabis is the trail substance of choice by a wide margin. More than 1 in 3 hikers overall (35%) said they have hiked high on cannabis, and among the hikers who use anything, 80% reach for it. Alcohol is the next most common substance (23%), followed by nicotine (21%). Psilocybin ranks fourth at 15%, and it’s the most common psychedelic reported.
Where and why matter as much as what. Enhancement clusters on the low-stakes miles, with 51% of users reaching for something on short, easy trails near home. Usage drops on solo hikes (30%), and just 5% hike under the influence on steep or technical climbs. Forest and woodland trails are the favored setting (69%), well ahead of named summit or peak climbs (14%).
The reasons lean toward the experience itself. Beyond simply relaxing, users most often said they reach for something to take in the scenery (48%) or to feel more connected to nature (45%). Nearly 1 in 4 (23%) said it helps them calm nerves or push past a fear, such as heights or exposed edges.
For some, using also means unplugging: 15% said they go completely off the grid and post nothing when they use.
Where hikers draw the line
Even the hikers who use keep firm limits, and the firmest ones line up with the most serious terrain.
For all the talk of enhancement, most people who use while hiking draw hard lines. Nine in 10 said there is at least one place they would never use a substance, and the no-go list tracks with risk. Steep or exposed terrain (57%), driving home afterward (54%), and high altitude (51%) top the list.
Those limits exist for good reason. About 1 in 5 users (19%) admitted to doing something on the trail they wouldn’t have tried sober, most often going farther than planned (43%) or taking a harder trail than usual (38%). Among the hikers who stay substance-free, safety leads the way. Many also said they keep clear simply to protect the natural experience (46%).
The trail sets its own limits
The trail, it turns out, largely polices itself. Most hikers stay clear-headed, and even those who reach for something treat the easy miles and the serious ones very differently, saving the exposed ground and the summit push for a clear head. Whatever a hiker packs, the same instinct shows up again and again: the harder the climb, the higher the stakes for staying sharp.
Methodology
Climbing Kilimanjaro surveyed 1,008 US adults who hike, about what, if anything, they use on the trail. The survey was fielded from September 1 to 3, 2026 through Connect by CloudResearch and screened to US residents who count camping and hiking among their hobbies and interests. Respondents were grouped by self-described hiking frequency into casual (a few times a year), regular (roughly monthly) and avid (weekly or more). The sample was 52% women and 46% men, spanning millennials (51%), Gen X (24%), Gen Z (19%) and baby boomers (6%). Questions about using something on a hike were asked only of the 446 respondents who said they had hiked under the influence, and questions about staying substance-free only of the 562 who had not. Percentages that do not total 100% are due to rounding.
About Climbing Kilimanjaro
Founded in 2009, Climbing Kilimanjaro is a 100% Tanzanian-owned company specializing in guided Mount Kilimanjaro treks, with more than 16 years of experience helping climbers of all levels reach the Roof of Africa safely. The same clear-headed, safety-first discipline that hikers in this study reserve for their most serious terrain is what its guides bring to every ascent.
Fair use statement
You’re welcome to share the findings and images from this study for noncommercial purposes. Please mention Climbing Kilimanjaro and link back to this page so readers can view the full study and its methodology.
