Study: Cannabis is the Most Popular Mind-Altering Substance Used While Hiking  

More than a third of hikers (35%) have consumed cannabis while hiking, making it the most popular mind-altering trail substance, according to a recent study from tour operator Climbing Kilimanjaro. The study also found about one in seven hikers (15%) have hiked on psilocybin, making it the most popular psychedelic used on hiking trails.  

In all, 44% of the hikers surveyed said they have hiked under the influence of drugs or alcohol (23%).   

Hikers who hike under the influence tend to stick to easy ground, the study found, with half (51%) sticking to short, easy trails near home, with just 5% using substances on steep or technical climbs. Fifty-one percent of hikers who hike under the influence said they would never use a substance at high altitude. Another 19% of hikers admitted to doing something on the trail that they wouldn’t have tried sober. 

The majority (56%) of hikers surveyed said they have never used any mind-altering substances on the trail. Millennials were the group most likely to have hiked under the influence (51%), followed by Gen Z (43%), and Gen X (37%). 

About half (48%) of hikers who use substances say they do so to take in the scenery, with 45% saying substance use helps them feel more connected to nature.