A new survey of 1,008 US adults who hike has put a number on something trail communities rarely discuss openly: substance use while hiking. The 'Hiking While High' survey, run by Tanzanian guide company Climbing Kilimanjaro between September 1 and 3, 2026, found that 44 percent of respondents have hiked under the influence — meaning the hiking world is nearly split down the middle.
Cannabis dominates. Of those surveyed, 35 percent said they have used weed while hiking, and among hikers who use anything at all, 80 percent reach for cannabis. Alcohol comes in a distant second at 23 percent, followed by magic mushrooms at 15 percent. Another 24 percent said they're curious about trying psychedelics in nature but never have. On the other side, 56 percent of hikers said they've never used anything on the trail.
The more unexpected findings are social. While 7 percent of hikers who partake said they've felt judged for it, slightly more — 9 percent — of sober hikers said they've felt judged for abstaining. Brian Raffio, Kilimanjaro consultant for the company, called that result a head-scratcher.
What struck the survey team most wasn't the usage rates but the caution users report. More than half (51 percent) said they deliberately choose shorter, easier trails when using, and would never hike high at altitude. Nine out of 10 said there are places they'd never use a substance at all — with the summit push being where people want their senses fully sharp. Raffio described hikers as a self-policing bunch who know their limits and terrain.
One more quirk: roughly half of respondents said they sometimes hike specifically to reset after drinking or a big night out.
Some context matters here. The Outdoor Industry Association estimates there are about 63 million hikers in the US, so a 1,008-person sample is far from definitive. The survey also deliberately avoided asking for opinions on trail substance use — the team wanted data on behaviour, not a debate. Their stated aim was opening an honest conversation from 'a place of curiosity, not judgement,' as Raffio put it.
For travellers, the takeaway is less about numbers and more about norms. If you're hiking in the US — from Colorado's fourteeners to the trails around Asheville or the Pacific Northwest — the reality on the ground is that a substantial minority of people around you may be under the influence, mostly on cannabis, mostly on easy trails, and mostly trying to be careful about it. And if you're the one declining a shared joint at the trailhead, you're apparently not alone — and you're marginally more likely to get a raised eyebrow than the person lighting it.
