Hiking Early in the Morning: 11 Pros & Cons + How to Stay Safe [2023]

If you’re asking yourself, is hiking early in the morning a good idea, then you’re in the right place.

I’m an avid hiker and one of my favorite times of day to get on the trail is in the morning for many different reasons.

And although I love getting out in the morning, I know that a lot of people have concerns about hiking when the sun isn’t fully up.

However, most of the time, these concerns are overruled by the benefits that come along with hiking in the morning.

In this post, I’m going to talk about all of the best reasons why morning is the best time to hike, and what you should look out for.

Pros of Hiking Early in the Morning

Below you’ll find some of the pros that come along with getting on the trail in the morning as the sun is still coming up.

1. Fewer Crowds

One of the worst about hiking is encountering crowds on the more popular trails.

It almost feels like it totally defeats the purpose of getting outside to enjoy nature and escape the everyday.

But one of the significant advantages of morning hiking is the opportunity to avoid crowds.

As the sun begins to rise, most people are still in the comfort of their beds, which means trails are often blissfully empty.

The solitude of a trail in the morning allows you to fully immerse yourself in nature, listen to the sounds of birds chirping and leaves rustling, and be undisturbed by other people.

Additionally, fewer people on the trails provide a sense of serenity and privacy, allowing you to enjoy the stunning vistas and viewpoints without feeling rushed or crowded.

Do you know that feeling of waiting for your turn to take pictures and see the viewpoint? There won’t be any of that early in the day!

2. Easier to Find Parking

When I went on a road trip a few years ago, one of my biggest problems was finding parking at popular trailheads.

If I arrived even a minute after 7:00 am, there weren’t any parking spots available!

Getting to the trailhead early allows you to snag a parking spot and not have to worry about adding an extra mile onto your hike to walk to the trailhead.

Often times after morning, you’ll have to fight people for parking spots, loop around the lot a few times until someone leaves, or come back at a later time.

Not in the morning! You’ll get to avoid that.

3. More Chances to See Wildlife

Hiking in the morning not only offers a refreshing start to the day but also increases the likelihood of encountering wildlife along the trails.

During the early hours, many animals are more active and visible as they go about their daily routines. As the day goes on, they tend to hide away.

While this might be scary in certain places (I’m looking at you, bear country!), it can be really great in other areas.

Of course, you’ll need to be even more cautious and have the proper gear for encountering wildlife, but it’s so magical when it happens!

Imagine walking up to the viewpoint and spotting a moose grazing in the field below, or a mountain goat scaling the side of the mountain that you’re viewing.

It’s really the best, and one of my favorite parts about morning hikes and afternoon hikes.

4. Seeing the Sunrise

Watching the sunrise is one of the most magical things to do while traveling if you ask me.

And getting out on a hike early in the day allows you a front-row seat to one of nature’s most magical spectacles; the sun coming up over the horizon.

Watching the sunrise from a mountaintop or a scenic overlook is an experience like no other.

And with early morning hiking, you’ll have solitude from the people that you’ll find at roadside viewpoints or easy access spots.

I know that you’ll need to get out quite early to catch the sunrise (I recommend getting to the viewpoint at least 30 minutes before sunrise!).

But it’ll all be worth the tiredness and work once you see the sky filling with stunning shades of pink, orange, and purple.

5. Beat Mid-Day Heat

Another of the best reasons to go hiking early in the morning is that you’ll be able to avoid that miserable mid-day heat.

While this might not be a concern in some locations, places like the southwest and the desert get very hot in the afternoon.

And figuring out how to stay cool in these temperatures can be really difficult.

Not only do morning hikes save you from the discomfort of sweating profusely under the sweltering sun, but they also reduce the risk of heat-related illnesses.

Getting on the trail early allows you to fit your hike in while taking advantage of cooler temperatures for a more comfortable hiking experience.

The crisp morning air feels so good as you make your way along the trail, and is so much more refreshing than the sun beating down on your back.

Plus, you’ll have more energy and enthusiasm to tackle challenging trails without feeling drained by the heat.

6. Solitude on the Trail

As I mentioned above, you’ll be able to avoid a lot of the crowds that you might find on busy trails by getting out there early.

But if you embark on a lesser-known trail, you might have the entire thing to yourself.

This is honestly a dream come true on a hike since solitude is one of the many reasons that people love hiking.

You’ll get to fully enjoy nature without having to worry about other people making noise or bothering you.

7. Extend Your Days

If you’re on a hiking trip and have a limited number of days, then crawling out of bed early allows you to almost extend your days.

We all know how short these week-long trips feel, so by starting early, you gain extra hours of daylight to explore.

I know that it doesn’t actually extend your daytime, but if you were to stay in bed longer, you would get less daylight to enjoy, so… you know what I mean!

You’ll feel like you’ll have an even longer day ahead, which is a major plus for trips.

Moreover, the extended daylight hours give you the freedom to explore more trails, lakes, and vistas that you might not have been able to otherwise due to time constraints.

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Cons of Hiking Early in the Morning

While most of the reasons to go hiking in the morning are good, there are a few things that you’ll want to be aware of. Here are some of the cons.

8. It Might Be Colder

Something that always bothers me when I’m out on the trail early is that it’s typically chillier in the morning than it is later in the day.

The temperatures drop in the night, so getting out on the trail before they warm back up might be a reason to pack an extra layer.

If you’re hiking in the spring, summer, or fall, it usually isn’t a drastic change, but it might be a little colder.

If you’re going hiking in the winter, then you definitely will likely experience a pretty drastic change in temperature.

Now one thing that I will say, is having it be colder is often times better than having it be hot.

So I’d personally rather have to wear an extra layer or two than worry about heat-related illnesses.

9. It Might Be Dark

Another thing to be aware of is that obviously, it might be dark, especially if you’re heading out for a sunrise hike.

If you’re hiking after the sunrise, then you won’t have to worry about it being dark, but before sunrise, you should be prepared.

Have a flashlight, headlamp, spare batteries, and a reliable navigation system.

Having these things can help make sure that you don’t get lost on the trail and so that you know what’s around you.

10. Fear of Animals

The thing that I like the least about early morning hiking is that animals are typically more active during this time.

This one is a bit of a catch 22, because I love seeing the wildlife, but I’m also quite scared of them getting up close and personal with me.

And so them being more active at dawn and dusk is a bit more concerning.

The best ways to tackle this issue is to make sure that you’re prepared and don’t go hiking in the dark alone.

Carry bear spray, self defense items, talk out loud, and know how to react if you do come in contact with any wildlife.

11. You Might Go Slower

Something to consider about when you get on the trail, is that you might go a little slower, since you can’t really see as well.

Hiking in the dark can slow you down and it might take you longer to get to that viewpoint.

So if you’re hiking to a viewpoint to watch the sunrise, I’d give yourself an extra 30 minutes to an hour of buffer time.

This will make sure that you have the time to take it slow, be safe, and still get there on time.

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Is it Safe to Hike Early in the Morning?

Whether or not hiking early in the morning is safer or not really depends on a few things, and it isn’t really a straight-forward answer, unfortunately.

Typically, morning hikes are safe and are better than getting on the trail later in the evening.

This is because if you were to get lost or encounter something bad, you would have more daylight and more chance of finding another person than you would at night.

There are usually fewer people on the trails in the morning, so you don’t have to worry as much about encountering people with ill-intentions.

But, you do have to consider the fact that wildlife is more abundant at dusk and dawn, so your chances of seeing animals are higher.

Hiking in places that are known for crime or in bear country inherently become more dangerous for hiking at any time of day.

But getting on the trail in the dark during these times can put you at an even higher risk of danger.

Just like going on any other hike, it can be dangerous, and being prepared is the number one way to prevent something from happening to you.

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What Time is Best to Hike in the Morning?

If you’re considering going for a hike in the morning, you may be wondering what the best time to do it is.

It really depends what you’re hoping to see on the trail and how long the hike is.

For example, if you’re heading out on a sunrise hike, you’ll want to head out multiple hours before the sun rises to give yourself enough time.

But if you don’t care about watching the sunrise, you might be okay starting after it’s already risen.

In most popular destinations, I’d recommend getting up and on the trail by 6:00 am, but in lesser-known places, even 7:00 am is a good time.

For sunrises, you might need to be up and at ’em by 4:00 am!

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When is the Best Time of Day to Hike?

As you can tell from this post, my favorite time of day to hike is in the morning.

I think that this is the best time because it helps you avoid crowds, you have a better chance of spotting wildlife, you avoid mid-day heat, and you might even have solitude.

There are so many benefits to sunrise hiking or walking early in the morning, and I’d recommend that you give it a try!

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Safety Tips for Morning Hiking

Now that you know a bit more about the pros and cons of visiting morning hiking trails, let’s go over some safety tips.

• Be Prepared for Anything: Make sure that you’ve packed properly and have everything that you need. This includes a headlamp, extra batteries, extra layers, snacks and water, and the 10 essentials.
• Know the Weather: Check the weather before you go and be sure there aren’t any incoming storms. Be prepared for them!
• Slow Down: Going slower will keep you safe when you can’t see as well in the dark.
• Understand the Area’s Wildlife: Know what kind of wildlife you may encounter. Carry bear spray and other self-defense items.
• Tell Someone Where You’ll Be: Let someone you trust know where you’ll be and when you plan to return.
• Use Navigation: In the dark, it’s especially wise not to wing it. Use some sort of navigation so you know that you’re on the right path.
• Eat Before Hiking: Have a full stomach so that you’re energized and ready to get out on the trail.
• Pack Layers: It might be colder in the morning, so be sure to have a few layers, like a fleece or down jacket.
• Know the Trail: Only go on morning hiking trails when you know that they’re suitable to be hiked on. Read reviews before going and be sure that it’s well-groomed, there aren’t any downed trees, or wildlife hasn’t been super present.

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FAQs

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Wrap-Up: Early Morning Hiking

Getting out on the trail to go hiking early in the morning is a great form of exercise, allows you to enjoy nature, and stay away from the crowds.

While many people are concerned about hiking in the dark, it’s a great time to get out and really enjoy yourself without other people.

I hope that this guide has given you the confidence to try it, and some tips for how to stay safe while you’re out there.

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