How to find people to hike with

Hiking alone has its charm, but many people would go more often, and further, with company. The hard part is finding people who walk at your pace, like the same kind of trails and turn up on Saturday morning. Clubs, group hikes and community apps make that much easier than it used to be.

Practical ways to find hiking partners, then hiking apps, with a section for hiking apps rising by visits on the Censuus ranking. Meet new people in public places first and always share your route with someone not on the hike.

Hiking apps rising by visits and sponsorship on Censuus

A younger Android app from an independent developer:

Ranked by visit traffic and sponsorship on Censuus, not editorial opinion. The list changes as new apps appear and gain traffic.

Start with group hikes

Clubs and organised group hikes are the easiest first step: someone plans the route, the group shares the pace and you meet several people at once. Keep in touch with those you click with.

Use community apps

Hiking community apps let you find treks others have posted or post your own. Read the description carefully: distance, elevation, pace and experience level. Choose hikes slightly within your ability for the first meet.

Match pace and expectations

Before the hike, agree on the route, start time, pace, breaks and turnaround time. Mention experience and fitness honestly. A mismatch in pace is an easy way for a group hike to go wrong.

Stay safe with new partners

Meet at a public trailhead, share your route and expected return with someone at home, and bring your own map, water and gear. For navigation, see how to navigate offline on a hike; compare apps in hiking apps.

Compared from each developer’s own store description.
Where	How	Good for
Hiking clubs	join a local club or society	regular trips, experienced members
Organised group hikes	guided or community-led	first hikes with strangers
Community apps	join or post a trek	flexible dates and trails
Friends of friends	ask your circle	trust from day one
Repeat partners	keep in touch after a good hike	a steady hiking crew

Frequently asked questions

How can I find people to hike with?

Join a hiking club or organised group hikes, use hiking community apps to join or post treks, and keep in touch with partners you enjoy hiking with.

Is it safe to hike with strangers?

Start with group hikes, meet at public trailheads, share your route with someone at home and carry your own map, water and gear.

What should we agree on before a group hike?

Route, start time, pace, breaks, turnaround time and what to do if someone needs to stop.