A survey found that 35% of respondents had hiked while high on cannabis, making it the most commonly reported substance used on the trail.
Cannabis can make it harder to recognize potential hiking hazards, especially at high altitudes, where symptoms like dizziness, nausea, and a racing heart can overlap with signs of trouble.
Climbing Kilimanjaro consultant Brian Raffio recommends sticking to short, familiar trails, bringing a trusted companion, and avoiding steep, exposed, or remote terrain when using cannabis.
Hiking can be a great way to unplug, enjoy nature, and get some exercise. But for some outdoor enthusiasts, the experience also includes cannabis.
While getting high might seem like a harmless way to enhance a scenic hike, it can affect judgment, coordination, and reaction time — all of which matter when navigating uneven terrain, steep inclines, and changing weather conditions.
ConsumerAffairs spoke with Brian Raffio, a Kilimanjaro Consultant for Climbing Kilimanjaro, who offered insight into why hikers should think twice before combining cannabis with time on the trail. From losing your footing to having trouble recognizing when something is wrong, being high in the outdoors can introduce risks that are easy to underestimate, particularly in remote areas where help may not be readily available.
Methodology: How the survey was conducted
Climbing Kilimanjaro surveyed 1,008 U.S. adults who identified hiking and camping as hobbies or interests. The survey was conducted from September 1-3, 2026, through Connect by CloudResearch.
Participants were asked about their experiences using substances while hiking, including which substances they had used and the reasons behind their choices. The survey also examined differences based on hiking frequency and demographics.
Questions about substance use were directed to the 446 respondents who said they had hiked under the influence, while the remaining 562 respondents were asked about their decision to stay substance-free.
Key findings: Cannabis is the most popular substance on the trail
The survey found that 44% of respondents had hiked under the influence of at least one substance, with cannabis emerging as the most popular choice.
About 35% of all respondents said they had hiked while high on cannabis, followed by alcohol at 23%, nicotine at 21%, and psilocybin, the psychedelic compound found in magic mushrooms, at 15%.
For many hikers, the appeal was about enhancing the outdoor experience. Nearly half of those who used substances while hiking said they did so to better enjoy the scenery (48%) or feel more connected to nature (45%).
However, the survey also highlighted potential safety concerns: 19% of hikers who used substances said they had done something on the trail they would not have attempted sober. Among those respondents, 43% said they had traveled farther than planned, while 38% had attempted a more difficult trail than usual.
Despite those risks, many hikers reported setting personal limits. Nine in 10 respondents who used substances said there was at least one place where they would never do so, with steep or exposed terrain (57%) and high-altitude environments (51%) among the most common boundaries.
The safety risks
Raffio explained that a big safety risk worth discussing is the effects that cannabis has overlapping with signs of trouble on a trail. Symptoms like dizziness, nausea, or a racing heart can show up whether you’re exerting yourself hiking or high on cannabis.
“If you’re on a flat forest loop, it might just be annoying, but if you’re getting higher up, it can make it harder to tell if you’re a little too high, or actually in trouble,” he said. “Then factor in dehydration, heat, or a longer day of effort, and your margins get thinner than most might expect.
“Our research showed 19% did something on a trail they wouldn’t have done sober, and quite often, that’s going farther than they originally planned.”
Another thing to keep in mind: At higher altitudes there’s less oxygen, so your heart’s working harder and hydration slips faster.
“Effort amplifies all of that,” Raffio said. “Cannabis can also raise your heart rate, so stacking the two is a bigger ask of your body than either one alone.
“Our guides check pulse and oxygen levels twice a day on every climb for exactly this reason, because altitude affects people unpredictably, even fit ones. Adding a substance muddies the picture. It's no surprise that 51% of hikers who use cannabis told us high altitude is somewhere they draw the line.”
Staying safe on the trails
For those looking to combine recreational cannabis with a hike, Raffio had some advice.
Start with a hike that’s on a familiar trail that might be less exciting/a little boring.
Keep your hike shorter.
Bring a friend who’s aware of the cannabis plan.
Skip any sort of hike that’s steep, exposed, or remote if you’re planning on using cannabis.
“Start low and wait, because the ‘I don't feel it yet’ move is how a good afternoon turns into a long one,” Raffio said. “Bring more water than you think you’ll need, and don't drive afterward until you're clear-headed (54% of hikers who use say driving home is a hard no). We see the same logic on a big mountain. The more serious the terrain, the more you want your full attention on it.”
For those who experience an adverse reaction to cannabis while on a hike, there are also some precautions to take. Raffio recommends to first stop moving, find somewhere stable to sit, as far from the edge as possible, and drink some water.
“If you’re with someone, tell them how you’re feeling and take a breather until it passes,” he said. “Don’t try to push on even though you’re feeling off. If your symptoms stay aggressive or don’t let up, or you experience difficulty breathing, confusion, chest pain, or even fainting, then it’s an emergency, and you’ll want to respond to it as such and call for help.”
Raffio also warns about the risks associated with altitude sickness, as cannabis and altitude sickness share many of the same symptoms.
“We wanted to explore this aspect of hiking from curiosity, not judgement,” Raffio said. “56% of hikers haven’t ever used substances on trail, and the ones who do seem to be pretty thoughtful about when and where.”