Hiking High: Tips for a Safe and Fun Cannabis Experience

There’s a stereotype of stoners sitting in a dark, smoky room and listening to music or playing video games all night. But cannabis consumption can be much more active than that. In this article, we explore the ins and outs of hiking while high.

Cannabis and Hiking: Is It a Good Idea?

Smoking weed in the woods, surrounded by all manner of plants, animals, and fungi, can be a great way to enjoy both the pleasures of a natural landscape and marijuana. A beautiful natural space, free from the pressures and stimuli of the urban world, is the perfect place to truly enjoy the effects of cannabis. Likewise, the effects of cannabis can help you adjust to a natural space and feel more at one with it.

There are few downsides to hiking high, so long as you’re prepared and have some knowledge of the landscape you’re going into. For best results, it might be most advisable to only hike in places you already know, unless you’re confident with navigation.

But if you don’t know the landscape, then there is a danger that you could get lost. In most cases, this doesn’t spell disaster, but it can be very disconcerting when you’re high. What’s more, you don’t want to have to be rescued just because you got too high!

Put simply, if you plan on smoking weed in nature, make sure you know where you’re going!

What's the Best Cannabis Strain for Hiking?

If you’re going to consume cannabis while hiking, choose a strain that's known to be uplifting and energising. The last thing you want is to be halfway through your hike, only to discover that all you want to do is go to bed.

Is Sativa Good for Hiking?

So, given that, sativa or sativa-dominant strains tend to be the most suitable for this pursuit. However, some indica-dominant strains offer just the right balance between energy and pleasant relaxation, so it ultimately comes down to user preference. The following strains are our top THC-rich recommendations for hiking while high:

• Mother Gorilla: What better strain to smoke in the forest than Mother Gorilla? Channel your ape ancestry with this stimulating cultivar that contains 23% THC.

Mother Gorilla (Formerly Royal Madre)

Mother Gorilla (Formerly Royal Madre)

	Gorilla Glue 4 x Reina Madre
	450 - 500 gr/m2
	60 - 100 cm
	9 - 10 weeks
	THC: 23%

	Sativa 70% Indica 30%
	500 - 550 gr/plant
	140 - 180 cm
	Early October
	Calming, Euphoric

Buy Mother Gorilla (Formerly Royal Madre)

• Royal Runtz: This strain is a 50/50 split between indica and sativa, meaning you’ll enjoy a cerebral boost alongside gentle warmth. But don’t be fooled into thinking that Royal Runtz won’t get you particularly high, because this strain packs 27% THC! So go steady.

Royal Runtz

Royal Runtz

	Gelato x Zkittlez
	450 - 500 gr/m2
	90 - 130 cm
	8 - 9 weeks
	THC: 27%

	Sativa 50% Indica 50%
	400 - 450 gr/plant
	160 - 180 cm
	Middle of October
	Euphoric, Uplifting

Buy Royal Runtz

• Honey Cream: Unlike the other two on this list, Honey Cream is actually indica dominant. This strain contains 16% THC and a higher-than-usual amount of CBD, making it much milder than the previous two options. For those who just fancy a little stimulation and some calmness, Honey Cream might be the best choice.

Honey Cream (Fast Flowering)

Honey Cream (Fast Flowering)

	BlueBlack x Maple Leaf Indica x White Rhino
	500 - 550 gr/m2
	100 - 160 cm
	7 - 8 weeks
	THC: 16%

	Sativa 35% Indica 65%
	625 - 675 gr/plant
	180 - 250 cm
	Early October
	Psychedelic

Buy Honey Cream (Fast Flowering)

What About CBD Strains for Hiking?

It may be that forgoing THC and instead consuming CBD-rich cannabis is the best bet while hiking. These strains can help to chill you out, but won't get you stoned in the process. Not only does this remove the issues posed by being high in an unfamiliar space, but it also means that you’ll be able to appreciate nature with clear senses too.

Our choices for CBD strains to smoke in nature include:

• Tatanka Pure CBD: This strain contains only trace amounts of THC, but high levels of CBD. This means it will have clear-headed effects and won’t leave you tired, confused, or high in the slightest. If you want to enjoy nature in its raw majesty, you can’t go wrong with Tatanka Pure CBD.

Tatanka Pure CBD

Tatanka Pure CBD

	Elixir Vitae x Medical CBD
	400 - 450 gr/m2
	80 - 100 cm
	6 - 8 weeks
	THC: 0,15 - 0,25%

	Sativa 30% Indica 70%
	400 - 450 gr/plant
	100 - 160 cm
	Early October
	Calming, Clear

Buy Tatanka Pure CBD

• Royal CBG Automatic: This strain contains high levels of CBD, but also around 6% CBG. CBG is a lesser-known cannabinoid that, similarly to CBD, has no intoxicating effects. What’s more, the plants are autoflowering, meaning they are much easier to grow compared to photoperiod seeds.

Royal CBG Automatic

Royal CBG Automatic

	Goliat Auto x high CBG Strain
	350 - 450 gr/m2
	80 - 90 cm
	7 weeks
	THC: 0,09%

	Sativa 75%, Indica 20%, Ruderalis 5%
	30 - 50 g/plant
	80 - 100 cm
	9 - 10 weeks after sprouting
	Clear

Buy Royal CBG Automatic

How to Stay Safe While Hiking and Using Cannabis

If you choose to hike high, then you should bear a few things in mind to ensure that nothing untoward happens while you’re doing it. As long as you prepare well and go at the right time, hiking is a generally safe activity. Nevertheless, bad accidents can happen, and the chances of this are inevitably increased by getting high. Therefore, take steps to mitigate these dangers!

Come Prepared

As the scouts say, always be prepared!

Having the right equipment, food, and knowledge will put you in very good stead when you head out. And it can't do any harm to pre-roll a few joints too. You don't want to have to load a pipe every time you desire a hit.

It’s probably best to hike high during late spring, summer, and early autumn. This gives you plenty of daylight, and likely means that temperatures won’t drop too low. These factors also mean you're less likely to get lost, and that it’s potentially less problematic if it does happen!

Study the appropriate maps before you go, and familiarise yourself with where you’re going and what the terrain is like. Are there any large hills you're going to have to ascend at any point? If so, find out where they are and maybe save your smoke for the top. Also, bring enough warm and waterproof clothing to protect you if the weather turns bad. Getting cold and soaked is never much fun, especially when you’re stoned.

Stay Hydrated and Bring Snacks

When hiking in nature, it’s very important to bring enough food and water—especially water! If you run out of supplies, a pleasant day out can quite quickly become unenjoyable.

Even though you’ll be high, try to be a little more rational than you might usually be. Bring food that will genuinely give you energy, and liquids that will genuinely hydrate you. That means sandwiches and nuts and fruit, alongside chocolate bars. And when it comes to hydration, you can’t beat water. Sugary drinks might seem like a good idea, but they’ll dehydrate you in the long run and crash your energy levels. If you want something with a little flavour, consider unsweetened coconut water.

Consider Hiking With Someone Else

Getting out in nature alone is a very special experience, and if you feel confident about doing so, then go for it. However, if you don’t, ask a friend to come along. This will give you company over the long hours, and means that there’s someone else to help you with navigation and other necessary decisions.

Watch Out for Fires!

Every year, many wildfires are started because of stray cigarette butts! Don’t start a wildfire by smoking weed. This means more than not throwing your spliff butt into the undergrowth, but even means you have to be careful of sparks and embers. It’s surprising how little it can take to make very dry undergrowth burst into flame in the depths of a dry summer. And once it starts, it can be very hard to put out.

Take Rubbish Home With You

Don’t be that person who leaves their rubbish in a bush and poisons the landscape. Take everything home with you, including spliff butts. Nature is having a bad enough time as it is; it doesn’t need stoners ruining it even more.

And likewise, be respectful of others who are out enjoying nature. They’re probably after fresh, unpolluted air, so don’t breathe great plumes of smoke in their faces.

Don’t Listen to Music

Conservation of natural soundscapes isn’t usually considered, but is highly important. This is true both for nature and other people enjoying it. Don’t walk through the forest playing loud music, as this disturbs animals and spoils the environment for everyone else.

Enjoy the sounds of nature; most of us don’t hear them enough.

Pace Yourself

Finally, don’t overdo it. Know your limits when it comes to the hike itself, and recognise that once you’re high, your limits will probably be less than usual!

Choose an easy, shorter route that you can take your time and enjoy. That’s much better than wishing it was shorter and being too stoned to enjoy it.

Also, pace yourself when it comes to smoking. Less is more, especially in a natural space. There’s no point in getting so high that you can’t enjoy it.

The Joys of Hiking, Nature, and Weed

Going on a high hike can be a very lovely way to spend a day. If you choose to do this, prepare, take enough food and water, be respectful of nature and others in it, and know your limits!