Getting a group of hikers together well starts long before anyone laces up boots. Differences in fitness, experience and expectations don’t resolve themselves on the trail, they show up as delays, arguments, or someone quietly struggling at the back, so the planning that heads them off has to happen while you’re still choosing a date.
Start with the hike, not the people
Decide on the hike first. Distance, elevation gain, terrain, exposure and expected conditions determine what level of fitness and experience the day actually needs, and only once that’s settled can you work out who belongs on it. Do it the other way around, trying to bend a demanding route to fit whoever’s keen, and you end up making compromises on the day itself, which is the worst time to be making them.
Be clear about what the day involves
Most group problems trace back to someone not knowing what they signed up for. Before the day, make sure everyone understands the route itself (length, difficulty, terrain, elevation profile), the pace and time commitment including how much daylight margin you’ve built in, the weather and seasonal conditions you’re expecting, and what gear, food and water each person needs to bring. Leave any of that vague and you’ll get people turning up underprepared or overconfident, and either one puts pressure on the rest of the group.
Match ability and experience honestly
Mixed-ability groups need real planning, not optimism. Fitness, technical skill and comfort with exposure all affect how a group actually moves together, so encourage honest self-assessment from everyone coming. Age tells you almost nothing here; recent hiking experience and current fitness are what matter. If someone doesn’t fit the hike, it’s better to adjust the plan or suggest something else before you leave than to manage fatigue or safety problems once you’re out there.
Group size changes the whole equation
How many people you bring affects pace, cohesion and environmental impact, and it’s worth deciding before you finalise who’s coming rather than after. Larger groups move more slowly, spread out more easily, and need more coordination to hold together. Our guide on why keeping hiking groups small matters goes into how size affects safety and land management in more detail.
Decide who’s watching the map
Even an informal group benefits from clear roles. Someone needs to own navigation, someone needs to own pacing, and someone needs to be watching for regrouping points, and everyone should know who those people are before you start walking. Note: carrying a map or GPS isn’t a substitute for navigation skill, so make sure more than one person in the group can actually read the terrain and use whatever tools you’re carrying. Relying on a single person, or a single device, leaves the whole group exposed if either one fails.
Plan conservatively, and plan for what could still go wrong
Group hikes almost always take longer than solo walks, so build in extra time, give yourself generous daylight margins, and plan around the pace of the slowest hiker rather than the average. Our guide to time and distance planning for hikes will help you estimate that more realistically.
None of this guarantees a clean day. Think through how the group will handle separation, fatigue or changing conditions before you need to, because that’s not a conversation you want to have for the first time under pressure. Keeping your hiking group together covers how to manage a group once you’re actually on the trail, and what to do when a group member becomes lost hiking covers what happens if that management fails.
Most of what makes a group hike work happens before anyone reaches the trailhead. Choose the hike first, be honest about who’s ready for it, and settle roles and margins in advance, and the trail itself becomes far more forgiving of whatever it throws at you.
Great article.
In regard to this “I’ve been on plenty of hikes with people twice my age where I’ve struggled to keep up. I’ve even been on multi-day hikes with people in their early 20s and they have struggled to keep up.”
I would also add that the intent of the hiker also plays into it. I could no doubt walk fast and bash through a day if that was what I was into, but I like to stop and look at things, take breaks – not necessarily because I need to, but to take it all in. Take photos and examine flora and fauna I come across. Look at the views etc. When I’m walking it’s generally at an easy tortoise pace because that’s what I enjoy. The friends I sometimes do some multi day walks with are the same. The exercise to me is an added bonus but I’m there to destress and immerse myself in nature. For others it’s the other way around and that’s fine! I think what motivates hikers is just as important as fitness level.
I’ve also found that 4 people is really starting to push it. Mostly because when walking in a line, the person at either end can’t hear each other properly so conversations can be more difficult, and I generally like to chat lol.
Gavan Mitchell absolutely intent comes into it. My comments around that were more about ‘don’t assume people’s capabilities by their age’.
Gavan Mitchell agree totally. I did an experimental walk with an organised group once only. They were off fast! Not enjoyable for me, a slow walker anyway, I like to take in the sights and sounds at my own pace
Jo Flaherty yep! I had a similar experience with the Melb Bushwalking club. And definitely not calling them out for a bad experience. It was a great day out. Just that the restrictions that come with managing groups that size make it difficult to walk it how I would like to. You feel like you’re inconveniencing everyone if you wanna stop and take a photos for a minute or two. It just wasn’t the right fit for me.
Jo Flaherty me too. That’s why I get into nature, to take my time and unwind.
What’s your go-to tip for keeping a hiking group motivated on tougher trails? Share your experiences! 🥾🌲