I think every hiker has fallen for it.

You climb. You work your way up the trail.

The grade finally begins to level out, and you can’t help but think, “This has to be it.”

You take those last few steps, expecting the view you’ve been hiking toward…

…only to discover another climb waiting on the other side.

Congratulations.

You just met your first false summit.

If you’ve never heard the term before, don’t worry. It probably won’t be your last.

I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve convinced myself the destination had to be just over the next rise.

Sometimes I was right.

Most of the time… Not even close.

The funny thing is, false summits don’t bother me nearly as much as they used to.

Maybe it’s because I’ve learned they’re simply part of hiking.

Trails don’t reveal themselves all at once. They unfold a little at a time.

And honestly, I think that’s part of what makes hiking so enjoyable.

If every trail showed you the destination from the very beginning, you’d probably spend the entire hike looking at where you were going instead of where you were.

Instead, the trail keeps giving you little surprises along the way.

Maybe it’s your first glimpse of a waterfall through the trees. Maybe it’s a meadow you weren’t expecting.

Maybe it’s the friend hiking beside you who laughs and says,

“Well…I guess we’re not there yet.”

Or maybe it’s just an excuse to stop for a drink of water, catch your breath, and look around for a minute.

After all, if you’re already standing there…

…you might as well enjoy the view.

The next climb doesn’t erase the one you just finished. It simply becomes part of the story you’ll tell when you get home.

I’m learning to look at false summits a little differently.

Instead of feeling disappointed, I’m learning to smile.

Because now I know there’s still a little more trail left to enjoy.

And that’s never a bad thing.

Trail Truth

If the trail had shown me the real summit from the beginning…

I probably would’ve missed everything in between.

And remember, the trail doesn’t end here.

So until next time, get outside, take the scenic route, and make a few memories. After all, that’s what the best adventures are really about. We’ll see you in the next edition of Hiking Yosemite.