Hiking is one of the few remaining activities where you can get a solid workout, see something beautiful, and briefly pretend society doesn’t exist. Fresh air. Nature. Quiet. Birds doing bird stuff.

Which is exactly why no one signed up to hear your phone blasting music from half a mile away.

The Problem With Playing Music Out Loud on the Trail

Some hikers like listening to music while they hike. Totally fine. Do your thing. What isn’t fine is forcing everyone else on the trail to listen to it too.

For reasons science has not yet explained, a small but persistent group of hikers believes blasting music from their phone speaker is acceptable trail behavior. It’s not. It never has been. And it definitely isn’t now.

Yes, we see you. Yes, we hear you. No, we do not want to hear your EDM remix echoing through the canyon at 7:15 in the morning.

Why This Is a Bad Idea (Beyond Being Annoying)

• It ruins the experience for others. Many people hike specifically for peace, quiet, and mental reset. Your playlist does the opposite.
• It disrupts wildlife. Loud, unfamiliar noise stresses animals and pushes them away from their natural habitat.
• It creates safety issues. Music blasting can drown out warnings, approaching bikers, horses, or other hikers trying to communicate.
• It screams main character energy. Trails are shared spaces, not your personal gym soundtrack.

If You Want Music, Here’s the Simple Solution

Headphones. That’s it. That’s the entire solution.

Most phones come with them. If yours didn’t, inexpensive wired or wireless headphones exist in abundance. You don’t need studio-quality sound. You just need something that keeps your music inside your own head.

Even better: keep the volume low enough so you can still hear what’s happening around you. Trails are not treadmills.

But What If Someone Else Is Blasting Music?

You have options:

• Politely ask them to turn it down. Sometimes people genuinely don’t realize how far sound travels outdoors.
• If that feels awkward, just pass quickly and move on. No one is obligated to confront strangers on a steep incline.
• Resist the urge to yell. It rarely improves the situation and usually just adds more noise.

Trail Etiquette Is Not Complicated

The rule is simple: if what you’re doing would annoy you if someone else did it, don’t do it.

That applies to blasting music, speakerphone conversations, shouting across switchbacks, and pretending the trail is your personal stage.

Be aware. Be respectful. Let the desert sound like the desert.

Helpful reminder: silence, wind, footsteps, and the occasional “hello” are still undefeated trail classics.

Want more hiking tips? Check out our guide here.