When is the best season to go bushwalking is a common question, everyone has their own ideal season and temperature that they feel comfortable walking in so there is no exact correct answer to this. It really depends on where you live and the type of walk you are planning on doing, whether it’s waterfalls, or a scenic walk or an overnight hike. Although there is never a terrible time to be outdoors and spending time in nature, we have two particular seasons that we think are the best seasons to go bushwalking.
Autumn:
Autumn is one of the most beautiful times to head out on a hike. The water is still warm after the summer heat but you don’t have to fight the crowds for a spot to swim. If you go at the beginning of autumn, it will be still fairly warm so you will need to continue to keep an eye out for snakes and animals alike.
The later in the season, it would be best to head out, especially if you are planning on an overnight hike. You won’t need to worry about packing as much water to combat the heat, which means less weight for you to carry too. It will still be warm enough too so you won’t need to pack as many warm clothes, saving that additional weigh on your back!
Autumn would be one of the best time for photographers to head outdoors to capture some incredible shots of the deciduous trees. Although most of our native trees remain fairly the same all year round, you might capture a few shots that lead you to believe otherwise.
Spring:
Spring is the ideal season for hiking if you are planning on visiting waterfall locations. This is dependant on where you live but it’s the perfect spot if you live anywhere near ice. When the ice melts, it creates an abundance of powerful water that then flows through the rivers and streams. This means the waterfalls are more likely to be powerful as opposed to waiting a few months for summer to come, especially when the heat dries things up a bit.
Another fantastic reason for hiking in spring is all the new life that is about. You will be able to see all the new baby animals coming out to play or learning to walk, fly, hop and unfortunately, slither. It makes the longer walks more interesting and an added bonus is you are avoiding the heat. If you are a botanist or just love plants, you will really appreciate all of the new plants that can be found along the walks.
If your goal for the walks is to end in a swimming location, try and head out towards the end of spring to avoid that extra chilly water. If you handle the cold well, by all means, go earlier to beat the influx of hikers.
There never really is a bad season to hike! Which do you think is the best season to go bushwalking? Comment below.
