Updated November 2, 2022
If you’re anything like us, you’re probably sitting at home or at your desk at work dreaming of fresh air and outdoor adventures in beautiful places. And, aside from actually adventuring, one of the best ways to get inspired is by reading some uplifting outdoor quotes. We curated this complete list of over 50 of our favorite outside quotes to help inspire you to plan your next adventure.
As outdoor lovers, we know that sometimes a little shot of inspiration and motivation is what you need to get to the summit. These words of wisdom from some of the world’s most famous and brave adventurers will motivate you to hit the trails ASAP!
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Wild and Adventurous Outdoor Quotes
Our love of the outdoors rests in a sense of wonder and awe at the beauty of nature and the wildness of the outdoors. These hand-picked outdoor quotes explain the sweeping feeling of being surrounded by the nature and fresh air of the outdoors.
1. “Real freedom lies in wildness, not in civilization.” – Charles Lindbergh
2. “The wilderness holds answers to questions man has not yet learned to ask.” – Nancy Newhall
3. “No matter the risks we take, we always consider the end to be too soon, even though in life, more than anything else, quality should be more important than quantity.” – Alex Honnold
4. “Live the life you’ve dreamed.” – Henry David Thoreau
5. “Life is full of beauty. Notice it. Notice the bumble bee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams.” – Ashley Smith
6. “The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness.” – John Muir
7. “Now I see the secret of making the best person, it is to grow in the open air and to eat and sleep with the earth.” – Walt Whitman
8. “All that is gold does not glitter, not all who wander are lost.” – JRR Tolkien
9. “Live in the sunshine, swim in the sea, drink the wild air’s salubrity.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
10. “The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.” – Alexander Supertramp Mccandless
Motivating Outdoor Quotes for When the Trail Gets Tough
Hiking is one of the most inspiring, beautiful ways to explore a new place, especially national or state parks. Whenever I get a chance to escape the city, you can find me on the hiking trails. These amazing outdoor quotes spark the wonder and excitement for adventure within us, even when we’re nowhere near the trails.
11. “If you’re going through hell, keep going.” – Winston Churchill
12. “A bad day camping is still better than a good day working.” – Anonymous
13. “Anywhere is within walking distance.” – Anonymous
14. “Through struggle to the stars.” – Latin Proverb
15. “There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.” – Beverly Sills
16. “Just get out and do it. Just get out and do it.” – Alexander Supertramp Mccandless
17. “No Pain, No Rain, No Maine.” – Appalachian Trail Saying
18. “The best thing one can do when it’s raining is to let it rain.” – Henry Longfellow
19. “Hiking’s not for everyone. Notice the wilderness is mostly empty.” – Sonja Yoerg
20. “You need special shoes for hiking—and a bit of a special soul as well.” – Terri Guillemets
21. “If the winter is too cold and the summer is too hot, you are not a hiker.” – Anonymous
22. “Backpacking: An extended form of hiking in which people carry double the amount of gear they need for half the distance they planned to go in twice the time it should take.” – Anonymous
23. “The best way out is always through.” – Robert Frost
24. “We don’t stop hiking because we grow old. We grow old because we stop hiking.” – Finis Mitchell
Inspiring Walking & Hiking Quotes
There’s something so nice about taking a walk outdoors, wherever in the world you are. Whether you’re in the middle of New York City or out in the middle of nowhere, walking opens the senses and the mind to everything around you.
25. “An early-morning walk is a blessing for the whole day.” – Henry David Thoreau
26. “Walking is a man’s best medicine.” – Hippocrates
27. “Walking: the most ancient exercise and still the best modern exercise.” – Carrie Latet
28. “Days of slow walking are very long: they make you live longer, because you have allowed every hour, every minute, every second to breathe, to deepen, instead of filling them up by straining the joints.” – Frederic Gros
29. “Hiking and happiness go hand in hand or foot in boot.” – Diane Spicer
30. “The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature. I firmly believe that nature brings solace in all troubles.” – Anne Frank
31. “The sky is the daily bread of the eyes.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
32. “All truly great thoughts are conceived by walking.” – Friedrich Nietzsche
33. “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” – Lao-Tzu
34. “Hiking is not escapism; it’s realism. The people who choose to spend time outdoors are not running away from anything; we are returning to where we belong.” – Jennifer Pharr Davis
35. “Returning home is the most difficult part of long-distance hiking. You have grown outside the puzzle and your piece no longer fits.” – Cindy Ross
36. “If you are seeking creative ideas, go out walking. Angels whisper to a man when he goes for a walk.” – Raymond Inmon
37. “After a day’s walk, everything has twice its usual value.” – G.M. Trevelyan
38. “I took a walk in the woods and came out taller than the trees.” – Henry David Thoreau
Nature & Outdoors Quotes
We all get outside, to an extent, because we crave the wildness and beauty of nature. These wilderness and outdoors quotes draw on those strong emotions of fear, wonder, and awe that nature often evokes in us.
39. “Deep down, at the molecular heart of life, the trees and we are essentially identical.” – Carl Sagan
40. “The Earth has music for those who listen.” – William Shakespeare
41. “Look deep into nature and you will understand everything better.” – Albert Einstein
42. “In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous.” – Aristotle
43. “The environment, after all, is where we all meet, where we all have a mutual interest. It is one thing that all of us share. It is not only a mirror of ourselves, but a focusing lens on what we can become.” – Lady Bird Johnson
44. “Nature is not a place to visit. It is home.” – Gary Snyder
45. “And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul.” – John Muir
Outdoor Exploration Quotes
There is something special about adventuring and exploring in an unknown place. These exploration-themed outdoor quotes below touch on that same emotion.
46. “Hiking in undiscovered places is a lot of fun.” – Karolina Kurkova
47. “As human beings, we have an innate need to explore, to see what’s around the corner.” – Jimmy Chin
48. “Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt.” – John Muir
49. “I see my path, but I don’t know where it leads. Not knowing where I’m going is what inspires me to travel it.” – Rosalia de Castro
50. “The greatest adventure is what lies ahead.” – JRR Tolkien
There you have it, folks! 50 of the best, most inspiring outdoor quotes out there. Now that you’re feeling adventurous, why not check out our latest guides or our favorite gifts for outdoor lovers?
Additional Resources for Outdoor Adventure Quotes
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