Small groups for hiking are important - here's why

It can take as few as five sets of footprints to create a track in the wilderness, where before there was nothing. How we enjoy this beautiful country directly impacts how the people who follow in your footsteps will experience it.

Conservation has never been more vital, as the boom in social media leads to more people seeking adventure in the outdoors. This rise has been seen worldwide since the Covid pandemic, and overall it’s great news for society that people are getting out there and touching grass. But there’s a big problem.

With more people than ever visiting National Parks, going for overnight hikes, canyoning, bushbashing to hidden waterfalls and pools - there’s more of an impact. It’s at the forefront of every guide’s mind right now. How do we help people have fun safely in the outdoors, how do we make sure they follow leave no trace principals?

One segment of the conversation revolves around outdoors users who have been funneled in from social media, who disrespect the land and leave rubbish and graffiti in their wake. We’re not going to talk about that right now. What we’re focusing on at the moment is group size.

For the Bouddi Coastal Walk we capped our group at five women and a guide.

With more bushwalking groups forming, guiding companies springing up and people giving it a go with their friends, we’ve seen huge groups taking to the trails. There have even been groups of up to 40 people hiking on one trail together. There's a problem when companies are choosing profits over protecting the landscape.

We’ve always been committed to protecting the environment, leaving no trace and teaching best practices on Cool Girls Club adventures. It’s at the core of what we do and our end goal is to pass the knowledge on to other women, to ensure they go on to have adventures that reduce environmental impact as much as possible. 

On our recent trip to do the Bouddi Coastal Walk in the Central Coast, we saw some incredible rock formations near Putty Beach. The Tessellated pavement and swirling sandstone was amazing to see, but unlike many other tourists we stuck to the boardwalk, to prevent erosion of this magnificent natural feature

Taking in the beauty of the tessellated pavement from the boardwalk to prevent erosion.

Our day hikes are limited to 15 spots, while our overnight adventures have at most 9 spots, some even smaller. These ratios are in line with industry guidelines and accepted standards, with anything more than that being too impactful on the landscape, or too many people to safely manage at once.

Guiding ratios are a key part of how we keep you safe and they differ depending on the activity. For example, guiding a climbing, canyoning or abseiling trip would require much fewer people per guide so they can ensure everything is being done safely. While bushwalking, it’s very hard for one person to keep an eye on a group any bigger than 15. 

This means bigger groups will have a risk of people falling behind, feeling unwell or having health issues that aren’t spotted quick enough. Not to mention, we prize connection in nature above all else and find it hard to connect with a group that big. We want to get to know you all on our hikes and have time to speak to everyone, nurture their joy and help answer any questions they might have. 

Even the most experienced guide will struggle to keep tabs on a group bigger than 15 on their own and if you’re taking on the responsibility of being the guide for a group, then you’re responsible for getting everyone home safe. It’s not something which any professional guide takes on lightly.

We took just eight women on our Uloola Falls overnight hike.

Aside from safety and connection, the impact that large groups have on trails is huge. During wet conditions the ground gets churned up and people move to the our edges of pathways, damaging plant life and widening trails which aren’t designed to be any bigger. During busy periods people have to step to the side to let others through, eroding the edges of trails even more. Key rocks which have been placed to ensure structural integrity get worn down over time and dislodged. Big groups create lots of noise which affects native wildlife, pushing them out of their natural habitats or turning them tamer over time.

Big groups have a great impact on social media, giving more people FOMO (fear of missing out) when they see a big adventure with crowds of people in attendance. These big groups are also great for showing interest in walking groups, with many viewing these numbers as a sign of success. However, success for the business isn’t always the same as success for nature.

Though it’s great to see more people, and more women (hell yeah!), than ever enjoying our National Parks, there are serious concerns over big groups which have been springing up in the past few years. An easy way to reduce this impact is by making sure you only go on adventures in small groups. Funnily enough, you’ll probably find you’re having a better time in a smaller crew anyway. 

Here at Cool Girls Club we make sure sustainability is a key topic of discussion during our trips and we’re always more than happy to discuss best practices on hand washing, toileting, or waste storage. It’s what we’re trained to do and what we’re passionate about as guides. It’s the knowledge that was handed down to us and now, we just want to make sure we pass it on to you.

Anyone with concerns about their environmental impact, questions on how to reduce it, or an idea for more sustainable trips, is welcome to get in touch with CGC any time.