10 Best Edibles for Hiking
Article written by
Shanti RyleContent Writer
Content reviewed by
Dr. Lewis JasseyMedical Director - Pediatric Medicine
Edibles are a natural companion for hikers, providing long-lasting effects and a greater appreciation of Mother Nature’s many splendors. Whether traveling on a day hike or trekking for several days through a national park, edibles offer a good option that’s discreet, fire-safe, and undisruptive to fellow hikers. Some cannabis products are tiny bite-sized treats with smaller doses, while others provide more nutritious value coupled with their intended use.
Read on to discover our top ten picks for some of the best edibles to help you appreciate the world’s natural beauty better.
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How to Choose the Best Hiking Edibles
When it comes to incorporating edible marijuana use into your hiking experience, a few key factors require consideration. If you’re going on a shorter hike, you may opt for a snack-sized treat such as granola to keep you going. However, those on a longer hike must consider the weight of their packs. As such, heavier treats may make less sense than mints or a tin of gummies.
You also want to consider the caloric density of the infused food. While brownies are a delicious treat, they lack the nutritious fuel necessary to cover many hours and miles of ground. If you need more calories than cannabis, you’ll have a good experience choosing infused jerky or granola to support more strenuous physical activity.
Finally, determine the cannabinoids and doses in your edible cannabis products. Lower amounts will ensure you don’t exceed your tolerance level, as will products that contain some CBD compared to the THC present. A little goes a long way regarding edibles, which last for many hours once the liver processes its THC.
10 Best Edibles for Hiking
1. Cannabis-Infused Jerky by Stoned Age Edibles
Jerky is a hiking staple, and what better way to hit the hiking trail than with a pack of infused cannabis jerky? California-based Stoned Age Edibles packs 100 milligrams of THC into delectable cured beef jerky from grass-fed beef.
This high-protein treat is a good option for people seeking to avoid sugary edibles and to fuel themselves properly. Just be sure to pack extra water to stay hydrated after eating this salty treat, particularly when hiking in California’s dry areas!
2. Cannabis-Infused ReLeaf Gummies by Papa & Barkley’s
For the more medically minded consumer, particularly those looking to alleviate pain while enjoying the fresh air, California’s Papa & Barkley’s ReLeaf Gummies offer a perfectly dosed, compactly sized treat. These gummies come in various cannabinoid formulations and flavors, are infused with solventless kief hash, and are made with vegan and gluten-free ingredients.
3. Cannabis-Infused Peanut Butter by Cornucopia Infusions
Arizona-based Cornucopia Infusions invented perhaps one of the most ingenious cannabis snacks in the form of their infused peanut butter. For longer hikes, the peanut butter sandwich is a hiking meal staple. What better way to simplify cannabis use than by making your camping trip lunch with delectable nut butter?
Each jar has approximately 120 milligrams of THC, so you’ll want to be precise when dosing and resist the temptation to eat more than you can handle directly out of the jar.
4. Sativa mixed Fruit Gummies by Cheeba Chews
Cheeba Chews is a legacy name when it comes to high-quality cannabis edibles and is available in seven legal states. These bite-sized gummies come in various fruity flavors and offer a low-calorie treat with precise dosing and a palate of cannabinoid combinations. A lightweight bag of Cheeba Chews contains ten pieces, perfect for stowing in your pack and chomping before you hit the trail.
5. Infused Granola By Julie’s Naturals
Julie’s Naturals has long been the Colorado toker’s go-to source for nutrient-dense edibles made with high-quality ingredients. Hikers can explore nearby natural areas and refuel with a range of granola flavors tossed with fruits and nuts and infused with strain-specific cannabis butter. Recreational users can purchase packs with 10 milligrams of THC, while patients seeking medical cannabis use can purchase up to 200 milligrams of THC per pack.
6. Bacon Rosemary Bliss Bar by YUP
YUP is an Oregon-based cannabis edibles maker that produces delectable, high-protein granola bars for the avid hiker. Their (baconless) Bacon Rosemary Bliss Bar is one of four flavors, but their full line of bars each contains 12 grams of protein and a 4:1 ratio of CBD to THC. Since they are primarily CBD-dominant, these bars provide a tempered yet long-lasting euphoria to sustain you on a particularly rigorous hike.
7. THC-Infused Cold Brew Coffee by Somatik
Some long hikes require you to be up with or before the sun; all you want is a coffee to kick-start your day. Somatik’s THC-infused Cold Brew is on the heavier side of edibles on this list, but the combination of caffeine and the 10 milligrams of THC per bottle provides the perfect jumpstart to your morning climb. The drink is also relatively low-dose compared to other edibles, making it ideal for people with lower tolerance. It’s ready to drink from the bottle and easy to stash in a pack.
8. Petra Mints by Kiva Confections
Kiva’s tiny Petra Mints are infused with micro-dosed amounts of THC, with each delicious mint containing only 2.5 milligrams per serving. The little dose sizes also allow you to customize the precise cannabis experience you want, and because they dissolve in your mouth, they act much faster than the average edible. A small tin can fit easily in your pocket or pack, leaving room for other essentials on a hiking trail.
9. Cannabis-Infused Water
With the rise of legalization comes a host of cannabis creativity, and a new way to enjoy edibles is infused water. One of the best brands experimenting with cannabis water is Pearl2O in California and Washington.
The company makes a dissolvable powder designed to easily mix into your water bottle for easy sipping on your hike. Their precise doses come in five-milligram and 10-milligram sizes with different ratios of THC and CBD that’ll suit a wide swatch of users. Plus, the packs are paper-thin, and it’s easy to slip one or several into your backpack, depending on the length of your journey.
10. Savory Pretzels by Auntie Dolores
While Auntie Dolores has offered a range of healthy, guilt-free snacks since 2008, we’re partial to the Savory Pretzels. Three pretzels are the recommended dose, but with a blend of rich spices like cayenne, cinnamon, paprika, onion, ginger, and mustard, it’ll be hard to resist munching on the whole bag. Each pack contains 120 milligrams of THC, and a small taste will reveal exactly why Auntie Dolores’ snacks have developed a cult following.
The Bottom Line
Before lacing up your hiking boots and hitting the trails, consider picking up one of these tasty cannabis edibles. The item you choose will ultimately depend on the length of your hike, how strenuous it is, and how much weight you want to add to your pack. Nonetheless, whatever option you decide on, remember to leave no trace and safely store any wrappers in your bag to dispose of when you get home.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is sativa good for hiking?
Generally speaking, sativa-leaning cultivars produce more energizing mental and physical effects while lifting moods and piquing curiosity. These effects make them well-suited to enjoy before hitting the trail.
What edibles kick in faster?
Edibles that dissolve in your saliva, such as lozenges, gum, or mints, get absorbed into the brain faster by absorbing into your salivary glands. When you swallow, the liver eventually metabolizes them, producing a more potent, longer-lasting high.
Do edibles keep you higher longer?
Yes, edibles produce a longer-lasting high than smoking or vaping cannabis. Whereas the THC in smoking hits your bloodstream in a few minutes, the effects of cannabis edibles occur once the food goes through the digestive tract. It can take up to 90 minutes to kick in, but the high from edibles can last up to 12 hours or more, depending on dosage and other factors.
