Go take a hike might not be the first piece of advice you’d expect to hear if you’re single, but it might be the best antidote to endlessly swiping left and right.
After all, going on a nature walk with a bunch of fresh, air-friendly folks is a pretty wholesome way to meet people. At least that’s the thinking behind Swipe Right Thursday Nights, the Appalachian Mountain Club’s solution to app fatigue.
During the Aug. 7 debut hike, a dozen singles from the five boroughs took a phone-free, 1½-mile stroll in Battery Park along a scenic stretch of the Hudson River. (The next jaunt is Thursday, Sept. 4.)
Whether any true love connections were made remains to be seen, of course. But by the end of their hours together, a few numbers were swapped over drinks at Treadwell Park, a group-friendly beer hall in the neighborhood.
Elena Milan, 29, partnerships manager at mattress company Purple, said the hike was a welcome break from bouncing between dating apps, something she has done for the past decade.
“I’ve been through the ringer on all of them,” Milan, who lives in Brooklyn, told The Post. “I think the idea of meeting someone in real life, outside of a dating platform, is really appealing.”
The cost of dating — both psychic and literal — propelled Ishan Yadav, 22, a master’s student in computer science at NYU, to sign up for the Battery Park walk.
“Here at least people don’t ghost you,” said Yadav, who lives in Park Slope and says he’s had four dates in six months. “I’ll be on Hinge and talk to people — and then nothing happens.”
Yadav also liked that the event was free.
“I’m broke, which makes it hard to compete with the finance bros,” he said with a laugh. “I connected with this woman on one of the apps, and she told me her last date took her to a Knicks game — when they were in the postseason. That’s really expensive; I can’t afford that!”
For Robi Ludwig, PsyD, a psychotherapist in New York City, the timing is just right for new, organic ways like this for singles to meet.
“A hike gives singles the opportunity to connect and talk in a way that isn’t threatening,” said Ludwig, who is also the host of “The Pivot,” a YouTube series. “Having a common goal of meeting and spending time outside, all while getting to know each other, allows people to open up more naturally.”
And, for gorp-munching, hiking-boots-owning New Yorkers, the club also sponsors weekly Concrete to Trails day trips upstate via bus, ideal for car-less but adventurous weekend warrior New Yorkers, who can sign up for an outing that matches their hiking ability.
Milan, who hiked regularly when she was growing up in Connecticut, says she’s open to trying the outings outside of the city, even though she has never done a group hike with people she doesn’t know.
“This is such a unique and different way to engage with people,” she said. “Dating someone you meet on an app can be awkward sometimes, whereas this feels like an easier way to find things to talk about.”
Whether singles are game to explore a gorgeous, shaded trail, dip in a lake, or just contemplate life in a quiet forest escape, a hiking outing provides a low-stakes, immersive way to connect.
There are other benefits, too.
“It’s scientifically proven that time outside can make you happy, increase your heart rate and improve your mood,” said Sofia Petroski, a volunteer club hiking guide and high school English teacher in the Bronx, who led the Battery Park walk. “The aim here is to introduce people, for us to hang out together and, ultimately, appreciate all of the incredible nature around us.”
When you’re single and presented with an opportunity to meet people in person, grab that moment, Ludwig adds.
“What the world needs right now is interpersonal interaction, so say ‘yes’ to everything, and view whatever you do as a win, no matter what,” she said. “In other words, don’t think of it as a success only if you meet your person.”
Take a hike with a group of singles, and you might meet someone who will introduce you to your person.
Or, you might end the day having made a new best friend.
“Either way, you’re being brought into a whole new community,” Ludwig said. “When you’re single, you want to widen your circles as much as you can. You may be surprised to see what this does for you.”
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