Looking for the best Mountain quotes and Instagram captions? Well, look no further, because I’ve put together this list of the most powerful, beautiful, and inspiring quotes about mountains, the great outdoors, hiking, and adventure!
A great quote has the power to sum up a feeling or thought and to transport us right to a moment in time as if we experienced it ourselves. And what better place to be transported to than the mountains?
Mountains can mean so many things to each of us. They can be full of promise, challenging, and inspiring. They can be scary, looming, and ominous. They can be liberating, exciting, and cleansing.
My compilation of the 111 best mountain quotes encapsulates all of these emotions and so much more. Profound, short, funny, famous, and Instagram caption-worthy, these quotes about mountains will take you right there to the highest peaks of the world!
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The Best Inspirational Mountain Quotes
There are so many amazing quotes about mountains. These mountain quotes are the best of the best and will inspire you to explore the great unknown for yourself.
1) “If you are faced with a mountain, you have several options. You can climb it and cross to the other side. You can go around it. You can dig under it. You can fly over it. You can blow it up. You can ignore it and pretend it’s not there. You can turn around and go back the way you came. Or you can stay on the mountain and make it your home.” – Vera Nazarian
2) “Somewhere between the bottom of the climb and the summit is the answer to the mystery why we climb.” – Greg Child
Inspirational mountain quotes
3) “Climb the mountain not to plant your flag, but to embrace the challenge, enjoy the air and behold the view. Climb it so you can see the world, not so the world can see you.” – David McCullough Jr.
4) “Never measure the height of a mountain until you reach the top. Then you will see how low it was.” – Dag Hammarskjold
5) “Stop staring at mountains. Climb them instead, yes, it’s a harder process, but it will lead you to a better view.” –Unknown
6) “I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.
7) “Mountains are only a problem when they are bigger than you. You should develop yourself so much that you become bigger than the mountains you face.” – Idowu Koyenikan
8) “Although I deeply love oceans, deserts and other wild landscapes, it is only mountains that beckon me with that sort of painful magnetic pull to walk deeper and deeper into their beauty. They keep me continuously wanting to know more, feel more, see more.” – Victoria Erickson
9) “And if these mountains had eyes, they would wake to find two strangers in their fences, standing in admiration as a breathing red pours its tinge upon earth’s shore. These mountains, which have seen untold sunrises, long to thunder praise but stand reverent, silent so that man’s weak praise should be given God’s attention.” – Donald Miller
10) “You don’t climb mountains without a team, you don’t climb mountains without being fit, you don’t climb mountains without being prepared and you don’t climb mountains without balancing the risks and rewards. And you never climb a mountain on accident – it has to be intentional.” – Mark Udall
11) “The mountains have rules. they are harsh rules, but they are there, and if you keep to them you are safe. A mountain is not like men. A mountain is sincere. The weapons to conquer it exist inside you, inside your soul.” – Walter Bonatti
The Best Mountain Quotes from Writers
Great writers and poets have always turned to the mountains for literary inspiration. These are a few of the best mountain quotes from writers.
12) “Man can climb to the highest summits, but he cannot dwell there long.” – George Bernard Shaw’
Mountain quotes from writers
13) “Let’s not mince words: Everest doesn’t attract a whole lot of well-balanced folks. The self-selection process tends to weed out the cautious and the sensible in favor of those who are single-minded and incredibly driven. Which is a big reason the mountain is so dangerous.” – Jon Krakauer
14) “The way up to the top of the mountain is always longer than you think. Don’t fool yourself, the moment will arrive when what seemed so near is still very far.” – Paulo Coelho
15) “Our peace shall stand as firm as rocky mountains.” – William Shakespeare
16) “What would be ugly in a garden constitutes beauty in a mountain.” – Victor Hugo
…Does that include gnomes?
17) “My father considered a walk among the mountains as the equivalent of churchgoing.” – Aldous Huxley
18) “I’m a person of the mountains and the open paddocks and the big empty sky, that’s me, and I knew if I spent too long away from all that I’d die; I don’t know what of, I just knew I’d die.” – John Marsden
19) “The mountains were so wild and so stark and so very beautiful that I wanted to cry. I breathed in another wonderful moment to keep safe in my heart.” – Jane Wilson-Howarth
20) “What are men to rocks and mountains?” – Jane Austen
Or, “Some men have rocks in their heads.”
21) “The mountains were his masters. They rimmed in life. They were the cup of reality, beyond growth, beyond struggle and death. They were his absolute unity in the midst of eternal change.” – Thomas Wolfe
22) “He who climbs upon the highest mountains laughs at all tragedies, real or imaginary.” – Friedrich Neitszche
23) “Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wildness is a necessity.” – John Muir
24) “The cliche is that life is a mountain. You go up, reach the top and then go down.” – Jeanne Moreau
25) “Because in the end, you won’t remember the time you spent working in an office or mowing the lawn. Climb that goddamn mountain.” – Jack Kerouac
26) “A friend who is far away is sometimes much nearer than one who is at hand. Is not the mountain far more awe-inspiring and more clearly visible to one passing through the valley than to those who inhabit the mountain?” – Khalil Gibran
27) “Mountains terrify me – they just sit about; they are so proud.“ – Sylvia Plath
28) “Great things are done when men and mountains meet; This is not done by jostling in the street.” -William Blake
There’s an idea for the sequel to Fight Club…
Short Mountain Quotes
Some of the best quotes are short and sweet. These short mountain quotes get to the point and get the point across beautifully.
29) “I think, every time I’m on the mountain, I’m just so thankful to be there.” – Chloe Kim
30) “The top of one mountain is always the bottom of another.” – Marianne Williamson
Short mountain quotes
31) “Because it is there.” — George Mallory, answering the question “Why do you want to climb Mt. Everest?”
32) “I love the place that makes you realize how tiny your problems are.” – Unknown
Where do your problems feel the smallest? On a mountain top, by the sea, at home, on the road?
33) “It’s not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves.” – Unknown
34) “When preparing to climb a mountain, pack a light heart.” – Dan May
Best mountain quotes
35) “Distant hills look green.“ – Irish proverb
36) “Chasing angels or fleeing demons, go to the mountains.” – Jeffrey Rasley
37) “The deepest sea has a bottom, the highest mountain has a summit.” – Chinese proverb
38) “The best view comes after the hardest climb.” – Unknown
39) “No matter how tall the mountain is, it cannot block the sun.” – Emily Kay McAllister
40) “It’s a heavy burden to look up at the mountain and want to start the climb.” – Abby Wambach
41) “Be like a mountain; do not let anything disturb your inner peace.” – Debasish Mridha
42) “In a flat country a hillock thinks itself a mountain.” – Turkish proverb
43) “Always be thankful for the little things… even the smallest mountains can hide the most breathtaking views!” ― Nyki Mack
44) “Only mountains can never meet.” – French proverb
45) “Life sucks a lot less when you add mountain air, a campfire and some peace and quiet.” – Brooke Hampton
Ain’t that the truth! There’s something about getting away from it all that puts everything in perspective…
Mountain Quotes from Celebrities
Famous folk love the mountains just as much as us regular lot. These celebrity mountain quotes are definitely food for thought.
46) “Human life is far more important than just getting to the top of a mountain.” – Edmund Hillary
New Zealander Edmund Hillary was the first person to climb to the summit of Everest in 1953. When it comes to mountaineers, he’s a god.
47) “Accidents on big mountains happen when people’s ambitions cloud their good judgment. Good climbing is about climbing with heart and with instinct, not ambition and pride.” – Bear Grylls
48) “I love to sit on a mountain top and gaze. I don’t think of anything but the people I care about and the view.” – Julian Lennon
49) “It isn’t the mountains ahead to climb that wear you out; it’s the pebble in your shoe.” – Muhammad Ali
Celebrity mountain quotes
50) “One may walk over the highest mountain one step at a time.” – Barbara Walters
51) “I’ve realized that at the top of the mountain, there’s another mountain.” – Andrew Garfield
52) “Only if you have been in the deepest valley can you ever know how magnificent it is to be on the highest mountain.” – Richard M. Nixon
53) “The great thing about rock-n-roll is you realize the top of the mountain is big enough for more than one band.” – Paul Stanley
“Iiiiiii, wanna climb and hike all niiiiight, and camp out every day.”
54) “I’m always looking for a new challenge. There are a lot of mountains to climb out there. When I run out of mountains, I’ll build a new one.” – Sylvester Stallone
55) “Every man should pull a boat over a mountain once in his life.” – Werner Herzog
Mountain Quotes for Instagram Captions
Heading to the mountains and plan on sharing some of your snaps to the ‘Gram? These Instagram captions about mountains will speak the words for you that you just can’t find in the moment.
56) “Hike more. Worry Less.” – Unknown
57) “There is no wifi in the forest, but you will make better connections.” – Unknown
Mountain quotes for Instagram captions
58) “Leave the road, take the trails.”- Pythagoras
59) “Go where you feel most alive.” – Unknown
60) “Do more things that make you forget to check your phone.” – Unknown
61) “It took some time to climb, but the view is more than worth it.” – Unknown
62) “Just like in life, the best views come with the hardest climbs.” – Unknown
63) “There’s always a higher mountain, but don’t forget the ones that you’ve already climbed.” – Unknown
64) “It’s never too late to achieve a new goal, just like it’s never too late to climb a higher mountain.” – Unknown
65) “Camping hair but I don’t care.” – Unknown
66) “Until further notice, assume that we’re peaking.” – Unknown
67) “That girl, she’s going to move mountains.” – Unknown
68) “Wander where the wifi is weak and your worries feel small.” – Unknown
69) “Life’s a mountain, not a beach.” – Unknown
70) “Someone told me to ‘take a hike,’ so I did.” – Unknown
Funny Mountain Quotes
Forget about profound and wise mountain quotes for a while. These funny mountain quotes sum up the light-hearted side of climbing the world’s peaks.
71) “Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, So… get on your way!” – Dr. Seuss
Funny mountain quotes
72) “I can’t understand why men make all this fuss about Everest — it’s only a mountain.” – Junko Tabei, the first woman to climb Everest
73) “The only mountain that I would still like to climb: I’d like to break 85.” – Peter Falk
Update: The amazing actor Peter Falk made it to 83 before he passed away in 2011. So close to his mountain peak.
74) “Mountains have a way of dealing with overconfidence.” – Nemann Buhl
75) “Getting to the top is optional. Getting down is mandatory.”- Ed Viesturs
76) “Pissing through 6 inches of clothes with a 3-inch penis!” – Anonymous summiteer when asked what the hardest thing was about climbing Mt. Everest.
To quote George Constanza from Seinfeld, “Do women know about shrinkage?”
77) “If the winter is too cold and the summer is too hot, you are not a hiker.” – Unknown
78) “I’d rather be hiking in the rain, than sitting inside at a desk on a sunny day.” – Unknown
79) “Never follow someone else’s path unless you’re in the woods and you’re lost, and you see a path. By all means, you should follow that.” – Ellen DeGeneres
80) “Camping is not a date; it’s an endurance test. If you can survive camping with someone, you should marry them on the way home.” – Yvonne Prinz
81) “It’s all fun and games until you hear a twig snap behind you.” – Unknown
The Blair Witch Project ruined the woods for all of us…
82) “If we were meant to stay in one place, we’d have roots instead of feet.” – Rachel Wolchin
Song Lyrics About Mountains
So many songwriters have used their music to wax lyrical about the mountains. These mountain song lyrics are a love letter to the highest peaks of our beautiful planet.
83) “But the Colorado rocky mountain high / I’ve seen it rainin’ fire in the sky / The shadow from the starlight is softer than a lullaby / rocky mountain high.” – John Denver, Rocky Mountain High
There’s no argument Rocky Mountain High is the definitive anthem for the mountains. RIP, John Denver.
Song lyrics about mountains
84) “Oh, to live on Sugar Mountain / With the barkers and the colored balloons / You can’t be twenty on Sugar Mountain / Though you’re thinking that you’re leaving there too soon / you’re leaving there too soon.” – Neil Young, Sugar Mountain
85) “In my Tennessee mountain home / life is as peaceful as a baby’s sigh / In my Tennessee mountain home / crickets sing in the fields near by.” – Dolly Parton, My Tennessee Mountain Home
Dolly Parton may be a world famous performer, but at her heart, she’s just a humble Southern gal who loves the simple things…
86) “You see that mountain over there / Yea, one of these days / I’m going to climb that mountain / Oh play me some mountain music / Like Grandma and Grandpa used to play / Then I’ll float on down the river to the Cajun hideaway.” – Alabama, Mountain Music
87) “Well I left as a young man / Not full seventeen / With nothin’ for company But the wind and a dream / ’bout all the fast ladies / And livin’ I’d find / When I left my proud mountains and rivers behind.” – Townes Van Zandt, My Proud Mountains
88) “I got the Blue Ridge mountain blues / Goin’ to see my old oak tree / Gonna hunt the possum / Where the corn cob blossom / In my Blue Ridge far away. Woo!” – John Fogerty, Blue Ridge Mountain Blues
89) “Climb every mountain / Search high and low / Follow every byway / Every path you know. Climb every mountain/ ford every stream / Follow every rainbow / ‘Till you find your dream.” – Rodgers & Hammerstein, The Sound of Music
90) “There’s always gonna be another mountain / I’m always gonna wanna make it move / Always gonna be an uphill battle / Sometimes I’m gonna have to lose / Ain’t about how fast I get there / Ain’t about what’s waiting on the other side / It’s the climb.” – Miley Cyrus, The Climb
Mountain Quotes for Travelers
Let the adventurer within be free with the beautiful mountain quotes for travelers!
91) “I like geography best, he said, because your mountains & rivers know the secret. Pay no attention to boundaries.”
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Mountain quotes for travelers
92) “We are in the world where the longing mountains are the most grounded.”
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93) “Everything was everlastingly loose and responsive, it was all everywhere beyond the truth, beyond emptyspace blue. “The mountains are mighty patient, Buddha-man,” I said out loud, and took a drink.”
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Mountain quotes are good for the soul!
94) “Mountain top: the place where life finds the purest meaning of freedom.”
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95) “The greatest gift of life on the mountain is time. Time to think or not think, read or not read, scribble or not scribble — to sleep and cook and walk in the woods, to sit and stare at the shapes of the hills. I produce nothing but words; I consumer nothing but food, a little propane, a little firewood. By being utterly useless in the calculations of the culture at large I become useful, at last, to myself.”
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Motivational Mountain Quotes
Sometimes we all just need that little push to climb the mount (so to speak) and these extremely motivating mountain quotes are sure to help you climb that final hurdle!
96) “Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop away from you like the leaves of Autumn.”
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97) “May your dreams be larger than mountains and may you have the courage to scale their summits.”
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98) “Every mountain top is within reach if you just keep climbing.”
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99) “Move mountains in such a way that there will be no mountains to move.”
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Be inspired by these mountain quotes
100) “You think more about the mountain you climbed when you are at the foothills, not when you are at the top! What you think at the top is the things you left below!”
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101) “Mountains are not Stadiums where I satisfy my ambition to achieve, they are the cathedrals where I practice my religion.”
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102) “A man who moves mountains must be first motivated.”
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103) “A mountaintop is not simply an elevation, but an island, a world within a world, a place out of place.”
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Be inspired by these mountain quotes
Romantic Mountain Quotes
Is there anything more romantic than admiring a sunset from the top of a mountain with your loved one? Surely not! This romantic mountain quotes are the perfect way to share the love!
104) “Those who travel to mountain-tops are half in love with themselves, and half in love with oblivion.”
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105) “If you have seen a mountain that invites you to its summit, know that it is a beautiful mountain and its invitation is already that beauty itself!”
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106) “In time the Rockies may crumble, Gibraltar may tumble, they’re only made of clay but our love is here to stay.” – Ira Gershwin
Romantic Mountain Quotes
107) “Only when you drink from the river of silence shall you indeed sing. And when you have reached the mountain top, then you shall begin to climb. And when the earth shall claim your limbs, then shall you truly dance.” – Khalil Gibran
108) “Yet I remember you / To capture / The mountains of Sumerians / To bring back / The lobes of flowers / That fragrance of the forest / And the painted pitcher / All we loved once upon a time”―
109) “Forget about the money for a moment. Lose yourself in the wilderness, listen to the music of the softly blowing winds, feel the rain on your bare skin, let the mountains take the burden off your shoulders.”
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110) “I wanted to see the light change on the horizon, to notice the pinky-orange alpenglow illuminating the mountains as the day fell away and to know the comings and goings of the birds. I wanted to have places to explore and escape to. I wanted to live on my terms, no matter what people thought of that. And I managed, somehow, to actually do it.”
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111) “Do I love you, my oh my? River deep, mountain high.” Tina Turner
Am I Missing Any Amazing Mountain Quotes?
This list really could have been so much longer, because there really is no shortage of incredible, fun, and thought-provoking quotes about Mountains! If you think I need to add any specific Mountain quote to my list, please do let me know! This was such a fun article to put together, and I’d love to keep this updated with the best mountain quotes!
Looking for more fun quotes?
I’ve written a few other articles just like this, so I’d love for you take a browse through one or two more to find some more awesome travel inspiration or epic Instagram captions for that next post!
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Looking for some travel inspiration?
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Totally love this compilation of quotes.