Want to get started solo hiking? Here’s my guide to solo hiking safety for women.
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Table of Contents
- Why Hike Solo
- Tips for Solo Hiking Safety
- What to Bring Solo Hiking
Why Hike Solo
When I started hiking I always wanted someone to go with me. I never thought I would feel safe on trail by myself. But as I started hiking more and more, it got harder and harder to find someone to hike with me when I wanted to go.
The first time I solo hiked was when I was in between jobs for a couple of weeks. We had just moved to Cleveland Ohio, so I didn’t know anyone. It was prime pandemic time so I couldn’t use that time to travel so I was stuck in Ohio with no friends. An acquaintance suggested checking out Cuyahoga Valley National Park with my dog. I took the plunge and went for my first solo hike.
And I LOVED IT. I was nervous but everything went well and I was hooked.
I did another 40 miles solo in CVNP over those two weeks and they were some of the most joyful miles I’ve ever hiked (which is saying a lot, considering it was January in Ohio). I’ve been stretching my limits of solo hiking over the last three years since then and have racked up over 500 solo miles over the last three years.
During that time, I’ve learned a lot about how to feel more comfortable, what I like to have with me, and how I feel safe while solo hiking as a woman. While all activities bring risk, my guide below shares all the things I’ve learned to help me feel more confident while solo hiking.
Read on for more tips on hiking solo, including what to bring, how to prepare, and how to get started!
As always, follow the principles of leave no trace when you're out exploring! Pack out all trash, leave wildlife alone, and generally leave it better than you found it - for more information visit the Leave No Trace Center.
Tips for Solo Hiking Safety
If you’ve never hiked by yourself, here are my tips on how to get started!
Start Local and Small to Build Confidence
For my first solo hikes, I picked short, well marked and well traveled trails where I knew I had cell service and I had hiked the trail before with other people. City and county parks are usually good places to start for this. These parks are usually relatively well visited so you’ll have company on trail in case anything goes wrong.
If you're in the Pittsburgh area, check out my guide to the Allegheny County Parks, one of my favorite places to hike solo!
Always Let Someone Know Your Plan
Make sure to share your destination, direction you’re hiking, and your expected return time with someone who will know if you don’t come back. Ideally this would be someone that lives in your household. However, if you live alone, a trusted family member, friend or coworker are also good options. Make sure this person is trustworthy enough to check in with you at a designated time and then (most importantly) is willing to alert the proper authorities if you don’t return at that time.
If you’re hiking in an area where there is a ranger station (even if it’s local and urban), check in with the rangers to let them know your plan and that you are solo. I often do this when hiking at PA state parks, where I may not have cell service.
Be Overprepared
When hiking solo, I bring way more of everything – food, water, clothing, first aid supplies, etc. You don’t have the safety net of a trail buddy being able to help you out when solo. I day hike with a first aid kit meant for two people over four days in the wilderness. Is this excessive? Maybe. Am I going to have everything I need if I have an emergency on the trail or if I encounter someone else having an emergency? Most likely yes and to me, that’s worth the extra weight.
I also recommend having both a paper map and electronic map and know how to read both. Phones die (even if you bring an external charger, which I’d recommend as well) and having a paper map is better than nothing. Purple Lizard Maps offers many great waterproof, adventure-proof maps of areas in Pennsylvania and surrounding areas to hike. I also use my Garmin watch on every hike, as it has a map of where I’ve hiked so that I can follow my steps back to the start.
Remember to pack the ten essentials when day hiking, especially when you’re solo. Check out my guide to the ten essentials of day hiking!
What you need to be prepared with is very likely dependent on your environment. If you’re solo hiking a summit, extra layers are vital as it’s colder the higher you go. If you’re in a desert environment, extra water might be key. And that’s why it’s important to…
Educate Yourself
Education is one of the most important pieces of hiking. I recommend learning basic first aid, more about the landscape and wildlife in the area you are hiking and, of course, how to follow the principles of leave no trace.
Depending on where you’re located, educating yourself on the wildlife can be super important. As a very risk averse person, I would never hike alone in a place with mountain lions or grizzly bears. There’s some wildlife I am just not willing to mess with. I didn’t even like hiking near bison on the Trans Catalina Trail with friends, and we kept a WIDE berth.
Make sure to check the weather and daylight hours of the area you’re hiking as well. Darkness can feel VERY dark on trail and makes it harder to navigate (not to mention is just WAY scarier).
Know Your Threshold for Feeling Safe
As I’ve added more and more miles to my solo hiking resume, I have stretched my hiking comfort zone. I used to only hike alone in places I knew I had cell service and now I am more comfortable having none. Feeling safe while hiking solo is extremely subjective. I’ve bailed on hikes shorter than three miles close to city limits because something felt off, while I can do 10 miles in the middle of nowhere totally fine. It just really depends on how you’re feeling which is why you should always…
Trust your Gut
You know your instincts best. If sh*t feels off, bail quickly and safely. This advice has always served me well. Always trust your own judgment. Don’t be polite for the sake of being polite.
I hike with my dog and my rule for bailing with him is if he turns around or tries to end the hike three times, I bail. Best case, he’s having a bad time on the hike and I should turn around for his sake. Worst case, he knows something I don’t know about what’s ahead and it’s time to move on.
Take a Self Defense Class
Whether you hike solo or in a group of thirty people, self defense is a great skill to have. Look up your local karate or taekwondo gym – sometimes they will have one day classes or a series of classes. I personally recommend taking a class that is specifically designed for women. This will help you learn how to take down an attacker larger than you.
Looking to expand your hiking comfort zone by going backpacking? Check out my guide to planning your first backpacking trip!
What to Bring for Solo Hiking Safety
I hate that I have to say this, but unfortunately, this is reality as hiking solo as a woman. I have only had a few times where I’ve been really freaked out and I didn’t have something with me to defend myself. I’ve since purchased some items that give me more of a peace of mind. Below are some of the options you have to help keep yourself safe.
When choosing something to carry with you for protection while hiking, make sure you are aware of all local, state, and federal regulations. It is your responsibility to follow the laws.
Pepper Spray
Frankly, I recommend that women carry pepper spray at all times. It’s small and compact and it won’t hurt you to carry it around on a keyring. My theory of preparedness is that it’s better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.
Go Guarded Ring
This self defense knife on a ring is supposed to be an easy-to-wear tool for protection. I like that it feels easy to use since it’s attached to my body. However, it also feels like it might be a little too easy to stab myself by accident, since the flexible plastic cover is designed to move out of the way on impact. The price point, at under $20, is a great way to feel safer without breaking my budget.
Go Guarded Knife/Pepper Spray Combo
Go Guarded also offers a pepper spray and knife combination. This is designed to be held in your hand but I’ve found it’s pretty easy to attach to the outside of my backpack as well. I like this combo because I usually carry pepper spray anyway and the knife adds an addition sense of security.
Bear Spray
If you’re hiking in bear country, bear spray is an option for deafening yourself if attacked by an animal (or human). Bear spray is designed to assault a bear’s hyper-sensitive sense of smell and sprays out in a cone shape. It may deter a human because it’s a surprise, however, self defense spray like pepper spray is going to be your best option as it’s specifically designed to ward off attackers.
WARNING: MAKE SURE YOU ARE AWARE OF ANY REGULATIONS AROUND USING BEAR SPRAY ON HUMANS IN YOUR AREA BEFORE USING IT FOR SELF DEFENSE. IN SOME AREAS IT IS ILLEGAL TO USE BEAR SPRAY ON HUMANS.
She’s Birdie Personal Alarm
This cute little nondescript alarm packs a punch to the eardrums. It comes on a carabiner that can be clipped to a backpack strap for easy access. When pulled, the alarm flashes a bright light and blares an alarm noise that will hopefully deter an attacker. I recommend testing it before taking it out – the alarm is very loud and could shock you if you don’t know what to expect.
When shopping for a She's Birdie Alarm, use code TORYTALKSTRAILS15 for a discount, at no additional cost to you!
Heavy Waterbottle
If you’ve been here a while, you know I prefer a hydration bladder to a water bottle when hiking. Not when solo – I also pack my water bottle. It may seem counterintuitive to pack something that is heavy, but a hefty water bottle can I am team Hydroflask but any large water bottle with a handle can pack a punch when swung aggressively.
Firearm
Carrying a gun while hiking is a personal choice. Personally, this would be a last resort for me, since they’re heavy and require training to use one (which I, at the time of this post, don’t have). However, as long as your firearm is procured legally and you’ve had the proper training to use it safely, it is an option to carry with you when hiking.
PLEASE CONSULT ALL LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL LAWS AND TAKE A GUN SAFETY COURSE WITH PROPER TRAINING BEFORE PROCURING A FIREARM.
PStyle
While this isn’t any sort of defense mechanism, this cheap tool allows women to pee standing up. When I’m solo and don’t have someone to watch out for a stranger surprising me in the woods while doing my business, I don’t want to put myself in the vulnerable squat position. Using the PStyle to stand while doing my business feels a lot safer than squatting or using a pit toilet.
My Dog
While this might not apply for everyone, I feel much more comfortable hiking solo when my dog is with me. While he’s only 35 lbs, he does not like strangers and doesn’t hesitate to bark and growl when someone gets too close to me. I keep him on a waist leash that has a four foot lead, so someone would have to get pretty close to me for him to actually bite but even just having my dog with me can be a deterrent.
While safety is never 100% guaranteed for any activity, solo hiking can be safe and rewarding with the proper levels of preparation and equipment.
Do you have any questions about solo hiking? Let me know in the comments!
Updated November 30, 2024