The idea of hiking alone may seem intimidating at first. The idea of being alone in the vastness of nature can be scary! But, if you prepare yourself correctly, you can embark on a solo hike confidently, and protect yourself to the best of your ability.
Life is too short to not do something you want to do because you have nobody to go with. As with anything in life, of course there’s risks to solo hiking, but there’s so many benefits, too!
I’ve been solo hiking for years, and for me it is such a peaceful experience now. Being alone in nature is a great time to reconnect with yourself and the earth, all while getting a workout in!
Now that I’ve been doing it for years, I feel safe, confident, and happy when I solo hike alone; but I too was nervous when I first started getting into it!
I’ve made my share of mistakes, and learned some things the hard way. The good news is, I’ve compiled a list of all the tips and rules I follow while hiking alone, so hopefully I can make it a bit easier for you!
While I can’t guarantee your solo hiking safety by following these tips, I can say these have worked for me, and I have had no issues while hiking alone! I hope these help you feel prepared for your adventure! Happy hiking!
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Make Sure Someone Knows Your Plans
The absolute worst case scenario is something happens to you while you’re hiking alone, but nobody knows where to look for you. Make sure to tell someone where you’re hiking (the park AND the trail), and when you expect to be done. Share any other information you may be relevant, too!
Text someone you trust this information, who will likely be concerned and start looking for you if they don’t hear from you soon. For me, I always tell my mom. She and a few of my closest friends also have my iPhone’s location.
Going off that, consider hiking on a trail with cell phone service, so they can see your location, and so you can text updates if you need to along your hike.
Bring Mace
I hate that I even have to put this one on here, but since there are a lot of cruel people in this world, bring mace or some sort of protection when you hike alone.
There are small, pocket sized maces you can attach to your keys, or easily store in your pocket. They have an on and off knob too, so you don’t have to worry about accidentally spraying it.
If you’re in an area where large animal predators are also a concern, you may need to get bear spray or an equivalent for the animals in your area. It’s like mace, but for actual animals.
Download Noonlight or Have a Safety Alarm
Noonlight always gives me a sense of security when I’m walking or hiking alone.
It’s an alarm app where you press down a button for as long as you’d like if you feel unsafe, and when you release the button, you have ten seconds to put in your password for the app. If you put in the code, the alarm is cancelled.
If in ten seconds you don’t put in your code, Noonlight receives the alarm and can send your location to the police to send you help.
It’s a great app for personal safety, but it’s different from a physical safety alarm since it doesn’t make any noise. You can get a physical safety alarm where when you trigger it, it activates an extremely loud alarm to aim to scare away any threats.
Be Aware of Your Surroundings
This is something you should practice not only while hiking alone, but while doing anything alone really!
For me, being aware of my surroundings mostly means not wearing headphones while hiking solo, or using my phone too much.
However, it’s also occasionally checking behind me and to the sides of me, listening for anything unusual, and checking the trail ahead for any critters I may not easily see.
One of my biggest hiking fears is stepping on a snake, or even worse, my dog doing that, so while I make sure to enjoy the scenery around me too, it’s important to check the trail at least occasionally! This way you can look out for pesky roots and rocks, too.
Have a Map
It’s always a good idea to have a trail map with you while hiking alone.
AllTrails has a feature called “Navigate” where when you’re at the trailhead, it’ll track your location and show you where on the trail you are, and how much you’ve completed! It’s especially helpful if you get lost to see where you got off the trail.
Another good idea is to take a picture of the trail map at the trail head, or online. While it may not show you where you’re at in real time, you at least know what trail markers to look for, and the general route to stay on trail!
Once you have your map, make sure you stay on the marked trail. There’s a lot of reasons you shouldn’t go off trail, but for the purpose of this list, you don’t want to wander into the woods, lose your bearings, and find yourself stranded with no idea where you are, especially when hiking alone!
Wear Proper Attire
Make sure to check the weather before hiking alone so you know what the best clothes to wear are! Layers are always a good idea, especially in the more unpredictable weather months or climates.
Even if the weather is supposed to be warm, it’s not a bad idea to pack a light jacket with you, just in case the weather turns unexpectedly.
Being too cold or too hot on a hike can definitely dampen the mood! Another thing that can make a solo hike go south is your feet hurting, or twisting an ankle!
I’d recommend wearing hiking boots over running or hiking shoes, or any other type of shoe. The ankle protection is very helpful, especially if the terrain is rough.
My favorite hiking boot is North Face VECTIV Boots. I’ve had many hiking shoes in my lifetime, and these are by far the most comfortable, and have lasted me almost three years!
Regardless of what shoes you wear, make sure they’re comfortable for you, and break them in on a shorter hike if they’re new. Make sure to wear good hiking socks too. Merino wool socks are a great option.
Don’t Post While You’re Hiking
Maybe I’m just a bit paranoid, and you may disagree with me on this one, but when hiking alone, I don’t post my hike on social media until after I’ve completed it, especially on a public account where anyone can see it.
Like I’ve said before, there are some scary people in this world, and a perhaps irrational fear of mine is someone showing up somewhere I’ve posted while I’m there.
Because of this, and just because you likely don’t know in depth everyone who follows you on social media, I’d recommend waiting until after your solo hike is over to post it so nobody can “run into you” on the trail.
Consider Hiking on Popular Trails
I know more people around means it’s a bit less serene and peaceful. But, there are a lot of benefits to hiking on popular trails when you’re hiking alone.
If you twist your ankle, or hurt yourself in another way where you’re immobilized, there will likely be someone who will come across you on the trail before you have to wait for too long.
If you get lost, again, you’ll likely be able to find someone who can direct you to the correct trail, or there will probably be someone within yelling distance to hear you.
If there’s a predator, human or animal, in most instances I’d say they’re less likely to do something harmful if there’s other people around. Safety in numbers, even if these numbers are other strangers on the trail!
Other benefits of hiking alone on popular trails are that they’ll probably be better marked and maintained, potentially have better facilities, and if they’re popular, they’re like that for a reason! Such as a scenic overlook or beautiful trail.
Know Your Limits
Hiking alone is not the time to push yourself too hard! Know your limits!
I’m all for a challenge and a good workout, but if something happens and you get too exhausted or hurt yourself, not having someone with you can be a game changer.
Make sure to research the trail before hand so you know what you’re getting into. Evaluate your fitness level, and what difficulty and length of hike you feel comfortable doing by yourself!
If you haven’t done a similar difficulty with other people, doing it for the first time alone may not be the best decision. But, you know yourself better than anyone else, so set a realistic goal ahead of time and listen to your body.
Have Extra Food and Water
Bring extra food and water while hiking alone! Especially during the summer, overestimate how much water you think you need. I’d recommend getting an insulated water bottle to keep your water cold, too!
I also keep some extra water in my car for after the hike in case I drank all on the trail and need some after.
It’s also smart to bring snacks, you never know when hunger may strike without warning! Trail mix is always a good and easy option to pack with you. I also like bringing fruit, protein bars, or popcorn.
Nothing can make a hike go from really fun to really miserable quite like being thirsty or hungry and still having miles left.
Check Trail Conditions and Wildlife
Before hiking alone, do research on trail conditions and local wildlife.
I use AllTrails as a quick way to do both of these. Users can post about their hike, and I’ve found if it’s extremely muddy, or if someone saw a snake, or anything else along those lines, they’ll post about it.
You’ll also want to make sure there isn’t any trail closures. In Tennessee, the state park website posts if there’s any to worry about, it may be similar for your state.
For local wildlife, it’ll be useful to research wildlife in the area, and what seasons they may be seen on trails. It would suck to run into a bear or a snake if you’re only expecting a few bugs to be the extent of the wildlife!
Again, it may be beneficial to bring bear spray or another animal spray based on where you’re located to deter them. If there are predators where you’re hiking, research what to do if you come across one on your hike!
Final Thoughts
I know this isn’t the most fun thing to think about – I wish we all could just hop alone on the trails with no worries at all except whether the trail will match our expectations!
And in most cases, there will be nothing to worry about, especially if you’re properly prepared. Like I’ve said, I’ve been solo hiking for years, and have never had one end badly. The worst that’s happened is packing a bit less water than I should.
If you follow these tips, I’d bet the same for you! But I know I can’t promise that because sometimes the unexpected happens, but even if it does, hopefully you’ll be prepared by using this list!
If you want some extra safety, you can even bring a first aid kit on your hike. Just an extra layer of precaution – you can’t ever be too careful while solo hiking!
I wish you the best of luck on your hiking alone adventures! Stay safe out there, and enjoy the trail!
