Is it safe to hike alone? Agencies differ. The park service says a companion is safer but accepts solo hikers who take extra measures. The Forest Service and Georgia State Parks advise against going alone.
Many people hike alone by choice, and a few habits make it safer. None of them makes it risk-free. With a heart, lung or balance condition, talk to your doctor first.
Four habits to start with:
- Hiking a familiar, well-traveled route close to home.
- Setting a turnaround time and keeping to it.
- Giving a contact your trip plan and a time to act.
- Carrying a whistle, a first aid kit, a paper map and a phone set up to last.
Match your first solo hikes to your fitness today
Before you head out alone, take an honest look at where your fitness is today, not where you’d like it to be.
Hiking alone is less forgiving than hiking with a group.
Regular walking and strength work built for hiking prepares your body for longer distances. A progressive training approach builds stamina without overtaxing you.
Add distance only when your last hike felt comfortable from start to finish.
If you have a heart or lung condition, or a balance problem that has led to a fall, ask your doctor how far a first solo outing should go.
Start on familiar trails close to home
Choose a trail that’s familiar and close to home, not just a short one. Skip the long summit trail for now.
Here’s how to build confidence:
- Keep it short. Choose a trail you can finish comfortably in an hour or two.
- Keep help close. Pick a route close to home, where help is easy to reach.
- Know the ground. Select paths you’ve walked before or researched thoroughly.
- Build slowly. Go a little farther each time, once the last hike felt easy.
A well-traveled trail is the better choice when you’re alone. You’ll also recognize landmarks on familiar ground, which lowers the risk of getting lost.
Plan your route and set one turnaround time
Here’s what to do before stepping onto the trail:
- Check the trail. Look up your trail on a trail app or the park’s website to check its distance, difficulty, and recent trail reports.
- Read the weather. Check the forecast for the trail itself, not just the nearest town. Cold, wind and rain change what a route feels like.
- Check the climb. Note the elevation gain and terrain so the hike matches your fitness.
- Find your exits. Know where the trail meets a road or junction, so you can cut it short.
The guide to hiking in cold weather after 50 explains how cold, wind and rain change a route.
Download an offline map before you lose signal. Set a turnaround time, so a slow start doesn’t leave you finishing in the dark. Turn back when it comes, even if you feel fine.
Decide your turnaround time before you leave the car.
Pack safety items and snacks in your daypack to handle unexpected situations.
Give your contact a trip plan and a time to act
Telling someone isn’t enough. Your contact also needs a time to act and a number to call.
The first step is to tell someone where you’re going and when to expect you back.
Put it in writing: the trail, where you park, the car’s make, model, color and plate, and your return time. The National Park Service has a sample form for it.
If you’re late, your contact tries calling you first. If you don’t answer, they contact the authorities and share your plan. That means 911 or the park, depending on where you hike.
The park service gives no number of hours. They tie the call to your return time, so agree on that time together.
For example, if you start at 9 and plan to be back by 11, your contact might start calling at noon. Write the park’s phone number into the plan too.
Agree together on the exact time your contact starts making calls.
Add a check-in, such as a text when you’re back at the car.
Carry a whistle, a first aid kit and a paper map
The gear in your pack is your first line of help when something goes wrong.
Pack a first aid kit with bandages, antiseptic, and a wrap for sprains. Add a whistle: the American Hiking Society lists a whistle among the safety items for signaling for help.
Keep the items you might need in a hurry where you can reach them without taking off your pack.
Carry a paper map and a compass too, since a map and compass keep you oriented when digital tools fail. Practice with them on a familiar trail first.
If you hike where bears are active, carry bear spray and keep it accessible on your hip belt, not buried in your bag. A ranger or the park’s website can tell you about recent animal activity.
Use airplane mode to save battery and text when a call won’t connect
Cell coverage is often patchy or missing on trails. The American Hiking Society notes that phones and GPS units aren’t always reliable in the backcountry.
Download your map before you go and bring a paper copy as a backup. The park service also suggests packing an extra phone battery.
Searching for a signal drains the battery, so switch to airplane mode until you need the phone. Charge everything fully the night before.
A text needs less signal than a call. Where it’s supported you can text 911, but a voice call is preferred.
Check your phone’s signal at the trailhead and note where it drops.
A personal locator beacon is activated by hand and runs at least 24 hours. It must be registered with NOAA: that’s the law, and it helps rescuers find you faster.
Learn how any device works at home, not on the trail.
If you get lost or hurt alone, stop and stay put
The Forest Service gives four steps: stop, think, observe, plan.
If you aren’t very confident in the route, stay put. Do the same at nightfall, when you’re injured or when you’re near exhaustion.
If you may be lost, stop, stay calm and stay put.
Staying put gets you found sooner, because moving makes it harder for rescuers to find you. The park service says help can take hours or days, depending on your location, weather and resources.
Make yourself visible. Spread out your shelter, or arrange rocks in a shape a plane or helicopter can spot.
A whistle takes less energy than yelling. Three blasts is a well-known distress signal. Blow three times, take a break, then repeat.
If you’re badly hurt, call 911 if you have signal, then stay put and limit movement. With no reception, ask another hiker to go where there’s reception and call 911.
Trust your instincts about strangers
The National Park Service advises hikers to trust their instincts about strangers. You don’t need to say you’re hiking alone or share your plans.
If someone makes you uneasy, avoid engaging and put distance between you. It’s better to seem rude than to stay in a situation that feels wrong.
Trust a bad feeling and leave the area, even if you can’t say why.
Turn back when the weather worsens, you feel unwell or time is up
If something doesn’t feel right, stop and check the basics: the sky, the trail ahead and how your body feels.
If you meet wildlife, follow the steps in the guide on what to do if you see a bear rather than a blanket rule.
Turn back at your turnaround time, or sooner if the weather turns or you feel unwell.