Hiking as a Solo Female: 5 Tips
I spent so many years longing to travel and explore parks and trails but couldn’t because the boys I was dating during that time period didn’t like to do anything outside (men, am I right?) Plus I didn’t have any outdoorsy friends to go with me.
After I went through a really bad breakup a few years ago, I wanted to take a break from boys and just focus on myself. It took everything I had, but I had to find things to do outside of the house so I wasn’t sulking all day every day. I had tried planning a trip to my nearby national park (Cuyahoga Valley) with that guy but it never happened, so I figured I would take the plunge and go alone. I have loved photography for as long as I can remember so I also really wanted an excuse to take out my newish camera for a test drive.
I had little to no experience with hiking, so when I picked a place to explore in CVNP, I wasn’t focused on hiking trails. But I headed over to the ledges one morning to avoid the crowds and instantly fell in love. I had to see more of this place and that involved hiking. Luckily that trail was fairly easy considering I didn’t own any hiking gear. I then went on that day to explore even more places in the park because I had so much fun.
I know what you’re thinking… “Nicole, weren’t you scared?” Heck yeah, I was. All you hear about as a female are the dangers of going anywhere by yourself. But I brought my pepper spray and hoped for the best, and luckily there were no issues. I will admit to not being quite comfortable going to very large parks, like Yosemite, by myself yet. Parks like that are so large, I wouldn’t want to risk something happening. I live in the northeast corner of the midwest, so our parks aren’t as massive as that so I need a bit more experience working my way up to those large parks.
Benefits of Solo Hiking
Years later I can honestly say I am very comfortable hiking by myself. Quire frankly, I prefer it. I would much rather hike alone than with others. You get to set the pace, break when you want, detour, change plans, and not have to worry about others. Plus, you can go hiking whenever you want because you don’t have to worry about anyone else’s schedules!
Aside from the mental and physical benefits of hiking in general, I think my favorite thing about solo hiking as a female is the empowerment of it. You have nothing to prove to anyone, but it still feels good to say you didn’t need anyone to do it.
Below are some of the tips I’ve learned over the years that help me be more comfortable on the trail. Never do anything you’re uncomfortable with though. I do have to say that these are tips from my own personal experience as a white woman living in northeast Ohio; I know things vary for other women.
I hope these tips help a little bit, they’re definitely things I do when going on every hike.
Tip #1: Start Small
If you don’t have a lot of hiking experience, then definitely start small. Don’t make your first hiking experience a 10-mile mountain hike… your body will hate you the next day. And even if you are an experienced hiker but have never gone alone, I would still say start small so you don’t get overwhelmed.
Hiking alone is a totally different ball game than hiking with others, no matter your experience level. For example, you have to carry all your gear, you can’t split it with someone else. Depending on the hiking trail you’re doing, you need to make sure you can carry all the gear comfortably.
Definitely do a small hike close to home a few times to get comfortable being in the woods by yourself and gain more confidence.
Tip #2: Be Prepared
Being prepared means more than just having the proper gear. It means telling someone what trail you’re on, how long you think you’ll be gone, researching parking and trail conditions, etc. I personally use AllTrails, Google Maps, and TopoMaps+ on my phone for trail and trip planning.
Researching where you’re going is HUGE. Make sure you know where you’re going, save the local park rangers emergency number in your phone, print or download maps, and look into trail conditions and weather in the area you’re going.
Speaking of gear, make sure you do have everything you need. That includes a backpack, hydration reservoir/water bottle, bug spray, first aid, etc. Gear needed depends on the hike you’re doing.
Tip #3: Bring Safety Gear
I hate to say it, but this is the world us girls live in. There’s only been a handful of times I felt nervous on trails, and it was most likely just me overreacting, but still, you can never be too sure. I bring quite a few safety items on my adventures and try to keep most of them easily accessible; whether that’s in my pocket or attached to the strap of my backpack. Here’s what I bring on my trips (but only bring what you feel comfortable using):
Pepper Spray
Switchblade
Whistle
Compass
Self-defense keychain
Stun gun
Tip #4: Stay Alert
As mentioned before, us girls have a lot more to worry about when out alone. I am constantly on the alert for anything that doesn’t feel right on a trail, whether that’s a man catching up to me, unnatural noises, etc. Props to the girls who feel comfortable doing this, but I personally don’t feel safe listening to headphones when hiking. Please be aware of your surroundings, leave if you don’t feel safe, and take note of where you’re at along a trail in case of an emergency.
Tip #5: Consider Bringing a Dog
If you have an athletic dog, consider bringing them with you. It’s no guarantee, but it could potentially deter some creeps from coming near you if they see a big dog. I’ve always loved bigger dogs personally, but when I finally was able to adopt one I made sure she was a dog that would love hiking and being outside. I know this won’t work for many, but if you do happen to have one, then it’s something to consider (just make sure they are properly trained and socialized).
>> Related: Hiking With Your Dog: Some Tips To Get Started On The Trails <<
