Hiking Alone as a Woman: 3 Steps to Feeling Empowered and Safe on the Trail

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Solo women hikers: this one’s for you! I've hiked all over the USA solo, from Yosemite to Florida and many places in between. I’m here to tell you that hiking alone as a woman is not as scary as it first seems—as long as you are properly prepared!

Here are my top three hiking tips for solo women hikers to help you feel empowered and safe while in the great outdoors.

1. Inform someone of your hiking itinerary and have a plan for when things go wrong.

I always tell someone at home what my plans are and when to contact authorities if they don't hear from me. Important information to give your contact includes the trailhead location (a map may be helpful), your start and estimated end times, local emergency contact numbers, if applicable, and any concerns you may have or good things for them to know about the trail.

When I was single, I informed my parents of my plans, but now that I am married I let my husband know. Choose whoever you trust and know you can rely on to make the right calls if something were to happen to you. This will give you peace of mind knowing that even if you are hiking alone as a woman, someone else knows your whereabouts and can help you in an emergency.

Consider bringing an InReach or using your iPhone’s satellite service to message your contact throughout your hike. An InReach is more durable and has a longer lasting battery life, but it is pricey to purchase and maintain a subscription on, so I only recommend it if you plan to take regular backpacking trips. The iPhone satellite service is convenient and included in newer phone models for two years from purchase. Add your contact as your emergency contact in your phone and you should be set!

2. Be vigilant and observant, always aware of your surroundings.

Follow trail signs and stay along the marked path. When hiking alone, it’s probably best to avoid wandering off trail, even if you think you have a good sense of direction. Most people who get lost are found just a couple hundred feet from the trail, but get disoriented and can’t find their way back.

While hiking alone as a female, watch out for signs of wildlife, such as scat, tracks, and noises. Avoid wearing headphones so you can keep your senses sharp. Predators can be stealthy and are more likely to attack a solo traveler. Snakes and other venomous critters are also good to keep an eye out for to avoid an emergency situation.

It’s also good to be aware of suspicious activity in the area. When hiking alone in Guadalupe Mountains National Park, I took a very popular trail, but was surprised to find that I was one of only a few woman on the trail all day! Luckily everyone I passed was friendly and courteous about keeping their distance, but if you ever feel uncomfortable in a social situation, don’t be afraid to turn back or create distance between you and the other person or people.

3. Be confident!

Hiking is a mind game as much as a physical one, and without someone else to help keep your spirits up, you will have to find a way to do it yourself. I personally love the alone time to reflect on life and go at my own pace without pressure from anyone (except perhaps the impending nighttime), but it still can get boring or unnerving being alone for so long.

When solo female hiking, it may help to break up the trail mentally and give yourself checkmarks to look forward to. I like to look at the trail map and reward myself with a break or a treat for my progress at distinct bends in the trail. This makes the end goal or steep, strenuous sections not feel as daunting.

Last but not least, don't let all the men you see on the trail intimidate you into thinking you are out of place! As mentioned earlier, there have been times when I have been one of very few women on the trail. Instead of getting in my head about not belonging, I feel empowered to keep going and accomplish something that people who are physically stronger and bigger than me have as well.

A word of caution about hiking alone

Hiking alone, regardless of your gender, does come with inherent risks. If you get lost or injured, you will have only yourself to rely on.

Further, animals are much more likely to hear you and keep away from you if you are traveling in a group and making more noise. Even though I usually hike alone, there are places with dangerous predators that I avoid solo hiking in, such as Yellowstone.

If you feel uneasy about hiking alone as a woman in remote areas for these or any other reason, research the trail conditions ahead of time and choose the most popular ones. That way, if anything does go wrong, there will be a higher chance of people being around to help you out of a sticky situation.

Keep your chin up and enjoy the trail, but do listen to your gut if you feel you need to turn back. There is no shame in ending a trip early if you meet unexpected obstacles.

Have you ventured into Mother Nature alone before? Share your solo hiking experience in the comments!

Check out my hiking tips page for more guides on how to prepare for your outdoor trips.

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