Tips to Overcome Your Fear of Hiking Solo
Hiking is a fun way to disconnect from the daily stressors of life and reconnect with your inner self and nature. When you're new to hiking you probably are going with other people, but if you can find the courage to go solo, you will be greatly rewarded. Being a solo hiker gives you the freedom to go after the life that you truly want, without having to wait on others. But it can also be scary to go alone, and your fear may stop you from stepping out on the trail by yourself. To help you get over your fear of hiking solo, we've put together some practical tips and helpful perspective shifts to get you started. Read on below!
1. Make sure you’re prepared
Hiking alone is a bigger risk than going with a hiking group, which means that you need to mitigate that risk by making sure you have the appropriate gear for solo hiking. If you got lost or injured, you want to make sure that you have the ability to be fully self-reliant.
That may sound heavy, but it’s the truth that you should consider when packing for your solo adventures. In order to be fully self-reliant in the woods, you’ll need to pack the ten essentials, plus a couple of extra items for more protection.
These are items that should be in your bag hiking solo or with others, but are especially important when hiking solo:
Extra Water
Extra Food and Snacks
Emergency Blanket or Shelter
Map and Compass/ Navigation
Sun Protection
First Aid Kit
Fire Starter
Headlamp
Extra clothes
Hiking Tools
Extras:
Extra battery pack to charge your phone if needed
A whistle to signal for help
Garmin Inreach Mini: can be used to send your coordinates to authorities in the event of an emergency
Your cell phone: make sure you download the map(s) from your preferred map apps that you'll need so that you can track your progress
Extra battery pack and phone charing cord for your phone, just in case.
While a lot of these items may seem overkill, we suggest that you put your concerns about the weight of your pack on the back burner and prioritize being prepared. If you lose the trail or become hurt, that extra 5 pounds could save your life!
For more information about what to pack for a day hike in this blog post:
And if you’re looking to save some time, we made a checklist for all your day hiking needs- it’s totally free! See below!
2. Take extra safety precautions
Hiking alone can be made safer by following some extra safety precautions. Make sure that you let a reliable person, such as a family member, know the following information about your trip plans, and that they know what to do if they don’t hear back from you by your return time.
The date(s) of your trip
Your return time
The trail(s) that you plan on hiking
The trailhead and where it's located
Include a map (send a picture of a paper map or take a screenshot from one of the map apps) with the area you’ll be in highlighted
Giving another person the details of your hike will decrease the amount of time responders will take to start searching for you if you don’t make contact in case of an emergency. It will also allow emergency services to know what area(s) to look for you in.
So make sure the person you share this with knows what time to get in contact with authorities if they don’t hear from you. While it’s unlikely that you’ll get hurt or lost while hiking if you’re experienced, don't let the thought of the what-ifs keep you off of the trail.
But, it is important to think about what you’ll do if something happens on the trail. Knowing that someone knows where you are and when you plan on being back will make you a confident solo hiker.
3. Go somewhere that you’re familiar with
To have a positive first solo experience, try going to an area or a trail that you’ve been to before.
Going on your first solo hike on a trail that you’ve hiked with others will give you the confidence that you need on your first solo hike.
Doing something out of your comfort zone is scary, but going on a trail where you know what to expect will take some of the new-ness out of it, and hopefully some of the fears of solo hiking as well.
Going somewhere you're familiar with also means you know what kind of terrain and weather conditions to expect, allowing you to pack appropriately and hopefully giving you some peace of mind as well.
Picking a popular trail makes hiking solo less scary.
4. Pick a popular and easy trail
Give yourself the comfort of having a lot of people around you for your first solo hike, and take the edge off your own fears by hiking an easy trail. If you’re new to hiking solo, or if you want to be extra safe, pick a trail that is popular and easy. You’re likely to pass groups of people on the way up and down, on busy trails which is a great way to to ease some of your biggest fears around solo hiking.
And picking an easy trail means that you aren't pushing yourself out of your comfort zone in more than one area. Hiking a popular trail may also ease your mind about potential issues with local wildlife, as having others around you is likely to keep you safe from a mountain lion for instance.
Staying away from remote areas and sticking to popular, easy hikes is an easy way to increase your safety and reduce your fears. You may also feel less lonely, and if you get injured you can use your whistle to call help to you. Also, you might meet some interesting people along the way!
5. Remind yourself that you can turn back at any point
This is a good mental tip to remember if you get very uncomfortable; you can always turn around. You don’t have to finish the hike to feel like you've accomplished something, and there’s no shame in changing your mind.
Telling yourself when you get uncomfortable or feel unsafe that you can turn around at any point will help to remind yourself why you’re truly there.
And those reasons may include pushing yourself out of your comfort zone, being able to hike at your own pace, reaching your own backpacking goals, or to simply get comfortable hiking alone. Also keep in mind that if the weather turns, you may have to turn around for your own safety.
Reminding yourself that you don't need to finish the entire hike to experience an outdoor adventure will keep your fears at bay and hopefully keep your adventurous spirit alive.
Make sure you have all the tools you need to navigate safely while hiking solo.
6. Make sure you have reliable navigation and communication
Being able to get in contact with help is the first step of any emergency situation, whether hiking alone or with a group. Make sure that you have a reliable way of navigating out of a situation if needed, and being able to make an emergency phone call or text is a very useful tool to have as well.
This could be in the form of a satellite communicator, a personal locator beacon, or you could simply use your cell phone. When hiking solo, being able to communicate with emergency services is more important than ever, especially if your hiking in rural areas.
So do yourself a favor and make sure you either have a fully charged cell phone, or invest in a satellite phone if you plan to do many solo hiking trips in the future.
Benefits of hiking solo
You don’t have to wait on others
Hiking solo gives you the freedom to hike whenever you want to, without having to wait on others to be available to go with you. You could wait your whole life waiting for someone to be able to come with you, or you could get brave and try something all by yourself.
Build self confidence
Here are some ways that hiking solo builds confidence:
1. Self-reliance & Decision Making: When it’s just you on the trail, you’ll need to rely on yourself to make decisions along the way. As you start to see yourself successfully solving problems and relying on yourself for a positive outcome, you’ll boost your confidence in your abilities to handle other situations independently.
2. Problem-solving: Whether it's finding your way back to the trail after taking a wrong turn or dealing with unexpected obstacles, hiking alone puts you in a situation to solve a variety of problems on the fly. For every problem that you solve independently, you’re reinforcing the belief that you can overcome any obstacle.
3. Comfort with Solitude: Spending time alone in nature can help you become more comfortable with yourself and your thoughts, training you to be fully present with yourself. As you become more comfortable with solitude, you may find that you're more confident in social situations as well.
4. Sense of Accomplishment: Completing a hike alone, especially a challenging one, can provide a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction with yourself. Each successful hike adds to your confidence in your ability to set and achieve goals.
5. Emotional Resilience: Hiking alone can sometimes bring up feelings of fear or uncertainty, particularly in unfamiliar or rural areas. Successfully managing these emotions and continuing the hike can strengthen your emotional resilience and confidence in your ability to cope with difficult or uncomfortable situations.
Hiking solo comes with many benefits.
Hike at your own pace
The saying goes that the pace of the group is that of the slowest hiker. This is for safety reasons, so that you don’t leave anyone behind. It makes sense when you’re hiking in a group, but when you’re hiking alone you can go as fast or as slow as you’d like. This can be very freeing if you frequently hike with a slower hiker than you, or if you often feel like you're holding up the group. Hiking at your own pace can be a great way to build up stamina for harder and longer hikes as well.
Hike whatever trail you’d like
Just like hiking along give you the freedom to walk as fast you’d like, when you hike solo you can pick where you hike as well. No more compromising if your friends aren’t up for a tough hike, you can hike it solo. Or on the opposite side of the spectrum, you are completely free to hike an easy trail if that's what you need at the moment. Whatever strikes your fancy, hiking solo can give you the freedom to explore whatever trail or area you'd like- no strings attached!
Connect with nature and your inner self
Hiking solo gives you the unique opportunity to take some time yourself away from the distractions of your daily life. When it’s just you on the trail you are given the opportunity to be alone with your thoughts and reflect on things in your life, big and small. Being out in nature is a balm to the soul, and we all need a little alone time from time to time.
Hiking solo is a great way to connect with nature and yourself.
While the thought of hiking solo may initially evoke feelings of apprehension, the journey towards overcoming this fear is both liberating and empowering. Equipping yourself with the necessary gear and taking extra safety precautions are essential steps towards ensuring a safe and enjoyable solo hiking experience.
By starting with familiar trails and gradually exploring new territories, you can build confidence in your abilities and cultivate a sense of self-reliance.
Moreover, embracing the many benefits of solo hiking, including the freedom to hike at your own pace and the opportunity for self-discovery, can fuel your motivation to step out onto the trail alone. From enhancing problem-solving skills to fostering emotional resilience, each solo hike offers a unique opportunity for personal growth and exploration.
So, whether you're seeking solitude amidst nature or striving to push your boundaries, embarking on a solo hiking adventure opens up a world of possibilities. Embrace the journey, trust in your preparation, and allow yourself to revel in the unparalleled freedom and empowerment that solo hiking affords. Your next outdoor adventure awaits, ready to challenge and inspire you along the way.
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