Hiking is a fun activity that everyone should be able to enjoy. As a female who loves to solo hike, I do not want let fear prevent me from experiencing new adventures. Below is a list of 10 tips to help you be safe on your hike!
1. Research Where You Will Be Hiking
It is always good to know the type of trail you will be hiking on. Is there shade? What is the difficulty level? What type of terrain will you be hiking on? The internet is a great resource to look up all of these questions.
The free webpage / App All Trails has maps, guides, pictures, and personal reviews on over 100,000 trails. This will allow you to know more details about the trail before you set out on your hike.
Another great way to learn about a trail is to do a quick Google search on the place you want to hike. Hikers will blog and create videos about their personal experiences hiking. This is a great way to gain more details about the hike and learn from the people who have previously traveled on the trail.
Additionally, the National Park website is a great source. The website will list what essential items to bring and the type of weather to prepare for while hiking.
2. Prepare For The Weather
Will there be shade where you are hiking? Does the temperature significantly drop at night? Using the resources I talked about above, it is always good to research what environment you will be hiking in so you are able to bring items to help protect your body.
For hot weather hikes I always wear a hat ad sunglasses. I bring sunscreen in my bag so I don’t burn on my hike form the blazing heat of the sun. I always use spray sunscreen because it is quick and easy to apply!
If I am camping, I always research how much the temperature drops at night. When I was camping at the Grand Canyon in early August, the weather drastically changed between night and day. During the day it was extremely hot at 90 °F with little shade to keep myself cool. However, at night the temperature dropped to 60°F. I was not prepared for the drop in temperature and spent the whole night shivering.
3. Share Your Itinerary With Someone
I personally believe this is one of the most important hiking tips to help keep yourself safe. Even if I am doing a short, local hike, I always tell one of my friends where I am going. I drop my location to someone when I arrive and give an approximate time of how long I will be hiking.
You never know what unexpected thing will happen on your hike. Recently I hiked at Shadow Canyon in the middle of the city of Henderson, Nevada. I didn’t think it would happen, but I still told my roommate where I was going to hike. I’m glad I did because my car got broken into and my phone ended up dying. Luckily I was able to get back home, but if I had gotten stuck I someone knew where I was and would be able to come get me.
(Click here to read about my scary car break-in!)
So no matter where you are hiking or for how short of a time you are hiking, SHARE YOUR LOCATION AND ITINERARY WITH SOMEONE!
4. Prevent A Car Break-In
- Back into a parking spot. A lot of the time criminals will target cars that have out-of-state license plates. Backing into a parking spot will help conceal your license plate.
- Don’t leave anything visible in your car. If there’s nothing to take, there’s no point to breaking into your car.
- Buy a dashcam. If a break-in does occur, you will be able o catch the person on video. I personally have a VAVA Duel dashcam that is activated when motion occurs around the car while parked.
5. Pack A Portable Charger
A lot of hikers use their phone as a camera, navigation device, and way of communication. All this activity will quickly drain the battery of your phone. I always pack two portable chargers with me when I go on my hikes. I always take one of my three portable chargers with me. By carrying a portable charger, I am confident that I will always be able to use my phone on my hike.
Recommended affordable portable chargers:
Bonai Ultra Capacity & Flashlight : $35.99
Miady Portable Charger : $19.99
Anker PowerCore : $19.99
INIU Power Bank : $14.99
Poweradd Slim : $10.99
6. Bring Enough Water
It is important to stay hydrated during a hike. I always carry a 2L camelbak with me to ensure that I have enough water. A general rule of thumb is to drink 1/2 L per hour, but everyone’s body is different. A rule I like to follow is to turn around when I have drank a about half of my water.
Water Buffalo 2L : $24.99
Vibrelli 2L : $23.98
Marchway 3L : $38.99
I would also recommend carrying a portable water filter incase you run out of water on the hike. Using any of these products allows you to safely drink from a natural water source. These are great tools to carry with you so that you are prepared for an emergency!
Sawyer Filtration System : $19.97
Life Straw : $23.89
Life Straw Water Bottle : $33.99
7. Carry Self-Defense Items
As a female who likes to hike solo, I like to feel protected when I am out hiking. Some of the items I like to carry with me include:
- Michael Josh Whistle : $7.99
- Mace with UV Marking Spray : $11.99
- Vipertek Taser : $9.99
I have never had to use any of these items, but I feel safe knowing I am protected while hiking.
8. Bring Snacks!
It is important to fuel your body properly when hiking. Sometimes we use more energy than expected on a hike and need additional caloric intake. A snack is the perfect way to refuel the body. I always carry a vegan protein bar with me. My favorites are the Luna Bars and No Cow Bars. A trail mix is also a good idea for a snack.
Plus it is always fun to sit down, take in the scenery, and have a nice snack break. One of the most enjoyable moments on my hike at Garden of the Gods was climbing up on a rock, eating a protein bar, and enjoying the company of my friend.
9. Stay On The Trail & Notice Identifiable Trail Markers
This tip is especially important for solo hiking. It is safer to stay on a designated trail than to branch off and wonder into the unknown. Straying away from the main path imposes the potential dangers of getting lost, running into threatening wildlife, or injuring yourself.
Straying off the path is also going against Safety Tip #3 (share your location). If you do not stick to the original itinerary, it will be more difficult to find you if you do get lost because nobody knows where you have gone.
It is also a good idea to look for identifiable trail markers. Maybe it is a unique tree or rock that is easily identifiable. Sometimes trails are not easy to follow or intersect with other trails. This can cause you to unintentionally go off the path. By being aware of your surroundings, you will be able to better find your way back to the main path if you get lost.
10. Listen To Your Body
Everyone is different. Every trail is different. Every day is different.
Listen to your body and know when it is time to turn around. Pushing your body to the point of exhaustion is dangerous and you can end up hurting yourself. Even though you may want t finish the trail, it is not worth the risk of injuring yourself. Turn around and create the intention to hike the trail in the future!
Following these 10 tips will help you to hike safely!
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