The mountains are calling but your friends are lame and don’t want to go hiking with you on this beautiful sunny day, what do you do? Simple, ditch those losers and go hiking by yourself!
While it can be intimidating to tackle nature on your own, with a little practice and some helpful advice it can be a rewarding experience.
#1 Pick an Easy Trail
There are no heroes in solo hiking. Whether you’re just beginning hiking or an experienced trekker, match your trail choice to what is easy for you. Easy is relative so know your limits.
Beginner hikers should start on popular trails that are well marked. After you start gaining some navigational abilities you can be a little more adventurous.
If you’re used to hiking with friends, you should have a fair understanding of your limitations. Don’t try to scale 3,000 feet of elevation gain if you’ve never done anything past 2,000. Save your boundary-pushing hikes for when you hike with a group. It’s no fun to whine and complain about your legs hurting when there is no one around to have sympathy for you.
#2 Tell Someone Where Your Going
Safety is always important out in the wilderness, but it becomes more important when you hike by yourself. Solo hiking can be a peaceful, reflective activity when done correctly but if you get lost it can quickly turn into a negative experience.
Besides having maps, GPS, and a First Aid kit, one of the most important things you can do for safety is to tell someone where you’re going to be. Tell your roommate who opted out of going with you, call your mom and tell her what trail you are hiking, leave a map posted on the fridge for your wife to see, just so long as someone knows where you will be in case anything unexpected happens.
#3 Talk to Other Hikers
Humans are wired to be social so don’t fight human nature when out in nature. Hikers are typically very friendly and personable. Being able to disconnect from the stress of everyday life makes people more relaxed thus making them more enjoyable to converse with. If your normally a social butterfly and are hiking by yourself ease your anxiety by asking a passerby what the trail conditions up ahead are like or how much further it is to the viewpoint. Like in most situations, don’t be too weird and you’ll be fine. Who knows maybe you will even make some friends who are more willing to wake up early and go hiking with you.
#4 Bring your Furry Friend
This may be fudging the definition of solo hiking, but there is nothing better than letting your dog run free in the wild with you. They like it, you like it, everyone likes it. Plus a dog will never say no to going hiking with you.
Pay attention to trail signs that say to keep your dog leashed. If there are no signs, off-leash trail etiquette is to make sure your dog is always in your sight and will obey your commands to heel and return to you.
Not everyone you encounter on the trail is comfortable with dogs. If your dog can’t ignore other people, it might be best to leash him/her when you see or hear others coming. You’d be surprised how far sound travels in nature so you’ll have plenty of warning when other hikers are approaching. Once the other hikers are out of sight, feel free to let your pooch loose again.
#5 For Hiking by Yourself in Bear Country: Whistle While You Walk
An article in National Geographic stated, “The chances of being injured by a bear are approximately 1 in 2.1 million, according to the National Park Service. In other words, you’re more likely to be killed by a bee than a bear.” In fact, you are more likely to be killed in a car crash on the way to the trailhead than actually hiking on the trail so don’t let your fear of bears diminish your ambition to hike.
Bears don’t want anything to do with humans. If they hear you coming they turn and run away. If your hiking by yourself make lots of noise to alert bears to your presence. Some people like to sing but if your acapella embarrasses you, you can simply whistle while you walk.
And whether your hiking by yourself or in a group, if you’re in bear country, always carry a can of bear spray.
Why I Hike By Myself
Every year I set a goal to hike more miles than the year before. To accomplish this feat I occasionally will have to hike solo. Sometimes friends are too busy, other times the Fiance is too tired from work. But to reach my goal (and for my sanity) I have to get out on the trail no matter what. Hiking by myself can sometimes be intimidating, especially when I am exploring new country, but surprisingly it’s also when I am the calmest.
My favorite solo hike was to Louie and Boulder Lake. I have also hiked Guffey Butte, Reynolds Creek and Eagle Canyon. These hikes and many more solo trips gave me a huge boost of confidence in my outdoor abilities.
These tips are far from a comprehensive list, so if you have any advice for hiking by yourself let us know in the comments and be sure to share them with your friends!
Chad can be summed up by his idea of a perfect day: Waking up early to watch the sunrise over the mountains, warm cup of coffee in hand then grabbing his camera and fly rod, hitting the trail to explore some uncharted territory followed by cold beers and campfire steaks. Chad is often joined on his adventures by his wife, Tori, and their dog, Kona.
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