Trail Walking Alone - Yay or Nay?

Adirondacks. I go alone often, but I generally do not run with music when I'm off the beaten path by myself. Fortunately, I'm close enough to humanity where cell coverage is ok and I can leave an eCrumb. I'm more afraid of the two legged kind than the 4 legged ones, but fortunately there are a lot of outdoorfolks in this area, so a solitary hiker or runner is not out of the ordinary.

I personally like to go hiking alone (no one else daft enough to come with me) but I generally stick to well used popular trails with lots of people on them. I wouldn't go out into the wilderness alone, all it would take is a slip or a trip and you could wind up in dire straits alone with no help and miles from anywhere. Not sure what the terrain is like, but it doesn't take much in the hills to find yourself with zero signal if you fall in a ditch or roll under a boulder

Just make sure you are prepared, at the very least carry a 1st aid kit (even a pack of band-aids and some aspirin is better than nothing at all) ,a flashlight and a whistle.

Now, I personally wouldn't want my partner doing the same! This may be sexist, but you hear of far more women being attacked and left for dead than you do men. I won't even let my partner walk across a farmer's field to her mothers with the children as I'm worried she may get attacked. Paranoid? maybe, but a few weeks after I warned my partner not to do this, there were reports of several women being attacked in a neighbouring field. There are some very unsavoury characters out there just waiting for an opportunity, and some of them don't care whether or not you're scared.

Another person that doesn't "let" his significant other do things they want to do.

Brb, gonna talk to my wife about how much of her autonomy I'm about to take away from her because obviously I've been doing it wrong

Dude, my BF doesn't even warn me when he sees me about to do something blatantly stupid and dangerous! He'll pick me up and dust me off (after he finishes laughing at me), and then say something snarky like "bet you learned not to try that again, didn't you?"

I like the cut of his jib.

I used to live in Colorado and would often hike and jog alone (or with my dog) in my neighborhood and on well marked trails. Now I'm back in the DC area and am far more concerned about people than wildlife or trail injuries or a sudden late afternoon storm. Just last week a guy was shot to death 1.5 miles south of where I run on a well-used bike trail, so it's good to be aware of my surroundings. I never go after dark (or before sunrise), I never wear headphones, I carry pepper spray, I look alert, and I keep my phone's GPS on. I also bring my dog most of the time, but not always. I don't feel threatened on the trail, and I usually encounter other joggers and cyclists, but it's good to be alert and prepared.

If your BF is legitimately worried about you going out by yourself (which may be perfectly understandable, my wife is not jumping for joy that I jog alone in this area), then use a map app that allows him to track your run in real time.

I've never hiked completely alone; I've always had my dog with me.

I think, however, that you're fine as long as you use some precaution.

1. Let someone know where you are going and approximately how long you will be gone.
2. Be aware of your surroundings at all times.
3. Carry your phone with you in case of emergency.
4. Carry pepper spray or familiarize yourself with self-defense.

I agree with the others. Get some pepper spray, etc., and a big package of Post-It notes so you can leave a note of where you are headed.

I make the Hubs leave me a note or send me an email when he's going out on the motorcycle. He typically has a destination in mind when he heads out. If I am going with him, I send my mom an email with our general destination.

Just tell the BF you are going to walk the trails and he is more than welcome to come with you to see what they are like.

You take your life in your own hands when you hike alone. Animals, injuries, rapists......unless it was a very populated trail, I would not hike alone.

Remember that guy that hiked alone and a rock fell on him and he had to cut off his arm to free himself. Nuff said.

Just let someone know where your'e at and when you expect to be done. On training runs the other year I'd go out for 20 mile runs on my own for hours by myself. These days, when I go out hiking, I go with my dogs. One is partially blind and the other one is a doofus, so they dont offer much in the way of protection, but it works. If you feel better "borrowing" a friends dog (they might even appreciate you taking the dog out for them) do that!

Where do you live? I live in Belmont Shore(coastal Long Beach), CA.
If you live in Inglewood, Compton, Watts, and dudes with red or blue come up to you and ask you (in this vernacular) "Where you from homie?" OR you regularly see "Grape St" "60's" or "MS-13" sprayed along your "trails' ignore what I just said.
:happy:

You take your life in your own hands when you hike alone. Animals, injuries, rapists......unless it was a very populated trail, I would not hike alone.

Remember that guy that hiked alone and a rock fell on him and he had to cut off his arm to free himself. Nuff said.

I wouldn't backpack in remote wilderness, climb, or cave dive alone. Backpacking and hiking along established trails? No sweat. Sometimes it's good to just meditate and be alone with my thoughts.

Well, I own a Garmin 305. Once I run the route I upload the GPS track to Map My Run. If I end up running alone, I post the GPS track and date/time I start and expect to end. I have a group of friends that do the same. We have an agreement if that if we don't check in by the posted check in time somebody gets help.

Yes, I'd be fine going on my own,
but I see you're in NJ, so my solution would be illegal for you...
I'm a lawfully-armed citizen, and I carry a pistol for self-protection.
Works against predators with 4 or 2 legs.

If you decide to go alone, make sure someone knows where/when you are going & when to expect you back, and will go for help if you don't call them within a reasonable time of your ETA.
Maybe look for MFP friends nearby who'd like to walk with you?
I don't even know if pepper spray (bear spray) is legal in NJ, so how about carrying a can of wasp spray or oven cleaner?
And do NOT use earphones! You want to be able to hear what's going on around you.

Go for it.

Required skills: Instincts about people. Ability to be rude. Willingness to leave if you feel uncomfortable, even if it's embarrassing or silly.

Note - If you or your friends describe you as a victim, please skip the solo exercise. Go check out Brazilian Jujitsu. It's a ton of fun.

Props -
Take a sturdy, sizable object you're very comfortable using when you go for a walk. For me, this is often a maglite, a size or so smaller than the ones that make security guards feel better on long, lonely shifts. A sturdy walking stick would be a good choice in rougher territory. Visibility is important, the important goal is to appear to be the wrong person to bother, so you don't get bothered. Mace or a knife suits some people, but if you're likely to fumble or hesitate with them, choose something you can handle well.

Hiking boots that support your ankle well are your friend on bumpy ground. With good footwear, and dense socks, you may find it quite impossible to move your ankle in a way that'd twist. Note - If you're on a paved running path, you may prefer sneakers you can run well in instead.
Earbuds that aren't playing anything are worth considering. They make it easy to dodge conversation while still exchanging polite hi waves with the other ladies going by.
Water bottle - It rarely hurts, and when full, can be used to provide a little extra arm exercise.
Cell Phone - Remember, cell phones do not solve urgent emergencies, they solve problems that stick around for a while. In an emergency, it's usually far faster and more efficient to get yourself away from a threat, or to the nearest helpful people. If you call for help, there's a guarantee it'll take time to get to you.

Make sure that the person who knows where you're going, when, would in fact check on you if you didn't come back promptly, and does walk your usual route at least once, so they wouldn't get lost if they came to save you from being lost.

Take your pleasant but disinterested attitude. Pleasant hi/wave exchanges from a distance with other walkers, particularly the ladies, will make you both feel comfortable, and will help you learn who's usually exercising at the same time you are. Be alert to who's around, but not alarmed. Give people space, and enjoy your own space.

If you're heading out of heavily traveled areas, adjust what you're carrying accordingly. A pack with water, snacks, first aid kit, astronaut blanket, etc is useful. Carrying more water can help you burn more calories.

Walking alone has it's pros and cons. I often walk alone and thank God it's been safe. I live on the desert and there are trails near my home. I sometimes use a walking stick for any critters, but I haven't needed it, thank God. The pro are you can clear you mind, meditate, observe beautiful natural surroundings and enjoy some solitude. The cons is the walks seem longer. Your boyfriend may be concerned with your safety, but, is he willing to walk with you? Don't accept any excuses not to move that body. You can do DVD' exercise at home, or on You Tube on line there a lots of exercise videos, or join a community center. The main thing is to create an action plan and make a commitment to do the best you can, even if other don't like it.

40,000 people die in car crashes every year in the US. Are you going to stop driving or riding in vehicles? Better not swim, have any heat source in your home, walk outside when temps are below freezing, or eat hot dogs either.

The CDC says that in 2011:
35,303 people died in motor vehicle crashes.
27,483 from falls.
11,068 criminal homicide by firearm.
6,242 from suffocation.
3,556 drowned.
2,587 from being cut or stabbed.
2,259 in residential fires.
2,193 from environmental effects.
2,170 from medical care.
591 from unintentional shootings.
454 legal homicide by firearm (police & citizens shooting criminals)
16 from overexertion. (So I think we're safe exercising!)
http://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/index.html


Whereas for things that we might be able to do something about...
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/deaths.htm
Heart disease: 596,577
Cancer: 576,691
Diabetes: 73,831
Influenza and Pneumonia: 53,826
Suicide: 39,518

You take your life in your own hands when you hike alone. Animals, injuries, rapists......unless it was a very populated trail, I would not hike alone.

Remember that guy that hiked alone and a rock fell on him and he had to cut off his arm to free himself. Nuff said.

Covered in fear attitudes.

Aron Ralston wasn't trail hiking alone - he was doing some deep canyoneering - he was abseiling in a slot canyon and basically pulled a rock down on himself. This is like saying don't ride a bike because some guy died on a bike-assisted base jump in Bolivia.

As someone who both spends a lot of time outdoors and is a father of four daughters I hope my girls do not grow up to fear trail walking alone. Trail walking. Not a complicated hike. Not some strange dark adventure. Heck, I expect them to be able to hike, travel and climb in a prepared fashion.

Accidents do happen - being properly prepared is a necessity that might help in the downward spiral of poor decisions but living cut off from the world in a cocoon just sounds awful. Carry a phone, let someone know where you are going, if the walk warrants it carry water, food, a multi-tool and a first aid kit.

Enjoy the trail. Don't be a victim of your lifestyle.

Dam on my last trail run I forgot my armed guards and 25 person support crew. How did I get through it alive!!


Err use some common sense and put things into proportion. I tell my wife my route carry a phone and wear a runners id. I don't have room for grenades or AK 47s