What safety measures do you take when going on trails or hiking solo? Specifically safety measures to protect yourself from strangers on the trail.
August 28, 2025
What safety measures do you take when going on trails or hiking solo? Specifically safety measures to protect yourself from strangers on the trail.
17 comments
I’ve used pepper spray twice now and it’s instant. I’d keep that in hand or in a pocket that you can whip out in a split second
There’s a hiking trail near my home where I go jogging a few times a week. I always keep my cell phone handy and pretend to be talking on it if I see somebody I’m unsure about.
I trail run all the time. I never do it at night or even dusk. I’m always visibly holding my phone. I tell someone where I’m going. I regularly look behind me. I turn off my headphones sporadically and if someone comes near me. That being said, I live in an exceptionally safe place where I’ve never heard of anyone being kidnapped or randomly attacked, ever.
Dog, no headphones, pepper spray, stay alert, phone handy, let someone know where I’m going, acknowledge everyone I see with eye contact and a hello
The best thing you can do is deter them up front from choosing you as a target. Pay attention to your surroundings, look like you know exactly where you’re going, and acknowledge everyone you come across.
My boyfriend bought me a gun for every year we’ve been together. I have 3 rifles and 2 pistols. One is a conceal carry. The range is a must each week💯
bear spray, knife, resting bitch face
Pepper spray, well concealed knife, cell phone always in my hand and sometimes my police radio depending where I’m going.
my dog, a knife, a self defense class, and talking to myself along the trail.
Also. Tell people you’re going to hike at _____ and if you’re not back or don’t message by _____, that means something has happened.
I’ve had to use pepper spray twice. I also carry a knife just in case, and my iPhone has satellite so my location is shared with family and I can call for help if needed.
Firearm.
Having a dog, life 360 or location sharing, and only going on busy trails. I wish I could explore more solo, but have never risked it.
Pick a hiking trail where there’s always other people around. Criminals generally don’t want to be seen when they attack
Life 360 for your loved ones
“Eyes in the back of your head” (iykyk)
Pepper spray on your person
Carry a whistle around your neck
See if there’s self-defense classes you can take up even if you ever need to defend yourself.
Dear lord. I’m in Wisconsin.
The most I do is tell my spouse which trail I’m heading to.
And I don’t wear earbuds 95% of the time but that’s just cause I want to enjoy nature.
Interesting, I almost exclusively hike and camp alone and have never felt unsafe, generally crime don’t climb and my hikes are vehicle access only and steep, I rarely see another human at all, and never anyone that doesn’t look like a serious hiker. Maybe it’s the higher difficulty to get there and hike?
I mean I have hiked all over the world in places with lots of violence and crime like Michigan, DC, South Africa, Jamaica, Morocco. It’s been nearly universal that there is very low to no crime outside of the cities and public transit. If you can’t easily get there on public transit, and it’s not in a drug zone it’s been buffered from crime. Like significantly safer, bars on all windows in cities, by the trails no one even locks their doors
This is fascinating to read. The most unsafe I feel is traveling by public trains, those are grope fests and I avoid them at all costs.
One crucial point, it cannot be a tourist trap trail like say Machu Pichu, tons of pickpockets and theft in any place that lures in tourists to a low cost of living country with poor infrastructure.
If you want to do a touristy trail, go with a tour group or at least a group of people
9mm + gel pepper spray – eliminates risk of blow back and both are easy to conceal. Better to have two weapons in case they manage to get ahold of the other. Stick to the trails, if you’re ever being dragged off you’ll have clear dirt to leave imprints/signs of a struggle on and it will be the first place they comb through before taking the search elsewhere. GPS on and tell at least one person close to you where you’re going. Remember the unique geographical features you pass by – in case you have to flee or describe your location
17 comments
I’ve used pepper spray twice now and it’s instant. I’d keep that in hand or in a pocket that you can whip out in a split second
There’s a hiking trail near my home where I go jogging a few times a week. I always keep my cell phone handy and pretend to be talking on it if I see somebody I’m unsure about.
I trail run all the time. I never do it at night or even dusk. I’m always visibly holding my phone. I tell someone where I’m going. I regularly look behind me. I turn off my headphones sporadically and if someone comes near me. That being said, I live in an exceptionally safe place where I’ve never heard of anyone being kidnapped or randomly attacked, ever.
Dog, no headphones, pepper spray, stay alert, phone handy, let someone know where I’m going, acknowledge everyone I see with eye contact and a hello
The best thing you can do is deter them up front from choosing you as a target. Pay attention to your surroundings, look like you know exactly where you’re going, and acknowledge everyone you come across.
My boyfriend bought me a gun for every year we’ve been together. I have 3 rifles and 2 pistols. One is a conceal carry. The range is a must each week💯
bear spray, knife, resting bitch face
Pepper spray, well concealed knife, cell phone always in my hand and sometimes my police radio depending where I’m going.
my dog, a knife, a self defense class, and talking to myself along the trail.
Also. Tell people you’re going to hike at _____ and if you’re not back or don’t message by _____, that means something has happened.
I’ve had to use pepper spray twice. I also carry a knife just in case, and my iPhone has satellite so my location is shared with family and I can call for help if needed.
Firearm.
Having a dog, life 360 or location sharing, and only going on busy trails. I wish I could explore more solo, but have never risked it.
Pick a hiking trail where there’s always other people around. Criminals generally don’t want to be seen when they attack
Life 360 for your loved ones
“Eyes in the back of your head” (iykyk)
Pepper spray on your person
Carry a whistle around your neck
See if there’s self-defense classes you can take up even if you ever need to defend yourself.
Dear lord. I’m in Wisconsin.
The most I do is tell my spouse which trail I’m heading to.
And I don’t wear earbuds 95% of the time but that’s just cause I want to enjoy nature.
Interesting, I almost exclusively hike and camp alone and have never felt unsafe, generally crime don’t climb and my hikes are vehicle access only and steep, I rarely see another human at all, and never anyone that doesn’t look like a serious hiker. Maybe it’s the higher difficulty to get there and hike?
I mean I have hiked all over the world in places with lots of violence and crime like Michigan, DC, South Africa, Jamaica, Morocco. It’s been nearly universal that there is very low to no crime outside of the cities and public transit. If you can’t easily get there on public transit, and it’s not in a drug zone it’s been buffered from crime. Like significantly safer, bars on all windows in cities, by the trails no one even locks their doors
This is fascinating to read. The most unsafe I feel is traveling by public trains, those are grope fests and I avoid them at all costs.
One crucial point, it cannot be a tourist trap trail like say Machu Pichu, tons of pickpockets and theft in any place that lures in tourists to a low cost of living country with poor infrastructure.
If you want to do a touristy trail, go with a tour group or at least a group of people
9mm + gel pepper spray – eliminates risk of blow back and both are easy to conceal. Better to have two weapons in case they manage to get ahold of the other. Stick to the trails, if you’re ever being dragged off you’ll have clear dirt to leave imprints/signs of a struggle on and it will be the first place they comb through before taking the search elsewhere. GPS on and tell at least one person close to you where you’re going. Remember the unique geographical features you pass by – in case you have to flee or describe your location