Hiking in numbers offers you a different level of protection that you wouldn’t experience if you decided to go by yourself.
But that doesn’t mean hiking solo is a bad idea either.
Well, like anything else, it comes with a few advantages and drawbacks if you do decide to go alone.
In this article, I will point out a few of those pros and cons to reframe our perspective on hiking.
The peace and quiet you get on the trail are an adventure like no other, but at the same time, the security net goes away and it’s all up to you on ensuring your own safety.
Without further ado, let’s go hiking!
For more information on solo hiking, The American Hiking Society has valuable information when it comes to resources and safety. You can check them out here.
The Pros to Solo hiking
Solitude
Many of us live in the whirlwind of life.
Meetings, deadlines, kids, etc. keep us from enjoying solitude. But when you finally break away and participate in solo hiking, you’re greeted with solitude.
I’ve found the way of hiking to be the perfect place to reconnect with my thoughts and allow for self-reflection. Let’s face it, we all need this from time to time.
But more so, when we decide to do this alone, it seems to change what our brain focuses on and thinks about.
Don’t get me wrong, I love to hike in a pair or in a group, but just because others can’t make it, doesn’t mean you should have to ditch your favorite hobby.
You Choose Your Trail
Everyone loves a little freedom, right?
This might be one of the greatest benefits to solo hiking. The fact that you can choose your own location based off of your needs is a beautiful concept in itself.
How far of a hike to want to try? What about breaks? Waterfall hiking or more mountain climbing? The ball is in your court when you give solo hiking a try.
You learn about Yourself.
Years ago, the thought of hiking alone both excited me and scared me at the same time.
I was craving the solitude but yet, I was still wanting a wing man on my journeys. However, when I gave this a try, I quickly realized what my skill set was while I was out by myself.
Situational awareness improved. I trusted myself more. I also learned that I could enjoy one of my favorite pastimes without having a constant conservation with someone else.
After years on the trail, I definitely learned more about myself vs group hiking.
When you have no-one to rely on but yourself, everything falls onto you.
You will also learn how far you can push yourself on a physical and mental level. Group hiking will rarely teach you this.
You can hike at your own pace.
We all tend to hike at different paces. But everyone also has different physical capabilities and have varied motivations for why we hike.
Taking everything in consideration, when we decide to embark on a trail alone, the opinions of how fast or slow you’re going goes out the window.
I particularly like to go on longer hikes if I go solo. I can take my time as a photographer while pacing myself to enjoy the scenery.
The pressure of having to go faster or slower depending on who you go with is eliminated and you’ll enjoy your hike even more not having this extra weight of stress.
The Cons of Solo hiking.
Well, we have gone over the pros to solo hiking.
What about the cons?
As much as I enjoy doing this by myself from time to time, I think it’s equally important to discuss the hidden dangers of solo hiking.
Let’s take a look at them.
It can be dangerous.
Safety should always come first, especially if hiking alone.
However, if you choose this method, just know you don’t get this level of protection if you were to hike with a group or in a pair.
Injuries happen on the trail. They just do. There is a multitude of reasons of what ifs. But let’s say things get serious. You don’t have anyone to help you and will have to rely on yourself if an injury or illness occur.
One thing worth mentioning here is that if you do decide to hike alone, please let your loved ones know which trail and what time you will be beginning that trail. The people who love you deserve to know if you’re hiking alone.
Wildlife.
Snakes, bees, coyotes, bears, and mosquitoes make up the ever long list of unwanted visitors while on the trail.
Connecting with nature and observing wildlife is exhilarating at times, but on the other hand, coming across poisonous snakes or dangerous animals such as grizzly bears not so much.
This goes back to being situational aware of your surroundings. And to me it’s simple math, the number of eyes on the trail in front of you and behind you diminish down to just two when you hike alone.
Getting lost.
I can honestly say I’ve never been lost in all of my years of hiking knock on wood. But that doesn’t mean it couldn’t happen.
The majority of trails out there are well marked and following them won’t be a problem for a single hiker. So, the chances of getting lost are at a minimum.
However, every now and then, even the most seasoned hikers make mistakes and get off track. If I have any advice on this, it’s probably not the best idea to hike a trail by yourself for the first time. If anything, if you’re going to go solo, pick a trail that you’ve done before and love.
But if that’s not your style, at least pick a trail that meet your physical capabilities and be mindful of the weather.
The weather presents its own set of challenges, one that I refuse to ever underestimate. Bottom line, know your limits and capabilities before you decide to try this.
Thoughts & Takeaways
And that will wrap things up for today. Solo hiking certainly isn’t for everyone. It presents a new set of challenges the average hiker will never experience. However, this can be a thrilling and exciting concept for those who want to unlock their outdoor spirit. For me, it depends on several factors if I choose to go solo hiking. Where I decide to go? the weather conditions, and the duration of the trail. I hope you found this article to be helpful. Please share your experiences with solo hiking in the comment section below.
-CT