How safe is it for a female alone

[Pink]

I was planning on hiking a section of the AT in April by myself. I've never hiked before, but plan on training and educating myself as much as possible prior to leaving.

One of my biggest concerns is about the safety on the AT. I'm 25 years old. Is this a bad idea for me to do this by myself? I'm not just worried about the bears and other wildlife, but the people (the men) hurting me. Is this a valid concern? Should I bring some kind of protection (I was thinking pepper spray)?

What are the chances of me finding other people to buddy up with on the trail? How safe are the shelters at night? I am just trying to be as realistic about this hike as possible. I want to cover all of my bases before going. I really want to make this a memorable experience.

[Nean]

Hi Pink- I'd put all those worries aside. There will be hikers everywhere in April. Your chances of trouble are far greater in just about every other aspect of life. The trail is about as safe as it gets. Get out there and ENJOY!!!

[Ladytrekker]

I was planning on hiking a section of the AT in April by myself. I've never hiked before, but plan on training and educating myself as much as possible prior to leaving.

One of my biggest concerns is about the safety on the AT. I'm 25 years old. Is this a bad idea for me to do this by myself? I'm not just worried about the bears and other wildlife, but the people (the men) hurting me. Is this a valid concern? Should I bring some kind of protection (I was thinking pepper spray)?

What are the chances of me finding other people to buddy up with on the trail? How safe are the shelters at night? I am just trying to be as realistic about this hike as possible. I want to cover all of my bases before going. I really want to make this a memorable experience.

I have not hiked the AT, I will do my first section in May, I hike alot in Florida. But I have followed many trail journals of women hiking alone last year. Most of the journals I read made life long friends on the trail and had more company than they could keep up with I would do it in a heartbeat if I could quit work. I would just keep eyes and ears open and trust your instincts. Good Luck and many happy trails to you.

[mweinstone]

you are way to scared. fear attracts evil. be confident and loose the spray. each year i beat to death many hikers. but allways in fair bacon cookoffs and last mile runs to the shelter races. my favorite way to intimidate newbees is to cook steak at night and bacon and pancakes in the morning. this leaves them demoralized and happless. ill choke the occaisional hiker with bourbon of the highest potency but i dont belive in beering folks. beer has no kick. i like kick like a mule. most nights i tease my pray by being in my 20 below down bag as they shiver in georgia in feb. then finnish them off in the morning with real coffie. all in all. the appalachian trail is a place for me to freely stalk and menise under fed hikers with gourmet delicacys.

[Lilred]

you are way to scared. fear attracts evil. be confident and loose the spray. each year i beat to death many hikers. but allways in fair bacon cookoffs and last mile runs to the shelter races. my favorite way to intimidate newbees is to cook steak at night and bacon and pancakes in the morning. this leaves them demoralized and happless. ill choke the occaisional hiker with bourbon of the highest potency but i dont belive in beering folks. beer has no kick. i like kick like a mule. most nights i tease my pray by being in my 20 below down bag as they shiver in georgia in feb. then finnish them off in the morning with real coffie. all in all. the appalachian trail is a place for me to freely stalk and menise under fed hikers with gourmet delicacys.

Pink, don't mind mweinstone, he's harmless. If you can make sense of his words, he's usually pretty funny.

I section hike each summer and never have a partner. You're safe. You'll find the guys really watch out for us ladies alone on the trail. It's cool. You mentioned safety at the shelters, they're safe, but I'd plan on tenting if you want privacy.

Again, don't camp near roads, don't hitchhike alone if you can help it, and know your gut instincts. You'll have no problem.

[harryfred]

I have told a couple of parents whose kids are planning AT hikes. Do a little research and you'll see you are safer on the AT than most college campuses.

[coffeearmageddon]

you are way to scared. fear attracts evil. be confident and loose the spray. each year i beat to death many hikers. but allways in fair bacon cookoffs and last mile runs to the shelter races. my favorite way to intimidate newbees is to cook steak at night and bacon and pancakes in the morning. this leaves them demoralized and happless. ill choke the occaisional hiker with bourbon of the highest potency but i dont belive in beering folks. beer has no kick. i like kick like a mule. most nights i tease my pray by being in my 20 below down bag as they shiver in georgia in feb. then finnish them off in the morning with real coffie. all in all. the appalachian trail is a place for me to freely stalk and menise under fed hikers with gourmet delicacys.

HA that's hilarious.

[XCskiNYC]

you are way to scared. fear attracts evil. be confident and loose the spray. each year i beat to death many hikers. but allways in fair bacon cookoffs and last mile runs to the shelter races. my favorite way to intimidate newbees is to cook steak at night and bacon and pancakes in the morning. this leaves them demoralized and happless. ill choke the occaisional hiker with bourbon of the highest potency but i dont belive in beering folks. beer has no kick. i like kick like a mule. most nights i tease my pray by being in my 20 below down bag as they shiver in georgia in feb. then finnish them off in the morning with real coffie. all in all. the appalachian trail is a place for me to freely stalk and menise under fed hikers with gourmet delicacys.

Watch out for weinstone. He's a notorious cereal killer.

[Spirit Walker]

I've thruhiked the AT twice as a solo female. My first thruhike I never did get a partner. I hiked with people for a week or two at a time, but never did formalize a partnership - though some of the people I met in Tennessee I hiked off and on with all the way to Maine. On my second hike, I started solo, met up with a group around Pearisburg that I hiked with until Duncannon. Then Jim and I split off from the group and hiked the rest of the trail as partners. Both hikes were good ones.

If you are starting in April, you will meet many other hikers. Most are really good people. Chances are you will find somebody you want to hike with, who is fun to talk to and who hikes at a similar pace/style. If not, you will meet many interesting people whom you will leapfrog all the way up the trail. You won't be lonely. In fact, you are more likely to complain about the lack of solitude than too much.

As to safety - most female hikers do end up with partners or a trail family. If not, the other hikers loosely look out for them. Thanks to the registers, we generally know who is around.

There are things you can do to help keep yourself safe. Most important, pay attention to your instincts. If you meet somebody (e.g. at a shelter) who makes you uncomfortable, move on. Find a place well off the trail to camp. Don't tell strangers where you plan to go for the night or that you are hiking solo. Don't camp near roads. If hitching to town, try to get a partner. If not, (sometimes you may get in a void where there are no other thruhikers around you for a day or two), again, pay attention to your instincts. You don't have to accept a ride if you don't feel right about it. You can always say, "Oh darn, I left my hiking stick/waterbottle/hat behind at the last rest break. I'll have to go back."

That said, I've never had a really bad experience while hiking solo. A few wierd encounters, but nothing scary.

[Pink]

Your post really put me at ease. Thank you!

[jesse]

...If hitching to town, try to get a partner...

Do not hitch alone under any circumstance.

[G. Rabbit]

Do not hitch alone under any circumstance.

That is unreasonable.
Sometimes what needs to be done should be done.
It's not always possible to find someone else at the road crossing at the same time, going in the same direction. Hitchiking alone as a female is not a predictor of instant doom, especially along the trail. The townies usually know what's going on and aren't out to steal your soul because you were thumbing a ride alone. Some pick up hikers every morning on their way to work. It's common and much less dangerous than hitching anywhere else.

Just use some common sense and don't stand at the road like a scared bunny. Confidence and smarts!

Me: female, usually a solo hiker, 2700+ AT miles '08-'09, known to hitchike alone when called for

[JustaTouron]

Do not hitch alone under any circumstance.

That is unreasonable.
Sometimes what needs to be done should be done.
It's not always possible to find someone else at the road crossing at the same time, going in the same direction. Hitchiking alone as a female

How is that unreasonable. Male or female you shouldn't hitch alone. And if you can walk 2000+ miles from GA to ME you can walk 10 miles into town.

[G. Rabbit]

How is that unreasonable. Male or female you shouldn't hitch alone. And if you can walk 2000+ miles from GA to ME you can walk 10 miles into town.

How much road walking have you done? Sometimes they aren't so bad, but busy winding highways without shoulders aren't fun to walk any miles on. It's far more dangerous than the alternative. That's just my opinion.
Yes, it is better to be with another person, but that doesn't mean you should NEVER EVER hitch alone. There are few things that anyone should tell another to never do under any circumstances. That specifically is what was so unreasonable.

[Wolfmaan]

As a male who had often thought about doing a thru-hike solo, this is also encouraging. Cheers for everyone's advice on this subject!

[mweinstone]

as a male who had allways thaught of doing a thru hikeing woman, this is all so encouraging.

[toenail]

Your going to meet great new friends that you'll remember the rest of your life. Everyone gets to know each other in the shelter at night, so you'll know a lot of people. If you wanted you could leave the shelter earlier than some others. That way you have friends ahead of and behind you.

[mweinstone]

safer with a monkey is a film i highly suggest.

[Dogwood]

Pink, even though I'm a male, the fears associated with thru-hiking, and specifically thru-hiking solo as a female, are greatly exagerrated and misundertsood and are often perpetuated by those who have little or no thru-hiking experience. Heed the solid advice the ladies on this thread have given and you should be fine. Additionally, enjoy your hike behaving in an intelligent informed consciously aware fashion and by not giving into debilitating fear.

Enjoy the Journey!

[1Pint]

Pink -
I followed the advice of Spirit Walker and many other women about not camping near roads, moving on from a shelter when there's a guy that gives you the creeps, etc. and truly felt like I was among brothers and fathers out there. Not in a patronizing way, but in a friendly, everyone is looking out for everyone kind of way.

Before my first section hike I was planning on hiking solo the whole way. Well, without trying, I found myself hiking similar mileage as some other hikers day after day. We all enjoyed each others company at night even though we hiked different paces during the day. So I was solo but not really solo. The same happened this year. Unless you are determined to hike solo, you will find enjoyable company and therefore an extra layer of safety if you're on the southern section of the trail in April.

Best wishes,
Laura/1Pint