It sounds like you are sticking to popular routes. If that's the case you are probably just fine.

My husband works for the National Park Service and I used to as well. Before kids, I used to hike alone all of the time. On a few occasions I realized I chose trails unwisely. Once I ran across a bear and no one else was around. Good thing I had my dog! Another time I didn't realize how secluded a trail was, it took a long time to drive to the trailhead and so I went on alone. A few months later a story hit the news that a mother and her 20 something daughter were murdered on that trail!

Also, I have worked in an emergency dispatch center for a National Park and lived in a few others. When/if people get hurt in the backcountry it takes a LONG time for care to arrive, sometimes it is by helicopter, other times it is by carry out litter. It always seemed to come as a surprise to people who needed care in the backcountry that they would have to wait, sometimes overnight, for assistance.

So, what I am saying is, carry bear mace if you choose to hike alone. Stick to popular trails. Always let a few people know what time you are leaving and what time you should be back. For sure carry your cell (I have never had one and they are pretty important). And then enjoy the outdoors! It's really nice out there!

I do not hike alone. BUT. I am not of the opinion that it's particularly smart for ANYONE to hike alone in secluded areas. I grew up in an area with bears and mountain lions being a threat, so besides the human risk factor there was wildlife to consider. Also, physical accidents (falling, etc.). I may be paranoid, but I prefer going with someone.

Take your dog, or a bunch of dogs. They'll love you for it!!

And if you don't have a dog...borrow a friend's. Then your friend and their dog will love you.

I wouldn't let being along hold you back from enjoying the outdoors, but you are right to be thinking about how to protect yourself. This year several girls from a nearby university were attacked in abduction attempts on a popular jogging trail, and that really reminded me that there are real risks, no matter how unlikely. For both males and females, I would recommend my mom's new people-and-animal-risk-aversion tactic: she keeps a can of bear spray strapped on her hip, in plain site. It's pretty regular around here to be carrying bear spray, lots of bears, cougars, and dog packs to be wary of, but I think it also sends a message when she is hiking by herself that she does have something on her that would make an attack riskier for the attacker, and just more inconvenient. Since adopting this method several years ago, she has even had to use it twice, both times on dogs, so it does have a practical safety aspect. It's a relatively reasonable investment for peace of mind I'd say!

Intuition is best tool you have.

I've been jumped in the city, and never in the woods, but I suspect there would be some crossover. I knew something wasn't right a good 20 seconds in advance, and was able to move from walking on the sidewalk to a few feet to the right the parking strip, and that slight intuitive evasive maneuver was enough that the person who jumped out of the alley at me didn't manage to get their arms around me, and almost fell down stumbling as they lunged, and that bit of confusion flustered them enough that they ran off. Once I realized they were coming at me, I just remember trying to stare them down and standing up taller, I was totally frozen for a few moments. I think I got really lucky, and will never ignore that uneasy feeling.

I've started out on a few trails, and thought, "Nope!" and turned my butt around, sometimes not even hiking that day because I was too spooked. But more often than not, I've felt perfectly at ease out there, and love saying, "Hi!" confidently to people as I pass them, I think walking around with a feeling of generalized fear can also get in the way of real intuitive warnings. The defensiveness of fearful existence is visible in body language or shakiness in someone's voice, and easily picked up on by other people, and even worse it can act as a beacon for creeps. So I refuse to give into random fear and worry whenever possible, so I can be present and size up my surroundings without having to fight through the mental distractions.

I hike alone on established, well-traveled trails. If I'm hiking in a wilderness area or on an unpatrolled area, I hike with at least one buddy, because if I took a fall or got into an accident, I'd want to have someone there who could help get me back to civilization or get help. I -have- hiked alone, and motorcycled alone across country -- but when I do that, I always put together a "flight plan" and a check-in plan. At the outside, I go 6 hrs between check-ins. That way, I'm never more than 6 hrs from someone knowing that I'm in trouble.

Alone, male or female isn't the wisest thing. Even if it's not people or wildlife, a simple move could render you immobile. At the very least, leave an itinerary and make sure people know where you are going.

http://www.klewtv.com/news/national/Hiker-with-broken-leg-survives-4-days-without-food-149496585.html

I love hiking out alone with my dog. I always take pepper mace and a phone. I have altered course upon seeing something that didn't please me. I usually do hour long to half day hikes in the nearby foothills. I want to hike, so I do, its like meditation in motion for me and company would bring it down a notch. (Although its great on occasion).

That being said, since I started hiking alone: I have met a murderer fresh off killing his wife (I am not joking about this), have been chased by a man in his underwear (He was barefoot -so I was the clear winner), been followed nearly home, and had numerous run-in's with large wildlife and rattlesnakes. On the opposite spectrum, I met my husband by hiking alone (he was hiking alone with his dog).

There are no bears in the Netherlands (or mountains) but I'm always hiking/walking on my own through the countryside. I avoid people as much as possible when I can and i'm never afraid of men i come across. I would hate to live in fear like that :-(

Yes. With my friends Glock, Pitbull, and Knife. And being more fit than the bad guy. I'm not kidding.

I am the only one here who really, deeply, ENJOYS that feeling of absolutely no one knowing where you are? Unplugged from my phone, from what time it is, from the sounds of the city - just wandering and enjoying nature?

I feel extremely sorry for all of you living in fear; I feel like you've missed the point not only of a paleo lifestyle, but of life in general.

Carry some mace if you have to, but don't let the trepidation drive your world perpetually. You're missing so much by doing so.

I used to hike alone all of the time when I lived in the mountains (though I did always carry bear spray). Was it the smartest idea? Of course not. I was young and foolhardy. Did I appreciate the experience? More than just about anything. The biggest risk to hiking alone as a woman isn't danger from other people, but danger from the wilderness. It sounds like your area is fairly populated, so you could flag down help if you needed it, but I would still always let someone know where you were headed and how long you expect to be gone if you insist on going it alone.

I'm much more safety conscious these days. I always take my Spot satellite, cell phone, and two big dogs when I'm in secluded hiking areas and when the husband can't come with me, which is rare.

For me it would really depend on the type of hiking. I would hike by myself in a city park like Forest Park (Portland, OR) during nice days on the weekend when I knew it would be well populated with families and such. I would hike with a big dog at less populated times. At a more remote hiking location, I wouldn't hike without other people, especially without a cell phone that had reception.

Arm yourself, let someone know exactly where you are and when you expect to return, and stay alert. Avoid the most remote and treacherous trails when hiking alone.

Yes, if I had at least ten handsome and fit bodyguards with me in tight jeans. Vicious barking trained pit bulls are optional.

Stay safe!!!

I do a lot of trail running, quite a bit of it alone. I've never thought twice about it, but then I live in Switzerland, and the trail I typically run is not very isolated, and all the dogs here are very well behaved. I always say hello as I run by other people. One time I saw a guy jerking off on the side of the trail (a different one) - but it was a really heavily trafficked trail area and I later spoke with a psychologist friend who said that those people don't usually pose a danger - for them the excitement is the thrill of doing it when they're likely to be seen. I just ran by and thought "yuck."

In the US depending on the area I would be more afraid of 1)dogs and 2) bears/cougars than people so I would probably carry mace or pepper spray.

Personally I think the best protection is to have a dog yourself. But you said your trail is in a dog-free zone, so I'd just carry pepper spray for the peace of mind, let someone know where you are and when you'll probably be back, carry a phone in case you get hurt, and enjoy being out in the great outdoors alone. It's a totally different feeling to being with other people.

Alone is never a good idea, and its not only the lone male hiker I would worry but also a wild animal or and injury where on one finds you, but a wolf or something else hungery does. You leave yourself open to rapists or a murders by hiking alone. Many hide in the wilderness and will take an unsuspecting woman easily. Also you give them easier places to hide your body where it will never be found. Your family would never know what happened to you. Do you want to do that to them? You also leave your husband open to being a suspect to foul play if you do get upducted or murdered. Why would you want to do that to your family? If not for your own safety, than think about what going missing or worse would do to your friends and family members. Please use comment sense and DO NOT hike alone.

I love being out in nature on my own. The solitude is revitalizing and I need it for my own well-being.

Realize that hiking has risks, but so does everything else in life. Are you never going to drive again because you might get into an accident? Are you going to avoid lifting weights because it's possible you'll get hurt? Will you stay off city streets because someone might be considering stealing your purse? No. Bring your mace/knife/phone or whatever is appropriate for your situation and then enjoy yourself. Maybe even take a couple self-defense classes to build your confidence.

Exuding confidence is most important in my opinion. As others have said, your body language can sway a would-be attacker to decide it's just not worth it. Walk tall and with purpose. Acknowledge other people on the trail (nod, smile, say "hi," etc.). Take deep breaths and enjoy the fresh air. 8)

I have and do hike alone. Mostly on the trails near my home. I generally carry my cell phone, and, depending on the location, some mace in case of aggressive dogs. Though, I've yet to meet one. However, I have done day hikes in Zion and the Grand Canyon alone. I try my best to be prepared and not make foolhardy mistakes, as I do with anything in life. Frankly, I feel more in danger of injury and death driving to the trailheads. I grew up in the wilderness, running around with my friends or by myself on no trails at all before cell phones were invented. This is not to say I'm immune from accidents. There are risks in anything we do, but knowledge, preparation, and understanding and abiding your limits are key.

I've been hiking alone since I was 12. No weapons, cellphones etc.. So my answer is yes. I know I should start carrying mace or something, but for 8 years of hiking at least 3 times a week I've been fine. I really don't come across other people very often... that usually only happens when I'm not too far in. I also go off trail very often, but I go from mountain to mountain so I can see where I am, and I also know the bush like the back of my hand. Never been bothered by animals. And no I've never really felt scared out there. Not saying this is a safe way to go about things... just answering the question honestly.

I live in the woods of NH and I hike every morning on the trails behind my house. Everyone asks me if I'm afraid or if I carry a gun...no. I have one large dog and two small ones and we love it out there so much! I finally broke down and bought pepper spray but forget to bring it half the time. However, when going on different trails I find I'm a bit more anxious alone. I still bring my large dog but don't forget my pepper spray. While I never used to worry about running into people, I've found I see more and more in our area. Of course they are just out enjoying the views as much as I am, but you never know! I've seen several bear but they seriously never get close; we have black bear around here and they'd rather avoid you all together. Dogs help though!

I don't have a lot of hiking mates, so I'd end up sitting home alone if I didn't strike out on my own. I just figure out a way to go that makes me feel safe!

It's unlikely that anything will happen - but it only takes once, doesn't it? Even if the odds are 1000 to 1, someone ends up being that person. You don't have to be overly anxious and fearful - you should just be taking precautions to tip the odds in your favor if ever the worst possible thing does happen. Plan for the worst, hope for the best.

For example, you should ideally have some way of getting in contact with someone if you need help. A cell phone would solve this problem. Even a walkie talkie, maybe? A way to protect yourself would also be smart - whether it be a big dog, mace, a metal rod... Just something that can give you a way escape in the event of a predator - human or wild animal.

Keep going on your walks - they sound awesome. Just be smart about it, and don't put yourself in a position where you end up regretting not spending the time/money to plan ahead.

I think for me It is not so much about fear but a healthy respect for both nature and the risks it can carry as well as the vast variety of people that exist. As a Mother and a wife that healthy respect for the unknown makes me choose to enjoy the freedom of nature with some protective measures in place. I have pepper spray that attaches right to my keyring, I wouldnt leave my keys in my car anyway so its not anything extra for me to carry. I also keep my phone with me, but turned on silent. Most importantly though As somebody who has been a victim of a violent sexual assault I know my most important tool is to be prepared to defend myself. I think every woman should take a self-defense course, It is a very powerful feeling to know you could kick ass if you needed to.

Totally. But bring your cell phone and mace. Without a cell phone...I probably wouldn't go. This falls clearly to me into the camp of things-you-shouldn't-let-fear-dictate, even though its certainly not groundless.

You might want to look into joining a hiking group. If you go to a site like meetup.com you might be able to find others in your area that are into hiking.