A Woman Hiking Alone: Attacks on the trail are rare, But are you prepared?

By Heide Brandes

I was deep in the quiet wilderness of the Buffalo River Trail in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas when I suddenly realized I wasn’t alone.

I was trekking the fall-drenched 36-mile trail that winds up and down mountains, through oak-hickory forests and along limestone bluffs without seeing a single soul, hiking alone as a woman.

I almost never see another person while hiking; only fading footprints in the dirt trail beside indicated that others exist here beside me.

I worry about a few things when I solo hike. What happens if I roll an ankle? What if a bear decides I would be a delicious little snack? What if a crabby rattlesnake crams my calf with burning poison?

I’ve never worried about what would happen if I saw another person on the trail — until I smelled the cigarette smoke.

She Wasn’t Alone

The distinctive smell of cigarettes wasn’t strong, just a hint on the breeze, but it stopped me dead in my tracks. It was the moment that I realized, after two days of pure solitude, that I wasn’t alone in these woods.

I’ve never been frightened hiking alone, but at that moment, I was unprepared if someone came barreling out of the woods like a charging bull, intent on doing me harm. I could scream, but only the birds would hear me.

I could run, but the forest would echo my route. I could fight, but I’m all of 5’2” and a buck-twenty, so likely I would be overpowered.

Loneliness During Solo Travel

I was woefully unprepared for this. Sure, I followed all the rules of solo hiking by letting someone know my exact route, having an approximate time of arrival, carrying extra water and food, double-checking my light source and a first-aid kit, and checking my trail map and compass often.

I never prepared for what I would do if another person meant to do me harm.

Luckily, according to trail experts and outdoor guides, assaults on trails are few and far between. Nevertheless, an ounce of prevention goes a long way.

While the likelihood of having a problem with another person is slim, all hikers should – as with every possible scenario – have a plan.

An Ounce of Prevention

“Encounters with aggressive people while hiking is extremely rare,” said Carl Ewald, Executive director of TerraMarr Adventures adventure club in Philadelphia.

“They are almost non-existent. They make the national news because they are the stuff of nightmares.

But, this is not a reason to avoid hiking.”

Many experts agree that solo hikers rarely have to worry about a physical assault from another human being on the trail. But attacks do occur.

Woman Hiker Attacked

In September 2013, a group of hikers was attacked by bandits in a remote part of Papua New Guinea and two PNG porters were killed. Other more recent are stories of woman hikers who were killed while hiking in Indiana.

Two female hikers in the Comanche Peak Wilderness Area west of Fort Collins, Colo., were hiking the Signal Mountain Trail in September of that same year when a man attacked them. In June 2013, authorities say a man sexually assaulted and stabbed a lone hiker at Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee.

So while assaults are rare, being prepared is key to escaping such an attack.

Like an Animal

“People are animals at the core. So, I would give the same advice as I would for encounters with a potentially aggressive animal,” Ewald said. “Give it a respectful distance. Move in a calm or deliberate manner away from the threat. Be prepared to defend yourself.”

Robert Richardson of Off Grid Survival specializes in self-defense, and although he agrees that trails are generally not a problem area, he adds that many hikers do not prepare as well as they should for the possibility.

“Oftentimes hikers make the mistake of thinking they’re safe while out on the trail. While they might carry survival equipment, and even have things like bear spray to protect themselves from wild animals, very few are prepared to deal with a violent person or attack while out in the wilderness,” Richardson said.

What to do

Jessica Cargill specializes in self-defense. As a Mixed Martial Arts champion and leader in the RunHERS Safe Woman project, Cargill says confidence and self-defense training can improve a lone hiker’s chance when faced with an assailant.

“Holding yourself with confidence is important,” she said. “Most attackers are looking for easy prey. They want someone they can overpower quickly and easily, so if you stare them straight in the eye and walk with confidence, you become a less attractive target.”