The Solo Hiker's Safety Checklist (And the App That Automates It)

Every year, roughly 130,000 search and rescue missions are conducted across the United States, according to the National Park Service. Many of those involve solo hikers who ventured out with the best intentions but without a solid safety plan. The truth is, hiking alone is one of the most rewarding things you can do for your mental and physical health. It only becomes risky when you skip the preparation.

This guide is your complete solo hiking safety checklist — the same kind of preparation that experienced backcountry hikers swear by. We will also look at how modern tools can automate the parts that are easiest to forget, so you can spend less time worrying and more time on the trail.

Why Solo Hiking Deserves Extra Preparation

There is nothing inherently dangerous about hiking alone. Millions of people do it safely every weekend. But when you are the only person on a trail, a few things change:

• No one sees you fall. A twisted ankle three miles from the trailhead is an inconvenience with a partner. Alone, it can become a serious situation.
• Navigation errors compound. Without someone to double-check a trail junction, a wrong turn can add hours or lead you off-trail entirely.
• Medical events have no witness. Dehydration, heat exhaustion, or an allergic reaction can escalate quickly when no one is there to help.
• Cell service is unreliable. According to the Federal Communications Commission, roughly 20 percent of Americans living in rural areas lack reliable broadband or cellular coverage. On the trail, that number climbs significantly.

None of these are reasons to stay home. They are reasons to prepare well.

The Pre-Hike Safety Checklist

Before you lace up your boots and hit the trailhead, run through this checklist. It takes less than ten minutes, and it could make all the difference.

1. Research Your Trail

• Check current trail conditions on the land management agency website (NPS, USFS, BLM, or state parks).
• Read recent trip reports on AllTrails or local hiking forums for real-time intel.
• Note the total distance, elevation gain, and estimated completion time.
• Identify water sources, bail-out points, and any exposed sections.

2. Check the Weather — Twice

• Check the forecast the night before and the morning of your hike.
• For mountain hikes, check the summit forecast separately — conditions at elevation can differ dramatically.
• Know the signs of approaching storms: building cumulus clouds, sudden temperature drops, and shifting winds.

3. Pack the Ten Essentials

The Mountaineers' Ten Essentials have been a backcountry standard since the 1930s. For solo hikers, every single one matters:

1. Navigation (map, compass, and/or GPS device)
2. Sun protection (sunscreen, hat, sunglasses)
3. Insulation (extra layers beyond what you think you need)
4. Illumination (headlamp with fresh batteries)
5. First aid kit
6. Fire (waterproof matches or lighter)
7. Repair tools and knife
8. Nutrition (extra food beyond your planned meals)
9. Hydration (water and a purification method)
10. Emergency shelter (space blanket or bivy)

4. Tell Someone Your Plan

This is the single most important step on this checklist, and the one most often skipped. Before you leave, someone who is not on the trail with you should know:

• Which trail you are hiking and which trailhead you are starting from
• Your expected departure and return times
• What vehicle you are driving and where you are parking
• Your planned route, including any alternate routes
• When they should call for help if they have not heard from you

The problem? Most of us text a friend "going hiking, back tonight" and call it good. That is not enough information for a rescue team to work with. And the friend usually does not have a clear trigger point for when to worry.

5. Bring a Communication Device

• Fully charged phone in a waterproof case. Turn off unnecessary background apps to preserve battery.
• Satellite communicator (like a Garmin inReach or SPOT device) if you are heading into remote terrain. These work where cell service does not.
• Whistle — three blasts is the universal distress signal, and sound carries farther than your voice.

6. Set a Turnaround Time

Decide in advance what time you will turn around regardless of where you are on the trail. Factor in daylight hours and your pace. Stick to it. Summit fever has caused more backcountry emergencies than bad weather.

The Gap in Every Checklist: What Happens If You Do Not Come Back?

Here is the uncomfortable question most solo hikers avoid: if something goes wrong and you cannot call for help, how long before anyone notices?

If you texted a friend your plans, will they remember to check on you? Will they know exactly when to escalate? Will they have enough detail to tell search and rescue where to look?

This is the gap that technology can fill. Not as a replacement for good judgment and proper gear, but as a reliable backup system that does not forget, does not get busy, and does not assume you are just running late.

How StillSafe Adventure Mode Automates Your Safety Net

StillSafe's Adventure Mode was designed specifically for situations like solo hiking, where you need someone to know your plan and act on it if things go sideways. Here is how it works:

1. Log your adventure. Before you hit the trail, enter your destination, planned route, expected return time, and any notes (vehicle description, parking location, gear you are carrying).
2. Set your check-in window. Choose when you expect to be back and how much buffer time to allow.
3. Hike with confidence. Enjoy the trail knowing your safety net is running in the background.
4. Check in when you are done. A single tap from your phone when you are back at the trailhead confirms you are safe.
5. If you miss your check-in, StillSafe begins its notification cascade — alerting your emergency contacts via email, SMS, and even an AI-powered voice call with the details of your planned route.

Your emergency contacts receive all the information a search and rescue team needs: where you were going, what route you planned, when you left, and what vehicle you were driving. No one has to remember to check on you. The system handles it.

What Experienced Solo Hikers Actually Do

We spoke with several experienced long-distance hikers about their safety routines. A few patterns emerged:

• They never skip the trip plan. Whether it is a three-mile day hike or a week-long backpacking trip, they always leave detailed plans with someone.
• They build in redundancy. A phone plus a satellite communicator plus a written itinerary left on the dashboard. Multiple layers, because any single one can fail.
• They set firm turnaround rules. "If I am not at the pass by 1 PM, I turn around." No negotiation.
• They check conditions obsessively. Not out of anxiety, but because knowledge is the best tool for managing risk.
• They use automated check-in tools. Several mentioned using timed check-in systems so their safety contacts do not have to remember to follow up.

A Quick Word About Risk Perception

It is worth noting that solo hiking is statistically quite safe when done with preparation. The National Park Service reports that the vast majority of park visits — hundreds of millions each year — occur without incident. The goal of a checklist like this is not to make you afraid of the outdoors. It is to make sure that on the rare occasion something does go wrong, you have a plan in place.

Think of it the way pilots think about preflight checklists. They do not expect the engine to fail. But they check it every single time, because the one time it matters is the time you did not check.

Your Downloadable Solo Hiking Safety Checklist

Here is a condensed version you can screenshot or print and keep in your pack:

One Last Question to Ask Yourself

Before your next solo hike, ask yourself this: If I could not call for help right now, how long would it take for someone to come looking?

If the answer makes you uncomfortable, the fix is simple. It does not require expensive gear or a hiking partner. It just requires a plan — and a system that executes that plan when you cannot.

Solo hiking is a gift. The quiet of the trail, the rhythm of your own footsteps, the freedom to go at your own pace. You deserve to enjoy every minute of it without a nagging worry in the back of your mind. A little preparation goes a long way, and the right tools make that preparation effortless.

Your next step: Before your next hike, take five minutes to set up a proper trip plan. Whether you use a notebook, a text to a friend, or a free StillSafe account, make sure someone knows where you are going and when to expect you back. That small act of preparation is the most powerful safety tool you will ever carry.