What should you carry when hiking alone?
When you hike alone, carry the Ten Essentials: navigation, sun protection, extra layers, a headlamp, first aid, fire, a repair kit or knife, extra food, extra water and emergency shelter. Add a charged phone with an offline map, a whistle, and a backup battery. Leave your route and a turnaround time with someone you trust, because solo hikers have nobody on the trail to go for help.
What to carry
01Navigation that works without signal
Download an offline map for the whole area before you leave and carry a paper map as a backup. Know how your GPS app shows your position when you're off trail. A compass is light and doesn't need charging.
02Layers for the weather you might get
Pack a warm layer and a rain shell even on a clear morning. Temperatures drop quickly with elevation and at dusk, and a solo hiker who twists an ankle may be sitting still for hours. A hat and gloves weigh almost nothing.
03Light, first aid and a way to start a fire
A headlamp with fresh batteries turns an unexpectedly long hike into a slow walk out rather than a night stuck in place. A small first aid kit handles blisters, cuts and sprains. Matches or a lighter in a waterproof bag can keep you warm if you have to wait.
04More food and water than you plan to use
Carry extra snacks and enough water for the whole route, plus a filter or treatment if you'll pass streams. Dehydration makes people tired and prone to poor decisions. An extra bar is cheap insurance.
05An emergency shelter and a whistle
A space blanket or a light bivy keeps you warm if you're injured and waiting. A whistle carries much farther than a shout and uses less energy; three blasts is the recognized call for help. Keep it on your pack strap where you can reach it.
06A trip plan and a live link
Write down your route, where you'll park and when you'll be back, and share it with a Guardian; the NPS advises telling someone where you're going and when to expect you back. Our outing plan tool makes this quick, and our guide on how to leave a trip plan covers what to include. Start a Holler live link at the trailhead; if you lose signal later, your Guardians still see your last known location.
Related questions
Is my phone enough for navigation?
It can be, if you download offline maps and carry a battery pack. Phones die, fall and get wet, so a paper map is still the recommended backup. Know your route well enough to use it.
Do I need all ten essentials for a two-hour hike?
Yes, in light versions. On a short, busy trail the kit can be tiny: a phone map plus offline download, a small first aid kit, a headlamp, a lighter, a warm layer, a foil blanket, snacks and one bottle. On longer or remote hikes, add a paper map and compass, a water filter, a full rain shell and a battery pack.
What's the most overlooked item for solo hikers?
Emergency shelter. A space blanket or bivy takes little room and matters most when you're alone and can't move. Many people pack the snacks and forget the thing that keeps them warm overnight.
How heavy should a day pack be?
Most day hikers carry the Ten Essentials in a small pack without much weight. Choose light versions of each item rather than skipping categories. The hiking safety page covers planning in more detail.
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Sources, checked September 2026: National Park Service: The Ten Essentials, National Park Service: Hike Smart.
More safety answers, or see the safety guides.