What should you do if you fall while hiking alone?
If you fall while hiking alone, stay calm, assess your injuries, and signal for help if safe to do so. Tell someone your planned route and expected return time before you go, use a live location app so a trusted contact can see where you are, and keep your phone accessible for emergencies. If you cannot move or reach help, use one-tap SOS to call 911.
Step by step
01Assess your condition
Check for serious injuries and whether you can move safely. If you have severe pain, cannot stand, or feel you might lose consciousness, stay still to avoid worsening injury and focus on calling for help.
02Signal for help or call 911
If you have cell service, use your phone to call 911 directly and describe your location as clearly as you can, using landmarks or trail markers. If you don't have service, try to signal nearby hikers or stay put until help arrives based on your check-in plans.
03Share your location in real time
Use a live location app to share your current position with a Guardian (trusted contact) so they know where to find you and can alert rescue services with precise coordinates if needed.
04Tell someone your plan before you go
Let a trusted contact know your planned route, which trailhead you'll use, and when you expect to return. This way, if you don't check in, they'll know where to look or alert authorities.
Related questions
How long can you survive alone on a mountain after a fall?
This depends entirely on your injuries, the weather, and access to water. The most important thing is that someone knows your location and expected return time. A live location link shared with a Guardian means they can pinpoint exactly where you are if you don't check in, rather than relying on search teams to guess.
What if you don't have cell service on the trail?
Download offline maps of your hiking area before you go. Tell someone your exact route and return time so they can alert authorities if you miss check-in. If you do get spotty service, a live location app that syncs periodically is still valuable, and you can move to higher ground to call 911 if needed.
More safety answers, or see the safety guides.