As long as you're experienced, physically fit and know what you're doing hiking solo shouldn't be too much of a risk. However, you need to let somebody know exactly where you're going and you should carry some reliable means of communication if at all possible.

That said, traveling in a group makes life a LOT easier on the trail. First, you can distribute heavier gear among several people. Second, it's easier to set up a proper camp: you can prepare shelter while your buddy gathers firewood. Your companions watch your back, you have someone to talk to and different people bring different gear and skills, all of which can be put to good use.

Going solo, there are many things you can't do and many risks you can't afford to take. Hiking with somebody you trust you can negotiate difficult terrain with more confidence and go to places that might be off-bounds otherwise. I know I would never try to do any serious climbing or winter trekking in deep snow alone. Just too dangerous.

So all in all, while I enjoy a short trek solo every now and then I prefer hiking in a small group (2-3 people). YMMV,

I go solo pretty much exclusively. I prefer it save for the absence of companionship of a kindred spirit. I try to be prepared for eventualities and am willing to take the risks (which are, I believe, small).

I think that it's like anything in life. "It depends ...." Contrary to what my forum name implies, I'm not really a loner. One of my favorite things to do is day hike with my wife. It's terrific quality time together. Other times I'm perfectly content to go off alone while she has dinner with her sisters.

I personally believe that if you are well prepared, you are just as safe alone as you are with a group and in some ways, maybe a little bit safer. We make preparations as best as we can but you just can't cover every contingency. Accidents do happen. It's kind of the price we pay for doing the things outdoors that we do.

One thing to keep in mind, and this is probably not too much of an issue in here, but I've been on hikes with a group and one of the group is a much stronger hiker. They tend to want to push the pace and if the weaker ones try to keep up, it can cause someone to go past their own personal safe limits and get hurt. I have seen that happen.

LW

I solo hikie almost exclusively. I like to dawdle on the trail. I hike well used trails though, so, the arrival of help wouldnt be an issue.
As to gender issue, I dont think it comes down to a woman being any less physically capable of defending herself; I think it is the predatory nature of the male perp. Remember a couple years back, that guy that killed the woman hiker on part of the AT? She was a black belt, he was an older man, who appeared, to her, harmless. However, he overpowered her (in his words, he felt he was losing, and feared her escaping & him being caught, until she gassed out). She fought back, and lost. This had nothing to do with her ability, or her gender; she was taken completely by surprise by someone that didnt appear threatening to her; a fellow hiker. He spent a week with her, before killing her. He bonded with her; then murdered her. The man has no moral compass; his only thought was that "I cannot let her go, she will tell on me". So, even though he told her he was going to, and she believed him (she attempted bonding, but, as is illustrated, someone who is morally flat, you cannot bond with), he murdered her, in cold blood.
Then, about 10 years ago, there was ANOTHER murder on the AT; a double shooting; a man & his girlfriend. Someone just walked up to them & shot them (I dont believe the killer was ever found).
This illustrates that, the people who will do this, will do it. They develop a predator instinct; know how to lure someone into a sense of security, then strike. Sadly, they dont ever appear as a "criminal", they appear normal, and functional, just like any one of us. This is their camoflauge; we are their prey. Sadly, most of these predators are men, and their prey are women. They KNOW women hike alone on popular trails when its warm. Thats easy for them; no police, easy ambush site, you can disappear into the woods. The best advice one can give is to be on your guard at ALL times. Its sad, but this is reality.

It's fun to read postings by so many people who say that hiking alone isn't wise and then do it anyway. As do I :-)

Some people shouldn't hike alone. They are disasters waiting to occur. Others become much, much more careful and therefore possibly safer than if they were in a group. I think I'm in this group.

And there is the effect, already mentioned, of the group being willing to do something much more dangerous than any would attempt alone.

Over the last 20 years I figure if I hadn't been willing to go alone, I wouldn't have done 80% of the hikes I've done.
I prefer camping alone to camping with a group bigger than 4. It's really difficult to find a truly compatible partner in fitness, interest and caution. I'm blessed to have had a great buddy for many years before job losses and soccer-dad duties broke us up.

It should be noted that the predators hunt the popular trails because of the abundance of prey. If I were a concerned female, I would be armed, and I wouldn't go to the popular places. In this case there is more danger in the crowd rather than less. The only safety in numbers is if you can maneuver to be on the inside of the herd when the attack comes.

Excellent point. For instance, here in the middle of Phoenix is a small mountain (Camelback). There is a 'trail' to the top, with the entire trip being 1.2 miles with about 1200-1400ft of elevation change that is a popular workout. Phoenix Fire Dept gets called several times a year to do rescues on this trail. I talked with one of the squad leaders and he mentioned that a large demographic for people needing rescue was guy hiking with a girl with the girl being the more fit of the two. They would just be doing their normal pace and the guy would be too proud to ask them to slow down and collapse. Women tend to be much more sensible about that sort of thing I have found.

I think it is safer to hike in a group than to hike alone.

Especially for a woman.

I -- a woman -- carry bear spray while hiking (with friends) in the Shenandoah Mountains not because I worry about a bear attacking. I carry bear spray in the mountains and Mace in the city because I'd like some measure of legal defense against human predators.

I'd rather my daughter hiked with a group. I'd worry if she hiked solo. I'd be less concerned about a son hiking solo but would also prefer that he hiked with a group.

There is safety in numbers.

Especially for women.

I doubt "most rapists" stalk the Appalachian Trail but two women backpackers were savagely murdered on the AT about a decade ago. Not far from the campground I frequent.

There are plenty of creepy people on the AT but that trail is far more populated than most I hike on. There are criminal cases where the suspect "disappeared" by hiking the AT.

It is more dangerous to be in the city (where I live and have been attacked walking home from work at 7:00p -- and so I commuted by car afterward). I laugh when people say it's nuts for me to go alone to a 200-campsite ranger-patrolled campground.

But hiking trails are not always safe, especially for women.

And hiking solo -- from a safety perspective -- is not optimal.

LOL I guess that sums it up nicely.

There are definite advantages to hiking solo. I can generally move faster on my own and for the most part, I'm better equipped and more experienced than my hiking buddies (by a significant margin, to be honest).

Still, it's good to have company at least every now and then. Not just as far as safety is concerned. Time passes faster and treks tend to be more enjoyable if you have a good buddy or two. But I dislike bigger groups (3 is pushing it, 4 is probably too many IME) simply because too many people make too much noise and it's hard to find lots of compatible hiking companions.

Does anyone know how many people have been struck by lightning on the Appalachian Trail in the past decade?

I'm not being facetious. Whenever you look at emergency preparedness, you run into this problem with people worrying about high-profile, low-probability scenarios. I think this is one.

Yes, I understand that many, or most, women fear for their safety when doing things like hiking alone. But fearing for your safety and being at risk are two different things.