Should you hike the Grand Canyon alone? This was a question that I asked myself before my trip to the Grand Canyon. My answer is yes, no, and it depends. Determining whether you should hike the Grand Canyon with others or by yourself depends on a variety of factors.
Comfort level/Experience:
I may be a runner who runs 10 miles a week, however, I am not a hiker. Hiking has become a new past-time for me during the pandemic, but I am in no way experienced. Hiking the Grand Canyon alone is a massive undertaking and a bit out of my wheelhouse (for now). But for others, this might not be the case. For those who are lifelong hikers and have explored canyons or mountains that rival the Grand Canyon, they may feel comfortable hiking alone.
Length:
Most individuals that “hike” the Grand Canyon don’t go far into the Canyon. They may go 1 mile down and 1 mile back up. Hiking the Grand Canyon alone for a few miles might seem reasonable depending on your athletic ability. Going on longer stretches and overnight hikes might require more preparation and may be more dangerous. This goes back to your comfort level and experience.
Preparation:
How prepared you are can also determine whether you should hike by yourself. An experienced and prepared hiker could do this solo hike by themselves after much preparation. A solo hiker that is not as prepared or experienced might benefit from a hiking guide.
If you noticed, I haven’t discussed gender. While it is foolish to pretend that there are not external harms that may cause affect solo female hikers more than solo male hikers, I think that it is important to not let that prevent anyone from exploring. Extra precautions can be taken such as letting those know where you are, turning on the tracking device on your phone, carrying a radio, etc. These same precautions should be taken for solo male hikers as well.
So. Should you hike the Grand Canyon alone?
It depends… but if you do, make sure you plan well
If you are interested in my solo travel experience to Arizona, please check out my other blog post.
Look out for my next article about my experience hiking the Grand Canyon. With a guide.
