I spent two years saying "I'll go hiking when someone wants to come with me."

Nobody ever wanted to come with me.

So I went alone. And honestly? It changed everything about how I move through the world. But I made every mistake in the book first. Here's what I wish someone had told me before I started:

1. Your first trail should bore experienced hikers.

Forget the Instagram-worthy summit. Pick a well-marked, well-trafficked local trail under 5 miles with good cell service. The goal isn't the view — it's finishing and wanting to go back.

2. Overthinking gear is a stalling tactic.

You don't need $400 hiking boots for a 2-hour local trail. You need shoes with grip, water, a snack, your phone, and a small first aid kit. That's it. Everything else is a reason not to start.

3. Tell someone where you're going.

Share your route, your expected return time, and a check-in plan. Not because the trail is dangerous — because knowing someone knows where you are is the single best anxiety reducer that exists.

4. Your turnaround time matters more than your destination.

Decide before you leave: "I will turn around at [time], no matter where I am on the trail." This removes the pressure of "finishing" and replaces it with something better — control.

5. The nervousness doesn't mean you're not ready.

It means you care. Every single woman who's done her first solo hike felt exactly what you're feeling right now. The difference between them and the ones still waiting? They went anyway.

I built First Solo Trail because no one should have to figure this out alone — even if they're hiking alone. If you're a woman who's been waiting for the "right time" or the "right person" to start hiking, the right time is now and the right person is you.