Safety Tips for Trail Runners

Trail Runner Safety

by Julie Morrill

Do you prefer single track to sidewalk? Enjoy getting lost in the woods?

Running is generally a safe outdoor adventure sport, and, unlike road running, we’re much less likely to be hit by a car or encounter people intent on doing us harm. However, risks do exist, so it’s wise to take some precautions to ensure you can safely enjoy running trails for a long time.

What can trail runners do to stay safe?

Be Prepared

Trail or road, it’s always a good idea to let someone know where you plan to run. With trails, it is especially important since we’re often in more remote areas where we’re less likely to find a kind bystander to help us if we’re injured.

1.     Develop a check-in protocol with a close friend or relative whenever you go running. For example, here’s mine:

  • I always let my husband know where I’ll be running and how long I plan to be out. When I get to the start of the trail, I’ll text him with my planned route and how long I intend to be gone. I’ll text him again when I’m back at my car. If I’m out longer than I planned, I let him know that, too. My initial text is usually something like, “Parked at the bottom of Jarman’s Rd and running to the top of Turk Mt. Should be about 3-4 hours. Starting now.”

2.     Develop an emergency plan if your friend or relative doesn’t hear from you or can’t reach you.

  • My husband has a plan if he doesn’t hear from me and can’t reach me or locate me through “Find My Friends” through iPhone. He will call the National Park Service or the local police and post something to the trail group Facebook page in case some of those runners have seen me.

3.     Have the right communications device. Because some remote backcountry areas have minimal cellular phone coverage, some extra equipment might be necessary beyond just a cell phone. If you run in remote areas, consider a satellite texting service, like Garmin InReach or Emergency Spot. And know how to use it before you need it. You don’t want to be figuring out how to use a satellite texting device lying injured on the trail with shivering fingers.

4.     Make sure you have necessary emergency equipment beyond communication devices. At a minimum, consider carrying the following in your hydration pack:

  • Extra layers of clothing or an emergency blanket in case you are injured and need help staying warm.

  • Mini first aid kit with a few bandages for scrapes and blisters, a few gauze pads for deeper cuts, some tape (even duct tape works!) to secure your bandages, and perhaps an elastic roller bandage to help stabilize a sore, twisted ankle.

  • Extra snacks and a bit more water (or portable filter like a LifeStraw) than you’d normally need for the time you intend to be out. Plus, extra water can be useful to wash debris out of a wound before you bandage it.

  • A headlamp in case you are out later than expected and it gets dark.

  • A whistle, which a lot of hydration packs include in their design. It’s always a good idea to have a whistle in case you need to use it to help rescuers know where you are and call for help.

5.     Get training. If you spend a lot of time in the remote backcountry, consider getting some extra training in wilderness medicine through a wilderness first aid or first responder course. Check out your local REI for options. My personal favorite is NOLS.

Be Aware

Just like our advice for road runners, be aware of your surroundings. Tech on the trail is controversial, but we recommend foregoing the music or the podcast and letting nature be your soundtrack. This allows you to use your eyes and ears to know if another hiker is ahead on the trail or if there might be a bear hanging out around a blind curve. Don’t let this be you: “Woman knocked over by bear during hike on the Appalachian Trail.”

Perhaps the bear was wearing headphones, too?

Perhaps the bear was wearing headphones, too?

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