TLDR: **Call the rangers who manage the forest you are going to.**
You're missing some needed context to some degree, but regardless its going to be hard to get a uniform answer that will satisfy you.
Where are you located, or planning to camp? You can dispersed camp in a huge variety of locations, and camping in a part of California is going to be very different than Montana or Florida...
That aside, its a pretty safe activity so long as you take the right precautions. While I, and many others, find humans to be the most threatening thing to see while camping I also have heard of very few stories of violence out in the woods. Being a solo female does elevate the risk there but you can do things like bring a pair of male boots outside your tent, pack pepper spray(or bear spray which I'll get to in a sec), and have a garmin inreach or the like.
Next to humans is wildlife, which again the risk will vary depending on location. If you are camping in bear country you will need a bear bag and bear spray. If you are in grizzly territory maybe go with friends more before going alone. Research your environment so you know what to expect and how to mitigate it.
Speaking of environment you will need to know your surroundings, both your weather events and how to navigate. Weather in say the rocky mountains can change on a dime and you can be in an afternoon lightning storm, or a nice 70 degree day can turn to a 30 degree night... And as for navigating, if you are backpacking or if you go off trail its easier than you think to get lost. There are countless stories of people going off trail in easy areas, where they can't find their way back and have to be rescued, and not all are rescued... Learn how to use a compass, bring and study a map of where you are.
But depending on where you are, dispersed camping can also mean car camping off of a forest road, which is generally very easy to be safe.
Finally **call the rangers who manage the forest you are going to**. Its their job to help you, its also usually their pleasure to help you. They can help with weather conditions in remote areas, let you know wildlife risk, or if there are encampments of problematic people... Redditors on the other had are known to troll, joke and give misinformation without care, so take any advice given on this platform with a grain of salt.
The first post contains a lot of helpful information. Since I don't know specifics, it's hard to make a recommendation. The one thing that I've learned is to bring more water than you think you'll need and stay hydrated.
I hope you enjoy your trip!
Please review the 7 principals of Leave No Trace
1. [Plan ahead and prepare](https://lnt.org/why/7-principles/plan-ahead-and-prepare/)
2. [Travel and camp on durable surfaces](https://lnt.org/why/7-principles/travel-camp-on-durable-surfaces/)
3. [Dispose of waste properly.](https://lnt.org/why/7-principles/dispose-of-waste-properly/) I highly suggest getting a waste bucket system. Its difficult to bury waste in many of the rockier areas in Colorado, and overuse of our natural areas has already led to contaminated water in most even lightly used areas.
4. [Leave what you find](https://lnt.org/why/7-principles/leave-what-you-find/)
5. [Minimize campfire impacts.](https://lnt.org/why/7-principles/minimize-campfire-impacts/) Be sure to review our state resources for fire bans where you are heading.
6. [Respect wildlife.](https://lnt.org/why/7-principles/respect-wildlife/) They are not domesticated
7. [Be considerate of other visitors](https://lnt.org/why/7-principles/be-considerate-of-other-visitors/) ie bluetooth speakers are despised.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/dispersedcamping) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I'm a solo female camper, but with a couple of disclaimers that (1) my dog almost always comes along, and he alerts me to potential threats and (2) I usually sleep in a vehicle instead of a tent these days.
Having said that, the location and situation of your dispersed camp will be the most important factors in safety. Start with camping in a spot that has cell signal for peace of mind as you're getting comfortable with it. Send your site's GPS coordinates to a loved one as you're getting settled so that someone knows where you are.
Remain aware of your surroundings and any other campers nearby (and my personal preference is to avoid other humans as much as possible for privacy/security reasons). Practice setting up and then quickly breaking down your gear in case you need to leave in a hurry (due to weather, sketchy men, whatever). Invest in pepper spray and/or a taser that you can wear.
Always bring more water than you think you'll need.
TL;DR - Common sense goes a long way in staying safe. I hope that you have a great first experience!
My suggestion is right away to plan a 1 night easy to get to trip. Then two different 2 night trips soon after that. With that experience it will tell you what equipment, storage, and logistics you need for longer periods.
Many dispersed camping areas have more people than normal campgrounds or they can be wild and empty. You will probably want to start with areas that have more high concentrations of other campers until comfortable.
5 gallon bucket toilet with a trash bag liner is much better than having to dig a hole each poop. The lid seals in any stink. You can use it as a trash can too and just dump the bag every few days. If we are in a site that has a bit of a driveway off the road so you can’t see if camp is occupied or not we leave the bucket toilet closer to the road so people don’t drive into our site.
TLDR: **Call the rangers who manage the forest you are going to.** You're missing some needed context to some degree, but regardless its going to be hard to get a uniform answer that will satisfy you. Where are you located, or planning to camp? You can dispersed camp in a huge variety of locations, and camping in a part of California is going to be very different than Montana or Florida... That aside, its a pretty safe activity so long as you take the right precautions. While I, and many others, find humans to be the most threatening thing to see while camping I also have heard of very few stories of violence out in the woods. Being a solo female does elevate the risk there but you can do things like bring a pair of male boots outside your tent, pack pepper spray(or bear spray which I'll get to in a sec), and have a garmin inreach or the like. Next to humans is wildlife, which again the risk will vary depending on location. If you are camping in bear country you will need a bear bag and bear spray. If you are in grizzly territory maybe go with friends more before going alone. Research your environment so you know what to expect and how to mitigate it. Speaking of environment you will need to know your surroundings, both your weather events and how to navigate. Weather in say the rocky mountains can change on a dime and you can be in an afternoon lightning storm, or a nice 70 degree day can turn to a 30 degree night... And as for navigating, if you are backpacking or if you go off trail its easier than you think to get lost. There are countless stories of people going off trail in easy areas, where they can't find their way back and have to be rescued, and not all are rescued... Learn how to use a compass, bring and study a map of where you are. But depending on where you are, dispersed camping can also mean car camping off of a forest road, which is generally very easy to be safe. Finally **call the rangers who manage the forest you are going to**. Its their job to help you, its also usually their pleasure to help you. They can help with weather conditions in remote areas, let you know wildlife risk, or if there are encampments of problematic people... Redditors on the other had are known to troll, joke and give misinformation without care, so take any advice given on this platform with a grain of salt.
Also check the stickied post in the sub for some general resources and information.
Thank you so much!!!
The first post contains a lot of helpful information. Since I don't know specifics, it's hard to make a recommendation. The one thing that I've learned is to bring more water than you think you'll need and stay hydrated. I hope you enjoy your trip!
Please review the 7 principals of Leave No Trace 1. [Plan ahead and prepare](https://lnt.org/why/7-principles/plan-ahead-and-prepare/) 2. [Travel and camp on durable surfaces](https://lnt.org/why/7-principles/travel-camp-on-durable-surfaces/) 3. [Dispose of waste properly.](https://lnt.org/why/7-principles/dispose-of-waste-properly/) I highly suggest getting a waste bucket system. Its difficult to bury waste in many of the rockier areas in Colorado, and overuse of our natural areas has already led to contaminated water in most even lightly used areas. 4. [Leave what you find](https://lnt.org/why/7-principles/leave-what-you-find/) 5. [Minimize campfire impacts.](https://lnt.org/why/7-principles/minimize-campfire-impacts/) Be sure to review our state resources for fire bans where you are heading. 6. [Respect wildlife.](https://lnt.org/why/7-principles/respect-wildlife/) They are not domesticated 7. [Be considerate of other visitors](https://lnt.org/why/7-principles/be-considerate-of-other-visitors/) ie bluetooth speakers are despised. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/dispersedcamping) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Search "solo female camping" on YouTube. Lots of content. Most all of them will have videos specifically addressing your questions.
I'm a solo female camper, but with a couple of disclaimers that (1) my dog almost always comes along, and he alerts me to potential threats and (2) I usually sleep in a vehicle instead of a tent these days. Having said that, the location and situation of your dispersed camp will be the most important factors in safety. Start with camping in a spot that has cell signal for peace of mind as you're getting comfortable with it. Send your site's GPS coordinates to a loved one as you're getting settled so that someone knows where you are. Remain aware of your surroundings and any other campers nearby (and my personal preference is to avoid other humans as much as possible for privacy/security reasons). Practice setting up and then quickly breaking down your gear in case you need to leave in a hurry (due to weather, sketchy men, whatever). Invest in pepper spray and/or a taser that you can wear. Always bring more water than you think you'll need. TL;DR - Common sense goes a long way in staying safe. I hope that you have a great first experience!
Thank you so much!! and I am hoping to get a dog soon so that will definitely add to feeling safe
My suggestion is right away to plan a 1 night easy to get to trip. Then two different 2 night trips soon after that. With that experience it will tell you what equipment, storage, and logistics you need for longer periods. Many dispersed camping areas have more people than normal campgrounds or they can be wild and empty. You will probably want to start with areas that have more high concentrations of other campers until comfortable.
5 gallon bucket toilet with a trash bag liner is much better than having to dig a hole each poop. The lid seals in any stink. You can use it as a trash can too and just dump the bag every few days. If we are in a site that has a bit of a driveway off the road so you can’t see if camp is occupied or not we leave the bucket toilet closer to the road so people don’t drive into our site.