Teenage girl walking alone trail early evening — safe?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I HATE that the answer is no because she should be able to do it. But sadly the answer is no.

Same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A woman was raped when she and a coworker took a walk on a trail in silver spring at lunch. Even during the day with a buddy, women are not safe.
This was a few months ago in Burnt mills area.

Silver spring is crime ridden and so is DC. Bethesda has unsavory people coming in from DC , may e a car dependent area like McLean or great falls is safe

[Anonymous]

I definitely would not.

[Anonymous]

Yeah. I am a dad of two girls and, unfortunately, young girls just can't do this- not alone at least. It sucks because anyone should be able to take a nice stroll in nature and enjoy it, but for girls- even for women- it isn't safe. I hike a certain trail in the area and I rarely ever see women or girls alone. It is just a sucky fact of life. But, it is better to weather her anger than deal with a horrible repercussion

[Anonymous]

No

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A woman was raped when she and a coworker took a walk on a trail in silver spring at lunch. Even during the day with a buddy, women are not safe.
This was a few months ago in Burnt mills area.

Silver spring is crime ridden and so is DC. Bethesda has unsavory people coming in from DC , may e a car dependent area like McLean or great falls is safe

Criminals don’t drive cars?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DD wanted to go for a long walk/hike in a trail near our home in NW (it’s the section of Rock Creek Park near the horse center). It was around 6pm, but cloudy so getting dark probably in an hour, and the trail would be mostly empty because many would be at dinner.

I was very uncomfortable with letting her go alone that far into the woods; I grew up in the country and we never ventured into the woods alone, but we had poisonous snakes and wildcats to worry about, so maybe that was a factor.

However, I always don’t like people being alone in even near wilderness; getting hurt and help can be far though phones do help with that, as well as reduce the risk of getting lost. There is the risk of robbery or sexual assault, would be a crime of opportunity and very unlikely, but if it did happen I could never live with myself for allowing it.


Partly I think I’m skittish because this trail was near Chandra Levy, but was that a targeted assault, not like she alone came across a homeless man or drug addict living the in the woods right?

Someplace like Central Park with lots of pedestrians and lights and walkway would be fine, like lower RCP, but getting into a more trail setting I’m wary?

Am I too worried about bogeyman?

Nope nope nope. I am a military veteran female myself and am teaching my daughter self defense (FIRST LESSON: Don’t put yourself in environments where you don’t have a tactical advantage.)

Going on the trail with a friend or group is much better. I wouldn’t recommend solo at that age not in today’s DC!

Signed, 50 years old but still can’t forget being assaulted at 14 years old in a park before I knew what to do to protect myself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought Chandra Levy was random.
Or did the Congressman get implicated after all?

Anyway, that's not what I would base my decision on, but I would probably also be wary and prefer a buddy system. Even on some nice weekend days there's often large stretches of that trail not seeing anyone. Maybe one of those loud whistle key chains?

Chandra Levy was completely random. It was also more than twenty years ago and very rare.

It’s rare, but is that because women rarely go off into woods anymore alone?

[Anonymous]

No. Arlington is pretty safe but in winter my walk ends around sunset and I have my Birdie and change my route to do the wooded part first.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DD wanted to go for a long walk/hike in a trail near our home in NW (it’s the section of Rock Creek Park near the horse center). It was around 6pm, but cloudy so getting dark probably in an hour, and the trail would be mostly empty because many would be at dinner.

I was very uncomfortable with letting her go alone that far into the woods; I grew up in the country and we never ventured into the woods alone, but we had poisonous snakes and wildcats to worry about, so maybe that was a factor.

However, I always don’t like people being alone in even near wilderness; getting hurt and help can be far though phones do help with that, as well as reduce the risk of getting lost. There is the risk of robbery or sexual assault, would be a crime of opportunity and very unlikely, but if it did happen I could never live with myself for allowing it.


Partly I think I’m skittish because this trail was near Chandra Levy, but was that a targeted assault, not like she alone came across a homeless man or drug addict living the in the woods right?

Someplace like Central Park with lots of pedestrians and lights and walkway would be fine, like lower RCP, but getting into a more trail setting I’m wary?

Am I too worried about bogeyman?

You are right. I ran competitively in high school and college and grew up in a rural area (“the country” as you say) and I was and continue to be very skittish about running on trails solo. I still am. Even when running on roads I prioritize trying to squeeze in runs when it’s light out. Rock Creek Park does not feel super safe to me during the day and at dusk… no. Between cell service issues and there being no one around in a scary situation to help. Hard pass.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I HATE that the answer is no because she should be able to do it. But sadly the answer is no.

Agree. Sad but true. There are certain things at woman that just aren’t safe to do

Yes. I lived in the Middle East for two years (West Bank, Egypt, Israel) and feel like I’m a good judge of safety based on that experience, among others, and this is not safe. As someone else wrote, she’s at a major disadvantage should something happen. There is a middling true crime podcast called Park Predators about people being killed or disappeared in state and national parks. Please don’t let her do this. I wouldn’t even want to go for a walk in that park with any or all of my three daughters. It sucks but you have to be the voice of reason here with your daughter. Teach her something like this is not safe at any age.

[Anonymous]

Nope

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I HATE that the answer is no because she should be able to do it. But sadly the answer is no.

I agree. I would not be wild about it for my tween son either (hypothetically)

[Anonymous]

Hard no. I don’t even like DD running around our neighborhood.

[Anonymous]

I’m a woman who has traveled alone in the US, several countries in Europe, and South Africa. I spent a week hiking alone in Yosemite, and have been on more solo hikes within 3 hours of DC than I can count.

I wouldn’t walk through the woods at RCP on my own.