In all seriousness, people worry way too much about encounters on the trail at night. I've run countless hours in the wilderness at night and have seen a lot of wildlife but have never had a problem of any kind. Animals are just as dangerous during the day as they are at night. Darkness just freaks people out more.

 

As for people on the trails at night, if you see them, they're probably doing the same thing you are. Rapists and murderers aren't cruising remote single track looking for victims. As a rule, only the best people are found on trails. Even at night. All the horror stories about violence to runners seem to come from more urban environments.

This is what I *tell* myself.  It all seems so logical when I am sitting at home with the lights on.    Then all bets are off on the trail after the sun sets.  BIGFOOT IS AFTER ME, DUDE.  MENTALLY UNSTABLE PRISON ESCAPEES.  HOMELESS DRUNKS.  BOY SCOUTS.  PACKS OF RAVENOUS COYOTES.

Last time I was out in the dark the other week (at Donald, for Harrier's reference), it had just gotten dark enough for me to switch on my lights, but still not pitch black, so I could see some.  I hear some freaking huge noise and crash in the trees in the distance (I was in a prairie section) and SEE THE FUCKING TREES MOVING AND SHAKING.  I'm sure it was just a bunch of deer, as I'd been seeing them all evening, but I was ready to leave after that.

 

Rub your dog down with a pound of fresh bacon before you go out and you'll be fine. You're dog will be screwed, but you'll be fine.

 

In all seriousness, people worry way too much about encounters on the trail at night. I've run countless hours in the wilderness at night and have seen a lot of wildlife but have never had a problem of any kind. Animals are just as dangerous during the day as they are at night. Darkness just freaks people out more.

 

As for people on the trails at night, if you see them, they're probably doing the same thing you are. Rapists and murderers aren't cruising remote single track looking for victims. As a rule, only the best people are found on trails. Even at night. All the horror stories about violence to runners seem to come from more urban environments.

Do you remember this happening in the Wissahickon a few summers back? Though I do believe the rapist waited in the parking lots for his victims. I actually stopped running there for awhile. I don't think there have been incidents lately but it still scares me too much to run there at night. Kind of limits options for night trail runs in Philly.

I like running at night during the fall and winter down here. Summer time running is mostly during the day because it gets dark so late. I prefer running in the dark; it make me feel fast and agile even when I fall. I do bring a light, but if the moon is bright, I will often turn it off.

Down here, we do have some subspecies of the mountain lion. It is probably the same animal as the Florida Panther. They are a golden brown, just like a mountain lion, but I think they are a little smaller. Anyway, I have seen only one in my days, and when I did see that one, I was not running or hunting. We were driving down the road. I know of several reports over the years of sightings around my parents' house, and I believe them. I have seen one myself. But a couple of years ago, my brother and I were running at night along the river. We had set up a 50K course as a training run. He bailed at the halfway point but mentioned that he had seen a "panther" on the sandbar near the pond. I figured since he didn't get killed I would be okay, too. So, I finished the run, and despite my brother's tendency to exaggerate (lie*), I did believe him and saw the cat's track later in the run. I have never heard of anyone ever being attacked by one of these cats around here.

* When my brother was a kid, he cut his own hair and lied about it to the bitter end. To this day, I don't know if he has admitted to doing it. But we give him a hard time about it to this day and always reference the haircut anytime he says anything that could even remotely be questionable. You would have to be there, but it gets pretty comical sometimes.

That sucks to hear, trail running at night as awesome... if you aren't prone to tripping and falling of course.

Due to some really chitty eyesight my depth perception sucks. I trip and fall enough during daylight hours.  If I run a trail at night it is something I am familiar with and something very smooth and easy.  I absolutely refuse to do any night trail races no matter how easy the course.

 

Do you remember this happening in the Wissahickon a few summers back? Though I do believe the rapist waited in the parking lots for his victims. I actually stopped running there for awhile. I don't think there have been incidents lately but it still scares me too much to run there at night. Kind of limits options for night trail runs in Philly.

I think Philly might qualify as an urban area in terms of safety.

But you can be in the wrong spot at the wrong time anywhere and anytime. In that sense, no place is safe. Women/runners have been attacked by random predators (human and animals) less than 200 ft from their homes, in affluent neighborhoods.

Still, trails are fairly safe, and mostly it is just your imagination that plays tricks on you. If anything, I'd be most afraid of stalking animals, like mountain lions, which you don't see or hear before the attack. Bears usually run away from people, and coyotes or wolves don't even go near people.

Snakes might be dangerous, too, especially because many of them are nocturnal.

For the "newbies" here, we've put together a great thread on night running just a few weeks ago, it contains lots of useful advice and tips:

http://www.runningahead.com/groups/Trailer_Trash/forum/491e1b1f1d254d1a910480d4ad668a9e/resume#focus

 

This is what I *tell* myself.  It all seems so logical when I am sitting at home with the lights on.    Then all bets are off on the trail after the sun sets.  BIGFOOT IS AFTER ME, DUDE.  MENTALLY UNSTABLE PRISON ESCAPEES.  HOMELESS DRUNKS.  BOY SCOUTS.  PACKS OF RAVENOUS COYOTES.

 

 

I feel bad if I come upon other trail users at night (or in the day) for this reason. I'm a bigger guy and I'm sure it doesn't help anyones mental stability when I come flying down a trail at night. I'm not trying to scare anyone, it just seems to happen a lot.

(offshoot question: anyone here ever think while they're out runing really remote trails in the back country "That could be a good place to hide a body. no one would ever come out here to find it?" me neither)

I once found a body out in the woods, years and years ago....... turned out it was a bum sleeping, but I took off running like the wind.

 

Do you remember this happening in the Wissahickon a few summers back? Though I do believe the rapist waited in the parking lots for his victims. I actually stopped running there for awhile. I don't think there have been incidents lately but it still scares me too much to run there at night. Kind of limits options for night trail runs in Philly.

Yeah, I remember. But the Wissahickon is in the city limits of Philadelphia. The police are always trying to remove the sinister elements but they don't do a very good job of it. A lot of the access points for the park are in really bad neighborhoods. There are areas that I wouldn't let my wife go into alone.