>>797108For one, if you're thinking on hiking at night I'd at least recommend not going if it's a new moon, though you can if you want, preferably you'll probably want to hike during a full or half full moon as the light from makes it much easier to see in the dark.
Even still, I'd say bringing a flashlight as well, obviously. While full moons are usually bright, there might be some areas of woods where the moonlight is shaded by the trees, so it's best to shine a light at where you're stepping.
Which brings me to my next point: watch your step. Due to the low visibility, it's more risky traversing since you don't have sunlight to tell you where you're stepping. If you're not careful, you might fall and twist or even break your foot or leg. Like I said, try and shine your flashlight on the ground of the more dense and darker parts of the woods, so then you have a much easier way of telling where to step.
One more thing, if you get really scared when you're in the dark, try and remind yourself that it's just your primal instincts, and that it is perfectly natural for you to be a bit spooked or on your guard. That does not mean, however, that you shouldn't be cautious. While some noises or things you see in the distance might just be your mind playing tricks on you, there are still some animals that hunt during the night that may pose a threat. I'm not really much of a /k/ommando as alot of people are on this board because where I live we have no bears and deer are the most dangerous thing here, but most other people here can probably help you in that front.
One more optional thing, if you get bored or if you want to give it a bit more atmosphere, you can listen to some music while hiking if you want, but try to keep it at a low enough volume to where you can hear your surroundings. I'd recommend No Flashlight by Mount Eerie, it's calming atmospheric folk which is perfectly fitted for hiking at night.
