Try out hiking trails first to familiarize yourself with the terrain and weather. Get a map and figure out what is private and what is public (and open access) land. 3-5 miles outside of town isn't going to get you easy access to public lands unless you're going to a park or are knowledgeable about the area. Lastly, reconsider just going off trail and pushing through the brush - not only for the reasons others have stated, also because trails have been established to protect the eco systems. Because of our local geology, many areas have pretty shallow soil. I know, what difference will person make? It's not the one person, but the next that, out of curiosity, follows the path made, then the next, etc...until there's a worn path that encourages erosion where plants were holding the dirt in place before.

I thought he was the ONLY policeman in town.

Oh, what a jewel. So beautiful. <3

The Mountaineers also have a very good course on this (walking off trail in the woods without getting lost or hurt):
mountaineers.org/courses/course-overviews/scrambling

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From your question I'm assuming your prior forest wanderings haven't occurred in western Washington? With that I'd say they're very dangerous, but not because of the wildlife lol. There's literally 0 mountain lion fatalities in recorded history js... What you gotta watch out for is getting lost. Specifically the biggest things I've noticed in that regard are people underestimating how truly thick and dense the vegetation can be and how quick the weather can change into adverse conditions, I mean it's fairly common to go from blue skies, to dark and rainy, even hailing then back to blue several times within a single day lol. But again, and I can't stress it enough how deceptively easy it is to end up lost. I grew up here and have roamed the forests for decades and honestly it's spooky how truly easily and quickly even I can end up getting turned around if I'm not vigilant.

I miss WA so much. Something about it just feels so right.

Holy crap, what lens did you use? The compression is insane!

Pro tip for not getting shot - shoot first

Yes really, there's literally a dude in Kitsap county jail on a possible murder charge cuz he followed a dude who he thought was committing a crime and then shot him in the head through his car window as he was driving away.

I’ll take more of this and less pics on everyone’s departure from SeaTac, please!

Also a medium size bell on a pack or walking stick to make noise without having to think about it

Cougars, but not usually attack humans, bears, yes, but also usually don't attack humans. Worst thing you might get into are hornet nests, lots of those active in spring/summer throughout the woods, no poisonous snakes around here. I suppose one could run across a pack of coyotes but they mostly come out after dark.

Piggybacking to add this; Tell someone where you plan to be and when you plan to return.

DO IT!! DO IT NOWWWWWW!!!!

Predators primarily use thermal optics to detect prey. Make sure keep an eye on the tree line and look for the shimmer from their cloaking device.

I am in therapy. These quasi-hikes in nature also help my mental state. Thanks for letting me know about the risks though, I'll keep it in mind.

That is a great app. Very accurate info.

It is very dangerous. I live in the woods and mountain lions have been spotted and so have bear. Also, most people just get lost or hurt themselves on the terrain and never found. I would not hike in the area unless you are familiar with it.

Biggest risk is getting lost, wet and cold. You won’t last a night this time of year without proper gear. File a plan with someone, carry enough gear to sleep overnight in the rain. Compass, gps and offline phone app like Gaia.

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Ignorance is pretty dangerous and humans are generally pretty poor assessors of risk. I'd be most concerned about darkness, hypothermia, cliffs, and feral humans. Perhaps mitigate risk with education by joining the Mountaineers or taking classes elsewhere. Definitely start carrying the ten essentials and understanding the terrain by studying topographic maps of the areas you want to explore.

My dad uses an app called onX hunt. You have to pay for it but it can keep track of your location even in remote woods and you can mark places. It’s pretty useful and doesn’t require buying an extra device if you have a smartphone.

I don’t know if it’s a problem in eastern WA but in western WA I pay attention because wood poachers and some mushroom foragers will kill because of the money involved. An adult is less likely to run into animal issues, though cougars have killed people, but other people with guns are a concern.

It’s not dangerous if you know what you are doing. Animals simply aren’t a big concern. Your biggest danger is getting lost, hurt, or both, and having to spend a night outdoors. Prepare for that and you’ll be fine.