It is very safe to walk the trail up Urca Hill in Rio de Janeiro. Urca Hill is half way to Sugar Loaf, and you can hike the trail up instead of the taking the 3-minute ride on cable car/gondola. You should not be worried about safety whether you take the cable car or walk up the forest to reach the summit of Urca Hill — both ways are very safe.
Safety in Urca District
The Urca area is surrounded by military institutions, which makes Urca Hill, Sugar Loaf, Praia Vermelha (Red Beach), Pista Claudio Coutinho (a nice pedestrian path) and all the sites around one of the safest places in Rio de Janeiro –no wonder real estate in Urca District is among the most expensive in Rio.
Safety in Rio de Janeiro
Bear in mind that Rio is much safer nowadays than in the 1990s. Walking up Urca Hill, taking a stroll on Copacabana Beach promenade, exploring on foot the whole Urca neighborhood as well as other areas such as Ipanema, Leblon, Leme and Santa Teresa became much safer.
For photos and more info and maps on hiking the trail up to Urca Hill, get a PDF copy of Sugar Loaf: The Definitive Guidebook – Visiting Rio de Janeiro’s Most Famous Hill.