SEATTLE — Embarking on a solo trip can heal the soul — just ask Cheryl Strayed, who hiked more than 1,000 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail after the death of her mother and the dissolution of her marriage, sharing the journey in her bestselling book, “Wild,” and its critically acclaimed movie adaptation.
There are few better spots for a life-changing solo trip than the Pacific Northwest.
The majority of solo travelers are women, and, according to Trusted Housesitter, Washington is among the top 10 states for women to safely travel alone.
During the peak of summer, we spoke with local women who love solo travel about their adventures in the Evergreen State and how they travel safely on their own without compromising safety.
Unpacking solo travel
Many women can think of a time they were warned against traveling alone.
“Historically, there’s been a stigma … ‘Don’t do that alone. That’s dangerous,’ ” said Jessi Loerch of the Washington Trails Association, the hiking and trail maintenance nonprofit that works on trails across the state.
“While it’s certainly true that there are risks to anything in the world, also, there are many benefits to a lot of things in the world, and that includes hiking solo. I feel like every hiker should just make the choice that feels best to them.”
Susan Stephens said she has lived and traveled solo around the Pacific Northwest for over 20 years, rarely encountering a travel scenario where she felt unsafe. The scientist-turned-travel writer now helps others plan PNW trips via her website, explorersue.com.
The key to a pleasant experience when traveling alone?
“Have a mixture of confidence and curiosity,” Stephens said.
In her experience visiting communities across the state, from the San Juan Islands to Central Washington and beyond, most people are friendly and willing to give local recommendations, especially to solo travelers.
Of course, solo travelers (and all travelers) should keep their wits about them and their guard up. Stephens recalls a man approaching her at a bar in Portland, and while he wasn’t threatening, the man asked questions that made her uncomfortable.
“I just removed myself from the situation and went home,” she said.
And a new generation of solo travelers has found its way to Washington as well. Thirty-year-old Kelsey Pruett said she fell in love with the Northwest’s water and forests when she moved here from Illinois four years ago, documenting her adventures on Instagram under the pen name Marie (@hikeherviews).
“I've definitely had people comment, ‘Oh, that's dangerous,’ ” Pruett said, talking about the times she has told friends she plans on hiking alone. But it’s worth it “to do something I love.”
Similarly, 26-year-old Ikram Aliawl (@iksplore_ on Instagram and TikTok) began hiking as a hobby after she moved to Seattle for a real estate job last year. Though Aliawl hasn’t personally felt unsafe while traveling alone, she stressed that self-awareness is the most important skill to have as a solo adventurer hitting the trail.
“Situational awareness is very important, especially when you're a woman out there by yourself,” she said. “It's always good to just look out for sounds and just observe what's going on around you and just be alert.”
Benefits of solo travel
Stephens said adventuring alone allows the opportunity to branch out and connect organically with locals, while Pruett said time spent alone in the outdoors has been a boon for her mental health.
“When you're traveling with someone, you tend to be in what I call a travel bubble,” she said. “It's just you and the other person, the group of people that you're traveling with — you don't tend to reach out to other people while you're traveling.”
Stephens made one of her favorite travel discoveries while out on her own. Coming back from a solo trip to a Hobbit house-themed Airbnb in Orondo, north of Wenatchee on the Columbia River, Stephens stopped in Leavenworth for a quick bite to eat. She struck up a conversation with locals, learned about the town’s annual Christmas festivities and spent the rest of the day exploring town.
Aliawl said filming herself on solo adventures and sharing her experiences online has helped her connect with people over social media while she’s still making friends in a new city. She has adventured on her own to the Oregon coast, Olympic National Park, Mount Baker and beyond. She has her eyes set on an even bigger solo trip, to San Francisco.
“In my social media, I do come across a lot of solo women travelers,” she said. “I do connect with them and interact with their content and learn from them.”
Pack these tips
— Share your plans: Tell a loved one about the location you plan to visit and a general timeline for your trip. You can even share your location so they can keep tabs on you from afar.
— Start small: This is true from the trailhead to a new city. When traveling solo, work your way up to bigger adventures.
— Be honest with yourself: Know how you might react to stressful situations or extended time spent alone, Aliawl said.
— Travel alone; find friends: You can build community while traveling solo. Groups like the Seattle Solo Female Travel Group on Meetup plan events where women meet up with fellow solo travelers for connection and group trips.
— Prepare appropriately: The 10 essentials are a good place to start when packing for any hiking adventure — and solo road trips, too. Bring a navigation tool, sun protection, water, food, light, a change of clothes, a first-aid kit and more for your specific adventure, like bear spray, permits and other documents. You might also consider carrying a satellite GPS device, and you should always check weather conditions.