Solo Backpacking- What I did, and how you can, too

Solo camping Trip, I highly recommend it!

I recently took a solo backpacking trip that was part adventure, part rite of passage, and part deep healing. After years of training, hiking, and planning, I finally went out on a 3-day, 2-night solo camping trip in the Cascade mountains. Just me, my gear, and the wild.

I was nervous, especially about bears. We live in bear country, and a friend had just seen one on trail. I packed a bear canister and left it at that. It turns out several friends had bear spray; I could’ve borrowed if I'd just asked. Lesson learned. I also decided to get a Garmin InReach for next time. 

The truth is, I needed this trip for my own sanity. After my daughter got COVID, I was overwhelmed. A solo trip felt like a reset. (Also, wear your mask on planes. It works.) I had already been training for a backpacking trip, so I felt physically ready. I chose to head east — away from the fire smoke that had closed off my original plans (Ross Lake, Colchuck, and Rainier). After chatting with a ranger at REI, I settled on Pete Lake and Spectacle Lake. They’re only about two hours from Seattle, just past Cle Elum. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but they did not disappoint.

I hiked into Pete Lake after lunch, a gentle four-mile trail with only 500 feet of elevation. Perfect for easing into the solo rhythm, and would be great as an introduction to backpacking for kids. It rained lightly the next morning, which felt like a gift. We needed it after all the fire smoke this season. I made breakfast, packed up, and took my time heading toward Spectacle Lake, which was another six miles with 1,500 feet of elevation gain. It was tough, but stunning.

On the way up, I met two women coming down who had done the same route. They gave me tips and encouragement and reminded me to enjoy a swim once I got to the lake. It was warm enough, and with all the rocks around Spectacle Lake, the water heats up in the sun. I swam, floated, and skinny dipped with no one around. Absolute freedom.

The final day, I hiked about 10 miles back out, stopping at Pete Lake for a lunch break and another swim. Just me and the trees and the water. I cried more than once, for the beauty of the place, for what I’d made it through, and for those I’ve loved who never got the chance to see places like this. Maybe, in some way, they came along through me.

Planning Your Own Solo Backpacking Trip: A Logistics & Gear Guide

Where I Went

• Pete Lake & Spectacle Lake 
• ~2 hours from Seattle, just past Cle Elum
• Pete Lake is ~4 miles with 500 ft gain — great for beginners or families
• Spectacle Lake adds 6 miles and 1,500 ft of elevation — more challenging, but stunning
• Great option when other PNW trails are smoked out 

What I Packed (and Loved) 
Backpacking Essentials

• Tent: Rab Lagos Summit Divvy – lightweight, waterproof, easy to set up
• Pack: REI Women’s Flash 55 – perfect fit, way better than carrying a paddleboard pack 😉
• Sleeping setup: I carried a small cot — 2 extra pounds, but definitely worth it for sleep quality
• Stove: Jetboil
• Water Filter: BeFree 1L
• Bear Canister: Borrowed a small one from a friend
• Food Bags (for trash/TP): Reused food bags and double-sealed them to pack out toilet paper

Food I Brought

• 2 freeze-dried dinners
• 1 breakfast hash
• Tuna packets, meat sticks, olives, granola bars, trail mix
• Found wild blueberries — seasonal treat!
• Pro tip: Let freeze-dried meals soak longer than instructions to avoid crunchiness

Favorite Freeze-Dried Meals

• AlpineAire Chicken Primavera
• Farm to Summit Spicy Green Chile Mac & Cheese
• Good To-Go Breakfast Hash (veggie)

Tips for Your First Solo Trip

• Pack light — but bring comfort items. I carried a cot, and it made a huge difference.
• Use a wind map before setting up camp. I switched sides of the lake after strong gusts on the west side.
• Talk to people on the trail. I met two kind women who gave great advice and made me feel less alone.
• Start with 2 nights, 3 days, but plan for 3 nights if you want one full day without hiking, just to relax.
• Bring a satellite communicator. I’m getting a Garmin InReach for next time.
• There are toilets at both lakes, but pack out your toilet paper. It's sad to see when it's left behind.

Why going solo was important to me-
While I was alone out there, I had a lot of time for quiet reflection. I found myself thinking about my mom and feeling a deep compassion for her. She did the best she could with what she knew. Sometimes, we don’t gain the perspective that is necessary for change until we’re out of survival mode; I'm pretty sure she spent most of her time in survival mode.

We often live inside familiar systems we never question, such as cultural norms and family dynamics. We get stuck, not because we want to be, but because we don’t know another way. When our own needs go unmet, we end up projecting that pain onto the people we love without even realizing it.

I remembered that we’re all precious. We just need space to remember who we are and what we are capable of doing. Nature helps us do that. It quiets our busy minds and brings us back to who we are. That’s why we need more time in it — not to escape life, but to return to it with more clarity and compassion.

Nature is free, but it comes with a responsibility: to care for it and protect it. Because what it gives us in return is priceless.

​If you’re feeling stuck, depleted, or just ready to challenge yourself — plan your own solo trip. You don’t have to go far or fast. Just go. You’ll come back with more than just miles under your boots. You’ll come back to yourself.