Outside Reading: Healing Power of the Trail

The autobiography, Wild, focuses on the journey of Cheryl Strayed, the author. After facing intense devastation, she chooses to thru-hike the entire Pacific Crest Trail alone. Her mental and spiritual journey portrays the therapeutic healing effects of long-distance hiking.

Throughout the trail, she encounters many obstacles, from animal encounters to record snowfall. Along the trail, she comes to terms with the passing of her mother and her divorce with her husband. Her ability to seclude herself and embrace the beauty of the Pacific Crest Trail helps to heal her. Her experience on the PCT documented in Wild verifies the restorative effects on the spirit and mind from long-distance hiking.

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