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My Best First Solo Trip: Grand Teton National Park

In my sister’s car, while being a full-time online student, I drove from Yellowstone to Grand Teton National Park. Before I even entered the park to show my National Park Pass, I knew I was already in love with the Grand Tetons. It would be the best first solo trip. 

Visiting Grand Teton National Park was the best first solo trip because it had the three essential ingredients for a great solo trip; sacrifice, wonder, and challenge. These three things do not make a solo trip perfect; they make it transformative. Transformative travel is the best kind of travel. 

Read: 5 National parks that are perfect for solo travel

In this article, I will share what compelled me to take my first solo trip and why it still remains one of my favorite solo trips, even years later. Having the best first solo trip can be a daunting task. I will explain why you need elements of sacrifice, wonder, and challenge to make for the best first solo trip. 

This post may have affiliate links. I receive a small percentage if you book a hostel or attraction through my recommended links. This is at no extra cost to you and helps me reach my goal of becoming a full-time digital nomad.

Table of Contents

Why I Took My First Solo Trip

It was May 2021. I moved to Utah without much planning because I was tired of online school. I finished an online internship in April, and those credits allowed me to be a full-time student during the summer term. 

So, I was a full-time student but was only enrolled in my internship course. Since I had completed my internship already, I could easily escape the world for a month without any consequences. I knew I had to take a leap and solo travel. 

I Wasn’t New to the Solo Life

Although I had never taken a proper solo trip, I was very accustomed to doing things alone. I moved from Indiana to Hawaii for college all on my own. I had to adjust to a life where no one knew me. 

Often, I would go hiking behind my campus alone. I was so lucky because behind my dormitory was a lush jungle. 

Read: 5 Trails That Are Perfect for Hawaii Solo Hiking

However, I was not fully okay with being alone. I found myself too afraid to take the bus alone to Honolulu. I would stay in my dorm some weekends when my plans with “friends” fell through. 

I was fine doing some things alone but wasn’t fully confident about being seen in public alone. There is this certain stigma with people who do solo activities. We automatically assume they are lonely, troubled, or awkward.

Looking back, I wish I could tell myself just to explore the island alone. Don’t wait for plans to come. Make them yourself.

Covid Forced Me Out of My Bubble

It takes a global pandemic that completely upends your life to change your behavior. After my internship in Kenya was canceled and a chance to present at a conference in Chicago, I felt angry.

I finally had the chance to travel and expand my horizons. Suddenly, that was all taken from me. I was bitter as I was stuck at home in Indiana. Instead of languishing, I decided to grind. 

I worked in a factory as a facilities manager in the morning. In the afternoon, I would continue my online college writing gig. At night, I would join Zoom for my online classes. 

This cycle of work, work, work was not as hard as I thought it would be because of my perspective. I knew this was just a short part of my life. I wanted to make the most out of a bad situation. Using my time sidelined by COVID-19 to save money for travel was an effective use of my time. 

Sacrificing Makes Solo Travel More Impactful

One of the first times I tapped into the money I saved during the pandemic was to take my road trip to the Grand Tetons. Knowing how hard I worked to get the money to travel made that trip even more impactful. 

In a world where instant gratification is rampant, I had to wait a year before enjoying the fruits of my labor. It was not easy, but it made the scenery even more moving. 

How to Add Sacrifice to Your Solo Trip

I am not suggesting the only way to have a perfect solo trip is to work yourself to the ground and wait a year before you travel. However, when you give up something in order to travel solo, you will be more appreciative during your trip. 

Solo travel inherently requires sacrifice. You may have to leave your friends and family to venture into the unknown. You may have to stay in a crowded dormitory with little privacy. You may have to limit your spending while shopping to have enough money to keep traveling. 

All of these sacrifices make solo travel seem unappealing. However, sacrificing does not always have to be negative. Sacrificing reminds me of my purpose. I am not just traveling to take cute Instagram pictures. I am doing it to build connections and broaden my horizons. 

I give up time, money, or comfort in exchange for a transformative experience. 

Planning a Solo Trip Requires Sacrifice

If you have tried to plan a solo trip, you will learn it takes weeks to plan even a one-night stay. 

You may think this is a downside to solo traveling, but it is actually one of the reasons why solo traveling is so special. 

Organized travel with groups is convenient and time-saving, but it does not give you the same satisfaction as solo travel. You get such a sense of accomplishment when you are able to get yourself from point A to point B. 

Wonder in the Grand Tetons

The second ingredient to a transformative solo trip is wonder. To me, wonder is when you visit a new place and are completely captivated by its aura and beauty. In a way, you are in a trance, and worries dissipate from your mind.

Camping in Grand Teton National Park provided me with so much wonder. I would just sit on the lakeshore, soaking in the sunset. I had no camera in hand. No phone blasting Top 40 hits. It was just me and the scenery. 

Worried about hiking alonE? Read: Is It Safe to Hike Alone? 10 Solo Hiking Tips

I found even more wonder while hiking the many trails in the park. My favorite was Cascade Canyon. It was a 9.1-mile journey that felt so cinematic. I encountered a moose, melting snow, vistas, and waterfalls. I was even content when rain poured on me during my boat shuttle across Jenny Lake back to my car well— my sister’s car. 

How to Add Wonder to Your Solo Trip

Wonder is such an amazing feeling, and it is usually easy to find on a solo trip. No matter where you visit for a solo trip, you can find wonder because you are in a new environment. 

Take a walk, rent a bike, or go out on a trail. Book tickets to a museum, dine at a cozy cafe, or shop at a second-hand store. Wonder comes in many forms. You just have to find the confidence to search for it. 

I love nature. I can almost always find wonder when I hike. Doing something you love can usually spark joy and excitement. 

However, new experiences may lead to the most awe. For example, during my Grand Teton National Park trip, I decided to shop in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, because the rain was constant.

I usually exclusively spend my time in National Parks during my camping trips, so I was apprehensive about doing more touristy activities in the city.

I ended up loving exploring Jackson Hole and was fascinated with its charm. Sometimes, the things we don’t plan or don’t expect to enjoy spark the most joy. 

Why Is Wonder Important to Solo Travel

Solo traveling is difficult. There is no doubt about it. You battle feelings of loneliness. You experience stress navigating roads and sidewalks. You worry about your safety.

During my trip, I feared hiking alone in bear country. There were signs at every trail indicating how dangerous hiking alone was. 

I am not sure you will ever face the fear of bear attacks, but I know you will face some fear during your solo trip. Unfortunately, we can’t often silence our fears. There is no way we will be completely safe, ever. We cannot prevent every obstacle we might face while traveling alone.

Read: 50 Songs for Solo Travel: How to Curate the Perfect Playlist for Your Solo Trip

That is where wonder comes into play. When we are full of wonder, our fears are much lighter. 

While hiking on the Cascade Canyon trail, I encountered hikers astonished that I was hiking alone. I was still worried about a bear attack, but my feelings of gratitude overcame the fear. I stopped worrying and overthinking and let my mind get lost in the scenery. 

Challenge Is the Final Ingredient for the Best First Solo Trip

I love returning from a trip with new knowledge and self-love. Of course, I love seeing new places too, but every trip must end. Memories suddenly become all that is left of a trip. 

That is why I like to ensure my trip is transformative. I do not only come back from a destination with photos and souvenirs. I come back with a new purpose and a greater sense of self. 

Adding something challenging to your solo trip will help make your travel more transformative. You learn more about yourself when you are challenged, and you build confidence when you overcome challenges. 

During my Grand Teton trip, I challenged myself by climbing summits and trekking through snow-covered paths. 

I returned from the Tetons, realizing I was stronger than I gave myself credit for. I may not be a bodybuilder, but I can soar down mountains like no other. 

How to Add Challenge to Your Solo Trip

Challenge does not only have to come in the form of physical exercise. Simply staying at a hostel with strangers or trying to order dinner in a new language is a challenge. 

You will constantly be challenged during your solo trip. It won’t always be easy to overcome. My tent and sleeping bag were soaked after a rainy day in the Tetons. That night I was so cold, and I was freezing. I hardly slept at all. 

Challenge Elevates Solo Travel

This challenge did not offer me the same pride as hiking a difficult trail. However, it did teach me about preparation and paying more attention to the weather forecast. 

And, because I couldn’t sleep, I woke up super early and was able to watch the sunrise against the jagged mountains. I felt like I was in a painting as I experienced that incredible sunrise. The mental picture of that morning remains vivid in my brain. 

Often what challenges us the most during our travels is what we remember the most. Challenges make our trip unforgettable. We usually do not notice when everything goes right. We notice when everything goes wrong. 

I am not saying you need to make your solo trip like an episode of Survivor. However, I encourage you to do difficult things when you travel. What you learn about yourself during those moments will last for a lifetime. 

The Best First Solo Trip

Visiting the Grand Tetons was perfect for my first solo trip because it required sacrifice, offered wonder, and had challenges. Sacrifice, wonder, and challenge ensure your solo trip is transformative and unforgettable. 

• It took sacrifice to reach the remote oasis. I had to work two jobs and travel across the country to reach the park. 
• The mountains and lakes offered plenty of wonder because of their natural beauty. The picture I took on top of Signal Mountain Trail has remained my phone’s background for years. Just seeing that picture instantly calms me down. 
• The hiking trails were challenging to complete, especially because of melting snow and the fear of wildlife encounters. However, those challenges made me a safer, stronger hiker. 

The Grand Tetons changed me in an indescribable way. Before the trip, I was too timid to adventure alone. I was unsure of my ability to withstand the elements.

Flash forward two years later, I have solo traveled to nearly 30 national parks. I seek out challenging hikes because I know I can conquer them. I have a new sense of confidence and do not sell myself short.