The memoir Wild follows Cheryl Strayed as she hikes 1100 miles across the Pacific Crest Trail in the summer and fall of 1995. Along the way, the narrative offers numerous flashbacks and memories explaining what has led Cheryl to take on this incredible feat.
Cheryl grew up living a happy, if unconventional, life in Minnesota with her siblings, stepfather, and beloved mother Bobbi. She went on to study literature and women's studies at the University of Minnesota, during which time she also married a man named Paul.
In the winter of 1991, as Cheryl is completing her senior year of college, her mother is diagnosed with lung cancer at the age of 45. She dies 3 months later, sending Cheryl into a devastating spiral of grief.
Over the next several years, Cheryl and Paul live a restless and unsettled life, often moving from place to place. Cheryl's grief pushes her away from Paul, and she also begins being unfaithful. Early in 1994, Cheryl confesses her infidelity to Paul and the two decide to separate. She spends the summer in Portland, where she becomes involved in an unhealthy relationship with a man named Joe and also begins using heroin. Paul eventually persuades her to leave Portland and return to Minnesota, but the two of them decide to divorce. In December of 1994, Cheryl also realizes that she is pregnant. At about the same time, she learns about the Pacific Crest Trail and becomes curious about hiking it.
In the early months of 1994, Cheryl has an abortion and finalizes her divorce while preparing for her hike. She leaves Minnesota and travels to California in June of 1995 where she will begin her hike in the Mojave desert. She plans to hike from there to Ashland, Oregon, where she thinks she might like to move. Cheryl is inexperienced but hopeful that the trip will transform her and help her heal.
Cheryl's time on the trail is more difficult than she anticipated: she struggles with an overloaded pack, painful boots, and fear. She has also chosen a difficult year for her hike because the trail is experiencing heavy snow that makes it very difficult to cross in sections, especially since Cheryl has not brought much equipment with her. However, Cheryl's hike quickly teaches her the importance of resilience and courage, since she refuses to give in to her worries, doubts, and pain. Her interactions with other hikers and people she meets when she stops in various towns along the route are encouraging; many people are impressed with her courage and fortitude. Cheryl eventually finds a balance between being dedicated and being foolhardy, as she decides to bypass the snowiest and most hazardous stretch of trail. As a result, she has time to extend her route all the way through Oregon, with her new ending point being the Bridge of the Gods on the border of Oregon and Washington.
Cheryl encounters perils along the trail, including losing her boots, running out of water in high temperatures, and a threatening encounter with two men. She also has to contend with her own loneliness and ruminations on the past. However, the hike also brings her a new sense of optimism and healing. The experience of being alone in nature forces her to confront who she truly is and what she wants from her life, even if she will always be marked by grief over the loss of her mother. By the time Cheryl reaches the Bridge of the Gods, she feels transformed and strengthened. The narrative reveals that she will go on to meet a loving husband and have two children, including a daughter whom she will name after her mother.
