16 Safety Measures I Took While Traveling Cross-Country Alone

Last fall I tested out traveling cross-country, alone. Well, solo plus my dog, Sampson. And I loved it!! If you’re new, start here for all the details of my four week cross-country trip covering 19 states and 9 national parks. And if you want to take your dog with you, I’ve got some tips I’m sharing here because you should definitely take your dog. If you’re interested in taking a cross country trip alone but are a little nervous about it, here are some safety measures I took and recommend.

Before I Left

Shared All My Details

While I’m as independent as they come, I do think it’s smart to have someone dependable back home that knows your travel plans. For me that was my sister so before I left, I entrusted my her with the following:

1. Travel Details: All, and I mean all, of my travel details. Each leg of the trip, everywhere I was planning to visit, and all of the contact and reservation information for every single place I was staying.
2. Car Details: I rented a car but before I left I took a couple of quick pictures of the car. I also shared both the license plate and VIN number with her just in case.
3. Shared Phone Location: On my iPhone I shared my location with my sister and brother-in-law. Just remember you can always turn off sharing once you’re back. However, I will say that in a few of the remote areas, it didn’t show up.

Car Necessities

Like I mentioned before, I rented a car to ease my mind of any potential car issues. I booked the car through Costco and picked it up at a local Avis. Although I knew the car was in good shape, I still checked the tire pressure before hitting the road. I also filled up on gas before every leg of the trip. If I was taking my own car, I would be sure to have it serviced before heading out.

Regardless of whether you’re renting or driving your own car, I would suggest making sure you have the following in the car with you:

1. Jack and Spare Tire: Yes, you can call for help but what happens if you’re on a remote highway in the middle of nowhere? It’s helpful to know how to change a tire although if I’m being honest, I need a refresher course.
2. Car Essentials: Roadside Emergency Kit, First Aid Kit, Tire Inflator, Portable Jump Starter Kit, Tire Pressure Gauge, Emergency Survival Kit, Ice Scraper, and Flash Lights.
3. Safety: This may be controversial to some but I also had a Taser, Knife, and my Firearm stowed away for safe keeping because you just never know.
4. Maps & Directions: I loaded all of my directions into a Google Map before leaving so those were readily accessible to sync with the car. I also tucked away an Atlas; yes, an Atlas, in the car just as a back up. Did I mention I was driving in a lot of remote places?

Once On the Road

Once I was on the road, I followed a few ‘safety routines’.

1. Filled Up with Gas: This might seem ridiculous to list but there was no chance I was going to run out of gas. Many of the roads in Wyoming and Montana and the midwest had long stretches without gas stations. So, I made it my daily routine to fill up at the start of each day no matter how much gas was in the tank.
2. Change of Plans: Anytime my plans changed, I let my sister know. It didn’t happen often but I felt like it was worth a quick text to make sure she knew.
3. Remote Locations: On a few instances, I texted my sister to say I was heading into a super remote location. The text said if my location is no longer showing, this is where you should look if you don’t hear back from me within a certain amount of time, send someone to find me. I don’t think I did this more than twice but just wanted to make sure someone knew where I was.
4. Traveling with a Dog: While my sweet boy, Sampson, wouldn’t hurt anyone, I do think it helps to have a medium to large sized dog with you.
5. Being Aware: While this is not specific to traveling cross-country, I did always try to be aware of my surrounds especially in parking garages and at night.

Other Things to Note Before Traveling Cross-Country Alone

1. Stay Alert: One of my biggest concerns with traveling alone was whether or not I would get tired with the long drives. I did my best to always get plenty of sleep but with a senior dog, sometimes that didn’t happen. I did however, make sure I had plenty of drinks (including water), snacks, and things to listen to in order to keep my mind alert.
2. Make Periodic Stops: More for Sampson than me, periodic stops were already built into my trip. Even so, if I got tired, I stopped and walked around. There were only a few times that I really got tired but that’s why it’s so important to plan well before you leave.
3. Be Flexible: On more than one occasion my plans would change slightly and I just decided upfront to be flexible. Again, if it changed enough to let someone know, I would text my sister.
4. Trust Your Instincts: Only once did this come into play on my trip, but always trust your instincts. While at Glacier National Park, I had a local recommend a more isolated trail to take to avoid the crowds. However, when I got there the parking was remote and the trail sign said not to hike alone and to watch out for bears and mountain lions. Let’s just say I couldn’t turn around fast enough to get back in my car.

Final Thoughts on Traveling Cross Country Alone

While I know a lot of people thought I was crazy for taking a four-week cross-country trip alone, I could not have loved it more. I say go with what makes you happy! I’m an organizer at heart so with a lot of thoughtful planning, it’s completely doable. And with some of the safety measures I recommended, you can take the trip with a sense of peace about it. If you need help planning your cross country trip, reach out!

The Cross Country Series:

Planning for My 7,000 Mile Cross Country Trip
The Packing Essentials: How I Prepared for My Cross Country Trip
My Cross Country Trip: Getting From SC to Montana
Glacier National Park and Montana
The Yellowstone Experience
Grand Teton National Park and Wyoming
Rocky Mountain National Park and Colorado
Hot Springs National Park and the Journey Home
Tips on Traveling Cross Country with Your Dog