LOS ANGELES — They read the book. They saw the movie.

Now, a few admirers of “Wild,” Cheryl Strayed’s tale of her lonely trek along the Pacific Crest Trail, can spend several bone-weary, fully immersive minutes in the deep wilderness with Reese Witherspoon, who plays Ms. Strayed in the Fox Searchlight Pictures film about the adventure. On a smartphone.

Fox Searchlight and its partners — including Samsung and Oculus — are planning to demonstrate “Wild — The Experience” at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas and the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, both in January. It is a three-minute, 360-degree, virtual reality encounter with Ms. Witherspoon in character as Ms. Strayed, as she lugs her backpack through the trees and plunks down next to the viewer.

She is skinny, scruffy and almost eerily present.

Soon, Ms. Witherspoon turns to look at the viewer. Or, more properly, through the viewer. Turn right, and it is clear she is staring at the memory of her mother, played by Laura Dern, who appears where seconds earlier there was only a rock.

They trade words. Ms. Witherspoon ambles down the trail, now behind the viewer, who can turn and watch her go.