Audrey Payne

After bouncing back from a debilitating spinal injury, Audrey Payne quit her dream job working for World Wildlife Fund in Washington, D.C. to hike the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine. She loved (almost) every second of it. From there, she moved to beautiful Boulder, Colorado, where she works in public relations for a scientific research organization and spends her free time hiking, backpacking, skiing, paddleboarding, and learning to play the guitar. She has gone on to hike the Colorado Trail, Foothills Trail, Wonderland Trail, John Muir Trail, Trans-Catalina Trail, and more, and she hopes to thru-hike another long trail in the not-too-distant future. Check out her AT memoir, “Where the Rhododendrons Bloom,” on Amazon and Kindle.

Posts

Excerpt From Where the Rhododendrons Bloom: New AT Memoir by Audrey Payne

Excerpt From Where the Rhododendrons Bloom: New AT Memoir by Audrey Payne

There was a time, not so very long ago, when doing the most mundane activities sent my body into spasms of pain. Sitting at my desk for more than 15

Feb 8, 2024 : Audrey Payne
Into the Collegiate West we go (on the Colorado Trail)

Into the Collegiate West we go (on the Colorado Trail)

If you’re hiking southbound on the Colorado Trail, as most people do, just past Twin Lakes Village, you reach the revered Collegiate Peaks

Aug 22, 2022 : Audrey Payne
Six tips for hiking the first quarter of the Colorado Trail

Six tips for hiking the first quarter of the Colorado Trail

One aspect of trail life that I love so much is that the learning curve is so steep. You hop on a trail and a week later you’ve already learned so

Aug 20, 2022 : Audrey Payne
A swimming bear, shooting stars, and a 10 by 10: Colorado Trail thru-hike days one through three

A swimming bear, shooting stars, and a 10 by 10: Colorado Trail thru-hike days one through three

The beginning of my Colorado Trail thru-hike didn’t exactly go off without a hitch. As I mentioned in my preparation posts, my friends Ibex and Dori,

Aug 10, 2022 : Audrey Payne
Six ways I’m preparing for my Colorado Trail thru-hike

Six ways I’m preparing for my Colorado Trail thru-hike

I ditched Washington, DC, for the Appalachian Trail (AT) and then Colorado over four years ago, but the Type A habits I picked up there live on.

Jul 27, 2022 : Audrey Payne
Six Reasons I’m Thru-Hiking the Colorado Trail This Summer

Six Reasons I’m Thru-Hiking the Colorado Trail This Summer

After dreaming about and planning for my upcoming Colorado Trail thru-hike for the last six months, the countdown is on. I’m a mere two weeks away

Jul 20, 2022 : Audrey Payne
Appalachian Trail Memories Surface as Colorado Trail Thru-Hike Draws Near

Appalachian Trail Memories Surface as Colorado Trail Thru-Hike Draws Near

As my Colorado Trail (CT) thru-hike start date approaches, I find myself looking in the rearview mirror at how profoundly my 2018 Appalachian Trail

Jul 17, 2022 : Audrey Payne
How to Spend Three Days Hiking and Camping Around Moab, Utah

How to Spend Three Days Hiking and Camping Around Moab, Utah

Now that I've moved out to Colorado, Western wilderness adventures are that much more accessible. To keep myself sane while working a desk job and

Apr 22, 2019 : Audrey Payne
Why You Shouldn’t Fear the Virginia Blues

Why You Shouldn’t Fear the Virginia Blues

2019 thru-hiker hopefuls, strap in. You’re headed for a wild, beautiful, life-altering, incredibly meaningful, and downright magical ride. I remember

Feb 1, 2019 : Audrey Payne
How to Hike West Virginia’s Cranberry Wilderness

How to Hike West Virginia’s Cranberry Wilderness

I’ve been going through trail withdrawal hard since finishing my AT thru-hike in September. With winter quickly approaching and hiking season winding

Nov 21, 2018 : Audrey Payne