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I’m Hiking the Allegheny Trail
Hi, I'm Sara, or Hootie on the trail. My partner Nick, aka Snacks, and I completed a SOBO thru hike of the Appalachian Trail back in October of 2025.
Final Trail Update
Buckle in for my longest post yet. Our final week on trail, plus a look into our life after hiking.
Days 123-126: Smokies and Gatlinburg
We would have just one more day of walking through the Smokies before we’d make it to Fontana Dam. The days are slipping away fast. Our firsts are turning into lasts now.
Days 119-122: Big Bald to Bluff Mountain
Around 11 am, it started to absolutely dump buckets of rain on us. Even some hail fell from the sky. The trail immediately turned into an active stream for at least an hour. Even when the rain stops, the leftover water falls from the trees, so there’s always at least 15 minutes of extended drizzle.
Days 115-118: No More Get Out of Rain Free Cards
Pretty soon after our Emoji stop, we found some scattered sticks on the ground in the shape of 4 0 0…. Four hundred miles left. Wow.
Days 111-114: Virginia, check! Tennessee Time!
The heat does funny things to your appetite and thirst if you’re not diligent.
Day 109-110: Grayson Highlands to Damascus
We saw a lot of ponies and longhorn cattle grazing! It was also a perfectly sunny and breezy afternoon. We haven’t seen trail like this in about 1,000 miles, since we were at similar elevation up north.
Days 105-108: 3/4s of the way to Georgia!
It was a beautiful day all around. We walked atop ridges for most of the day, in rhododendron tunnels and the usual green tunnel foliage you’d see.
Days 100-104: Less than 700 Miles Remaining!
Clouds were hanging low over the town, and it looked like the ocean with mountain islands popping up out. These are moments that you wish everyone you love could be there to share with you.
Days 97-99: Two-Thirds of the Way to Springer Mountain!
Once we got to the short road walking portion of this stretch, we found a sign that claimed we were 2/3 of the way to Springer Mountain! We are so deeply in the groove of hiking, I can’t imagine life outside of this right now.
