Sarah Lesiecki

Hi there! I'm Sarah, also known as Lil Bear on the trail. I'm a 33 year old Chicago-area native. As of September 2023, I can officially say I hiked the entire Appalachian Trail! I hiked it in sections over the course of five years, beginning in 2019. I've been blogging about it on The Trek since 2020. For 2019 trail posts or posts about other things, you can find me at www.sarahs-travels.com.

Posts

A 196 Mile Appalachian Trail Section Hike in May: Damascus to Hot Springs, Part 2

A 196 Mile Appalachian Trail Section Hike in May: Damascus to Hot Springs, Part 2

Day 5 of a 196 mile southbound Appalachian Trail section hike in May 2023 from Damascus, VA to Hot Springs, NC

Aug 1, 2023 : Sarah Lesiecki
A 196 Mile Appalachian Trail Section Hike in May: Damascus to Hot Springs, Part 1

A 196 Mile Appalachian Trail Section Hike in May: Damascus to Hot Springs, Part 1

Days 1 - 4 of a southbound Appalachian Trail section hike in May 2023 from Damascus, VA to Hot Springs, NC.

Jul 26, 2023 : Sarah Lesiecki
AT Lessons: I’ve experienced that you don’t have to have the experience to experience what is most important to be experienced

AT Lessons: I’ve experienced that you don’t have to have the experience to experience what is most important to be experienced

I wanted to write about my most recent 200 mile Appalachian Trail section hike in the spring of 2023, but first I felt compelled to write about the message I brought home from the trail!

Jun 28, 2023 : Sarah Lesiecki
Siblings on the AT: 54 Miles of Shenandoah National Park in December

Siblings on the AT: 54 Miles of Shenandoah National Park in December

A southbound section hike from Lewis Mountain Campground to Waynesboro, VA. This was a very special hike for me. My brother is the one who taught me to backpack, and I finally got to bring him on the Appalachian Trail! Three nights, 54 miles of Shenandoah National Park in December 2022.

Dec 26, 2022 : Sarah Lesiecki
Tips for Flying With Your Backpack from A Flight Attendant

Tips for Flying With Your Backpack from A Flight Attendant

Stressing about traveling to your next backpacking trip? I hope that sharing some of my experiences can help!

Oct 19, 2022 : Sarah Lesiecki
54 Miles of Shenandoah National Park in July: Front Royal to Lewis Mountain Campground, Part 2

54 Miles of Shenandoah National Park in July: Front Royal to Lewis Mountain Campground, Part 2

Part 2 of my post about a 54 mile section hike on the Appalachian Trail through the Northern half of Shenandoah National Park in July, 2022.

Aug 23, 2022 : Sarah Lesiecki
54 Miles of Shenandoah National Park in July: Front Royal to Lewis Mountain Campground, Part 1

54 Miles of Shenandoah National Park in July: Front Royal to Lewis Mountain Campground, Part 1

Days 1-4 of a 54 mile section hike on the Appalachian Trail in Shenandoah National Park, July 2022.

Aug 19, 2022 : Sarah Lesiecki
54 Miles of Northern Virginia in April: Harpers Ferry to Front Royal, Part 2

54 Miles of Northern Virginia in April: Harpers Ferry to Front Royal, Part 2

Part 2 of a reflection on a 54 mile section hike from Harpers Ferry, WV to Front Royal, VA on the Appalachian Trail in April 2022.

Jul 7, 2022 : Sarah Lesiecki
54 Miles of Northern Virginia in April: Harpers Ferry to Front Royal, Part 1

54 Miles of Northern Virginia in April: Harpers Ferry to Front Royal, Part 1

Tales from a 54 mile southbound AT section hike in Northern Virginia in late April 2022, part 1.

Jun 21, 2022 : Sarah Lesiecki
Franconia Ridge, July 21, 2021: The First Time I Genuinely Felt Fear While Hiking on the Appalachian Trail

Franconia Ridge, July 21, 2021: The First Time I Genuinely Felt Fear While Hiking on the Appalachian Trail

The memory of the day I went over Franconia Ridge in New Hampshire and had a humbling experience with some bad weather in July 2021.

May 18, 2022 : Sarah Lesiecki