#41 Sometimes Being Lost Helps You Find What Matters Most
Appalachian Trail – Hawk Mountain Road to Reservoir Road
Distance: 10.2 miles
Elevation Gain: 1,455 feet
Elevation Loss: 1,452 feet
Today marked the end of another Appalachian Trail section trip, and while every hike leaves me with tired legs and a grateful heart, this one also left me feeling a little sad.
We began the morning by dropping one car at Reservoir Road, where we had finished yesterday’s hike, and then drove to Hawk Mountain Road to begin hiking south back to our waiting vehicle. It’s a route that neatly connected the miles we’d covered, but emotionally it felt like we were closing the final chapter of this adventure.
The trail was much busier than we’ve experienced all week. We suspect that’s because so many people come to visit the spectacular overlooks at Pulpit Rock and The Pinnacle. The views certainly deserve the attention, but so do the rattlesnakes.
Long before we reached Pulpit Rock, multiple hikers warned us there were five or six rattlesnakes stretched out among the massive boulders ahead. With the trail already requiring careful footing over endless large rocks, knowing venomous snakes were sharing the same path definitely raised our anxiety level. Thankfully, we kept our eyes focused on both the trail and every crevice between the rocks. We made it through safely without an unexpected encounter, and for that I was incredibly grateful.
One of the unexpected highlights of the day was running into our trail friend from West Virginia again. We had first met him on our first day and then when he was trying to retrieve a package in Port Clinton, but today we had time to really get to know him.
His trail name is White Owl, and he’s hiking northbound all the way from Georgia with a very special destination in mind, his daughter in New Jersey.
As we talked, he shared videos of his young grandson reminding him to “watch out for the gorillas in the forest.” We all laughed, knowing the only wildlife likely to surprise him would be bears or rattlesnakes, but hearing that innocent encouragement was a reminder that every hiker carries more than a backpack. They carry the love, hopes, and encouragement of the people waiting for them at home.
Sometimes the greatest treasures on the Appalachian Trail aren’t the views, they’re the people whose paths briefly cross with yours.
Ironically, on our final day, the trail humbled us in a way it hadn’t all week.
Twice we lost the trail.
We reached places where the familiar white blazes seemed to disappear. We continued walking, balancing on the large boulders, convinced we were still heading in the right direction, until something just didn’t feel right and the white blazes disappeared. Both times we had to stop, turn around, retrace our steps, and patiently search until we found the next white blaze pointing us back in the right direction.
Getting physically lost, even for a few minutes, has a way of stirring deeper thoughts.
As I stood there wondering where the trail had gone, I couldn’t help but think about my mom.
No matter how lost I ever felt in life, she always found me.
She was always there.
What an incredible gift that is.
So many people grow up without that kind of unconditional love or steady presence, and today reminded me just how fortunate I have been.
It also made me grateful for my husband. Whether I’m navigating mountain trails or life’s unexpected detours, he has always been someone who makes me feel safe. Even when I can’t immediately see the next blaze, I know I’m not walking alone.
Eventually, Katie and I found our way each time. It simply took a little more patience than usual.
Isn’t that true for life as well?
Sometimes the path isn’t obvious. Sometimes we have to stop, backtrack, and trust that we’ll recognize the next marker when we see it. Being lost doesn’t mean we’re failing. It simply means we’re paying attention long enough to find the right direction.
We were a little disappointed not to see King of Zero’s or Nebula today, two hikers we’d hoped to cross paths with one more time before ending this section. But the rain stayed away, our feet carried us safely through every mile, and we finished another beautiful stretch of the Appalachian Trail.
As I drove away, I realized what made today feel so bittersweet.
It’s not just that this hike ended.
It’s that I don’t have another Appalachian Trail adventure planned until September.
The trail has a funny way of becoming part of your rhythm. When you’re walking it, each day has a clear purpose: find the next blaze, take the next step, reach the next mile. When the hike ends, you realize you’ll miss more than the mountains. You’ll miss the simplicity, the conversations, the unexpected lessons, and the quiet moments that somehow make everything else in life feel a little clearer.
I only have 62.2 AT miles left in the state of Pennsylvania and I’ve reached 439.43 total AT miles.
The good news is the Appalachian Trail isn’t going anywhere.
Neither are the lessons it continues to teach.
Sometimes those lessons come from breathtaking overlooks.
Sometimes they come from strangers who become friends.
And sometimes they come from getting just a little bit lost, only to discover what has been guiding you all along.
