Your cart is currently empty.
Go to the shop
  • Appalachian Trail
    • Dreams Begin & The Appalachian Trail
  • Maine AT
    • Day 0 – Slackpacking Maine
    • Day 1 – Slackpacking Maine – AT Hike #11
    • Day 2 – Slackpacking Maine – AT Hike #12
    • Day 3 – Slackpacking Maine – AT Hike #13
    • Day 4 – Slackpacking Maine – AT Hike #14
    • Day 5 – Slackpacking Maine – AT Hike #15
    • Day 6 – Slackpacking Maine – Summit Katahdin
  • Maryland AT
    • Hike #24 Purpose, Peaks, and Privy | Kicking off the State of Maryland on the AT
    • Hike #25 Best Laid Plans & Beauty of the Detour
    • Hike #26 The Blair Witch Project: Fear, Forests & the Fierce Path Forward
    • Hike #27 From Bike Tires to Hiking Boots: A Full-Circle Journey to Harpers Ferry
  • Massachusetts AT
    • Day 0 – Slackpacking Massachusetts
    • Day 1 – Slackpacking Massachusetts
    • Day 2 – Slackpacking Massachusetts
    • Day 3 – Slackpacking Massachusetts
    • Day 4 – Slackpacking Massachusetts
    • Day 5 – Slackpacking Massachusetts
    • Day 6 – Slackpacking Massachusetts
  • Pennsylvania AT
    • Hike #23 Mile by Mile: The Power of Small Goals on Big Journeys
    • Hike #22 – The Dragonfly & Lessons From the Trail
    • Hike #21 Frozen On The Trail And In Life
    • Hike #10 Adventure and Shadows: A Hike Through Duncannon’s Dark Past
    • Hike #9 From Doubt to Delight: A Newbie’s Unexpected Fondness of the AT
    • Hike #2 | 8.71 miles | Pennsylvania | Bernheisel Bridge Road to Boiling Springs
    • Hike #1 | 9.05 miles | Pennsylvania | Sheet Iron Roof Rd to Boiling Springs
  • Virginia AT
    • Day 1 – Slackpacking Virginia – AT Hike #16
    • Day 2 – Slackpacking Virginia – Time & Choices – AT Hike #17
    • Day 3 – Slackpacking Virginia – Beauty in the Struggle – AT Hike #18
    • Day 4 – Slackpacking Virginia – Why? – AT Hike #19
    • Day 5 – Slackpacking Virginia – Grandma Gatewood & Zero Day – AT Hike #20
  • About Me
Trending
    • Appalachian Trail, Hiking, Maine
    • August 7, 2024

    Day 4 – Slackpacking Maine – AT Hike #14

    Hike #4 – Pollywog Stream to Abol Bridge – 17.2 Miles – Gain 1,896 – Loss 1,985 – 3+ Water,...
    Kim and Christine in the 100 Mile Wilderness
    • Appalachian Trail, Hiking, Massachusetts
    • June 13, 2024

    Day 6 – Hike #8 Slackpacking Massachusetts

    Day 6 – Appalachian Trail – Cheshire to Mt Greylock 8 miles with 3,048 gain and 528 loss. “We’re leaving,...
Follow Me
  • 0
Social Links
  • Twitter icon
More like this
  • Baxter State Park, Abol Bridge
    • Appalachian Trail, Hiking, Maine
    • August 7, 2024

    Day 5 – Slackpacking Maine – AT Hike #15

  • 1200 Marker

    Hike #23 Mile by Mile: The Power of Small Goals on Big Journeys

    • June 25, 2025
Kim Ford, SIOR, LEED AP

Trailblazing NextTrailblazing Next
  • Twitter icon
Trailblazing NextTrailblazing Next
  • Appalachian Trail
    • Dreams Begin & The Appalachian Trail
  • Maine AT
    • Day 0 – Slackpacking Maine
    • Day 1 – Slackpacking Maine – AT Hike #11
    • Day 2 – Slackpacking Maine – AT Hike #12
    • Day 3 – Slackpacking Maine – AT Hike #13
    • Day 4 – Slackpacking Maine – AT Hike #14
    • Day 5 – Slackpacking Maine – AT Hike #15
    • Day 6 – Slackpacking Maine – Summit Katahdin
  • Maryland AT
    • Hike #24 Purpose, Peaks, and Privy | Kicking off the State of Maryland on the AT
    • Hike #25 Best Laid Plans & Beauty of the Detour
    • Hike #26 The Blair Witch Project: Fear, Forests & the Fierce Path Forward
    • Hike #27 From Bike Tires to Hiking Boots: A Full-Circle Journey to Harpers Ferry
  • Massachusetts AT
    • Day 0 – Slackpacking Massachusetts
    • Day 1 – Slackpacking Massachusetts
    • Day 2 – Slackpacking Massachusetts
    • Day 3 – Slackpacking Massachusetts
    • Day 4 – Slackpacking Massachusetts
    • Day 5 – Slackpacking Massachusetts
    • Day 6 – Slackpacking Massachusetts
  • Pennsylvania AT
    • Hike #23 Mile by Mile: The Power of Small Goals on Big Journeys
    • Hike #22 – The Dragonfly & Lessons From the Trail
    • Hike #21 Frozen On The Trail And In Life
    • Hike #10 Adventure and Shadows: A Hike Through Duncannon’s Dark Past
    • Hike #9 From Doubt to Delight: A Newbie’s Unexpected Fondness of the AT
    • Hike #2 | 8.71 miles | Pennsylvania | Bernheisel Bridge Road to Boiling Springs
    • Hike #1 | 9.05 miles | Pennsylvania | Sheet Iron Roof Rd to Boiling Springs
  • Virginia AT
    • Day 1 – Slackpacking Virginia – AT Hike #16
    • Day 2 – Slackpacking Virginia – Time & Choices – AT Hike #17
    • Day 3 – Slackpacking Virginia – Beauty in the Struggle – AT Hike #18
    • Day 4 – Slackpacking Virginia – Why? – AT Hike #19
    • Day 5 – Slackpacking Virginia – Grandma Gatewood & Zero Day – AT Hike #20
  • About Me
  • Twitter icon
Browsing Category

Hiking

Appalachian Trail Hiking Maryland West Virginia

Hike #27 From Bike Tires to Hiking Boots: A Full-Circle Journey to Harpers Ferry

Kim FordJuly 27, 2025142
Harpers Ferry, WV AT

We hiked 40+ miles across Maryland on the Appalachian Trail, ending in Harpers Ferry. But this was more than a hike. It was a journey of connection, legacy, and a full-circle moment Katie and I will never forget.

Continue reading
Appalachian Trail Hiking Virginia

Day 5 – Slackpacking Virginia – Grandma Gatewood & Zero Day – AT Hike #20

Kim FordSeptember 8, 2024523
Bridge toward Damascus on Virginia Creeper Trail

Today was another incredible day. The weather was perfect, we had lunch along a small stream and met a couple wearing yellow (my favorite color) who were heading into Damascus for a zero day.

Continue reading
Appalachian Trail Hiking Virginia

Day 4 – Slackpacking Virginia – Why? – AT Hike #19

Kim FordSeptember 5, 2024509

Today, we experienced our longest day yet on the Virginia section of the Appalachian Trail, and it was nothing short of breathtaking. The weather and views combined to create a truly magical atmosphere. The morning felt like a blend…

Continue reading
Appalachian Trail Hiking Virginia

Day 3 – Slackpacking Virginia – Beauty in the Struggle – AT Hike #18

Kim FordSeptember 4, 2024517
Cows on Appalachian Trail near Damascus, Virginia

Lumpy dropped us off at Grayson Highlands State Park, and we were quickly greeted by the Wild Ponies, beautiful weather, our all day celebration of Jennifer's birthday, and lots of laughter on the trail. As we started our climb,…

Continue reading
Appalachian Trail Hiking Virginia

Day 2 – Slackpacking Virginia – Time & Choices – AT Hike #17

Kim FordSeptember 4, 2024500
Grayson Highlands Wild Pony's on the Appalachian Trail

Today started off with Lumpy, our shuttle driver, letting us know that if we ran into any trouble in the Scales (the area we were hiking through today), he wouldn't be able to reach us. He shared that the…

Continue reading
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
MUST READ
    • Appalachian Trail, Hiking, Pennsylvania
    • December 4, 2023

    Hike #2 | 8.71 miles | Pennsylvania | Bernheisel Bridge Road to Boiling Springs

    I didn’t dare ask my husband if he would hike the Appalachian Trail with me again, at least for a couple of days. When I saw the weather forecast for the weekend, I could no longer resist. “Why honey, the weather looks really good this weekend. It’s going to be 60 degrees in the Carlisle area,” I said. Trying to not make the same mistake as the last hike. I figured out how to create a custom route on the Far Out app, in the correct direction, and found a section with a lot fewer squiggly lines. I screenshot the route and sent it to him. He showed up with a bag of supplies the next day. Boom!!! Without saying yes, he said yes! This time, we thought it would be wise to buy some cool headlamps and to start our next hike with additional daylight. My husband tested the headlamp out around the neighborhood when he walked the dog. I’m sure our neighbors think we are complete dorks now (if they didn’t already). We checked in at The Carlise House, a beautifully restored 1826 Civil War House in Carlisle, PA then walked to dinner at 1794 Whiskey Rebellion. I’ve,...
    Carl Hiking north of Boiling Springs PA
    • Appalachian Trail, Hiking, Maryland, West Virginia
    • July 27, 2025

    Hike #27 From Bike Tires to Hiking Boots: A Full-Circle Journey to Harpers Ferry

    Day 4 Maryland COMPLETE | July 27, 2025 | Hiking with Katie |10.28 miles, 899 ft ascent, 1,614 ft descent | Gathland State Park, MD to Harpers Ferry, WV There are some moments in life where you pause, take a deep breath, and realize just how far you’ve come. Not just in miles, but in meaning. This weekend, Katie and I completed the entire Maryland section of the Appalachian Trail, ending in Harpers Ferry, WV. And while it was an incredible physical accomplishment, the story behind it goes deeper. We started Day 1 at the Pennsylvania border early in the morning, excited and ready to hike. Before we even hit the trail, we found zip lines tucked in the park and of course, we had to try them. (Wouldn’t you?) 😄 It was the perfect reminder to embrace the fun, the spontaneous, and the childlike joy in every journey. That set the tone for the next 40+ miles of hiking. The final stretch into Harpers Ferry was on the C&O Canal, a flat, peaceful path that felt worlds apart from the rocky climbs of earlier days. But here’s the full-circle moment: that very trail is the same one Katie and,...
    • Appalachian Trail, Beginning, Hiking, Massachusetts
    • June 9, 2024

    Day 0 – Slackpacking Massachusetts

    Today was arrival day, the day I got to meet the 11 strangers I would be spending the next 6 days with. I met Barb and her sister Linda in the driveway and instantly knew this group wouldn’t be strangers for long. Barb, whom I call water woman, is brilliant, and loves tech. Yep, loved her instantly. It was great to meet the other ladies throughout the evening as well as our 3 guides. I was impressed to learn how experienced each of the guides were with the Appalachian Trail and that they are all Woofers (see below) and one is an EMT. I certainly hope I don’t need to be carried off the trail. The home is quintessential New England, but happened to be built by the DuVal’s (a Pittsburgh family), in the early 1900’s. Pittsburgh always seems to find its routes in every small group anywhere I go in the country. After a delicious dinner, we sat down for our daily debriefing about the next day. I’m not going to lie, I felt a bit defeated as the guides talked about these hikes being a Level 5, the most challenging, Adventures in Company offers. I immediately started questioning,...
Must Read
  • Harpers Ferry, WV AT 1

    Hike #27 From Bike Tires to Hiking Boots: A Full-Circle Journey to Harpers Ferry

    • July 27, 2025
  • 2

    Hike #26 The Blair Witch Project: Fear, Forests & the Fierce Path Forward

    • July 26, 2025
  • Kim on day 2 of the Maryland AT hike 3

    Hike #25 Best Laid Plans & Beauty of the Detour

    • July 25, 2025
Kim Ford

Trailblazing Next

People who say they never got the chance never took the chance. The scariest place to be is the same place as last year. Just do it.... take the first step.

Follow Trailblazing Next

  • Facebook
  • Twitter iconTwitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Instagram
Trailblazing NextTrailblazing Next
© 2024 Trailblazing Next. All Rights Reserved.