Maryland

Hike #25 Best Laid Plans & Beauty of the Detour

Kim Ford9 hours ago11

We set out to beat the heat with an early start on the Appalachian Trail, only to be rerouted by a locked gate. What was meant to be our longest hike turned into a day of unexpected connections, rocky…

Appalachian Trail Maryland

Hike #24 Purpose, Peaks, and Privy | Kicking off the State of Maryland on the AT

Kim Ford1 day ago28

Kim Ford at High Rock in Maryland on the Appalachian Trail

Our journey on the Appalachian Trail in Maryland began at the Mason-Dixon Line with views, laughs, and even a doorless privy with a view. Day One brought 11.04 meaningful miles, a little trail heartbreak, and Katie’s first-ever hike on…

- 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,...
- Appalachian Trail, Maryland
- July 25, 2025
Hike #25 Best Laid Plans & Beauty of the Detour

Day 2 | July 25, 2025 | Hiking with Katie | 9.19 miles, 1,175 ft ascent, 1,339 ft descent | Wolfsville Road to Route 40 Sometimes, the trail teaches you lessons you didn’t expect, and today was one of those days. We were up early, determined to beat the intense Maryland July heat with a 7 AM start. The forecast was brutal: real-feel temps reaching 110°, and tomorrow’s hike holds the longest stretch in Maryland without a bailout point. So today, we really wanted to knock out the longer day. Our plan? Park one car at Washington Monument State Park, shuttle (thanks to the amazing Carl) to Wolfsville Road, and then hike southbound. But when we arrived at the park, ready to drop our car… the gate was locked. A sign greeted us: “Park opens at 8:00 AM.” Cue the sigh. We circled around, searching for a safe parking option… nothing. Finally, we made the call to head to the next access point: Route 40. It meant a shorter day than planned (9.19 miles instead of 12+), and a shift in our carefully mapped timeline. Frustrating? Definitely. At first, it felt like another plan foiled by forces outside our control.,...
- 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,...

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Hike #25 Best Laid Plans & Beauty of the Detour

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Day 3 – Hike #5 Slackpacking Massachusetts

Hike #25 Best Laid Plans & Beauty of the Detour

Hike #24 Purpose, Peaks, and Privy | Kicking off the State of Maryland on the AT

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

Hike #25 Best Laid Plans & Beauty of the Detour

Day 0 – Slackpacking Massachusetts

Hike #25 Best Laid Plans & Beauty of the Detour

Hike #24 Purpose, Peaks, and Privy | Kicking off the State of Maryland on the AT

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