QUESTION: Have you ever heard of Grandma Gatewood? 

THE OG OF THE GC: She was one tough lady and an original Girl Camper.  She was the first woman to hike the Appalachian Trail….all the way….by herself…over the age of 65.  If you ever question whether you can be a Girl Camper, you need read “Grandma Gatewood’s Walk:  The Inspiring Story of the Woman Who Saved the Appalachian Trail”.   www.Amazon.com  

WHY’D SHE DO IT? Having read an article in National Geographic about the Trail, she thought it would be a “lark” to hike the 2,180-mile long trail.  So, telling no one in her family, she left her Ohio home and 11 adult children and “went for a walk”. 

NO GEAR? NO PROBLEM! She had no tent, no sleeping bag, and no professional hiking gear.  She did have a homemade knapsack and her sneakers.  She ate berries on the trail, drank from steams, and relied on the kindness of strangers to keep going.  Did I mention she was 65 the first time she hiked the trail? 

She enjoyed her hike so much, she did it two more times.  At age 71, she hiked the 2,000-mile Oregon Trail.  By the time she passed away at the age of 85, she had hiked over 10,000 miles.

MUST READ: Pick up a copy of this true tail of grit and determination because it will inspire you to get out and explore the healing power of nature. 

Lesa McDermott | Girl Camper Guide to the Black Hills

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