conservation

Appalachian Trail

Grandma Gatewood Becomes Trailblazer for U.S. Hikers

By: Ben Montgomery | April 18, 2014

At 67, the mother of 11 and grandmother of 23 became the first woman to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail solo, a pioneer for hikers and backpackers, says Ben Montgomery in this excerpt from “Grandma Gatewood’s Walk.” Four years later, she hiked the Oregon Trail.