Healing: A ‘Walk in the Woods’ that made History

At the age of 67, Emma Rowena Gatewood informed her adult children that she was going for a walk in the woods. Little did they know that her “walk” would make history. Gatewood became the first woman to hike the entire 3,489 kilometre Appalachian Trail solo in one season, starting at Mount Oglethorpe in Georgia and ending at Mount Katahdin in Maine.

Gatewood, often called “Grandma Gatewood,” was the wife of an Ohio farmer and mother of 11 children, who in turn gave her 24 grandchildren. Her extraordinary journey was not only a testament to her physical endurance but also to her indomitable spirit. She survived a marriage marked by severe domestic violence, escaping her abusive husband after many years. Her hike on the Appalachian Trail was a form of liberation and healing.

Gatewood’s first hike in 1955 was done with minimal equipment: She wore Keds sneakers, carried a homemade jeans bag, and relied on his knowledge of the food on the forest and the kindness of strangers along the trail. She completed the trail again in 1960 and did so again in 1963, becoming an enduring symbol of perseverance and adventure.

Her trip brought significant attention to the Appalachian Trail and inspired future generations of hikers. Emma Gatewood’s legacy lives on, not only in the hiking community but also as a powerful story of resilience and the enduring human spirit.

In the end, Grandma Gatewood walked for 146 days, through 14 states and went through seven pairs of shoes. During her travels, she gained and lost altitude on the trail equivalent to climbing Mt. Everest 16 times (141,584 meters) – all at age 67.