My First Appalachian Trail Day Hike

Having never hiked any portion of the famous Appalachian Trail I have to admit I did not know what to expect! As much as I love being outdoors, the trail was nothing like I expected and the colorful mountain views were phenomenal.

My hiking companion and I were set and ready to explore this beautiful scenery. We both enjoyed hiking and thought it would be a neat activity that would offer some spectacular views of the color change. Nearby our camping location of Bryson City we ventured over to the quaint mountain community of Wesser, North Carolina. At this point the Appalachian Trail crosses over the Nantahala River and this was our starting point.

The trail led straight up hill to start and during the first several hundred feet of it seemed to be slowly growing narrower and narrower. Finally after we reached a ridgeline we crossed over a waterfall which was gorgeous but questioned my balance. Onward my feet carried me over the crisp autumn leaves, winding around ridges and through valleys. Each time I looked out the views became more and more amazing. This place was absolutely breaktaking. After a few snack breaks along the way, we continued on. My feet and legs were growing tired and the sun was making its way across the sky.

Just a short distance before reaching Wesser Bald it was determined that we should head back due to our running low on resources and nightfall was coming in just a few short hours. Overall we hiked probably eight miles over the course of the day. It was the longest distance I have ever hiked at one time. I must say that hiking into the wilderness offers some definite testing of your willpower and endurance. You learn to push yourself one step further in exchange for some spectacular sights and the final feeling of accomplishment.

Thanks for reading and as always, keep on truckin’!

-Violet Sky