A 67-year-old told her eleven children she was "going for a hike", then hiked the Appalachian Trail alone in canvas sneakers, sleeping under a shower curtain with a 17-pound sack over one shoulder. Sh

Key Points:

• In 1955, at age 67 and without typical hiking gear like a tent, sleeping bag, compass, or map, Emma Gatewood became the first woman to solo-hike the entire Appalachian Trail in a single season, carrying only a 17-pound denim sack and using a plastic shower curtain for shelter.
• Gatewood's motivations were personal and private; she told her family she was "going for a walk," and biographer Ben Montgomery revealed she was escaping decades of domestic abuse, suggesting her journey was as much about leaving something behind as seeking something new.
• She wore ordinary canvas Keds sneakers, going through seven pairs over 146 days and averaging nearly 14 miles daily, relying heavily on endurance and tolerance for discomfort rather than specialized equipment.
• Gatewood survived by foraging wild plants and accepting help from strangers, reflecting a trail culture of sociability and community support that has largely faded today.
• After completing the trail in 1955, she hiked it two more times and publicly criticized its poor maintenance, spurring improvements that likely saved the Appalachian Trail from neglect and possible extinction.