My most memorable hiking trip took place when my son was around 9 months old. My family and I took a vacation trip down to Gatlinburg, TN, for a week, and on June 1st, 2023, our lives were forever changed.
This was our first family vacation. Mom and I were excited to find an aggressive trail to hike, as the three days prior were dedicated to being tourists and not nature/hiking enthusiasts. Sure, we tackled Clingmans Dome the day before, but that only drove our desire for something more.
We began our hike at the Appalachian Trailhead off of Newfound Gap Rd. – located approximately at the state line of Tennessee and North Carolina. Mom was carrying our son in one of those baby harnesses that can be used on your front or your back. I was carrying a large hiking/camping backpack I found on Amazon.com, along with a variety of baby food, water, snacks, and other survival gear. This was serious business. I even bought a new pair of hiking boots for this trip.
This trail let us know early on that it was not playing around. I swear that the first hour of hiking was entirely uphill. We had to climb rocks, boulders, and fallen trees.
Twenty minutes into our walk, and I finally had a valid reason to use my nice camera! This is certainly not the best mountain picture I have taken, but this view motivated us to press forward in hopes of better views.
By this point (twenty minutes since the last nice view), we needed to stop and motivate ourselves to keep going. I managed to snap the most adorable picture of my son!
Two hours later, we reached a huge cliff with narrow trails hugging the mountain, and that’s when I grabbed this awesome picture.
Little did we know, ten minutes later, we walked into one of the best pictures I have ever taken. This is the spot where we decided to take a longer break and then head back to the trailhead.
After we returned to our cabin, settled, and showered, I opened my FitBit app and captured this screenshot. This trail is not for the faint of heart! It took us four hours to make the round trip. Using Google Maps, I estimated the distance to be around 10 miles. Til this day, I am proud of what my family and I accomplished on this hike.
About The Appalachian Trail
- The longest hiking-only footpath in the world
- Spans from Georgia to Maine – 14 states!
- 2,197.9 miles long
- Has 3 million+ visitors each year
- More than 3,000 people attempt to “thru-hike” the entire trail in a single year
- It takes roughly 5 million steps to hike the entire trail
More info can be found here.
My Thoughts
The Appalachian Trail has been the most aggressive trail I have ever hiked. Sadly, we have not returned to this trail again since our 2023 vacation, but my girlfriend and I have discussed conquering more of it in the future. I highly recommend this trail to anyone looking for an intense hiking challenge. The breathtaking mountain views make the work worthwhile.
Items Purchased for the Hike
I won’t get into specific snacks and baby food we brought along, but one thing to keep in mind is that when hiking in the mountains, there is a chance of encountering wildlife. It’s in your best interest to avoid carrying food that would attract black bears, for example. Please click here for some great advice on a checklist of items to bring.
- Merrell Men’s Moab 2 8″ Defense Zip Composite Toe Boot (Buy on Amazon.com)
- Merrell Womens Speed Eco (Buy on Amazon.com)
- Fitbit Charge 5 (Buy on Amazon.com)
- Hagon PRO Disposable Rain Ponchos for Adults (5 Pack) (Buy on Amazon.com)
- 100L Hiking Backpacks Men Women Tactical Gear Back Pack Molle Bag Rucksack (Buy on Amazon.com)
- Banana Boat Sport Ultra SPF 50 Sunscreen Spray | Water Resistant, Oxybenzone Free, Sunblock, 6oz each Twin Pack (Buy on Amazon.com)
More Pictures
Interested in more pictures from our adventure? I have you covered!
