Last updated on April 2nd, 2026 at 02:47 pm
Considering an Appalachian Trail thru-hike or intrigued by trail life? You’re in the right place—this post continues my thru-hike journal of our journey with weekly trail insights.
Hi! I’m Cindy. In 2022, my husband, Barrett, and I completed a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail! 🥳
I journaled daily on the trail, and now I’m releasing a new week of my AT journals every month for anyone interested in our thru-hike tale!
🔗 Want to start at the beginning with week one? 👉 click here.
🔗 Browse all the weekly trail journals 👉here.
If you plan to attempt an AT thru-hike, be ready for an incredible adventure!
Also, if you know us as flip-floppers, right around this week is when we’re starting to come to terms with the fact that we may be flip-flop thru-hikers (more on that soon). We started NOBO in Georgia in April, after months of research.
In hindsight, starting as Flip Floppers or in March would have fit us better. But that’s for a later post.
Just know, when picking a route for the Appalachian Trail, you can always change it up anytime!
👉 Click here for tips on where and when to start an Appalachian Trail Thru Hike. 👈
👉 And click here for advice on thru-hiking backpacking gear. 👈
Alrighty! Welcome back to my Appalachian Trail journal thru-hike series! Let’s dive into the details of week thirteen.
Week thirteen of our Appalachian Trail thru-hike marked a major turning point both physically and mentally. After crossing the 800-mile mark, we felt stronger and more confident, hitting a steady rhythm of miles and even completing a 22-mile slackpack day. Between Virginia’s smooth stretches, scenic views like Spy Rock. But more importantly, it sparked a shift in mindset as we began balancing mileage with actually enjoying the experience, and also started seriously considering what it would take to finish, including the possibility of a flip-flop thru-hike.
If you’re new here, you can start with week one of our Appalachian Trail thru-hike journals here or catch up on past weeks here. Otherwise, let’s jump into week thirteen on the AT!
Day 85
June 28, 2022
We are leaving our campsite around 9:10 am.
Today’s trail has been full of ascents and descents, but the actual soft dirt and pine needle consistency of the trail has been very nice.
Parts of the trail between yesterday and today feel the closest to being out west that we have encountered on the Appalachian Trail so far. Tons of pine.
The weather has also been really mild, mostly in the 70s.
On today’s hike, animal-wise, we most notably came across lizards, a really bright oriole, and a mom deer with two young fawns.
Later, it turned into a super uphill day. Around 5:30 pm, we stopped at a shelter to plan the rest of the day.
There’s a group here, including a 16-year-old thru-hiker whose dad and little brother were joining him on the trail for a week. Pretty cool.
Some of the hiker names include Double Trouble, Smiles, Smirk, Grin, Croc, and Gator.
There were tons of beautiful tent spots here amongst mountain laurel, as well as an awesome privy.
Barrett was ready to call it, so I was, too. (We try not to push each other when unnecessary, since what we’re doing is already so monumental, and the shelter area was really nice.)
Barrett made a kickass fire, and we spent the evening chatting with the other thru-hikers. Overall, a great, grounded group, and lots of enjoyable conversation.
✔️ Length: 11.8 AT trail miles
Day 86
June 29, 2022
Onward! We are heading out at 9:00 am.
We conquered Apple Orchard Mountain before noon. (Known for its FAA “soccer ball” radar dome, pictured below.) 👇
Some of the flowers we’ve been seeing everywhere over the past couple of days include Red Columbine and White Bergamot.
We’ve also encountered some rare and endangered Gray’s Lilies (pictured yesterday) and Pale Jewelweed.
We took a mini-break at a scenic viewpoint along the trail and the Blue Ridge Parkway, and ended up chatting with some bikers who also decided to take a break there for a bit.
We came across a black snake and a rattlesnake today, and a butterfly landed on Barrett.
At 5:30 pm, we stopped.
I noticed that starting around 6:40 pm, I have a lot of screenshots of mileage calculations on my phone. I suspect this is one of the early signs of us mathematically trying to figure out whether we forge ahead as NOBOers or Flip Floppers.
I journaled that I couldn’t stop yawning, but also couldn’t really sleep. My mind was definitely pondering something if I couldn’t instantly fall asleep after a day of hiking.
Also, we ended up pitching our tent by a lot of bees this evening! 😬 Whoops.
✔️ Length: 12.4 AT trail miles
Day 87
June 30, 2022
At 9:30 am, we were leaving and ran into hiking friends, so we ended up chatting before actually taking off. Then, as we were about to take off, Barrett got stung by a bee. 😬
Once we deemed Barrett okay, we took off on our day’s trek.
Here’s the view looking back at Apple Orchard Mountain (which we hiked yesterday):
If you zoom in, you can see the FAA radar dome:
Today, via word of mouth, we found out we missed a pay campground that wasn’t far off the trail. Which reminded me that the other day we also found out we’d missed out on a nearby campground with a water trampoline, which at the time absolutely crushed me.
These discoveries sparked a broader conversation about whether we were making sure to embrace the fun on the trail, too.
I think the answer is yes and no. We’ve been focused on forward progress and staying on track, but moments like these made us realize how easy it is to miss some of the more playful, memorable parts of the experience.
We’re taking things day by day. But we’re for sure overdue for a little fun in the future.
Today, we also encountered a snake in the water at a water crossing and a black-and-white striped lizard.
We made it to a hostel pick-up spot on the other side of the James River Foot Bridge at 1:20 pm (10 minutes early).
At 1:33 pm, we got off the trail for a resupply, laundry, food, and showers at the Stanimals Hostel in Glasgow, VA. 🥳🤩
I remember a lot of the conversation at this hostel circling around where hikers should be (mileage-wise) along the trail by the fourth of July, and the answer was definitely beyond this place.
Now that my feet were cooperating, all of our focus was now going into, “How do we finish this? What is possible? What is our best move?”
I see more mileage calculation screenshots on my phone around 6:19 pm.
We ended the night in this cozy bed. 👇
✔️ Length: 7.7 AT trail miles
Day 88
July 1, 2022
Today we decided to go for a big slackpack day to gobble up some miles! 21.9 trail miles in total, from mile marker 809.2 back to 787.3, which is the same spot we ended our hike yesterday.
We were dropped off at the northernmost point of the mileage at 7:15 am, with a pickup of 6:00 pm at the ending spot.
We felt confident we could get it done, but we’re also a bit worried about meeting that 6:00 pm deadline.
We were advised by the shuttle driver not to stop and talk to everyone, or we may not make it, so we had to do a lot of quick “hellos” as we passed everyone we knew going the other direction.
The trail started nicely. It was smooth and flowy. A real dream.
This was only our third time trying slackpacking (fourth, if you count the partial-day my mom helped us out in the Smokies). We’ve realized these days are a real treat! You get to remember what it was like when you just went out on a hike, albeit a long one, but just out hiking, looking around, not carrying everything you own at the moment on your back.
On our day’s hike, we passed through an area that was once home to a post-Civil War community of freed slaves. You can learn more about that area’s history here.
Also, a reservoir with some people fishing, which made me wish we were on a boat.
Before we knew it, it was noon, and we’d done just over 10 miles.
We also crossed the 800-mile mark!
This was possibly the first time I really felt like I had my “trail legs.” We were both impressed with how fast we could go up the mountain with less weight on our backs.
I kept timing us out over and over again throughout the day’s hike. We made it to the shuttle spot with about 4 minutes to spare!
Ultimately, we slackpacked 22 miles in 10.5 hours! It was a crazy blur, and we were super proud of ourselves.
I made a note saying that I believe I do my best work and have the highest confidence when no one is around to compare myself to.
We got dinner once more at the same place as the night before, Scotto’s Pizza, and spent one more night in the cozy bed. ❤️
Also, I’ve been mentioning the evening mileage screenshots for the past couple of days now.
This is because nowhere in my notes did I ever write, “This is the day we decided to flip.” But from the Facebook screenshot I took this evening, along with the mileage screenshots I’ve been seeing on my phone over the past couple of days, it’s obvious we’ve been discussing our path options the past couple of evenings.
It looks like, to the best of my knowledge, we either decided yesterday or a few days earlier to flip, because this screenshot shows that we started doing some legwork to plan the flip yesterday.
👆 This was a very important post, since securing a last-minute camping spot at Katahdin can be tricky, so coming back from our long hiking day to this message was such a relief!
✔️ Length: 21.9 AT trail miles
Day 89
July 2, 2022
Today we continue on with full packs, tummys, and hearts. 💘
This morning, I have found it incredibly difficult to leave this wonderful hostel bed and air conditioning.
My alarm went off 45 minutes ago. We must leave in a little over an hour. I still have not moved. 😬
Which meant we ended up rushing to get out the door on time for our 7:30 am shuttle to reconnect with our spot on trail.
You never quite know what you’re in for with an AT shuttle ride.
This one was complete with old war stories, a tour of the town the driver grew up in, offers to facilitate us with yellow blazing, and stories of baby deer being hit by a car recently.
He said that an encounter with a man while peeling potatoes in 1962 led to his start in shuttle driving.
Ultimately, we got to our reconnect spot at 8:45 am.
We started the day by hiking up a 2-mile hill, then sat to enjoy the pizza and subs we packed out while taking a break on some logs. Then we completed one more mile up to Bald Knob.
It was a beautiful meadow bald, with deer bounding up top.
Around 6 miles in, we considered calling it because it was starting to rain and looked nasty, but we decided we still had time to push on, so we carried on for another 6 miles.
Along the way today, I took a bite of a crab apple moments after asking Barrett if it might be poisonous… 😅 It definitely wasn’t the best decision flavor-wise, but hey—when you’re hiking all day, curiosity (and hunger) sometimes wins.
It was a day of walking up and back down again, over and over. Up to either ridgelines, balds, or meadows.
There were many pretty rolling sections of forest with lots of ferns and lookouts. Certain spots reminded us a bit of the Roan Highlands.
We stopped around 5:30, set up camp, and ate dinner with a toad by a campfire.
Overall 10/10, would recommend.
We’re in a peaceful camp spot, up on higher land, creviced between two tiny rivers.
The area was very Ferngully-feeling, especially when the fireflies came out at night.
Around 9:00 pm, it started to rain.
Oh, also, at one point this evening, I went to eat a BoBo Bar and realized someone else had already started. 98% sure it wasn’t me because they had eaten through the plastic to the bar. 😹 I must have bought it that way off the grocery store shelf because there’s no mouse to be found living in my food bag…
✔️ Length: 12 AT trail miles
Day 90
July 3, 2022
We slept in until 8:00 am, and finally got some good, long sleep last night!
We woke to hardly any signs of rainfall. Radar-wise, it was storming all around us yesterday and last evening, but somehow we barely got hit.
We left camp at 10:10 am. Onward!
Virginia has been full of deer! If there’s any day I didn’t write about deer in this state, it’s safe to assume we still saw one.
The first 4 miles of the day were very cruisy. We were definitely throwing around the known nickname “Virginia Turnpike” today. However, as has seemed par for the course in Virginia, it abruptly came to a rocky, uphill end.
We had an awesome lunch atop Spy Rock and watched a mountain rip open some clouds carrying an oncoming storm! That was pretty cool!
Spy Rock provides 360-degree views, and so far, it is one of the best on the trail in my opinion!
I can tell I loved this lunch spot because I took a TON of photos. Zoomed in, zoomed out, pano, I documented it from all the perspectives.
After Spy Rock, we came across this sign… 😬 🤮
And more flowers.
And weeded sections that are now at least over a foot taller than Barrett!
This day has been packed with beautiful views of sprawling mountain ranges.
We also believe we are starting to see Shenandoah National Park.
The day wound down with a brutal downhill off Priest Mountain, very jagged and rocky.
We stopped at 7:15 pm in a super tight, non-exciting stealth spot, complete with lots of kennel barks, and then firework sounds for a long time, but we were too deep into the mountain crevasse to see anything.
Eventually, the woods grew quiet, except for one wheezy bird.
✔️ Length: 12.6 AT trail miles
Day 91
July 4, 2022
Today we got started at 8:10 am.
At some point on trail today, we met a day hiker out with a group. She offered to give us a ride to Devils Backbone at the end of the hiking day, which we had heard was a detour worth the stop, and that the brewery came complete with food and a place to camp.
With it being the 4th of July and all, we figured we needed to go, enjoy the holiday, and have a little fun!
At the end of our day’s hike, we met back up with her and were on our way to Devils Backbone! 🍻
When we arrived, we enjoyed a game of bags, drinks, and chatting with people who were out enjoying the holiday.
Then we went to get some food (and more drinks).
Barrett ordered so much food that the waiter said, “Damn, how long was your hike?!” 😹
They also had a violin player out performing for the holiday!
I sat in an Adirondack chair so much today. It was amazing! 😻
This place reminds me of many of the best restaurants and breweries we visited across America during our RV days. 😻 I got me thinking a lot about RVing and how those were some of my happiest days! Being there in a way felt like being home to me. ❤️
At the end of the day, it felt like we had the place to ourselves.
Once things started shutting down, we walked over to our camp spot, which Barrett was kind enough to set up while I listened to the violin music earlier in the evening. The camp area was lovely and even had a pretty nice bathhouse on-site.
✔️ Length: 11.4 AT trail miles
Conclusion: Week Thirteen of our Appalachian Trail Journal
Week thirteen of our Appalachian Trail journal was a turning point and one of the most pivotal weeks of our thru-hike so far. Virginia continued to surprise us with its mix of trail texture, scenic overlooks, and wildlife encounters. We’re finally starting to feel stronger, faster, and more confident in our trail legs.
From big-mileage days to meaningful conversations about flipping our route, this week pushed us to start thinking beyond the day-to-day and instead focus on the bigger picture: finishing our thru-hike.
Onward to week fourteen!
