“Storyteller” is heading back on trail to create the second edition of Field Notes, a series of storytelling expeditions. This summer, "Storyteller" will hike approximately 500 miles on the Colorado Trail while developing her upcoming project, Field Notes: Across Natural Skyscrapers.

Field Notes: Across Natural Skyscrapers is a collection of stories from a 500-mile trek along the Colorado Trail. This project will document the trail as it is experienced: through a series of encounters and human connections in natural landscapes. To capture the vastness of the Colorado Trail, Field Notes: Across Natural Skyscrapers will culminate in a multimedia mosaic of trail stories. 

Sometimes called “mile for mile the most beautiful trail in America,” the beauty of the Colorado Trail is not only found in the scenic views and wildlife, but in the human connections, rich history, passionate volunteers, and one-of-a-kind trail experience. Learn more about the trail's conservation and history at the Colorado Trail Foundation website.

Stay tuned for the full project coming soon. Follow along @storytellerfieldnotes on Instagram and Facebook, and visit the project webpage and hiking blog for updates.

Thank you to the Colorado Trail Foundation, the Tisch Drama Community Engaged Summer Grant, and the NYU Changemaker Fellowship for making this storytelling expedition possible. Happy trails!

A 20-year-old embarks on a 272-mile journey of the oldest long-distance hiking trail in America in this documentary radio play about adventure, community, nature, and discovery.

In June 2025, Tess “Storyteller” Rowan thru-hiked Vermont’s Long Trail. Along the way, she interviewed fellow hikers and community members, and recorded the rhythms of trail life. Footsteps in the mud, laughter of hikers at a shelter, conversations with a backcountry caretaker, and birdsongs over beaver ponds. Through immersive soundscapes, personal narration, and trail interviews, Field Notes: A Long Trail Odyssey captures the magic of Vermont’s Green Mountains in audio form. 

In this 45-minute audio experience, audiences are encouraged to go on a walk and press play.

Connect:

Visit the project website and follow @storytellerfieldnotes on Instagram to connect or learn more.

Bio: 

Tess Rowan thru-hiked the Long Trail while creating Field Notes: A Long Trail Odyssey and was given the trail name “Storyteller” along the way. Tess first encountered long-distance trails at age 14 while writing her original Morse code musical, Static. After completing her first thru-hike on the Long Trail, Tess hopes to continue telling stories of trails and beyond. @tessrowan www.tessrowan.com 

Credits:
Field Notes: A Long Trail Odyssey was created and produced by Tess “Storyteller” Rowan. This project would not be possible without the support of the NYU Community Engaged Summer Theater Grant and the Green Mountain Club. Thank you to the hikers, volunteers, caretakers, community members, and trail angels on the Long Trail, and a special thanks to those who were willing to share their stories.

Listen to the sounds and stories of the Long Trail this Earth Day, April 22nd. A 20-year-old embarks on a 272-mile journey of the oldest long-distance hiking trail in America in this documentary radio play about adventure, community, nature, and discovery.

In June 2025, Tess “Storyteller” Rowan thru-hiked the Long Trail. Along the way, she interviewed fellow hikers and community members, and recorded the rhythms of trail life. Through immersive soundscapes, personal narration, and trail interviews, Field Notes: A Long Trail Odyssey captures the magic of the Green Mountains in audio form.