Jen and Jess went on a Spring section hike on the Appalachian Trail in Shenandoah National Park with their friend Ziplock. 

In this episode we cover each day in the park. We discuss hiking amongst the wildflowers, camping at the huts/shelters/campgrounds and resupply advice. We cover shuttles, meeting thru hikers on trail and some of their favorite views and moments together. 

The waysides are a big part of the AT experience in Shenandoah. Jess highly recommends the Shenandoah turkey gobbler sandwich at the Big Meadows wayside and I can't help but recommend getting one of the famous blackberry shakes. If you find yourself hiking in Shenandoah National Park, give me a shout and I'll treat you to one. 

Follow Jen:

@Jennythetrailhead &  @trashcantableclub (Disney/Universal)

Follow Jess:

@pagecats

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Connect with Hike:
Instagram: @thehikepodcast @shenandoahexplorer
Facebook: @thehikepodcast
Email: [email protected]

Tomcat shares three shorter thru-hikes that you can do in about 2 or 3 weeks. We chat about the Ouachita, Benton MacKaye and Allegheny Trails. 

He goes over trail logistics, camp sites and set up, gear, resupply options, water carries, trail angels and trail magic and favorite parts of each thru-hike. 

Listeners can find out more about these trails and more by visiting Tomcat's blog and Facebook page

You can also check out our episode on The Colorado Trail here and our interview about completing the Northeast 115 here.

Trail Info/Trail Associations:

Ouachita Trail 

Benton MacKaye Trail

Allegheny Trail

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Connect with Hike:
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Pippa chats with Hike about her first big backpacking trip on the John Muir Trail and how that experience started her on the path that led her to hike in the North Carolina mountains. Pippa is also a singer-songwriter who gets a lot of inspiration from hiking in the outdoors. 

We specifically touch on the Roan Highlands and the AT from Carver Gap to Route 19e, Black Mountain Crest Trail / Mt. Mitchell and her upcoming Art Loeb thru-hike. It's important to note that the Black Mountain Crest Trail has some closures due to being impacted by Hurricane Helene last year. Make sure to check out the most recent information by visiting the state park and forest service info and you can also learn more about North Carolina peaks via the High Peaks Trail Association: https://nchighpeaks.org/

You can find out more about her upcoming shows and follow her hikes by checking out the links below:

Connect with Pippa:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pippahoover

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pippahoovermusic/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1Z7Qs2TAekHLIZ3D02XT35?si=8aa8xZScRqyOtObiZqHZBQ

Pippa’s band's Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1opTfiIaSKLhG2v6BM5kUq?si=w0kyyqD7QTKvirN0BNhCiQ

Her band's 10-year anniversary show: https://catscradle.com/event/honey-magpie-2/cats-cradle-back-room/carrboro-north-carolina/

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Connect with Hike:
Instagram: @thehikepodcast @shenandoahexplorer
Facebook: @thehikepodcast
Email: [email protected]

Explore Virginia is a new podcast coming Summer 2025 brought to you by the creator of Hike. 

Virginia has 43 state parks with more than 700 miles of trails, 24 wilderness areas, 22 national park sites and over 100,000 miles of streams and rivers. Whether you hike, bike, camp, paddle or are looking for a day trip itinerary, this podcast will highlight the best of what Virginia has to offer the outdoor adventure seeker. 

Subscribe here

Follow on Instagram or Facebook

Music clip credit:
"Whiskey on the Mississippi" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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Connect with Hike:
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Facebook: @thehikepodcast
Email: [email protected]

Emma of the Hudson Bay Girls chats with Lori about their Boundary Waters expedition. 

Abby, Olivia, Emma, and Helena will be paddling the Boundary Waters from Grand Portage on Lake Superior to York Factory on Hudson Bay over the summer. They hope to call attention to women and girls in paddling and also the protection of the Boundary Waters. 

In this episode Emma describes how the trip came about, the planning that went into it, and how friends, family and the outdoor community are supporting their journey. 

Go follow their journey:

Hudson Bay Girls website

Find out how to Save the Boundary Waters 

Support the show

Connect with Hike:
Instagram: @thehikepodcast @shenandoahexplorer
Facebook: @thehikepodcast
Email: [email protected]

Chris Powers hiked from the Northern Terminus to the Natural Bridge area as part of attempting a longer thru hike of the Sheltowee Trace Trail. We talk about what led to him deciding to leave the trail and lessons he learned along the way. 

We get into planning and logistics (gear, camping, food and water), the hard reality of road walking and its impact on his hike, and the joy found in photography along the trail. We also discuss some of the ways being a climber can help with both planning and executing a hike. 

Connect with Chris:

Instagram

Photography

Find Hike at the Virginia Black Bear Festival on June 7th; come say hi and pick up free stickers and I'll have a few new and exclusive Hike items for purchase. 

Support the show

Connect with Hike:
Instagram: @thehikepodcast @shenandoahexplorer
Facebook: @thehikepodcast
Email: [email protected]

Philip Werner comes on the show to discuss his new book, "Hiking over 60: A modern guide to Hiking Gear and Techniques for Active Adults". 

Philip's website SectionHiker.com has been sharing gear and trail advice for almost two decades. It's a great resource whether you are new to hiking or at the intermediate or expert level. 

This episode is a great introduction for those new to hiking and we talk about how this new book is meant for both those new to hiking and those who are reintroducing themselves to the hiking world after some time away. 

We cover topics 

- Finding Local Trail Systems 

- Essential Gear and Being Safe

- Hiking over 60 considerations

- Leave No Trace

- Some of Philip's hikes in the White Mountains and beyond

Buy the book (Amazon)

Hike Giveaway Alert

Enter the Hike Celebrates 250k Giveaway here (open through 5/9/25)

5 Random winners will be chosen to receive either a Sticker, Yeti Tumbler, Button or Hat

Stay tuned for how you can purchase your own Hike merchandise or send me an email/DM to inquire

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Connect with Hike:
Instagram: @thehikepodcast @shenandoahexplorer
Facebook: @thehikepodcast
Email: [email protected]

Lori gives an update on her Shenandoah 500 progress after officially making it halfway through the challenge. 

She chats about:

Winter hiking and favorite trails for the winter season, getting acclimated to elevation after life as a flatlander, navigating water crossings and blowdowns, memorable moments on trail 

Some of the trail links:

https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/blackrock-summit.htm

https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/hawksbill-summit.htm

https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/hawksbill-summit.htm

https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/dark-hollow-falls.htm

https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/lower-whiteoak-falls.htm

https://www.hikingupward.com/SNP/BrownMountain/images/Map.pdf

https://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/upload/SHEN_BCTrip-Big_Run_Loop_and_Big_Run_Portal_B008-508.pdf

PATC Store: https://potomactrailclub.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/potomactrailclub/giftstore.jsp

Music Credit: https://thornandshout.bandcamp.com/album/thorn-shout

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Connect with Hike:
Instagram: @thehikepodcast @shenandoahexplorer
Facebook: @thehikepodcast
Email: [email protected]

Vegas comes on to chat about his 2023 thru hike of the Appalachian Trail and how those experiences shaped his current life as guide and started his quest for completing the triple crown in long distance hiking. We talk about trail magic, tramily life, gear, and a lot of lessons learned. 

We touch on other long distance hikes and thru hikes - including his Sheltowee Trace completion and international hike of the West Highland Way in Scotland. 

Vegas also shares his prep for tackling the PCT this year and what he's looking forward to as part of his trek. 

Go give Vegas a follow:

Instagram

YouTube

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Connect with Hike:
Instagram: @thehikepodcast @shenandoahexplorer
Facebook: @thehikepodcast
Email: [email protected]

Jessica Cocciolone is the Executive Director of the Shenandoah National Park Trust. She has helped nonprofits raise millions of dollars and establish sustainable organizations. 

Jessica comes on Hike to share some of the projects that the Shenandoah National Park Trust help fund for Shenandoah National Park. SNP Trust projects are wide reaching and touch on every aspect of the park operations and visitor experience. Whether it's supporting the  clearing of overlooks or a scientist in residence who is performing archaeological digs, they are behind many of the programs that make an everyday difference. 

Find out more:

www.snptrust.org

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SNPTrust

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/snptrust/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/snptrust

Support the show

Connect with Hike:
Instagram: @thehikepodcast @shenandoahexplorer
Facebook: @thehikepodcast
Email: [email protected]