I was looking at GoogleMaps, and trying to figure out the best route between our campground near Lake Lanier up to Georgia’s high point at Brasstown Bald.
Our earlier attempt to summit this peak last November was cut short by a patch of bad weather. That’s because when it’s snowy or icy, the Forest Service closes the road to the summit.
But now it’s mid-April. The weather agreed to cooperate and we were heading to north Georgia. And that’s where GoogleMaps came into play. After plotting our route to the summit, I was scanning nearby towns to figure out where the heck we were going to have lunch. That’s when I saw Hiawasee!
Hello Hiawassee
As it turns out, the closest town to this peak is Hiawassee, Georgia. “Hey, I know that name,” I thought to myself. It’s one of the common re-suppy towns on the Appalachian Trail (AT). So then I naturally began scrolling around the screen, looking to see how far it was between the trail and our intended destination.
As it turns out, Brasstown Bald is less than 10 miles north of the AT. That’s SO close! And that’s the moment when I decided it was time to build up some good karma for my upcoming thru-hike.
That’s right – it’s time to do a little trail magic!!
What is trail magic?
If you’re new to long distance backpacking, you may not know what trail magic is yet. Essentially, it’s any unexpected act of kindness bestowed upon hikers while they’re out hiking. This could be a cooler full of cold soda next to the trail. Or a ride into town from a trailhead. Or even a chair to sit in to relax in and rest your weary feet.
Trail angels (aka – those who perform trail magic), provide this generosity to hikers purely out of the kindness of their heart. Many are former thru-hikers themselves. Others just love the trail and want to give back to the hiking community.
The AT has several notorious trail angels who provide endless hours of support to thru-hikers year in and year out. These generous souls are enthusiastic about their support, and seem to magically appear when they are needed most, offering shelter from bad weather or offering a warm/cold beverage on a hard day.
Getting out there and providing a little trail magic of my own was something important I wanted to share with my 12 year old son. Teaching your child how to become more kind and generous is a lesson every parent wants to bestow. And I can’t think of a better way to achieve this than to take him to a trailhead, and show him firsthand.
Providing trail magic
Less than 10 minutes after we stationed ourselves at Unicoi Gap, we spotted the bright orange jacket of a hiker coming down the hillside toward us. We’d staked out a spot near a giant boulder beside the trailhead with our box of Coke and some fresh fruit.
Personal Note: I know some readers are thinking “Fresh fruit?!? What kind of crazy trail magic is that? Do you give out toothbrushes on Halloween too??” But hear me out here. Thru-hikers are pretty much limited in the foods they can carry during their hikes. Fresh foods are insanely heavy. After a few days of eating candy bars, ramen noodles, and other processed foods – your body just craves a nice banana or a crisp apple. Trust me!
And so we hung out near the trailhead sign watching as the hiker approached with his full pack and trekking poles. As he neared, I called out and asked if he wanted to take a break and grab some trail magic. His eyes immediately caught mine and he repeated, “trail magic??” I nodded and pointed to the case of Coke and fruit.
He quickly dropped his pack and made a bee-line toward the soda and a banana. “This is just what I needed!” he said after gulping down half a banana in what seemed like a single bite. And then we sat there and chatted for a while about his daily mileage and who else was hiking behind him.
While he ate and enjoyed his break, we spent plenty of time geeking out – talking about the merits of DCF tents, his best piece of gear, nearby hostels and the thru-hiking life. As it turns out, our hiker was planning to go into the town of Helen for an evening off trail. So, we offered to give him a ride when we were done doing trail magic.
We only spent about an hour beside the trail, but it was one of the more meaningful hours of my week. I could see that I made a small impact on some people’s happiness and that was 100% worth it.
Final Thoughts
I’ve received trail magic many times as I’ve hiked – from section hikes in Shenandoah to my 550-mile trek on the Camino last fall. As much as I genuinely appreciated those gestures at the time, it sure felt good being on the other end of the stick this time around.
Simply helping people out is something you don’t see nearly as much now that we live more isolated lives. That’s just one of the reasons I love the hiking community… because it truly is a community.
Happy hiking!