Grandma Gatewood was Emma Gatewood, a 67-year-old Ohio grandmother who became the first woman to solo thru-hike the Appalachian Trail in 1955. She walked the then-2,168-mile [3,489 km] route northbound, mostly in Keds sneakers, carrying a homemade sack instead of modern backpacking gear.
Who was Grandma Gatewood?
Grandma Gatewood was Emma Rowena Gatewood, a farmer, mother, grandmother, and long-distance hiking pioneer from Gallia County, Ohio.
She was born in 1887 and raised in hard country, doing farm work long before anyone used phrases like “ultralight backpacking.” By the time she stepped onto the Appalachian Trail, she had raised 11 children, survived a long abusive marriage, and built the kind of endurance that does not show up on a gear spreadsheet.
Her story is not a soft-focus legend. It is grit, pain, stubbornness, and a sharp eye for the practical. The Ohio History Connection records her as a Gallipolis, Ohio, hiker who completed the Appalachian Trail in 1955 at age 67, then kept walking for the rest of her life.
Was Grandma Gatewood the first woman to hike the Appalachian Trail?
No, but she was the first woman recorded as a solo female thru-hiker of the Appalachian Trail.
That distinction matters. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy lists Mildred Norman, later known as Peace Pilgrim, as the earliest female thru-hiker on record after a 1952 flip-flop hike. Gatewood’s 1955 hike was different: she hiked alone, northbound, in one season, from Georgia to Maine.
So the clean version is this: Grandma Gatewood was not the first woman to complete the AT, but she was the first woman to solo thru-hike it. She also became the first person to complete the Appalachian Trail three times after finishing a second thru-hike in 1957 and a section-hike completion in 1964.
| Hiker | Year | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Mildred Norman / Peace Pilgrim | 1952 | Earliest female AT thru-hiker on record, using a flip-flop route |
| Grandma Gatewood | 1955 | First recorded woman to solo thru-hike the AT in one season |
| Grandma Gatewood | 1964 | First person recorded to complete the AT three times |
How old was Grandma Gatewood when she hiked the Appalachian Trail?
She was 67 when she completed her first Appalachian Trail thru-hike.
That number still lands hard. Sixty-seven is an age when many people are told to slow down. Gatewood went the other way. She started in Georgia in 1955 and finished on Katahdin in Maine on September 25, 1955, after 146 days of hiking, according to the Appalachian Mountain Club.
Do the math and you get a daily average near 14 miles [23 km]. Not on today’s tread, with today’s hostels, phone apps, shuttle lists, satellite messengers, and resupply forums. She walked a rougher, less-maintained AT where blazes could be thin, shelters sparse, and information patchy.
What gear did Grandma Gatewood carry?
She carried very little, and much of it would make modern backpackers wince.
Gatewood famously wore Keds tennis shoes and carried a homemade denim shoulder bag. Her kit included simple items: a blanket, raincoat, shower curtain for shelter, cup, canteen, small pot, spoon, knife, first-aid basics, pins, flashlight, rope, and extra clothing. She did not carry a tent, sleeping bag, compass, or modern map set.
That does not mean you should copy her kit. Please don’t. Gatewood’s hike is a lesson in toughness and resourcefulness, not a recommended packing list. She relied on road crossings, towns, strangers, porches, picnic tables, and luck more than any modern hiker should.
| Gatewood’s 1955 choice | Modern safer choice | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Keds sneakers | Trail runners or hiking shoes | Better grip, drainage, and foot protection |
| Blanket and shower curtain | Quilt or sleeping bag plus shelter | Warmer sleep and safer storm protection |
| No compass or full map set | Paper map, compass, and offline navigation | Backup when signs, batteries, or phones fail |
| Homemade shoulder sack | Fitted backpack | Less strain across long days |
How did Grandma Gatewood change thru-hiking?
She made the Appalachian Trail feel possible to people who had been left out of the story.
Before Gatewood, the public image of thru-hiking leaned heavily male, young, and expedition-minded. Then came a 67-year-old grandmother in sneakers, smiling in newspapers and moving north under her own power. That image cracked something open.
The Appalachian Trail Museum calls her a pioneer long-distance hiker and one of the first elderly women hikers to become widely known. She became the AT’s first big media personality: reporters followed her, townspeople hosted her, and readers saw a woman doing something that had been framed as a man’s adventure.
Her impact kept spreading after the AT. Ohio History Connection credits her with hiking the Oregon Trail, helping found the Buckeye Trail, and walking more than 10,000 miles [16,093 km] after age 67. The Buckeye Trail Association also honors her as a founding member tied to the trail’s earliest miles.
What can hikers learn from Grandma Gatewood today?
You can admire her toughness without romanticizing her risks.
Gatewood’s hike still has teeth because it strips backpacking down to the raw question: are you willing to keep moving? But the smart takeaway is not “gear is useless.” The smart takeaway is that skill, judgment, attitude, and adaptability matter as much as what you buy.
Use her story this way:
- Start before everything feels perfect. Gatewood did not wait for a flawless kit, a perfect plan, or universal approval.
- Train with ordinary miles. Her farm life and walking habit built real endurance. You can build yours with consistent day hikes and loaded walks.
- Pack light, not reckless. Cut dead weight, but keep insulation, rain protection, navigation, water treatment, and first-aid basics.
- Stay flexible. Weather, trail conditions, hunger, foot pain, and wrong turns will test your plan. Adjust fast.
- Do not let other people set your ceiling. Gatewood heard “go home” energy and walked to Maine anyway.
What should you carry if Grandma Gatewood inspires your first long hike?
Carry the spirit, not the shower curtain.
If you are planning a long section hike or thru-hike, build a kit around safety first, then comfort, then weight. The goal is not to haul your house through the mountains. The goal is to have enough to handle cold rain, bad footing, missed miles, and a night that does not go to plan.
- Broken-in trail shoes or boots
- Backpack that fits your torso and hips
- Rain jacket and pack protection
- Sleeping bag or quilt rated for expected temperatures
- Tent, tarp, hammock system, or shelter plan
- Water filter or chemical treatment
- Paper map or guide pages plus offline navigation
- Headlamp with spare power
- First-aid kit and blister care
- Food you can eat when tired
That list is not flashy. Good. Flashy does not get you over wet roots in the dark. Simple, tested, familiar gear does.
Related reading
- A Walk in the Woods: Bill Bryson's AT Story vs Reality
- Kids' Hiking Boots: How to Size and When to Buy
- Mountain Porters: The People Who Carry Expeditions
- Teaching Leave No Trace to Kids
FAQ
What was Grandma Gatewood’s real name?
Her real name was Emma Rowena Gatewood. “Grandma Gatewood” became her trail identity because she was a grandmother when she made her famous Appalachian Trail hike.
When did Grandma Gatewood hike the Appalachian Trail?
She completed her first Appalachian Trail thru-hike in 1955. She finished on Katahdin on September 25, 1955, after 146 days on trail.
Did Grandma Gatewood really hike in Keds?
Yes. She was famous for hiking in Keds tennis shoes, and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy notes that she wore them while carrying only a small knapsack.
How many times did Grandma Gatewood complete the AT?
She completed the Appalachian Trail three times. Her first was in 1955, her second thru-hike was in 1957, and her third completion came as a section hike in 1964.
Why is Grandma Gatewood still famous?
She proved that a woman, a grandmother, and an older hiker could take on the full Appalachian Trail alone. Her story still hits because it blends endurance, independence, and a refusal to accept the limits other people tried to hand her.