Cookie ladies, rubber boats and 400 miles: days 11-20 on the Appalachian Trail

Part two of The Ambassador's AT thru-hike series. A Swedish traveller walking all 2,200 miles from Georgia to Maine, in 100 days. Read from the beginning here.

Day 11: a marathon in the Smokies

Day 11 started with a cup of coffee from a stranger in the shelter. Just like that. Good morning.

I rolled out into a foggy, empty forest. A little bit lonely, but there was some beauty about it. Green logs, fallen trees from the hurricane last year, the trail weaving through all of it. And then I got to a parking area which was pretty overwhelming. So many people coming to walk a section of the Smoky Mountains. I understand now why. The views up here are incredible.

I hiked a bit with Ryan, another thru-hiker, and just kept moving. By the end of the day I had done 26 miles. That is 42 kilometres. That is a marathon. Not bad for a Tuesday.

Day 12: still in the Smokies, hurricane aftermath

My fourth day in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It rained heavily last night, so the trail today was muddy and full of water. I still had my cough going, which was very annoying, but mile-wise I was doing well.

The hurricane that came through here last year left a real mark. In some sections the debris looked like an avalanche had come through. Trees down everywhere, whole hillsides stripped. The trail crew has done a remarkable job clearing it, but you can still see what happened.

Another bear. Too fast for the camera. Again.

Day 13: solo tent, sun and a mystery animal

I pitched my tent alone in the forest the night before and woke up to this sound: the Therm-a-Rest deflating. Thank you for dry shoes this morning. Really nice.

The trail felt light under my feet. Sun was out, rolling hills, very pleasant. I spotted some kind of cat animal on the trail. Looked like a cub. Gone before I could get the camera out. Three out of five for speed, zero out of five for photography.

Got to a hilltop with amazing views. Wind was blowing so hard it was difficult to enjoy them properly. I tried to capture it on camera and kept going. The shelter that evening was packed. I found a corner inside and called it a night.

Day 14: Hot Springs and the $30 Dollar General haul

Day 14 meant rolling into Hot Springs, North Carolina. First proper trail town since Franklin.

Breakfast first: French toast, egg, bacon and coffee. Yeah. Then it was time for resupply at Dollar General. Mayonnaise, oatmeal, Cheetos, gummies, cheese, ham, tomatoes, pink lemonade powder, tortillas. Total: $30. Thank you, Hot Springs. God bless Dollar General.

(There was also a snake incident in the shop. Handled.)

I found a quiet lake later in the afternoon and went in. It didn't look very clean. I went for it anyway. Then a bear showed up near the shelter that evening, sniffing around for something to eat. I was alone in that shelter, with the review saying “a lot of mice and rats.” The review was correct. I made a fire, watched the bear, and went to sleep.

Hot Springs is a good stop. Small, friendly, has what you need.

The bear was back in the morning, eating flowers by the trail. It looked very content about it.

And then I saw the sign: “Welcome 2025 hikers. This way to the southern cookie lady. Free homemade cookies, filtered water, trash can.” Obviously I went.

This is Peggy. She has been doing this for four years. Every single day. Peanut butter cookies, filtered water, a trash can you can actually use. She called it “a little piece of heaven.” She was not wrong.

That afternoon I passed 300 miles. Three hundred. That feels like something. I made 22 miles that day and slept well.

A black hiking backpack with gear sits on the forest floor surrounded by green foliage. Text reads: "Appalachian Trail, USA.

Day 16: Big Bald and 29.5 miles

Feeling good. Feeling light. Getting into the rhythm more and more every day.

I met a friendly British guy out for a stroll. I resisted the temptation of Laurel Hostel's pizza sign. Barely. Then some road workers stopped me and handed over snacks and water. Trail magic from a chainsaw crew. Beautiful.

Big Bald mountain at the top. The views were massive. Met Pepper, another thru-hiker. Cold water from a stream that I absolutely needed. And then a long push to the shelter: 29.5 miles for the day. My biggest day yet.

Day 17: Erwin, a hiker box toothbrush and a rubber boat

No Business Knob shelter for the night, packed but fine. Then the walk into Erwin, Tennessee.

There is normally a bridge into town. Hurricane took it. So now there is a rubber boat. Will operates it. His dog is Joe. They brought me across the river and I cannot think of a better way to arrive in a town.

Good hiker box in Erwin. I lost my toothbrush on the trail a few days ago. Trail magic: someone left one at the hostel. This is how the trail works. You lose something, the trail gives it back.

Then Twirls showed up with fried chicken. Just appeared, delivered fried chicken, left. I stayed at Johnny's for a few hours, got dry shoes, got fed, and headed back out.

Day 18: rain, Fuego and the rerouted trail

Rainy morning. Shelter had been packed the night before. One guy snoring. That is shelter life and it is fine.

Breakfast on the go: oatmeal with peanut butter from the hiker box. Ate it walking. The hurricane damage on this section was serious, whole sections of trail buried under debris. They had to reroute it completely. The trail crew did a good job. You would not know it if you weren't looking.

I got company here: Fuego. Nice guy, good pace. We hiked into Clyde Smith shelter together. No bears seen today, but we were aware they were around.

Day 19: Fuego's stolen sausage and hello Tennessee

Gray morning. Breakfast on the go again to keep warm and keep moving.

Fuego had a story. He hung his food the night before: a big summer sausage, a chunk of cheese. Hung it up from the bears. He thought it was high enough. It was not. The bear got right into it. So Fuego was heading into town to replace everything.

This is why you hang your food. And why you hang it high enough.

Then: the state line. North Carolina to Tennessee. It looks very similar. We found a food truck. Perfect timing. I did 25 miles and pitched my tent solo. Tomorrow is a new day.

Day 20: 400 miles and sleeping somewhere creative

400 miles. I will let that sit there for a moment.

Beautiful morning after the rain. Trail well maintained. And then: a waterfall. I climbed in. A little bit slippery at first, but I really, really needed this. Wow. Refreshing.

Resupply at Big Bear Hostel, right on the trail. Sat inside for a bit, watched TV, dried out, then had to go back into the rain.

I also tried spam for the first time. Tortilla, spam, pink lemonade. The lemonade was good. The spam: I am not sure yet. It was something to eat.

That evening I found a dry spot under a structure. Fixed myself a little bed in there. It was dry. That is the only requirement at the end of a 25-mile day in the rain. Good night.

Several packhorses carrying large brown saddlebags walk single file along a narrow, green forest trail.

What days 11-20 on the Appalachian Trail taught me

The Smokies take longer than you think. Four days in the park. Beautiful but serious.
Dollar General is a legitimate resupply strategy. $30, fed for days.
Trail magic is real and it finds you. Coffee in the morning, fried chicken in Erwin, a cookie lady who has been doing it for four years. You cannot plan for it.
Hang your food properly. High enough means higher than you think. Fuego learned this the hard way.
The hurricane left a mark. Sections of trail rerouted, bridges gone, debris everywhere. The trail crew has been incredible, but it is still visible.
Navigation: FarOut Guides for the AT. Still the app everyone uses. (Springer approach trail is free to download so you can check it out