Grandma Gatewood: The Legend Behind the Trail

In 1955, a 67-year-old great-grandmother from Gallia County, Ohio, walked 2,050 miles from Georgia to Maine in canvas sneakers, carrying a homemade denim sling bag and a plastic shower curtain for shelter. She had no tent, no sleeping bag, no backpack, and no support team. When she reached the summit of Mount Katahdin on September 25, 1955, Emma "Grandma" Gatewood became the first woman to solo-thru-hike the Appalachian Trail.

She was not done. She completed the AT again in 1957, becoming the first person of any gender to thru-hike it twice. She finished it a third time in 1964 at age 76, in sections, becoming the first person to complete the AT three times.

Born in Gallia County, Buried in Gallia County

Gatewood was born October 25, 1887, in Mercerville, Guyan Township, Gallia County — one of 15 children of Hugh Caldwell, a Civil War veteran who had lost a leg in battle, and Evelyn Trowbridge Caldwell. She married P.C. Gatewood at age 19 and had 11 children. The marriage was violent — P.C. was physically abusive for decades. After the children were grown, she finally left.

Her hiking career began at 67, when she read a National Geographic article about the Appalachian Trail and decided to walk it. Her first attempt in 1954 failed — she got lost near Katahdin and had to be rescued. She returned the following spring and succeeded.

She died June 4, 1973, at age 85, of a heart attack in Gallipolis, Ohio. At her death she had 66 living descendants. She is buried at Ohio Valley Memory Gardens in Gallipolis. Her gravestone reads simply: "Emma R. Gatewood — Grandma."

The Gear That Changed Everything

Gatewood's equipment list would make modern ultralight hikers nod in recognition — she invented the philosophy 50 years before it had a name. Her complete kit weighed approximately 18 pounds:

Canvas Keds sneakers (she went through seven pairs during the 1955 hike; Keds eventually supplied her with shoes). A homemade denim sling bag carried over one shoulder — not a backpack. A plastic shower curtain for rain protection. An army blanket instead of a sleeping bag. A sassafras walking stick, hand-carved. Additional items included a cup, canteen, small pot, spoon, Swiss Army knife, first-aid kit, flashlight, piece of rope, raincoat, and one change of clothes.

She foraged wild plants for food and supplemented with dried beef, cheese, and nuts. She slept on piles of leaves and heated flat stones for warmth. Today, the Gatewood Cape — a lightweight combination rain cape and shelter — is named in her honor and used by ultralight hikers worldwide.

Her Legacy in Hocking Hills

The Grandma Gatewood Trail is the 6-mile section connecting Old Man's Cave → Cedar Falls → Ash Cave, officially designated in January 1981. This trail simultaneously carries three major long-distance routes: the Buckeye Trail (1,444 miles), the North Country National Scenic Trail (4,600 miles), and the American Discovery Trail (6,800 miles).

Gatewood was a founding member, Director Emeritus, and lifetime member of the Buckeye Trail Association. She participated in the BTA's inaugural hike in September 1959 when the first 20 miles were dedicated in Hocking Hills. In her 80s, she spent over 10 hours daily clearing and marking a 30-mile trail along the Ohio River in Gallia County.

The annual Grandma Gatewood Fall Colors Hike (October 10, 2026 — an America 250 event) follows her trail from Old Man's Cave to Ash Cave. The Grandma Gatewood Virtual Challenge ($35, organized by the Ohio State Parks Foundation, April–May 2026) encourages participants to log miles on Ohio trails. April 27 is designated Emma "Grandma" Gatewood Day in Ohio.

She was inducted into the Appalachian Trail Hall of Fame in June 2012. The biography Grandma Gatewood's Walk by Ben Montgomery (2014) became a New York Times bestseller. An Emmy-nominated PBS documentary, Trail Magic: The Grandma Gatewood Story, premiered in 2015.