Defining Trail Magic
What is trail magic? There isn’t a clear set of defining standards for the term. The true definition of trail magic varies based on the given situation and person experiencing the magical event. The meaning of trail magic can also take on different roles and characteristics throughout one’s hiking career.
In this post I’ll explore some of the common conceptions of trail magic along with my own experiences and definition.
Trail Angels and Thru Hiking
The most common agreed upon definition of trail magic comes from the thru hiking community. Trail magic in the context of thru hikers is broadly defined as any act of kindness bestowed upon hikers by trail angels.
Therefore, it’s impossible to fully define trail magic without first explaining the trail magicians known as trail angles. A trail angel is a non-thru hiking individual who goes out of their way to help or lift the spirits of passing hikers. These angels generally live in close proximity to major trails such as the Appalachian Trail or Pacific Crest Trail. In some cases they may even have property that borders a trail which is a common occurrence along the AT (Appalachian Trail).
Trail angels wield their magic by lifting the spirits of passing hikers. Examples of these random acts of kindness include:
- Providing food and provisions along the trail or in towns close to the trail
- Driving hikers to and from town
- Housing thru hikers overnight
- Volunteering for trail maintenance
- Providing much needed nourishment (also known as beer)
- Or even offering various services for free such as medical care and hair cuts
Trail angels are the unsung heroes for the hiking community and these “do gooders” have become synonymous with hiking and long distance trails.
You’ll find trail angels primarily along major thru hiking routes such as the Appalachian Trail (AT) or the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). There are fewer trail angels along the Continental Divide Trail (CDT) due to the remoteness of this trek. Although, as the CDT continues to become more popular, trail angels are expected to become a large part of any triple crown endeavor.
Word to the Wise
During this time of COVID it’s important to state a couple of precautions for prospective trail angels.
Spontaneous trail magic can spur large gatherings. It’s often said that a thru hiker can smell pizza and a beer from a hundred miles away. Luckily large groups of people are really only a concern for the time of COVID and avoiding large gatherings should be kept in mind for at least the next couple of seasons.
It’s also best practice for trail angels to refrain from leaving unattended food along the trail. It’s essential to only attract hikers and exclude bears from the feast.
Trail angels should also take note of the local businesses in the area and ensure they’re not hurting the community’s entrepreneurs who often rely on thru hikers during peak season to sustain their livelihoods.
On the whole, these precautions are very minor and trail angels provide much needed support and life saving trail magic to thru hikers. The experience of thru hiking would be forever altered without the gratitude of trail angels.
Trail Magic For Weekend Warriors
The wondrous tales of trail magic and trail angels all seem to revolve around thru hiking culture but does trail magic have any place in the world of the weekend warrior?
If you remove thru hikers, or a long trail such as the AT, trail angels are generally just not a thing and it would be incredibly unlikely for a weekend warrior to come across one. Although, that doesn’t mean that trail magic doesn’t have its place for the weekend warrior and we’ll just have to examine trail magic independently from trail angels.
Without trail angels the definition of trail magic can be summarized as any coincidental act that either saves a hiker or benefits their journey in some unforeseen way.
Although, this definition is a little broad and to better unpack “trail magic” in the context of small hikes and weekend warriors it’ll help to provide a few personal stories.
A Personal Account of Trail Magic
My backpacking career started early on in life with cub scouts and hiking trips with my dad which bled into adolescent backpacking trips.
During one of these adventures in the North Cascades National Park we journeyed to Stuart Lake and explored the famed Enchantments (located in Washington State). This was early on in my hiking career and I was generally only half-heartedly interested in hiking and used gear gifted and borrowed from my father.
As we passed through an expansive meadow while hiking to Stuart Lake we stopped for a water break and I noticed a pair of hiking poles lying on the thick meadow grass. I quickly examined them and it turned out they were Leki carbon fiber poles. Leki poles aren’t the cheapest trekking poles on the market.
Not wanting to leave them, I ended up carrying the pair of poles and used them for the rest of that trip. We never did come across the original owners, and this was in the days before everyone had Facebook, so I ended up keeping the poles. This was a wise decision because my trip could’ve taken a dramatic turn without them.
On the second leg of our journey we were hiking farther north in the cascades and were forced to cross a knee deep creek. Being so young, this was a terrifying experience and I felt like I was going to be washed away with every step, never to be seen from again. If I hadn’t been using those trekking poles I probably would’ve been fine but the coincidence of finding them just in time for the most difficult creek crossing of my life sure does qualify as a little trail magic.
The poles continued to aid my precarious mountain legs throughout the rest of that trip from easy timbered trails to snowy and steep mountain passes.
To this day, a decade later, I still use the same pair of trekking poles on each journey into the backcountry and they also provide the necessary support for my non-freestanding tent.
In fact, this is the only piece of gear that I still use from my early days of backpacking and I’ll likely continue using them for as long as they last.
Trail Magic in the Grand Scheme of Things
The account I just described is the exact reason I feel so strongly about trail magic and the many definitions that this term inspires. If we hadn’t stopped for that drink at that exact moment in that exact spot then I would’ve never seen those hiking poles.
To be honest, I probably wouldn’t have suffered a horrible death without those poles but I certainly benefited from coming across them which also makes for a nice story.
Throughout the rest of my hiking career I’ve never encountered an instance of trail magic as powerful as the appearance of those trekking poles. Although, I have encountered other minor trail magic moments like finding a full butane canister in an AT shelter when mine had just run out and also having the breeze suddenly shift to keep the mosquitos at bay by a pristine mountain lake.
Reconnecting with Our Magical World
Through these experiences I’ve come to realize that “magical” moments likely occur almost everyday in general society but we’re just too busy contemplating our next move in the rat race to notice them. Trail magic is likely all around us and we just never take notice.
When you’re out in nature the hundreds of distractions that encompass daily life suddenly disappear and there is a primal feeling that heightens the senses and focuses the mind.
This all leads to my final conclusion and personal definition of “trail magic”. My definition of trail magic is the act of experiencing the openness of our reality by reconnecting with nature and discarding the numerous worries of everyday life.
When you reconnect with nature, and experience the world as it should be, then you’ll likely find magical moments under every rock and around every tree.
Share Your Definition or Experiences with Trail Magic
Do you have your own personal definition of trail magic or an account of magical happenings out in the wilderness? We’d love to hear your thoughts and start a conversation around reconnecting with nature and rediscovering life’s magical moments.
Please feel free to leave any comments below or email us at trektosustainability@gmail.com.
Our mission is to connect the world of sustainability and trail related topics. We believe one of the most powerful motivators for protecting the planet is to maintain our ability to experience nature in all its beauty. This way of life is currently under threat from climate change, habitat destruction and rampant pollution.
Therefore, Trek to Sustainability is here to provide resources that will hopefully spark some interest in the outdoors and sustainable living.