My name is Anna, but I also go by “Magic.” I was given this seemingly outlandish name during my 2021 thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail. From March 22 to September 7, I walked the 2,193.1 miles between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine. That journey taught me more about myself and the world we live in than I ever expected. It shifted my worldview, prompted me to reexamine my values, and showed me how to love others more fully.
In the months following my thru-hike, I worked as the sole caretaker of a bunkhouse in Hot Springs, NC. I prepared gear for a local guiding company, ran shuttles along the trail, and hosted hikers from all walks of life. After that season ended, I briefly reentered the corporate world—only to realize that working behind a desk made me miserable.
To realign my life with the outdoors, I accepted a job as a backpacking guide in Gatlinburg, TN. My partner, Cade, whom I met on the AT, also became a guide, and together we moved to the mountains. We spent three seasons guiding backpacking trips throughout Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
I started this blog in the winter of 2021, hoping to reignite my passion for the trail when everyday life threatened to smother that spark. At first, I simply wanted to publish my daily AT journals. Along the way, though, I discovered a deeper love for writing and began dabbling in freelance work.
Outside of hiking and writing, I also teach yoga. Becoming a yoga teacher had been a dream since my time on the AT, when I allowed my imagination to run wild with possibilities for my future. Yoga had been part of my daily routine since college, and during my hike north I found myself stretching at camp each night, exploring new poses in the fading light. I feel most at home in my body when I am moving with purpose, something reflected both in thru-hiking and in yoga practice. I became a 200-hour registered yoga teacher in 2023 and now teach several classes a week at a local studio in Johnson City, TN.
I began the AT as a fledgling backpacker with little knowledge and even less confidence. Several years and a few thousand miles later, I’ve grown into a woman who trusts herself and her abilities. Since that life-altering journey, I’ve fallen in love, shifted careers, gotten married, pursued new passions, and stepped boldly into the unknown.
Since moving to Tennessee, our lifestyle has allowed us to escape into the woods for extended periods of time. Together, we’ve checked off several notable long trails. In 2023, we attempted the Arizona Trail and hiked 460 of its 800 miles. In 2024, we traveled to Scotland to hike the West Highland Way for our belated honeymoon. In 2025, we thru-hiked the Pacific Crest Trail and set a Fastest Known Time on the Tour de LeConte in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. We can’t wait to see where 2026 takes us next.
Magic in the Mountains began as a simple way to share my experiences on trail. Over the years, through new adventures and unexpected opportunities, it has grown into a living journal where I can bring others along for the journey. I hope my writing serves as both a resource for fellow hikers and a source of inspiration for those reading from home. Revisiting my adventures through storytelling brings me immense joy, and I’m grateful to have you here.
Happy trails!
Magic in the Mountains 