Long-distance hiking has inspired countless souls to push beyond comfort zones and explore the wild. In this post, 6 World’s Most Iconic Hikers take us on unforgettable journeys through resilience, record-breaking feats, and pioneering trails. We explore their backgrounds, achievements, and enduring legacies.
1. Cheryl Strayed – Wild Pacific Crest Trail Hiker
Cheryl Strayed became synonymous with the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) and personal transformation. In 1995, at age 26, Strayed set out solo on a roughly 1,100‑mile journey from the Mojave Desert to Washington state, coping with grief over her mother’s death and the dissolution of her marriage. With no backpacking experience, she faced extreme heat, blisters, and loneliness
Her memoir, Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail, published in March 2012, became a New York Times bestseller and launched into Oprah’s Book Club 2.0. In 2014, Reese Witherspoon portrayed Strayed in a major film adaptation, inspiring a dramatic rise in PCT permit requests—nearly doubling the year after the movie’s release
Strayed’s story demonstrates how backpacking can heal and empower, ending confusion and self-doubt with clarity and confidence. Her influence continues today across hiking communities worldwide.
2. Jennifer Pharr Davis – Appalachian Trail Record Holder
Jennifer Pharr Davis, known by the trail name “Odyssa,” emerged as a legend in ultra-distance hiking. In 2011, she set the Appalachian Trail – 2,190-mile route – fastest known time (FKT) at 46 days, 11 hours, and 20 minutes, averaging 47 miles per day. This record surpassed the previous women’s mark and held the overall FKT until Scott Jurek broke it in 2015.
Her journey began in 2005 with her first AT thru-hike. In 2008, Davis already set the women’s FKT at 57 days, 8 hours and completed the Long Trail FKT in Vermont that same year . She also holds FKTs on Australia’s Bibbulmun Track (2008) and Iceland’s Laugavegur Trail.
Named National Geographic Adventurer of the Year in 2012, Davis has hiked more than 14,000 miles across six continents. She founded the Blue Ridge Hiking Company, authored guidebooks and memoirs, and now shares outdoor lessons as a speaker and on the President’s Council for Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition.
3. Andrew Skurka – Great Western Loop Pioneer
Andrew Skurka exemplifies the “light-and-fast” long-distance philosophy. In 2007, he completed the 6,875‑mile “Great Western Loop”—the first to link five long trails, twelve national parks, and 75 wilderness areas—in just 208 days. He averaged 33 miles per day with ultralight base weight (~6 lbs).
Skurka also pioneered the 7,778‑mile Sea‑to‑Sea Route in 2005, completing it over eleven months with extensive snowshoeing. NPR, Backpacker, National Geographic, and Outside have lauded his innovations. He was National Geographic’s 2007 Adventurer of the Year and Outdoor Magazine’s Person of the Year. His minimalist methods, trail advocacy, and environmental insights continue to shape modern backpacking culture.
4. Heather “Anish” Anderson – Triple Crown Trailblazer
Heather Anderson, known as “Anish Hikes,” made history with her Calendar-Year Triple Crown in 2018—completing the Appalachian Trail (2,190 mi), Pacific Crest Trail (2,660 mi), and Continental Divide Trail (3,100 mi) consecutively in 251 days, 20 hours, 10 minutes.
This feat—nearly 8,000 miles—set records for both overall and women’s self-supported FKTs on each trail. She also became the first woman to earn the “Triple Triple Crown,” completing each trail at least three times. Anderson’s achievement marked the 50th anniversary of the U.S. National Trail System and remains among the most grueling and respected endurance records in the hiking world.
5. Emma “Grandma” Gatewood – Appalachian Trail Pioneer
At age 67, Emma Gatewood revolutionized thru‑hiking. In 1955, she became the first woman to solo hike the entire Appalachian Trail, covering roughly 2,190 miles in 146 days—with ultralight gear: a denim bag, Army blanket, shower curtain, Keds sneakers, and no map or tent. A mother of 11, survivor of decades of domestic abuse, and grandmother of 23, Gatewood inspired generations. She hiked the trail two more times (1957, 1964) and later crossed 2,000 mi of the Oregon Trail. Media attention revitalized interest in the AT and trail preservation.
Ohio commemorates April 27 as “Grandma Gatewood Day.” She was posthumously inducted into the Appalachian Trail Hall of Fame in 2012.
6. Reinhold Messner – Mountaineering Icon
Reinhold Messner redefined high-altitude climbing. In 1978, he and Peter Habeler became the first to summit Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen. Two years later, in 1980, he soloed Everest oxygen-free. By October 16, 1986, he had conquered all 14 eight-thousanders—the first ever—many without aid.
Messner also pioneered mountain-style ascents (minimal support), crossed Antarctica and Greenland without mechanical assistance, and solo-trekked Mongolia’s Gobi Desert. He authored over 80 books, founded alpine museums, and served in the European Parliament (1999–2004)
His technical masteries, philosophical approach, and environmental advocacy earned him the Piolet d’Or Lifetime Achievement Award (2010) and Spain’s Princess of Asturias Award (2018)
Through grit, exploration, and inspiring tales, our 6 World’s Most Iconic Hikers show how trails can shape lives. Their stories blend personal transformation, boundary-pushing records, and deep respect for wild places.
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