Cool enough to go hiking...

BF hiking that is.

The kids wanted to go hiking since the temps were somewhat pleasant. We made plans to go to Hanging Rock State Park which is just 15 miles from the house. Of course, I was going to hike barefooted. I hadn't hiked Hanging Rock BF before and couldn't remember much about the trails since I hadn't been on any of them in almost a year. When we got there, we chose the trail we would take and started off. The trail head was mostly gravel and treading it wasn't too bad to start with. About 1/2 a mile up the trail, we encountered natural rocks on the trail that had become exposed through years of water erosion. These were cool stepping stones and I found myself following my kids' lead who liked to jump from one rock to another. Some parts of the trail were bare earth and it felt good to feel the loose soil, and in some cases, cool mud. The farther we climbed up the mountain, the rockier the trail got. In fact, these rocks became sharper which meant that I had to pay even closer attention to where I stepped. Occasionally, I would end up stepping on a rock in the center of my instep and that would bother me some. I did stub my toe a couple of times but nothing major. We ended up hiking 2.5 miles up the mountain and it was getting hot. We all were dressed in jeans since it was cool in the morning and it is generally cooler at higher altitudes. Not today! We decided to head back to the car. This meant treading those sharp rocks again, but this time I knew ahead of time what to expect. We returned to the car via a different trailhead than the one we started with. This trail had a lot of river gravel that were the size of quarters. Stepping on them wrong would bruise your foot. To say the least, I was glad to see the parking lot. All the rest of the day I spent bf but would walk around gingerly since the soles of my feet were bruised. I didn't complain one bit since I didn't want to hear "I told you so" from my wife. She was too chicken to bf with me. The trails on the Blue Ridge Parkway are smoother and have less rocks than the State Park. I will stick to these from now on.

 

Try the Appalachian Trail. In that area it is perfect for barefoot hikers whose feet are not quite conditioned enough for gravel. Even those who are new to barefoot hiking it should be no problem. Just some exposed roots here and there, so just watch where you're stepping.

 

The crushed gravel was easier to walk on than the river rock. And the sharp, natural formations are another story.

 

I've hiked the AT and there are few places where an inexperienced barefoot hiker can safely hike.

 

The cooler weather is nice, but the colorful fall leaves make this time of year great for hiking in the forest. It's fun to test your limits on new trails and given some time I'm sure this trail will become a new favorite. As your feet strengthen the hiking gets even more enjoyable. Watch out for roots under the leaves as they can trip you up. Most importantly have fun.

 

Are you a barefoot hiker or a barefooter at all? I was just curious, because quite often non-barefooters with relatively tender feet just cannot fathom someone walking or hiking barefoot in rough places. Actually the AT has been thru-hiked by a few barefooted hikers, and other barefooters have hiked portions of it with no real problems. I'm sure some places on the AT have rougher terrain than others, but I have personally hiked barefoot on the AT in parts of North Carolina, and an inexperienced barefoot hiker should have no problems there if he or she is careful.