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Skywalker: Close Encounters on the Appalachian Trail
Why would a middle-aged businessman, who had never even spent a single night outdoors, attempt to hike the entire 2,180 mile Appalachian Trail? Bill Walker, a former commodities trader in Chicago and London, and an avid 'streetwalker', had developed a virtual obsession to thru-hike the AT, which runs for fourteen states from Georgia to Maine. In the early spring of 2005 he set off, determined to hike this Georgia-to-northern Maine wilderness trail before the arrival of winter. Immediately, he realized he had plunged into a whole new world. The AT has some ferociously difficult terrain, winding through dramatically diverse geography, and covers the very highest peaks in the East. Walker's near 7-foot height earned him the trail name, Skywalker, and drew raves from fellow hikers. But that same height made him more vulnerable to weight loss, cold weather, and crushing fatigue. An elemental fear of bears, snakes, and getting lost also loomed large. The journey often seemed like a see-saw battle between his determination vs. his blunders. No other country has a footpath even remotely as popular as the Appalachian Trail. Up to 4,000,000 people hike on the AT during any given year. Mortals are compelled--or perhaps cursed--to relive their lifetime adventure. This is Bill Walker's (Skywalker's) unforgettable version, leavened with ruthlessly self-deprecating humor. His fondest hope is to inspire other rookies and novices, to give the Appalachian Trail a try as well.
246 pages, Paperback
First published January 30, 2008
75 people are currently reading
1149 people want to read
About the author
Bill Walker
28 books15 followersBill Walker was raised in Macon, Georgia and attended the University of Georgia, where he earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Accounting. He traded U.S. Treasury Bonds at the Chicago Board of Trade for 10 years. He then moved to London where he traded German Bonds for Nomura International at the London International Futures Exchange for four years.
Upon leaving the trading business, Bill took a radical turn. He served for a year as a volunteer in a welfare reform program in South Texas. He then taught English as a second language in Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Peru.
He came to hiking late in life, but has tried to make up for it. In 2005 he thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail. In 2006, he hiked the Long Trail. In 2009, he hiked the Pacific Crest Trail. In 2010, he hiked the spiritual pilgrimage (European Divorcee Trail!), El Camino de Santiago, which crosses the northern arc of Spain.
He has written the outdoor narratives, Skywalker–Close Encounters on the Appalachian Trail (2008), and Skywalker–Highs and Lows on the Pacific Crest Trail (2010). Bill is currently working on two books–one about height (he is 6’11”) and the other about his pilgrimage on El Camino de Santiago. He lives in Asheville, North Carolina.
Upon leaving the trading business, Bill took a radical turn. He served for a year as a volunteer in a welfare reform program in South Texas. He then taught English as a second language in Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Peru.
He came to hiking late in life, but has tried to make up for it. In 2005 he thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail. In 2006, he hiked the Long Trail. In 2009, he hiked the Pacific Crest Trail. In 2010, he hiked the spiritual pilgrimage (European Divorcee Trail!), El Camino de Santiago, which crosses the northern arc of Spain.
He has written the outdoor narratives, Skywalker–Close Encounters on the Appalachian Trail (2008), and Skywalker–Highs and Lows on the Pacific Crest Trail (2010). Bill is currently working on two books–one about height (he is 6’11”) and the other about his pilgrimage on El Camino de Santiago. He lives in Asheville, North Carolina.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 109 reviews
June 27, 2012
This is the memoir of Bill Walker's through-hike of the Appalachian Trail. He meets some interesting characters along the way and his struggles and experiences along the way were somewhat interesting.
But it was not terrifically compelling and I had some issues with the writing. He made allusions at the beginning of the book to things that would happen later, but then the later happenings seemed to be missing. Or maybe I just didn't keep track of the various characters that he ran into well enough to realize when something he had alluded to early was being discussed.
But it was not terrifically compelling and I had some issues with the writing. He made allusions at the beginning of the book to things that would happen later, but then the later happenings seemed to be missing. Or maybe I just didn't keep track of the various characters that he ran into well enough to realize when something he had alluded to early was being discussed.
April 4, 2022
After reading a number of long hike trail diaries and journals the past few years I figured it was only a matter of time before I found one I just didn't enjoy or relate to and here it is. Bill Walker is average and awkward and it shows in every chapter he writes. We all have our quirks, some of them endearing, others not so much, but with Bill, I found most of them to be annoying and boring. His thru hike of the Appalachian Trail is remarkable in that he completed it and in that alone. His day to day thoughts and trials just didn't grab me in the same way so many other trail diaries have. Bill's only adversity is he's just shy of 7 feet tall, which is unusual but it alone can't carry his story. There are much better tales of thru hiking travel out there to be read and this is one to be skipped. 2/5
June 22, 2011
First, imagine being 6 feet, 11 inches tall.
You live your life above most people and some tree lines. People ask you “How’s the weather up there?”
Maybe you can even get some classic one-liners, such as:
“You’re so tall that the giraffes got jealous!”
Or…
“You’re so tall that even in the summer time you still have snow on your head!”
That last one might actually be a little more relevant to the book I’m reviewing. See, Bill Walker is 6-11. But the difference is, he set out to hike the Appalachian Trail, a trail that runs more than 2,200 miles from Georgia to Maine. A novice hiker at the start, Walker, whose trail name is Skywalker based on his height and his last name, learns so much on this trail during his hike. He’s funny, witty and, at times, puts himself in situations that you can’t help but feel a bit sorry for him.
After all, it isn’t easy doing something like this in the first place. But being 6-11 and barely 220 pounds makes it even harder.
Skywalker — Close Encounters on the Appalachian Trail is his story about his hike.
Bill’s quest takes him through all sorts of weather and tribulations — including trying to stay warm or even fit into tents and set up tarps. It shows the hard side of the trail, but it also shows the light side. His interactions and descriptions of the people he meets on the trail are excellent and well-done. He holds no punches, either, which I liked. More on that later.
This book is a perfect book about the trail. History, personal stories and description make this a fine read.
Now for my thoughts…
THE GOOD
This book was a page-turner. I finished it in three days as it’s the perfect size to kind of go through it at a decent pace and really keep up with everything. Walker never lost me. In some of the other AT books I’ve read, there are parts where I found myself skimming. Not with this book. I smiled for most of it and never lost my bearing of where I was with it.
One cool thing? Walker gives cliff hangers. Seriously. I never expected this. But he starts off with talking about a few of the people he met and makes mention that the reader will find out more later, but then goes off elsewhere. As I read, I found myself wondering what happened. Especially when he meets some of the others etc. In the end, he tells the reader the endings to those cliff hangers. A very good and interesting way to write part of this book.
Humor. This was the best part for me. The reality of a thru-hike is this — you are on the trail for upwards of six months, covering more than 2,200 miles. If you can’t laugh, then it’s going to be a long hike. Even when things go crappy, you have to find a way to smile. Walker did that and he portrayed that in his writing. He told funny and humorous stories. He told of the awful things that happened and found a way to make it funny.
Most of all, he made me, the reader, care. He described the people he met and really developed them as characters for the book. Being he was with many of the same people over and over, it was good to develop them. The funny part is that even though this was real life, I found myself reading part of it like fiction. There were certain people/characters I really liked. There were certain ones I really disliked. And there were others who I wondered about. But I felt like Skywalker took me on the trail with him and that is something that I haven’t gotten out of every AT book I’ve read. This book really is one of the better ones that I’ve read about the AT.
THE BAD
There’s always a little bad to books, but I am hard-pressed to find any with this.
If you are reading on the Kindle, as I was, there are some formatting issues. So that was a little odd, but I’m not sure that should take away from the quality of the book and it shouldn’t come down on the author.
My only true complaint is there were some of the stories that I would have liked to have seen expanded and a couple that I would have liked to have seen shortened. I think that comes with a book like this because there is so much that happens over the course of a 6-month hike like this. And I’m sure Walker had his reasons for making some shorter and some longer. Just personal interest would have liked certain ones to have been switched in regard to length.
OVERALL THOUGHTS
An excellent read. This book is right up there with Bill Bryson’s “A Walk in the Woods” as my favorite reads on the Appalachian Trail. Walker is a likeable person and his thoughts are insightful, honest and real. He brings you close to the AT and really gives hope to “armchair” hikers that a hike like this can be made by people of all shapes, sizes and lifestyle. This man was not a hiker. He’s a tall, skinny fellow who hiked more than 2,200 miles over all sorts of terrain. He had to “beef up” to get to 220 pounds and by the end, he was at least 40 pounds lighter. He battles equipment, nature, his fear of bears, people and everything else along this memorable trip. And in the end, he stands atop Mount Katahdin in Maine.
He overcame a lot. And though the outcome is quite obvious (how many people write about failed thru-hikes?), I still founnd myself rooting for him the whole book.
The book took me about three days to read. It flows well and reads fast. It’s very enjoyable.
You live your life above most people and some tree lines. People ask you “How’s the weather up there?”
Maybe you can even get some classic one-liners, such as:
“You’re so tall that the giraffes got jealous!”
Or…
“You’re so tall that even in the summer time you still have snow on your head!”
That last one might actually be a little more relevant to the book I’m reviewing. See, Bill Walker is 6-11. But the difference is, he set out to hike the Appalachian Trail, a trail that runs more than 2,200 miles from Georgia to Maine. A novice hiker at the start, Walker, whose trail name is Skywalker based on his height and his last name, learns so much on this trail during his hike. He’s funny, witty and, at times, puts himself in situations that you can’t help but feel a bit sorry for him.
After all, it isn’t easy doing something like this in the first place. But being 6-11 and barely 220 pounds makes it even harder.
Skywalker — Close Encounters on the Appalachian Trail is his story about his hike.
Bill’s quest takes him through all sorts of weather and tribulations — including trying to stay warm or even fit into tents and set up tarps. It shows the hard side of the trail, but it also shows the light side. His interactions and descriptions of the people he meets on the trail are excellent and well-done. He holds no punches, either, which I liked. More on that later.
This book is a perfect book about the trail. History, personal stories and description make this a fine read.
Now for my thoughts…
THE GOOD
This book was a page-turner. I finished it in three days as it’s the perfect size to kind of go through it at a decent pace and really keep up with everything. Walker never lost me. In some of the other AT books I’ve read, there are parts where I found myself skimming. Not with this book. I smiled for most of it and never lost my bearing of where I was with it.
One cool thing? Walker gives cliff hangers. Seriously. I never expected this. But he starts off with talking about a few of the people he met and makes mention that the reader will find out more later, but then goes off elsewhere. As I read, I found myself wondering what happened. Especially when he meets some of the others etc. In the end, he tells the reader the endings to those cliff hangers. A very good and interesting way to write part of this book.
Humor. This was the best part for me. The reality of a thru-hike is this — you are on the trail for upwards of six months, covering more than 2,200 miles. If you can’t laugh, then it’s going to be a long hike. Even when things go crappy, you have to find a way to smile. Walker did that and he portrayed that in his writing. He told funny and humorous stories. He told of the awful things that happened and found a way to make it funny.
Most of all, he made me, the reader, care. He described the people he met and really developed them as characters for the book. Being he was with many of the same people over and over, it was good to develop them. The funny part is that even though this was real life, I found myself reading part of it like fiction. There were certain people/characters I really liked. There were certain ones I really disliked. And there were others who I wondered about. But I felt like Skywalker took me on the trail with him and that is something that I haven’t gotten out of every AT book I’ve read. This book really is one of the better ones that I’ve read about the AT.
THE BAD
There’s always a little bad to books, but I am hard-pressed to find any with this.
If you are reading on the Kindle, as I was, there are some formatting issues. So that was a little odd, but I’m not sure that should take away from the quality of the book and it shouldn’t come down on the author.
My only true complaint is there were some of the stories that I would have liked to have seen expanded and a couple that I would have liked to have seen shortened. I think that comes with a book like this because there is so much that happens over the course of a 6-month hike like this. And I’m sure Walker had his reasons for making some shorter and some longer. Just personal interest would have liked certain ones to have been switched in regard to length.
OVERALL THOUGHTS
An excellent read. This book is right up there with Bill Bryson’s “A Walk in the Woods” as my favorite reads on the Appalachian Trail. Walker is a likeable person and his thoughts are insightful, honest and real. He brings you close to the AT and really gives hope to “armchair” hikers that a hike like this can be made by people of all shapes, sizes and lifestyle. This man was not a hiker. He’s a tall, skinny fellow who hiked more than 2,200 miles over all sorts of terrain. He had to “beef up” to get to 220 pounds and by the end, he was at least 40 pounds lighter. He battles equipment, nature, his fear of bears, people and everything else along this memorable trip. And in the end, he stands atop Mount Katahdin in Maine.
He overcame a lot. And though the outcome is quite obvious (how many people write about failed thru-hikes?), I still founnd myself rooting for him the whole book.
The book took me about three days to read. It flows well and reads fast. It’s very enjoyable.
August 8, 2012
This is a fun, light book about an average guy thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail. Unlike Bill Bryson in his classic "A Walk In The Woods", Bill Walker (alias "SkyWalker")paints his journey as a positive experience, one full of adventure, hardship, and fellowship. There is humor here, not the belly-laughs of Bryson and his inept buddy Katz, but rather chuckles usually at the author's expense.
This Kindle edition is fairly well-edited and the writing is fair.
Primarily this is an armchair journey along the AT with a heavy focus on the AT hiking community. The author does not thump the reader with his insights, but instead shares his experiences and allows the armchair traveler to come to his own conclusions.
This Kindle edition is fairly well-edited and the writing is fair.
Primarily this is an armchair journey along the AT with a heavy focus on the AT hiking community. The author does not thump the reader with his insights, but instead shares his experiences and allows the armchair traveler to come to his own conclusions.
September 29, 2015
Bill Walker is more like me than I ever thought a 40 something year old, 6'11" guy could be. His experience doing the ENTIRE Appalachian Trail rang resoundingly like what I think mine would (will?) be. He was slightly quiet and a little socially awkward like me, and felt blindingly unprepared. Hiking the AT is a huge dream of mine, but my current circumstances in life would never allow it, so I can just continue to dream for one day! I also loved this so much more than A Walk in the Woods because it was COMPLETE and REVERANT to the holy task of thru-hiking.
sidenote: If/when I do ever hike the trail, I think I've decided that my trail nickname will be Steel Magnolia. :)
sidenote: If/when I do ever hike the trail, I think I've decided that my trail nickname will be Steel Magnolia. :)
February 13, 2019
Right now I am soaking in all I can get ma hands on about long distance hiking. This one was a bit less engaging than others.
The author describes his trip vividly and with lots of self humor. Definetely an entertaining book but it lacks some special spark to me.
The author describes his trip vividly and with lots of self humor. Definetely an entertaining book but it lacks some special spark to me.
April 21, 2018
A wonderful, enjoyable book that was well worth my time. Bill's writing style may not be for everyone- at times it can be a bit brief- but to pack six months worth of experience into a book this length is some challenge, and it was meet. Bill's experience ranges from the funny, to the factual, to the serious and, at times, the sad. I will be on the lookout for more books by Bill Walker AKA Skywalker.
October 18, 2018
Bill Walker took on the AT with approximately zero experience camping. He had hiked before but the first time he slept outside was a short while before leaving for Springer Mountain, in his mom's backyard. He almost made it the whole night... so he may have been a little bit unprepared to hike the whole Appalachian Trail. But he was determined to do so. This is the story of that trek.
Skywalker (his trail name, since he's 6'11) never glosses over the difficulties of the trail; although this is not an in-depth, day-to-day report. I did have one quibble - sometimes he refers to other hikers in a way that made me think we'd already met them when they had not been introduced. That is probably just me.
Skywalker (his trail name, since he's 6'11) never glosses over the difficulties of the trail; although this is not an in-depth, day-to-day report. I did have one quibble - sometimes he refers to other hikers in a way that made me think we'd already met them when they had not been introduced. That is probably just me.
November 20, 2017
i will never get tired of reading about people's adventure on the AT
August 7, 2014
Back in the summer of 2013, I remember reading an article in the Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine entitled, "Meet The Best Athletes In The Blue Ridge." The article included a story about a guy who hiked the entire AT straight through. He was a guy who had no experience long distance hiking and had never been camping in his entire life! I was in a state of awe. A couple weeks later, I realized the guy in the article was my neighbor! I had no idea the nice guy who lived across the street had accomplished such a feat!
As it turned out, the magazine article provided me with an interesting opening to get to know my neighbor, Bill Walker, a bit better. One evening while chatting over dinner, I even learned that Bill had written a book about his adventures on the AT. Of course I was fascinated to know more about his experience so I downloaded the book and dove right in to his tale of the trail!
Skywalker-- Close Encounters on the Appalachian Trail was a quick and entertaining read. It gave me a good sketch of what it might be like to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail. I enjoyed the bits of history and geographical insights peppered throughout the story. I also enjoyed most of Bill's descriptive sketches of people he met along the way- trail angels, other thru-hikers, and even bears! At times I could really imagine myself out on the trail with Bill.
While some memoirs about hiking the AT might be deeply introspective or describe an experience of inner transformation on the trail, this was just the tale of an ordinary guy's adventures hiking the AT. A good read, and now I am even pondering a thru-hike the AT some day!
As it turned out, the magazine article provided me with an interesting opening to get to know my neighbor, Bill Walker, a bit better. One evening while chatting over dinner, I even learned that Bill had written a book about his adventures on the AT. Of course I was fascinated to know more about his experience so I downloaded the book and dove right in to his tale of the trail!
Skywalker-- Close Encounters on the Appalachian Trail was a quick and entertaining read. It gave me a good sketch of what it might be like to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail. I enjoyed the bits of history and geographical insights peppered throughout the story. I also enjoyed most of Bill's descriptive sketches of people he met along the way- trail angels, other thru-hikers, and even bears! At times I could really imagine myself out on the trail with Bill.
While some memoirs about hiking the AT might be deeply introspective or describe an experience of inner transformation on the trail, this was just the tale of an ordinary guy's adventures hiking the AT. A good read, and now I am even pondering a thru-hike the AT some day!
April 27, 2012
The experiences of a 6'11" guy who'd never camped in his life thru-hiking the AT. The book is a fast, fun, light read. Walker's inexperience as an author does shows a little and it could have used better editing. There is a little too much self-deprecating humor to the point where thru-hiking becomes a little disenchanting. Of course, this may be a result of what sounds like a rough experience for Walker: lanky to start, he ended underweight and looking and feeling gaunt.
This is the third 'AT experience' book I've read after A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail and A Journey North: One Woman's Story of Hiking the Appalachian Trail. "Skywalker" lacks the background info and trivia of "Walk in the Woods" and isn't quite as entertaining, but since Walker actually completed this thru-hike it has more of a full experience to it. Unlike "A Journey North", "Skywalker" has no axe to grind nor any professional insight on the environment. But since it manages a longer page count while staying focused on the AT experience without straying much onto tangential issues, it makes for a better read about the experience of the trail and its hikers.
This is the third 'AT experience' book I've read after A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail and A Journey North: One Woman's Story of Hiking the Appalachian Trail. "Skywalker" lacks the background info and trivia of "Walk in the Woods" and isn't quite as entertaining, but since Walker actually completed this thru-hike it has more of a full experience to it. Unlike "A Journey North", "Skywalker" has no axe to grind nor any professional insight on the environment. But since it manages a longer page count while staying focused on the AT experience without straying much onto tangential issues, it makes for a better read about the experience of the trail and its hikers.
March 30, 2016
Walker is a decent writer but he needs a better editor. Someone to tell him to remove the sexism, and the racism.
Every time he meets a women he comments on the way she looks (despite being 20 years older then many of them). At one point, as he is waving goodbye to his mother who has dropped him off at the start of the hike, he derisively comments on a 22yo women leading her two sisters on the trek. The woman has experience but her sisters do not. He is appalled and smugly comments that they never even made it out of the first state. This from a guy who has, at this point, never slept outside for a night in his life. It is insulting and sexist.
He goes into too much detail about the sexist and racist jokes that they tell to each other, and it gets old. Remove all of that stuff and the book is okay.
+1 For going the entire book without talking about phones going flat and needing to find a place to charge them.
Every time he meets a women he comments on the way she looks (despite being 20 years older then many of them). At one point, as he is waving goodbye to his mother who has dropped him off at the start of the hike, he derisively comments on a 22yo women leading her two sisters on the trek. The woman has experience but her sisters do not. He is appalled and smugly comments that they never even made it out of the first state. This from a guy who has, at this point, never slept outside for a night in his life. It is insulting and sexist.
He goes into too much detail about the sexist and racist jokes that they tell to each other, and it gets old. Remove all of that stuff and the book is okay.
+1 For going the entire book without talking about phones going flat and needing to find a place to charge them.
June 15, 2012
Not the greatest writer however the subject is interesting. One thing he wrote several times in this book was for example 'these bear stories are *legion* among trail hikers' so he'd misuse the word legion instead of using legend. Every time I read legion I'd cringe. Maybe he just needs a more qualified editor. Still an interesting version of adventures on the AT.
December 3, 2014
A fun, simply told narrative of the Appalachian Trail. Not nearly as expansive, informative or wondrous as Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail, but good nonetheless.
April 6, 2014
Bill's humor comes through so strong I found myself constantly chuckling. His story is just as fun as Cheryl Strand's 'Wild' without all the drama. If you haven't read either, read them both. I am looking forward to reading his follow on book Skywalker - Highs and Lows of the Pacific Crest Trail'.
June 10, 2012
This was a great read.... even if I did spend the entire book wondering why in this WORLD anyone would want to attempt this!!!!!
January 29, 2019
Thoroughly entertaining story of one man's commitment to thru-hike the AT. The cast of characters he meets and often re-meets along the way keep the story moving, as much as his constant push to make Katahdin before winter sets in. Imagine having no hiking or camping experience, taking a quick crash course from an expert who's logged thousands of miles on the trail, and then embarking on a wilderness journey. One of the recurring themes in the book is how much wilderness still exists in the U.S. Living and working in cities or suburbia insulates us from the reality of the planet; most of it is wild and humans can be ill-equipped to handle it's rigors. We can be easily humbled by weather, insects, thirst & hunger, injuries, illness, terrain, isolation, and fear (not a comprehensive list). IMHO, Bill Walker is a courageous individual. The "trail angels" who offer "trail magic" throughout the 14 states and nearly 2,200 miles of difficult terrain combined with the generosity and kindness of other thru-hikers give Walker the support he needs to make it from Georgia to Maine from April to September. It's an altogether inspiring and daunting tale. Highly recommend even if you don't plan to take the challenge. The writing won't win the Pulitzer; however, it's flows from an ordinary man (though accomplished in the business world) who throws himself into extraordinary circumstances. Maybe it will at least get readers outdoors more often and appreciate the wild places in this world.
December 9, 2017
In spite of the fact that the author included a few f-bombs, I thought the book was well-written. I did find some dangling modifiers, some words that were extra and should have been removed, and some places where words were omitted. These things that might have been corrected by the editor were not severe enough to keep me from considering this one of the best accounts of long-distance hiking I have read so far.
The author did stick to the subject of walking the Appalachian Trail and gave his readers excellent descriptions of his experiences on the trail. He threw in some history of the trail and those who have walked it, maintained it, taught others about it, and volunteers who provide help for the hikers along the way.
Perhaps it is true that we Americans have the wilderness in our blood. I appreciated the opportunity to experience by proxy the thrill of completing the Appalachian Trail without suffering from the bites, frights, and injuries the author endured.
The author did stick to the subject of walking the Appalachian Trail and gave his readers excellent descriptions of his experiences on the trail. He threw in some history of the trail and those who have walked it, maintained it, taught others about it, and volunteers who provide help for the hikers along the way.
Perhaps it is true that we Americans have the wilderness in our blood. I appreciated the opportunity to experience by proxy the thrill of completing the Appalachian Trail without suffering from the bites, frights, and injuries the author endured.
September 30, 2020
I apparently enjoy living vicariously as I enjoyed reading Bill Walker's adventure walking the Appalachian Trail in 2005. While I have read several books about hiking the AT, I found his adventures as a 6 foot 11 inch man extremely entertaining.
While I enjoy day hiking, I can't imagine, even after reading Mr. Walker's book and others, how a person can endure hiking for over five months a total of over 2,000 miles. It truly is an adventure even just reading about it in a recliner. I look forward to reading his next adventure on the Pacific Trail. Living on the Eastern side of the country, I have heard and read so much about the AT. I hadn't even realized there were other long distance trails. More fun!
While I enjoy day hiking, I can't imagine, even after reading Mr. Walker's book and others, how a person can endure hiking for over five months a total of over 2,000 miles. It truly is an adventure even just reading about it in a recliner. I look forward to reading his next adventure on the Pacific Trail. Living on the Eastern side of the country, I have heard and read so much about the AT. I hadn't even realized there were other long distance trails. More fun!
November 6, 2025
Just finished "Skywalker: Close Encounters on the Appalachian Trail ," novice hiker Bill Walker's honest, humorous, and humbling 2005 account of his 2,175-mile thru-hike trek. along America’s most storied footpath.
This is a book that will simultaneously encourage and discourage you from attempting a thru-hike. What makes this book so compelling is its balance. Walker shares the rain-soaked tents, relentless climbs, and moments of self-doubt that test every hiker’s resolve. He also captures the deep sense of community, personal discovery, and awe-inspiring beauty that make the journey transformational.
Check out a truly remarkable tale of embracing the journey and discovering yourself along the way.
This is a book that will simultaneously encourage and discourage you from attempting a thru-hike. What makes this book so compelling is its balance. Walker shares the rain-soaked tents, relentless climbs, and moments of self-doubt that test every hiker’s resolve. He also captures the deep sense of community, personal discovery, and awe-inspiring beauty that make the journey transformational.
Check out a truly remarkable tale of embracing the journey and discovering yourself along the way.
May 24, 2020
I love a good AT book. That being said, I’d recommend any number of other AT stories before this one. About a third of the way in I was really disgusted with the constant descriptions of attractive women (they’re there to hike, not to be ogled) and at one point he berated a guy for pink blazing (altering his hiking pattern to catch up to a woman) and then basically does it himself.
I also very much disliked his characterizations of other hikers. At one point he makes a note that there were rumors a section hiker cheated on her husband. Why would you publish that in a book? So unnecessary.
Lastly, some serious proofreading and editing would have done this book some good.
I also very much disliked his characterizations of other hikers. At one point he makes a note that there were rumors a section hiker cheated on her husband. Why would you publish that in a book? So unnecessary.
Lastly, some serious proofreading and editing would have done this book some good.
March 4, 2018
Not as introspective as other trail tomes, probably because he didn't go at the impetus of a personal crisis, which seems to be the norm, especially when recording the hike in a book. He seemed to enjoy interacting with his fellow hikers. Skywalker's recounting of his experiences on the trail were upbeat and fast moving. This matched the author's own audio narration. Skywalker's rapid fire reading in a distinctive southern drawl betrayed his native Georgia. Even though this narration was a bit less professional than most audio books, it was endearing.
January 2, 2024
I've thoroughly enjoyed all of Walker's travel monologues and this one was no different. He tells stories of the people he meets, the challenges he faces, the fears and successes he experiences, and the land he traverses. He does so with a humble, down-to-earth, friendly style that just makes you want to hike his next trail right beside him.
Skywalker... keep the books coming! I use them to prep for my next through hikes and find them extremely helpful.
Skywalker... keep the books coming! I use them to prep for my next through hikes and find them extremely helpful.
July 7, 2019
Loved TheTallPerspective
I loved Bill's whole preamble to getting ready for the hike, hysterical! The family support that he really didn't have for his big idea... Most probably don't. Bill's illustration of the trail was excellently written. I read this after I read his book on the PCT. Enjoyed both immensely.
I loved Bill's whole preamble to getting ready for the hike, hysterical! The family support that he really didn't have for his big idea... Most probably don't. Bill's illustration of the trail was excellently written. I read this after I read his book on the PCT. Enjoyed both immensely.
October 4, 2019
I think this book would have been more enjoyable to read in print (I listened to it via an Audible audio book). I found the narrator's voice (who was actually also the author) very distracting. He read kind of fast and I wasn't able to pick up on the subtle clues (pauses, voice inflection, different voices for different characters) that a good narrator can give.
October 29, 2018
If you have a foolish, romantic heart, like me...don't read this book. It will definitely - like Following Atticus, make you believe that you can accomplish a full AT Thru-hike! It was a great read. Funny a lot of the time.
January 23, 2019
I listened to the audiobook. it was narrated by the author and he did a good job.
I really enjoyed the facts and history that Bill Walker provided. I enjoyed his description of the people he met and the challenges he faced. He is very humble about his accomplishments.
I really enjoyed the facts and history that Bill Walker provided. I enjoyed his description of the people he met and the challenges he faced. He is very humble about his accomplishments.
August 25, 2019
I loved the story, but this just wasn't well written. There are so many great books about thru-hikes of the AT, but this just isn't one of them. I'm impressed with his feat, but I was bored while listening to him tell me about it.
November 16, 2019
Loved Skywalker!!
I've read a few books about hiking the AT, but this is my favorite. The pace was good and the voice of the author was like talking to an old friend. Loved the read along version with the audio edition. Time to find my next adventure to read.
I've read a few books about hiking the AT, but this is my favorite. The pace was good and the voice of the author was like talking to an old friend. Loved the read along version with the audio edition. Time to find my next adventure to read.
April 22, 2020
Great light and entertaining read of Bill Walker's adventures and the people he met on his travels walking the Appalachian Trail.
Perfect listening for that long car trip.
I listened to the Unabridged Audible Audio Book version of this.
Perfect listening for that long car trip.
I listened to the Unabridged Audible Audio Book version of this.
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