Nikki Bettis stood on the jagged summit outcrop of Shenandoah National Park’s 4,011-foot Stony Man, awed by westward panoramic views. Her heart swelled with emotion as she turned to watch her 13 kids shoulder their loaded backpacks and fall into a clamorous single-file line heading back to the Appalachian Trail (AT).
“We were in an area that we knew really well, and I was overwhelmed by thoughts and memories,” says Bettis, a 49-year-old single mom from Danville. They were on track for a major achievement “and we were going to do it together, as a family. I felt like we’d finally found our groove and there was no stopping us from reaching our goal.”
The 4–22-year-old troop had spent the past seven months hiking the 2,190-mile AT from Georgia to Maine. Chats with other parents in online forums about failed attempts had instilled back-of-mind worries. Early problems like a broken-down support vehicle, frigid nighttime temperatures, and painfully slow, five-mile days had made them worse.
But with the Bettis clan now trekking like seasoned pros, “I was like, ‘Who are these guys and what have you done with my kids?’” laughs their matriarch. Their confidence had skyrocketed.
The family rode the momentum to the summit of Maine’s Mount Katahdin, concluding their trip on Oct. 19, 2023. Bettis says they came away from the gargantuan trek feeling validated for tackling an adventure many claimed was impossible.
“The idea was to use the trip to take a break from everything, help one another heal, and just have a great time together,” she says. The tightknit family had faced a cyclone of challenges—from the pandemic to divorce and the closure of two small businesses within three years. Bettis approached the hike hoping they’d finish half the trail, but the outcome eclipsed her wildest dreams.
“It was a truly transformative experience,” she says, with the journey helping them “recharge mentally, physically, and spiritually.”
Dream On
Bettis’s long-deferred dream of hiking the AT was rooted in childhood. A National Geographic article sparked an obsession with the nation’s most iconic footpath at age 12, but adult life got in the way.
A move to Danville in 2011 provided access to Virginia’s mountains. While homeschooling her kids, she managed to work hikes into their curriculum. The activity became a favorite pastime and before long, “they were begging me to take them on more hikes and for longer distances,” she says.
Bettis’s life was soon on overdrive, between owning a coffee shop, parenting 15 kids, and helping her oldest boys manage a fast-growing custom furniture business. With such a busy life, dreams of a major hike felt bonkers. But the pandemic upended everything—mandatory shutdowns and shuttering businesses had tanked morale. Bettis knew she needed to flip the script.
Coming True
A chance encounter in fall 2022 with a couple who were happily hiking the Virginia span of the AT with two young children provided a serendipitous catalyst. She thought, “why don’t we use this unexpected interruption in our lives to go on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure?”
Bettis pitched an AT thru-hike to her 15 kids; all but two signed on. They started training and making preparations, and officially set out on March 8, 2023. The hike opened with some early bumps—too much gear and resupplying challenges to name a few. “Luckily, we made some incredible friends who took us under their wing and showed us the ropes,” says Bettis.
“It doesn’t take long to realize the AT is so much more than a trail,” says Bettis. “Trail angels,” as they’re called, were everywhere—strangers who routinely opened their homes, fed them, provided showers, and sent them off with food-filled packs. Word spread, and churches and public officials in mountain towns threw cookouts. And the list goes on. “There’s this magical community of people who go out of their way to support you solely because they want you to have an amazing adventure,” says Bettis.
Looking back after a year, Bettis says the hardships were well worth the payoff. In fact, she and the kids loved the experience so much they’re planning a 2026 follow-up on the 3,100-mile Continental Divide National Scenic Trail. And this time? The siblings who sat out the first trip say they’ll come along.
“I got to watch my children come together and grow in ways that would never have been possible if we’d stayed home,” says Bettis. “We’re healthier, happier, and stronger now than we’ve ever been in our lives, and we have the AT to thank for it.”
This article originally appeared in the April 2025 issue.
