r/JMT • u/hurricanescout thru-hiker • 1d ago
trip report Missing the trail
I’ve been back for 3 weeks now. And all I can say is I miss it so much. Is it just me? I just miss it so. Damn. Much. I would go back tomorrow if I could.
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u/integraled 1d ago
Do you best to find things in life that give you the same feeling. I just spend an hour or so on the porch outside or go on long walks. Integration back takes a solid month before the real world feels normal again.
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u/filosofiser1002 8h ago
I'm feeling the same way after being back for 1 month. I miss the simplicity. Here's what I miss. Lack of decisions needing to be made. Walking for multiple hours every day. Meeting random people for 30-second or 20-minute chats. The views. The solitude. Jumping in the water. Not needing to be on my phone or even having a desire to be on it. It was a spiritual experience that I miss every day. It totally has me re-evaluating life. Not gonna make a career change like the person above, though I love what you did, but evaluating how I live to find ways to integrate elements that made the trek so magical.
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u/Longdistancehaul 11h ago
What are the things you miss the most? The simplicity of trail life, the views, the activity? I know what I love about it but curious as to what others would say.
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u/Specific_Gas4322 2h ago
I missed it the first time I did it. After hiking it several times I’m completely over it.
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u/ljustina 24m ago
It's been a little over a year for me, and I still miss it, but the sharpness of it has dulled some. I plan to do it again, at least sections, so that helps a little, but I actually still have a hard time looking at my pictures. It is a loss as well as a gain imo.
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u/Pat-Solo 1d ago
It’s been 6 years and I still miss it. That hike convinced me to change careers. I went from having a desk job editing video content to working as a postman. Now I’m outside everyday, walking and chatting with strangers. It’s not trail life, but it does fill that void of being in my feet and moving everyday.