Picking a Trail Name

Bobby(PapaRed)@Cades Cove

In past years it has always been a tradition to acquire a trail name when hiking the Appalachian Trail. Now a days it's more common for hikers to follow suit even when not hiking the AT. I have been hiking off and on again for years and never fell victim to being tagged with a trail name. To most veteran hikers a trail name is something that is earned through an experience or embarrassing act but it is also just as fair to create your own trail name... the decision is yours.

A trail name should be fun and unique. It should describe you in some way or be affiliated with something that you enjoy doing. My trail name is PapaRed which both describes me personally and is affiliated with something I enjoy. Papa is what my son addresses me as. No dad or daddy in my house, just Papa... there is something so refreshing about bringing back old times when children referred to the father as papa, and I enjoy hearing my son call for his Papa! Red is something that I have always been tagged with because of my red hair and now really red beard. So, PapaRed is the trail name for me.

Picking your trail name should be fun! Get your family and friends involved if you can't think of something cleaver. If you have a hard time coming up with one, don't give up! Having a trail name enhances the hiking experience! It can give you the feeling of leaving the real world behind while you're out on the trail. You may find that after only a few days of hiking, your formal name will be forgotten only to return upon re-entry into the real world again.