Among those who study the trail, those who know its history inside and out, her legacy is indelible. “She drew a lot of attention to the Appalachian Trail,” said Larry Luxenberg, author of Walking the Appalachian Trail. “Her hikes inspired a lot of people. No matter how bad your hike is, how difficult the trail is, you could always point to Grandma Gatewood and say, ‘Well, she did it.’”
