Hiker, 91, becomes oldest person to complete grueling Appalachian Trail
Summary
Dale Sanders, a 91-year-old hiker from Tennessee, has become the oldest person to complete the entire Appalachian Trail, a hiking route over 2,000 miles long from Georgia to Maine. Despite falling many times and facing injuries, he finished his journey after starting it in September 2025.Key Facts
- The Appalachian Trail is about 2,193 miles long and runs from Springer Mountain, Georgia, to Mount Katahdin, Maine.
- Sanders started his hike on September 6, 2025, in West Virginia and finished in Maine in 2026, completing the trail within a year.
- He fell 71 times during the hike, with one fall close to the end that nearly stopped him.
- Sanders was hospitalized briefly for a pinched nerve but resumed hiking after recovery.
- He first set the record for the oldest person to finish the trail at age 82 in 2017.
- His friend, MJ Eberhart, broke the record at age 83, but Sanders reclaimed it at 91.
- Sanders draws encouragement from fans on social media and “trail angels” who provide support during the hike.
- He also holds the record as the oldest person to paddle the full length of the Mississippi River, which he completed at age 87.
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