The Florida Trail is one of the eleven National Scenic Trails in the US. It stretches 1,500 miles from Big Cypress National Preserve to Fort Pickens at Gulf Islands National Seashore, Pensacola Beach. As a Florida native, I want to bring Footprints for Change to the Sunshine State by thru-hiking the Florida Trail for its…
Author: Crystal Gail Welcome
After a lengthy battle with a rare brain disease, Crystal Gail Welcome came to recognize the healing power of nature. She now uses her experience to break down barriers so more people can access the outdoors. Crystal is an experiential educator, author, storyteller, activist, backpacker, and Black outdoor leader. She chooses to speak out against racial injustice in the United States by hiking and giving voice to her experiences.
Disabled Hikers: Building an Equitable Existence to Thrive
I can. I must. I will. As an advocate for a better planet led by love and compassion, we can equip ourselves with a powerful tool of understanding through conversation. I hope sharing my experiences will educate those with little to no idea of the challenges of being a hiker living with a disability. In…
Achievements
I have never been one to strive for recognition or praise. Especially when it comes to engaging with Nature. However, as I mature, I understand that sharing my achievements means putting something out into the world and having that echo come back to me. Putting my achievements on display drives a more profound desire to…
The Great Western Loop
Skip to content The Great Western Loop The Great Western Loop (GWL) is a 6,875-mile hike through five National Scenic Trails in the Western United States, 12 National Parks, and over 75 wilderness areas. Because it’s a loop, the direction of travel is a hiker’s choice. <script async src=”https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-6139803315441080″ Section 1 Pacific Crest Trail (PCT): The…
Far Out Guides: My Great Western Loop Story
Photo provided by Crystal Gail Welcome I am section hiking The Great Western Loop (GWL), a 6,875-mile hike through five National Scenic Trails in the Western United States. One of those trails is the Arizona National Scenic Trail (AZT). The AZT is a total of 800 miles, but only 320 miles of those miles are…
Six Moon Designs: The Arizona National Scenic Trail (AZT)
The Arizona National Scenic Trail (AZT) is a non-motorized trail, traversing 800 miles across Arizona from the Arizona-Utah border in Kaibab Plateau in Utah southbound thru Arizona to Monument 102 on the U.S./Mexico border. The AZT connects three national parks, two national monuments, five national forests, and Oracle Arizona State Park, encapsulating Arizona’s varied beauty….
PCTA: Building relationships with Earth—and one another
Recent awareness of the lack of diversity in the outdoors suggests to many that it is a new issue or was never a problem in the past. Many white Americans have been enjoying the outdoors since the trails we know today were established—even before that. <script async src=”https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-6139803315441080″crossorigin=”anonymous”></script> For those who have been blissfully unaware,…
PCTA: Through hiking
Crystal Gail Welcome on the PCT in the Sierra Nevada this summer. Photo by Crystal Gail Welcome. Fires are ablaze throughout California, wreaking havoc on homes, businesses and wild landscapes. Folks from all walks of life are working endlessly to extinguish the devastating effects of the wildfires amidst a drought and scourging heatwave. I can’t…
PCTA: Collaborative Reciprocity
Nature has gifted me so much during our time together: astonishing sunrises, breathtaking peaks, and magnificent sunsets. Nature has removed all elements of self-doubt, shame, and most of the chaos life brings. I love this about Nature, for this is something she alone can provide. During my weeks on the PCT, I have encountered folks…
PCTA Communicator: Taking up space in the middle of nowhere
Taking up space means that you have the power of choice. You get to choose who to love, what to eat, what to buy, how you behave, how to spend your time, how to think and where to hike. On the surface, all these things are obvious. They are a given. However, as a Black…