• Grandma Gatewood's Walk

  • The Inspiring Story of the Woman Who Saved the Appalachian Trail
  • By: Ben Montgomery
  • Narrated by: Patrick Lawlor
  • Length: 7 hrs and 54 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (2,483 ratings)

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Grandma Gatewood's Walk

By: Ben Montgomery
Narrated by: Patrick Lawlor
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Publisher's summary

Emma Gatewood told her family she was going on a walk and left her small Ohio hometown with a change of clothes and less than $200. The next anybody heard from her, this genteel, farm-reared, 67-year-old great-grandmother had walked 800 miles along the 2,050-mile Appalachian Trail. And in September 1955, atop Maine's Mount Katahdin, she sang the first verse of "America, the Beautiful" and proclaimed, "I said I'll do it, and I've done it." Grandma Gatewood, as the reporters called her, became the first woman to hike the entire Appalachian Trail alone, as well as the first person - man or woman - to walk it twice and three times. The public attention she brought to the little-known footpath was unprecedented. Her vocal criticism of the lousy, difficult stretches led to bolstered maintenance, and very likely saved the trail from extinction.

©2014 Ben Montgomery (P)2014 Tantor

Critic reviews

"A quiet delight of a book." ( Kirkus)

Featured Article: The Best Hiking Audiobooks


Hiking is a time-honored way to appreciate and learn about nature while improving your physical and mental health. But even if you can't get out on the trail yourself at the moment, these hiking audiobooks will give you a greater appreciation for the sport. Hiking's broad appeal and long history have formed the basis of many compelling works of nonfiction. They run the gamut from intense stories of survival and perseverance to gentle explorations of the healing power of nature. Each of these hiking audiobooks is perfect whether you are out on a hike or sitting behind the wheel of a car.

What listeners say about Grandma Gatewood's Walk

Average customer ratings
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Better Than I Expected

I enjoyed this narrator very much. The story of Emma's trek is evenly dispersed with equally interesting facts about related topics. I highly recommend this entertaining booj.

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5 people found this helpful

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Amazing story

The best book I've listened to in a long time. I was captivated and fascinated with Grandma Gatewood - her story, her life, her strength. The story includes historical info on the Appalachian Trail which I also found very interesting. This is an amazing story , I loved it.

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Wonderful story

I really enjoyed this story. What an amazing woman! Great book! The books make you want to go on a hike!

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This Grandma is a Bad A*% !

Would you consider the audio edition of Grandma Gatewood's Walk to be better than the print version?

have not read the print version

What was one of the most memorable moments of Grandma Gatewood's Walk?

Not a moment, but each chapter proved that Emma's spirit was fearless and her mind was open - a woman way ahead of her time.

Have you listened to any of Patrick Lawlor’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have not

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The fact that she picked up a magazine and acted on an adventurous impulse was beautiful. Her lifetime achievements are really remarkable.

Any additional comments?

I read this book several years ago, and it totally inspired me to consider the AT as a living entity... so much more that a long line on the map. The development of our National Parks system could be an entire history course in itself and should be presented with passion to the younger generations. It's true that an adventure starts with just a single step.

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An Amazing Woman and a Wonderful Book!

Emma Gatewood was such an amazing woman!! I loved this book. It was exciting hearing about her hikes and travels, and interesting hearing about her life. I loved the way the book was written, going back and forth between her life growing up and raising her children, and her hike. I definitely recommend!

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Great book!

everything about this book is great! if you have come across it you must be interested. buy it!!

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very entertaining and inspiring.

Very entertaining and inspiring. Makes me want to take a walk and keep going. looking forward to another adventure.

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Inspiring book for anyone regardless of age.

Loved listening to this book. Both history and inspiration of a courageous woman. I wish I had her strength of will to continue on despite the odds. Ben Montgomery does a great job providing not only Grandma Gatewood's experience but supplemental information about the Appalachian trail and how the information was passed around in the "dark" ages of the 1950s. Patrick Lawlor did a great job reading the book and I'll have to check out any other books he's narrated. I'm working on a whole set of new books but I plan to listen to this again. It is one of the few books that kept me calm and entertained during a four hour traffic jam last summer.

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Outstanding .....

Outstanding reading which brought Grandma to life. Recommend to all who dream of hiking the AT, and to those who already have completed the AT.

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Captivated

I couldn't put it down. Wonder why since I am a hiker I never heard of this amazing woman. Well written.

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