Took the wrong turn on the Appalachian Trail near Hot Springs and ended up hiking 8 extra miles in the dark last week

I decided to follow a side trail that looked like a shortcut on my map near Hot Springs, North Carolina... big mistake. That trail just dead ended into a creek with no crossing. By the time I backtracked and found the real path, it was already 6pm and I still had 12 miles to my shelter. I ended up hiking with a headlamp through some rocky sections and twisted my ankle on a loose stone around 9pm. Had to stop and wrap it with an ace bandage from my pack before limping the last 2 miles. Has anyone else here taken a wrong turn that added serious miles to their day? What did you do to get back on track?

2 comments

2 Comments

rubybarnes1mo ago

Done the same thing on that stretch of trail. Took a spur trail thinking it was a loop and ended up doing 10 extra miles through the Pisgah National Forest. Had to camp overnight without a tent, just my sleeping bag and a tarp. Ankle still gives me trouble when it rains.

uma_mitchell831mo ago

Ngl, camping overnight with just a tarp sounds brutal.