“Wild” Generosity: The Role of Trail Angels in Shaping Community on America’s Long-Distance Hiking Trails

Abstract

Similar to forms of hospitality given to pilgrims on Spain’s Camino de Santiago or Japan’s Shikoku pilgrimage, trail magic is a phenomenon spoken of fondly by long-distance hikers on America’s National Scenic Trails. In fact, many say that the kindness bestowed upon them by total strangers, commonly referred to as trail angels, has restored their faith in humanity. To better understand “wild” generosity on America’s long-distance hiking trails, I examine the role(s) that trail angels play in building a larger hiker/pilgrim community. I focus on relationships between trail users, specifically long-distance hikers or backpackers, and trail angels, those who provide resources and services to long-distance hikers. I draw from fieldwork including participant observation on three of America’s eleven National Scenic Trails: the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail, and the Arizona Trail between April 2021 and June 2023. I also conducted semi-structured interviews with forty-one individuals who identified as trail angels. This study gives voice to trail angels, a group largely ignored in both academic and popular literature, and underscores the need to for more research exploring practices of giving and receiving trail magic and the extent to which place mediates this social practice.