In 2015 Kylie Yang thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail with her companion Sullivan Yang.

The Appalachian Trail is a 2,190+ mile trail that runs along the east coast from Georgia to Maine. Thru-hiking is when you hike the entirety of a trail continuously. This took Kylie and Sullivan 4 months and 23 days to complete and she’s spent every day since planning her next long-distance hike.

When Kylie Yang and Sullivan Yang are around each other they can’t stop smiling.

Their connection to each other, after 2,190+ miles hiked together, is radiant. Both of their faces light up and they grin from ear to ear when they’re on trail together. Kylie dotes over Sullivan, but he knows what he’s doing. He hangs back sometimes only to run up behind her on trail and give her a little nudge to let her know “I am here”.

Hikerkind:

Tell us about hiking a long-distance trail.

Kylie Yang:

Hiking a long-distance trail was truly transformative for me. I gained a connection with the natural world and with my body. It allowed my brain to slow down and I drowned out anything else that was happening in the world. It helped me figure out where my priorities lie and my senses were heightened. I could smell see and hear things from further away and in different ways than I ever had before. 

Your perception shifts and you figure out what's truly important to you.