Appalachian Trail hiker Doug Woods is nearing another milestone on his journey north, logging about 380 miles as he approaches the Tennessee border.

Speaking from the Tennessee-North Carolina border, Woods said the trail has recently offered some of the most dramatic scenery of the trip so far, including a stop at Big Firescald Mountain, one of the Appalachian Trail’s well-known viewpoints.

“You climb to the top and you can see forever,” Woods said. “It was spectacular.”

The trail currently runs along the border between the two states, often weaving back and forth between Tennessee and North Carolina. 

Despite good weather and a positive outlook, the hike hasn’t been without challenges. Woods said he recently took a couple of days off after experiencing pain in his left shin.

“My shins started acting up, mostly my left leg,” he said, “So I slowed down a little bit, but it’s feeling better now.”

The group he’s hiking with also paused briefly when one member became ill, giving everyone a chance to rest before continuing north.

Along the way, Woods stopped at a well-known Appalachian Trail landmark known to hikers as the “Cookie Lady.” The local resident has become something of a legend among thru-hikers for greeting them with homemade cookies.

“She just hands out cookies to hikers,” Woods said. “She’s a famous icon on the trail.”

The hike has also taken Woods through areas that still show damage from Hurricane Helene, which tore through parts of the southern Appalachians in 2024.

“In one section all the trees were just laid down flat,” he said. “It looks like someone pressed everything right to the ground. Huge trees everywhere.”

Water has been plentiful so far this spring. Woods collects water from mountain springs and filters it with a Sawyer Squeeze filtration system before drinking.

“There’s so much water this time of year,” he said. “Some springs even have pipes sticking right out of the mountain.”

Looking ahead, Woods expects to pass the 400-mile mark next week. To avoid hiking a high-elevation viewpoint during an incoming snowstorm, his group plans to briefly change direction before continuing north once the weather clears.

“We’re doing a little flip-flop so we can catch the views when it’s clear,” Woods said.

Woods plans to check in again next week as the trek continues.