Grandma Emma Gatewood was 67 years old in 1955 when she became the first woman to solo thru-hike the 2,050-mile Appalachian Trail after she had raised 11 children and survived domestic abuse! As if that wasn't enough she went back and did it TWO MORE TIMES (making her the first PERSON to thru-hike it three times). She hiked the 2,000-mile Oregon trail in 1959 and she helped create Ohio's Buckeye Trail.

Anne McEvoy portrays Emma in this film which includes interviews with other AT hikers, historians, Appalachian Trail Conservancy staff and family members including daughter, Lucy Gatewood Seeds and Marjorie Wood.

The documentary premiered in 2015, made its PBS premiere in 2016, was nominated for an Emmy in 2017 and in 2019 was named "Best Local Documentary" at the Chagrin Film Festival.

Film Comments:
Carl Gatewood, Emma's grandson: "... outstanding work on 'Trail Magic' - Grandma would be so proud & honored."

Laurie Potteiger, Information Services Manager, Appalachian Trail Conservancy and thru-hiker: "I've now had the pleasure of watching the film in its entirety a couple of times. It's really wonderful! Emma Gatewood has such a great story, and you've told it so well and so beautifully. It's one of the best and most interesting documentaries ever made about an Appalachian Trail hiker."

David Bamberger, Artistic Director, Opera Program at the Cleveland Institute of Music: TRAIL MAGIC is brilliant. It vividly brings to life the inspirational story of Grandma Gatewood, integrating it with the developing women’s rights movement and America’s growing appreciation of the natural world. Reenactments and historical film footage flow into each other seamlessly. Excellent music, first-rate acting, and outstanding cinematography combine to make this a documentary that is fascinating, educational, and consistently entertaining. TRAIL MAGIC deserves to be seen by the largest possible audience.

For information on Eden Valley's and FilmAffects' project to document this historic hiker's life or to arrange for a program about Grandma Gatewood for your group, visit http://tinyurl.com/gatewoodproject If you're a presenter and would like information about showing TRAIL MAGIC for your group, let us know. We'll be happy to make arrangements with you.