Leonard Adkins booksigning and lecture
By Alex Carrier

Originally appeared in the Greene County Record 03.16.06

Sometimes, the trees are so magnificent you miss the beauty of the forest. Sometimes, the vista of the Blue Ridge keeps you from noticing what is right at hand – or under foot. For more than two decades, habitual hiker and travel author Leonard Adkins has been helping people notice and understand all the beauties to be found in the natural world.

Adkins has come to know each mile of the Appalachian Trail during his four complete hikes of its 2000 plus miles. His history of 17,000 miles of hiking began on the Appalachian.

“I had done a few overnight hikes but nothing big,” says Adkins. “I started hiking the Appalachian Trail with the intent of doing the whole trail but only accomplished 900 miles. The next year I came back and finished the other 1200.”

The trail not only introduced Adkins to the wonders of hiking but to his wife Laurie as well. “I met her on the trail and we hiked all the way to Maine. Three years later, we got married at the Peaks of Otter. We’ve been married 19 years and have hiked 14,000 miles together.”

His wife was not the only beauty Adkins found in the mountains. He also learned about the unique flora and fauna indigenous to the area. It was a knowledge acquired through many miles of discovery.

“When I first started hiking the trail, I was a novice. I could have counted all the flowers I knew by name on my hand,” admits Adkins. “Being out there year-after-year, I could not ignore that the flowers were such a part of the experience. There is such diversity there.”

“After my third hike, I got interested in doing more than just the hike,” Adkins explains. “I started carrying a guidebook and the more I learned, the more fascinating it became.”

Now, Adkins is the one who guides the novice hiker and the experienced backpacker through the wonders of the Appalachian Trail with his many books. He is quick in sharing his joy of the mountains he calls home.

“For the first-time hiker, I would go with the Appalachians Trail right where you are – in Shenandoah,” suggest Adkins. “It is perfect. If stays pretty much along the crest is nicely graded if you stay on the trail and it crosses Skyline Drive several times so you aren’t totally isolated.”

Adkins sends his experience with you in his basic guidebook The Appalachian Trail Visitors Companion. It is basically a naturalist guide to the trail,” says Adkins. “There is not as much detail but it is very concise with information on the geology, flora, fauna and will help you know the world you will find there.”

For Adkins, hiking is not about the destination as much as it is about the journey. “I have often thought that if I were to hike the Appalachian Trail for the first time all over again, I would get to the final mountain and not climb it. Just leave it open.’

Talk to Leonard Adkins about his adventures and experiences along the Blue Ridge during a booksigning at the Greene County Visitors Center. Adkins will be at the Center from 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM on Tuesday,

March 21st. You can bring in your well-worn copies of his books or pick up a few new titles for him to sign.

This is just in time to enjoy spring blossoms along the trail. Visitors to the booksigning will also receive free packets of wildflower seeds to bring the beauty of the season to home gardens.

This is event is sponsored by the Greene County Visitors Center located in the Virginia Company Building on business Route 33 in Stanardsville. For more information, call 985-9756.

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