"There Are No Boring Places, Only Boring Mindsets" – Guest Post from ADT Thru-Hikers
"Everyone said Nebraska would be flat and boring—just endless cornfields. But walking through it this fall, we're finding it gorgeous. There are no boring places, only boring mindsets. Quality over quantity, memories over miles. That's what makes the ADT truly worth experiencing."
One of, if not THE best part of running Hiking America is hearing from hikers currently on the trail...often daily.
Today, Rhiis & Sara share their perspective on walking through Nebraska—a section that gets unfairly criticized by people who've never actually walked it.
Their message about truly experiencing the trail rather than just checking off miles really resonates with what we believe here. Here's what they have to say: 🌾
Rhiis & Sara
Westbound - Northern & Southern Route
Began: February 21, 2025
Support Links: ImHikingAmerica, TrailJournals, YouTube, Venmo
Everyone kept telling us that Nebraska, like Kansas, was going to be flat and boring - just endless cornfields. While the land does have a tendency to be flat (actually, it ascends a full mile as one travels east to west), we would hardly call it boring. It's gorgeous out here.
It works in our favor that Fall is an excellent time of the year to walk through it. If we were walking through these open fields with no shade in 100° weather, it might be a little more challenging to enjoy. With cooler temperatures, the sun is actually pleasant, and the worst part is having to share the road with trucks.
Fall is the time of harvest, so there is increased truck traffic on the roads we have been walking. But even this is a mixed blessing - while it's not fun to deal with road noise, it means we get to interact with farmers more. As a result of this, we have only paid for a few meals since entering Nebraska.
Local generosity is incredible, and people have been welcoming us into their communities and homes regularly, if not every day.
Sometimes I think I see a tendency in the hiking community to view the ADT as an item to check off a to-do list, rather than something to experience and enjoy. In this scenario, the body does the miles, but where is the mind? This is an expensive and time-consuming undertaking to just check it off a list, or to say that you did it.
If you're going to do this, shouldn't you squeeze as much enjoyment and life out of it as you can?
Scenes from Nebraska - Photos by Rhiis Lopez
For most, this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and so I think we must appreciate it—quality over quantity, memories over miles. For what you pay attention to and learn about can change an endless trudge through cornfields into a fascinating experience. We are seeing that firsthand.
In the end, we have learned that there are no boring places, only boring mindsets and approaches. Hike your own hike, and make it amazing.
– Rhiis & Sara
Thanks to Rhiis & Sara for this perspective on what it means to hike the ADT with intention. Quality over quantity, memories over miles—that's the mindset that transforms a long walk into something life-changing.
When you have solid navigation tools, you spend less mental energy worrying about logistics and more time soaking in experiences like the ones Rhiis & Sara describe. Ready to start planning your own ADT experience? Explore our GPS data and navigation tools, designed specifically for this trail. 🥾
🥾 Trail Update: Steve Gefell Enters Utah
Stephen "Saunterin Steve" Gefell
Westbound <-> Eastbound Flip Flop - Southern Route
Began: February 23, 2025
Support Links: ImHikingAmerica, Instagram, YouTube
Yesterday at 12:10pm MDT, 'Saunterin' Steve' Gefell crossed into Utah—the final state he needs to complete his American Discovery Trail thru-hike. If he finishes, he'll be the only 2025 ADT hiker to complete the full Southern Route within the same calendar year.
Steve's journey showcases exactly why Hiking America developed dual-directional navigation for the ADT. When dangerous heat made the Utah desert unsustainable in August, Steve didn't have to end his hike. Instead, he used our navigation data to flip-flop from Moab to Limantour Beach (the ADT's Western Terminus) and is now walking back eastbound—arriving in Utah when temperatures are more manageable.
We're cheering him on through these final miles. You've got this, Steve! ⛰️
🗺️ GPS Data Update: 70 New Waypoints Added
Our navigation data just got even better. We've added 70 new crowdsourced waypoints from hikers currently walking the trail:
- Nebraska: 33 waypoints
- Nevada: 35 waypoints
- Utah: 2 waypoints
Real-time updates from actual hikers experiencing trail conditions right now. If you're a Hiking America member, these updates are already available in your Gaia GPS shared folder.
Not a member yet? Get access to continuously updated, crowdsourced navigation data for the entire ADT.
Hike Your Hike - John.
ADT in the News
Cairo, West Virginia
Lansing, Illinois
The Lansing, Illinois, Village Board moved a step forward in the process of having Lansing designated as an American Discovery Trail Town, with its unanimous approval of a proclamation in support of the action.
