I was working on my Blog about this year's #Hike100NCT Challenge, and was reminded about how easy it is to lose the trail when hiking. I was on the NCT in Hilliards, PA for the first time. The trail isn't well marked here - the blazes occur only every 1/8 mile (or more), and several of the turns don't have a double-blaze to mark where the trail goes. Since most of the trail is open and runs along an access road, rather than in the woods, it's no wonder that I lost the trail and had to double back - THREE TIMES - before I finally found the "game trail" where the NCT heads back into the woods. The stake that was supposed to mark the trail had fallen over in the tall grass, and the blazes on the trees weren't visible from the access road. So, new hikers - fear not. Even those of us with lots of experience sometimes lose the trail!!