88 Year Old Completes ‘Last’ Bucket List Item—Hiking the Appalachian Trail

By Bethanie H

Published

12/26/2024

To celebrate his birthday, 88-year-old Bill Kingrea wished to complete what he says is the last item on his bucket list: hiking a chunk of the Appalachian Trail (AT). Specifically, the Virginia man wanted to hike 100 miles of the AT within Shenandoah National Park. He finished the trek in good health and spirits shortly before Christmas, and he raised thousands of dollars for a nonprofit along the way.

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Local WHSV News reports that Kingrea hiked chunks of the 100-mile trail at a time, and it took him about three months. Kingrea felt inspired by a man who completed the entirety of the AT in 2021 at age 83. That man was M.J. Eberhart, who still holds the record for being the oldest person to complete the thru hike.

Kingrea called his quest “Hike for Hope,” and he raised over $5,000 for Hope Distributed, a nonprofit food bank in his area. He started the hike in September, but took a break after his wife passed away. The remaining trek then doubled as a way to grieve his loss.

“I’m hoping [my trek] will inspire somebody else to do something similar,” Kingrea told WHSV. “If nothing else, just inspire them to stay healthy and walk [until] they’re 90.”

See the 88-year-old hiker’s post about finishing his momentous trek along the Appalachian Trail here: