The Appalachian Trail is the longest marked footpath in the United States, traversing 2,181 miles of wilderness from Springer Mountain, Georgia to Mount Katahdin, Maine. Each year a few thousand hikers known as “thru-hikers” attempt to complete the entire trail in one continuous hike. Success rates are low; more than half of those that attempt it drop out after only a few weeks. Those that succeed will spend between five and seven months in some of the most remote areas left on the East Coast, carrying everything on their backs and walking upwards of 15 miles per day. But beyond its many challenges, the trail offers an experience that is quintessentially human.

After suffering devastating personal losses, including the passing of his father, his grandmother, and his dog, as well a divorce, Tad “Fin” Paavola turns to the Appalachian Trail in search of peace and solace. His love and passion for people does not go unnoticed and makes lasting impressions as he shares hard earned lessons with his fellow hikers.

Wes "Bearbait" Mayeux has been in the army his entire adult life. After two tours in Iraq, Bearbait returns home and begins a thru-hike to readjust to life outside military service. Without the rigid structure he is used to, he finds himself changed by the trail.

With their wedding date fast approaching, outdoor enthusiasts Nick "Low X" Baum and Melissa "Metric" Lacey set out for adventure and to put themselves to the test, both physically and mentally. Along the way they adopt an unexpected third member to their party, changing their hike and their lives for the better.