"What better way to merge my love of Art & Nature than to fulfill my lifelong dream of hiking and painting my way through the entire 2,200 miles of the Appalachian Trail."
Be an integral part of this exciting six month adventure. Please help me fund my "AT PROJECT 2025" through your generous support of my work in one of several ways below. Maybe even own one of my AT paintings fresh from the trail.
My Dream for 44 Years...
(Ellen's Personal Video Coming Here Soon)
At age 13, I attended Camp Onaway in New Hampshire. This flatlander made the cut for the intermediate hiking club, and I still vividly recall rising above treeline on the Appalachian Trail in the White Mountains. I could see forever! This southern girl, trained from birth to be demure and undemanding, felt powerful and free, and when I learned that this same trail went all the way from Georgia to Maine, I decided then that I would one day hike every step of that trail.
When I was 20, I attempted to flip flop the trail (starting halfway, going northbound to Maine, then finishing the second half hiking southbound to Georgia) but I didn’t know what I was doing, my boots were too small, I injured myself, and had to get off the trail after a little over 100 miles.
Now, at age 57, I am determined to go while my health still allows. I know so much more now about hiking and enjoy learning from hiking mentors about the best equipment, food prep and strategy. I have the experience, wisdom and the desire to complete this challenging adventure, but I definitely will need your help.
While the trail costs the average thru-hiker around $5-6k (food for resupplies, laundry, equipment replacement, hostels, shuttle rides, permits), but it also “costs” 5-6 months on average. I’ll need to maintain the rest of my financial responsibilities for the half-year I’m out of the studio. I’ll take paints and paper with me to capture images and moments along the way, but I won’t be able to produce the scale or volume of work I can in the studio.
The AT is about 2,200 miles long and I do plan to thru-hike northbound, which means that I will start in Georgia and hike the entire way to the finish at Mount Katahdin in Maine. I plan to leave Georgia as soon as it’s warm enough for my hands to function (they struggle in the cold), probably sometime between mid March and late April, hike an average of 15 miles per day, and incur no injuries! I have to beat the closing of the northern terminus when the cold season begins in Maine, usually sometime in September or October.
Will you help my dream come true? I have several ways you can support me. I can’t do this without you, my loyal art/life community, pushing me on.
Ways to Become a Part of My AT Support Team
Calendar Featuring Trail Paintings $50
(Plus $10 for S&H)
Prepay for a 2026 Ellen Langford Calendar of Trail Paintings and Thoughts.
To be shipped in November 2025. Great Christmas gifts for all your friends & family!
Gouache Painting on Paper $400
(Plus $12 for S&H)
Prepay for an Ellen Langford Original Gouache Painting live from the Trail. Painting will be unframed.
Original Painting on Canvas $800
(S&H to be paid separately at time of shipment if needed)
Prepay for a Post Through Hike Mountain Original Painting.
12"x12" on Canvas.
To be shipped November, 2025.
3 Day Hike Along + A Commemorative Painting $1000
(S&H to be paid separately at time of shipment if needed)
Prepay for a very special, personal commemorative Painting. Hike with Ellen! Join me in person for 3 nights on my hike... OR... Join me virtually via some face time calls, signal permitting.
Either way receive a personal gouache painting commemorating our shared time.
To be shipped November, 2025
Direct Gift / Any Amount Choose Your Gift Amount
Graphic of hiker (from an ellen painting) moving along a graphic of the AT Trail to signify progress towards the financial goal. Significant places as benchmarks towards goal:
1. Springer, GA
(southern terminus)
2. Damascus, VA
(¼ of the way)
3. Harper’s Ferry, West VA
(half way)
4. Mount Greylock,MA/Vermont
(¾ of the way)
5. Mount Katahdin, Maine
(THERE! life goal completed!)