The Trail has been a favorite for book clubs who enjoy stories of wilderness, friendship, and personal change. Below you’ll find discussion questions and background material to support your group. You can use this page directly in your meeting or download the full PDF to share with members.

Author’s Note

Thank you for choosing The Trail for your book club. This story grew out of my deep connection to the Sierra Nevada—the place where I first learned how time in spent in nature can strip life down to its essentials and bring the most important things into focus.

I wanted to write a novel that captured not only the physical beauty of the John Muir Trail but also the inner journey that unfolds when we step away from our routines and let the rhythm of nature take over. Gil and Syd began as two very different people in my mind, but the deeper I walked into the story, the more I saw how their struggles—grief, uncertainty, friendship, purpose—are reflected in so many of our own lives.

My hope is that The Trail offers both an engaging adventure and a moment of reflection: a reminder that wild places can challenge us, steady us, and change us for the better. That recreation is really re-creation. I’m honored that you’re bringing these pages into a conversation with others. Book clubs are where stories come alive in new and unexpected ways.

Thank you for reading—and for walking this trail with me.

— Ethan Gallogly 

THE TRAIL — Book Club Discussion Questions

1. The novel opens with Gil in a moment of personal upheaval.

How did you relate to Gil’s emotional state at the beginning?
Did your impressions of him evolve over the course of the journey?

2. Gil and Syd make an unlikely pair.

What struck you most about the dynamic between them?

How do their personalities clash—and complement—each other?

3. Much of the novel revolves around the idea of “carrying” things—gear, memories, grief, responsibility.

What do you think each character is carrying emotionally, and how does the trail change the weight of those burdens?

4. Syd’s health condition casts a shadow over the journey.

How does the possibility of loss shape the relationship between the two men and your reading of the story?

5. The Trail blends humor with serious reflection.

Did any moments of humor surprise you?

How did the balance of levity and gravity shape your experience of the book?

6. Many readers find that the Sierra landscape becomes a character in its own right.

How did the High Sierra setting influence your reading of the story? Could this same story have been told elsewhere?

7. The novel includes historical interludes about the John Muir Trail and its early pioneers.
How did these sections affect your experience of the narrative?

Did they deepen your understanding of the journey, or offer a different lens on wilderness?

8. Gil repeatedly confronts his own limitations—physical, emotional, and practical.
Which moment of struggle or realization resonated most with you?

9. Syd serves as a mentor, friend, and sometimes a mystery.

What do you think motivates Syd to take this trip?

How did your understanding of his character shift as the story progressed?

10.  Several trail characters make brief but memorable appearances.
Which one stood out most to you, and why?

What role do these encounters play in the larger narrative?

11.  The Trail explores the theme of “unexpected transformation.”
Do you believe nature changes people?

Did you connect personally with any aspect of the healing or clarity Gil experiences?

12.  The journey forces both men to confront the past—and themselves.
Do you think each character finds what they were seeking?
Are their transformations complete, or still in progress?

13.  The story is richly illustrated with maps and sketches.

How did the inclusion of these visual elements affect your reading experience?

14.  If you have hiked in the Sierra Nevada—or anywhere with big landscapes—how did your personal experiences shape your reading of the book?

If you haven’t, did this story make you more curious about long-distance hiking?

15.  The novel ends on a reflective note.

What emotions did it leave you with?

If you could ask the author one question about the ending, what would it be? 

Author Q&A

1.     What inspired you to write The Trail?

When I turned fifty, I decided to hike the John Muir Trail end-to-end as a thru-hike—a full month in the wilderness. Though I’d spent more than thirty seasons hiking and leading trips, nothing prepared me for just how transformative that journey would be. When I returned, I wanted to share the experience. I had originally planned to give a lecture at the college where I taught, but a scheduling conflict canceled it. Still, I realized I had gathered enough stories, historical details, and lessons from the trail for a book.

Gil and Syd arrived later, shaped partly by my younger and older selves and partly by the many hikers I’ve met over the years. After nine full rewrites, the novel evolved into something that surprised even me—a story about beauty, hardship, humor, unexpected connection, and the changes that unfold when immersed in the wild.

2.     Are Gil and Syd based on real people?

Both characters draw on parts of me and on people I’ve known. Gil is an exaggerated version of my younger, brasher self—stuck in his tracks and in need of growing up, as so many young men are. Syd reflects the qualities I aspire to grow into: patience, perspective, and a deep love of history and philosophy. But he also carries his own flaws, born from relying too heavily on our intellectual side. Ultimately, both characters are fictional, but—like all novelistic creations—they’re built from the raw material of lived experience.

3.     Why set the novel on the John Muir Trail?

The JMT is one of the world’s great long-distance trails. It has a rhythm all its own: high passes followed by deep valleys, long stretches of solitude punctuated by moments of camaraderie. It shapes you as you walk it. I wanted the trail to function not just as scenery but as a character—a force that challenges, steadies, and transforms the people who travel it. And, of course, the book grew directly out of my own 28-day journey along it.

4.     How much of the book is drawn from your own hiking experience?

A great deal. I’ve hiked the JMT, the High Sierra Trail, the Theodore Solomons Trail, and more than half of the Pacific Crest Trail. The geography, trail lore, and natural descriptions come directly from time spent in the Range of Light. Many of the encounters and vignettes were inspired by real people or moments, reshaped through fiction to explore deeper emotional truths. I even re-hiked the entire trail while the book was in final edits to ensure each view, place, and description was accurate.

5. The book deals with grief, aging, and purpose. Was that intentional from the start?

Not at first. I began with a simple idea: two mismatched hikers on a long trail. But as the characters unfolded, it became clear that both were carrying unspoken burdens. Wilderness has a way of bringing those interior struggles to the surface. The emotional arc revealed itself naturally—just as it does for people who walk long distances.

6.     The novel includes historical background on the Sierra and the JMT. Why blend history with fiction?

To walk the John Muir Trail is to walk through history—of the early explorers, the Sierra Club, and the creation of the trail itself. I wanted readers to feel the continuity between past and present and to understand how the landscape we enjoy today was shaped by the people who fought to protect it.

7.     What role did the maps and sketches play in the book’s creation?

The High Sierra is inherently visual. Jeremy Ashcroft’s 43 maps and illustrations bring the terrain to life and help readers orient themselves, especially those who haven’t hiked the trail. They also echo the tactile experience of flipping through a well-used guidebook or an old adventure novel rich with pen-and-ink drawings—something I’ve always loved.

8.     What do you hope readers take away from The Trail?

I hope they come away with a renewed sense of wonder—and perhaps a desire to lace up their boots. More deeply, I hope readers feel the quiet truth woven through the story: wild places can steady us, surprise us, and slowly re-shape the scattered pieces of our lives into something whole again.

9.     Are you working on another novel?

Yes. I’m currently writing my second novel, a work of historical fiction based on the surprising life of one of the early Sierra explorers. It’s still taking shape, so I’m not quite ready to reveal more—but I’m excited for where it’s heading.

10.  What advice would you give someone planning to hike the John Muir Trail?

Begin with shorter weekend trips to refine your gear and build confidence before heading into the High Sierra. When you’re ready, I strongly recommend Elizabeth Wenk’s book, John Muir Trail: The Essential Guide to Hiking America’s Most Famous Trail, which is the definitive resource.

I also recorded a detailed podcast on my website, How to Succeed at Hiking the JMT,
available here: https://www.ethangallogly.com/podcasts

Most importantly, give yourself enough time. Many hikers make the mistake of rushing. In my view, twenty days is the bare minimum, and twenty-five to thirty days allows you to fully experience the magic of the trail. Build several “zero days” into your itinerary for weather, rest, and those places so moving you simply can’t bring yourself to walk on.

For Book Club Visits or Inquiries

I love connecting with readers and book clubs.

If your group would like to invite me for a virtual visit, ask a question, or share your thoughts about The Trail, you can reach me through the contact form on my website:

https://www.ethangallogly.com

I’m always happy to join in a discussion when time allows.