Vicariously hike the Appalachian in the gorgeous A Trail Tale

Terrence O'Brien

is the Verge’s weekend editor. He’s covered the tech industry for over 18 years and knows a thing or two about synths.

I used to be an avid hiker and would try to go backpacking a few times a year. I always dreamed of thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail, but life kind of got in the way. (Turns out jobs, wives, and children aren’t thrilled with the idea of you disappearing for three months.) But I’ve been longing to reconnect with my love of the outdoors and just recently took my kids on their first camping trip. So I discovered A Trail Tale at a really opportune time. It’s an interactive trail journal created by Andy Moliski with help from his brothers Adam and Alex.

The various segments of the trail are rendered in beautiful pixel art reminiscent of a ‘90s Sierra point-and-click adventure. Alex recorded an equally gorgeous original score that combines nature sounds, acoustic guitar, strings, and even what sounds like clarinet.

As you click through each day, you’re greeted with information about landmarks and a game-like UI that is partially inspired by titles like Oregon Trail. (Spoiler: nobody dies of dysentery in this one.) Clicking on Andy unfurls a menu of icons that offer details about the journey, his mental state, and even bits of poetry. There are even little icons for things that impact his fortitude and morale meters, like inclement weather or picturesque scenery.

It’s insanely easy to just get lost in Andy’s journey for hours. And it’s making me wonder if I should get back out there and start tackling some more of the AT myself.

Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.

Terrence O'Brien