By Kim Nilsen

2019 solo thru-hiker Willow Nilsen, daughter of the founder of the Cohos Trail, recently queried the editor of Northern Woodlands magazine with a pitch to write a feature about her trek on the trail. To her delight, the query got a thumbs up, so Willow has hunkered down at the computer to hammer out a story about her 13-days in the Coos County backcountry.


Willow Nilsen finishes her thru-hike of the Cohos Trail. Photo courtesy of Allan Frolisch

It usually takes six months to a year for stories to make their way from draft to publication at Northern Woodlands (common for most print publications), so it may be awhile before Willow’s great CT adventure graces the pages of that fine regional publication.

Willow trekked southbound at the height of a late blossoming black fly season (black flies, deer flies and mosquitoes all at once). But she had good weather conditions for most to the jaunt and timely assistance from trail angel Nancy Spalding of the Stark Village Inn. Details to follow, sometime this year.