Episode #135 - Jessica Mills aka Dixie (a Trail Dames story)

My name is Jessica Mills, but in the hiking world, people call me “Dixie.” Although I was born in Florida, I ‘grew up’ in Opelika, AL. I spent the majority of my summers with my grandparents, who were backyard gardeners that grew up on farms. At a young age, I developed a love for the outdoors. Watching TV is never a desire of mine, unless it is football season–War Eagle! I graduated from Auburn University in 2012 with a degree in Biosystems Engineering and a minor in Agronomy and Soils.

For a year and a half, I was a resident of Colorado and it was an amazing experience! I resigned from my job there and began my thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail in March 2015. Although that journey ended in October 2015 when I summited Mt. Katahdin, it was only the beginning to a new chapter of my life. I have since completed hiking's Triple Crown of the AT, the PCT, and the CDT.

I am an advocate of being outdoors, as I feel we can learn a lot about ourselves and life in general while out in nature. Whether it’s taking an evening stroll, catching lightning bugs or gardening, I think everyone can benefit from smelling the roses now and then!