Youngest hiker to complete Appalachian Trail details journey with mother ahead of Hiker Fest

WAYNESBORO, Va. (WHSV) - For one family, traversing the Appalachian Trail became much more than a hiking adventure. After escaping domestic violence, they later discovered perseverance and their love for each other, with one member of the family even making history.

In 2023, Nikki Bettis and her 15 children hiked the Appalachian Trail. Her youngest child, 7-year-old Opye, who uses the trail name “Not Oatmeal,” became the youngest documented hiker to complete the 2,198-mile Appalachian Trail when she was only 4 years old.

Not Oatmeal said the accomplishment was exciting.

“It was fun and I was happy,” Not Oatmeal said. “Oh yeah, and the waterfalls were beautiful.”

She said that on the hike, she enjoyed the view, the different mountains they climbed and the many people she was able to meet. Since completing the journey in 2023, Not Oatmeal said. she already misses the trail.

Bettis said the last thing they were thinking about was making her daughter the youngest to complete the trail. It was something they wanted to do as a family to get away from the negative things that were going on in their lives.

“There was no pressure on her to be the youngest and get a record or anything like that,” Bettis said. “It just kind of so happened that it took place, but it’s so exciting.”

Bettis said this experience came with a much deeper meaning. It was also a time for her family to heal.

“We were at a very low point in life, and there were not a lot of funds present, but we had gas, and we had shoes,” Bettis said. “We got a bus that only lasted to the trailhead, and that was it, and we got dropped off and just started hiking, and it was by far the most healing thing we’ve ever done.”

She said taking this hike was something that allowed them to enjoy each other’s company and grow closer together.

Bettis said 13 of her 15 kids were hiking the entire time; the other two section-hiked. However, she said getting them all together during such hard times was refreshing and gave them a chance to experience the silence away from society.

“You remember who each other are as people rather than the conflict of what you’re coming out of,” she said. “We had tried therapy and things, but at that point, that was our therapy. That did more for us than anything we had tried up to that point.”

After finishing the trail, Bettis said, she found the courage to leave her husband and start a new life.

“I didn’t have a high school diploma, so I was homeschooled, and there’s a lot that goes into why I have 15 kids and kind of the religious belief system I was raised in, and a lot of it is women stay home, have kids, you don’t work, and education is not a priority,” she said. “When we came back, I filed for divorce, and I got my high school diploma, and from there, we had just picked up momentum and moved forward.”

Bettis said hiking the trail showed both her and her family that they could face their fears and do anything they put their minds to. And tackling that trail together showed her kids like Not Oatmeal that anything is possible.

“If I can do it, you can too,” Not Oatmeal said.

The 7-year-old also wrote a book called “Not Oatmeal Hikes the Appalachian Trail.”

If you’re interested in meeting her and learning more about the book, you can stop by Hiker Fest in downtown Waynesboro on Saturday for a book signing and meet-and-greet at 11 a.m.