How to Get Lost on Purpose (and Still Have the Best Adventure)

Or, That One Time We Took the Wrong Trail at 4 AM

Some people love to explore with no plan at all. Me? I check the weather, temperature, and cloud cover, download maps in case we lose service, double-check the route, and still end up in the wrong place.

Take, for example, the time Maggie (Feral Co-founder & bestie) and I decided to hike Preacher’s Rock for sunrise.

If you’ve never been, Preacher’s Rock is one of THE best sunrise hikes in North Georgia. It’s just under two miles out and back, making it the perfect quick, early-morning hike that serves up some epic sunrise views. I’ve done this hike before, and I absolutely love it. The entire area, Woody Gap, is packed with incredible trails, but there’s just something about Preacher’s Rock that makes it a must-do.

So, when Maggie told me it was on her bucket list, we were so ready to make it happen. I had been before. I knew the trail. I had downloaded the AllTrails map. We were prepared.

(Spoiler: We were not.)

The (Unintentional) Detour

We met at 4 AM, loaded up our gear, and drove to Woody Gap, the trailhead for Preacher’s Rock. I had researched, planned, and even downloaded the hike on AllTrails just to be sure. We parked, strapped on our headlamps, and started hiking. Everything felt fine… for a while.

But about 30 minutes in, something felt off. The trail wasn’t what I remembered, and I started second-guessing myself. Nothing looked familiar, but it was dark so I convinced myself I was right, I kept thinking maybe I just didn’t remember it as well as I thought.

And that’s when it hit me. We weren’t on the trail to Preacher’s Rock at all. So, I pulled out the AllTrails map I had downloaded—you know, the one I got just in case we lost service. And sure enough, it absolutely confirmed my suspicion.

Instead of heading north on the Appalachian Trail toward Preacher’s Rock, we had gone south on the AT toward Gooch Gap—fully confident we were on the right path the entire time.

Right around this realization, our headlamps died. Because of course they did.

A New Favorite Spot

Turns out, our wrong turn led us to Ramrock Mountain, a scenic spot I had never been to before. The trail was gorgeous—quiet, natural, and peaceful. The clouds totally blocked the sunrise, so we didn’t really miss anything, so we just sat, talked, and soaked it all in.

That’s one of the things we love about hiking. When we reach the “destination,” we don’t just snap a picture and leave. We sit. We exist. We’re just there—which, honestly, was probably what we needed more than a perfect sunrise.

The Descent & A Tiny Surprise

As we hiked back down, the sun started to burn through the clouds, revealing massive spiderwebs stretched between the trees, covered in dew.

We were fascinated. Have you ever seen sunlight hitting dew drops on a spiderweb? It’s unreal—like tiny glass beads strung up in the trees. We kept stopping to take it all in, amazed at how something so small could look so magical in the right light.

When we finally made it back to the car, a tiny dog ran up to us out of nowhere. That’s when we met Mario—a totally random guy who started chatting with us about hiking and hair products like we’d known him forever.

(Shoutout to Mario. Hope you and your pup are doing well.)

The Best Adventures Aren’t Always the Ones You Plan

After hanging out at Ramrock, we hiked back down, and from there, the day only got better. We decided to turn our failed sunrise hike into a full-day adventure.

Our first stop? Jumping Goat Coffee, where we got some work done for Feral House over quiche and coffee with a ridiculous view of Mt. Yonah. If you're ever in the area, this is the spot to sit, sip, and just take it all in.

Next, we headed to Mark of the Potter, one of the coolest little places to find local pottery. It’s inside a historic mill, and out on the porch, you can rock in a chair, watch a waterfall spill into the river below, and see massive trout just hanging out. The owner was there that day, which made the experience even better—it’s one of those places you don’t plan for but end up loving.

Then, it was time for one of our favorite mountain towns: Clayton.

We always hit two must-visit stores when we go:
Wander North Georgia – because they’re just dope.
Ghost Apothecary – because it’s weird, and the owners are the best!

We always ask for local lunch recommendations, and this time, the guy at Wander North Georgia told us to try Hush Cuban Kitchen and get the Georgia Pan con Lechón—a Cuban sandwich with arugula and peach jam. It was insanely good.

While we were talking, he asked us what we had been up to that day, so I told him about our sunrise mishap. I said we made a mistake, and without missing a beat, he looked at me and said,

"Did you? Are you sure?"

And like… no. We didn’t.

Because that "mistake" led us to an entirely different adventure—one we wouldn’t have had if everything had gone according to plan.

Bonus highlight? Walking through a cloud of bubbles in downtown Clayton. Something about bubbles just makes me happy. No explanation needed.

On the way home, we pulled over at Popcorn Overlook, a stunning roadside spot with sweeping views of the North Georgia mountains. Just standing there, looking out over all that wild, open space, felt like the perfect way to end the adventure.

But, because we can never just head home, we made one last detour to Blue Ridge—because we might be mildly obsessed with Mountain Mama’s Coffee. We walked around downtown for a bit, grabbed our coffee, and finally made our way home.

The Lesson? It’s Only a Problem If You Let It Be One.

We mess up. It’s okay. The world doesn’t end. Plans go sideways, but sometimes, that’s where the best stories come from.

But maybe the real lesson isn’t just about going with the flow—it’s about trusting the detour and choosing the right people to take it with.

I was so nervous to tell Maggie we were on the wrong trail. Waking up at 3 AM, driving in the dark, hiking in circles, for nothing—that could’ve been frustrating. She could’ve been annoyed. She could’ve let it ruin the morning. Instead, she laughed. And that changed everything. Because the people you surround yourself with? They shape the way you experience life.

We thought we were missing something that morning. A perfect sunrise. A bucket list moment. The plan. But the truth is, we didn’t miss a damn thing. We were exactly where we were meant to be, and more importantly, we had the right people to be there with.

So what if the plan falls apart? That’s not always a bad thing. Sometimes the best moments come from just rolling with it—with good coffee, good company, and a little bit of chaos.

Your Turn: Have you ever gotten lost and ended up somewhere better? Drop your best accidental adventure in the comments!