Five years. That's how long it's been since Umstead State Park nearly killed me.
July 2021. My wife and I tackled an 11-mile loop that I thought would be no problem. I was wrong about everything - the heat, the distance, the dehydration, the electrolytes, the pace. I collapsed on the Multi-Use Trail at mile 9. My wife ran 1.75 miles to get help. A park ranger brought me out.
I've spent five years wondering if I'd ever come back to that park. If I could face it again. If I could do more than just survive it.
This year, I'm back to reclaim it - one hike at a time.
March 25 marks the start of my Umstead redemption. Not with the full 11-mile loop. Not yet. But with a solid 4.75-mile introduction: Sal's Branch, Potts Branch, and Old Rock Trail combined. A declaration of intent.
Before the Hike
I chose this combination of loops deliberately. It's short enough to be a comfortable reintroduction to the park, but long enough to matter. I'm 255 lbs now - down 60 lbs from my heaviest. I've been training consistently: hiking, gym work, real strength. I know what I'm doing now in ways I didn't five years ago.
The morning was cool, maybe mid-60s, partly cloudy. Perfect conditions. No afternoon heat to worry about. I wasn't racing. I was testing. Testing how my body felt on these trails, testing my mental state walking the ground where I once collapsed, testing my pacing and nutrition strategy.
The goal was simple: finish strong, feel good, and prove to myself that I belong here.
What I Carried
- Durston Kakwa 55 backpack - proven ultralight workhorse
- Altra trail runners (zero-drop) - my feet know these well
- 2-liter hydration pack - lessons learned from 2021
- CLIF bars and mixed nuts - steady fuel
- Leukotape - always on person
- Sun hat and light layers
Pack Weight: ~8 lbs (dry)
On the Trail
The trails felt different this time. Not because they'd changed, but because I had.
Sal's Branch came first - quiet, tree-covered, steady climbing. My heart rate settled into a comfortable zone. The elevation gain barely bothered me. I was breathing hard but controlled. No panic, no doubt.
Potts Branch connected smoothly, and by then I'd found my rhythm. The trail switches back and forth, and I kept thinking about five years ago - how every elevation gain felt like a personal attack, how my HR spiked into dangerous territory, how I was fighting the mountain instead of flowing with it.
Today, the mountain was just terrain. Manageable. Respectful.
Old Rock Trail is where the elevation really shows up. I took it steady, knowing that hurrying at this point is where people make mistakes. My legs felt strong. My breathing was steady. The views opened up briefly, and I could see the park sprawling out below. I paused just long enough to appreciate it, then kept moving.
The finish came at about 2 hours total time, with almost no stops. I felt strong at the end. My legs were tired but not trashed. My heart rate had peaked but always came back down. My mind was clear.
That was the whole point. To prove I could do it. To prove I've changed.
Gear Notes
The Altra trail runners are the right call for this park. The rocky, rooty terrain in these trails is exactly what zero-drop shoes handle well. My feet landed midfoot naturally, and my calves got a good workout - which is the point. Building ankle stability.
The hydration pack performed flawlessly. I drank intentionally throughout - small amounts frequently, not a gallon at the end. The lesson from 2021 stuck with me.
Pack weight at 8 lbs felt right. Not so light that I felt vulnerable, not so heavy that it slowed me down. The Durston Kakwa is a true workhorse for this kind of day hiking.
Post-Hike Reflection
Walking back to my vehicle, I felt something I didn't expect: not just relief or accomplishment, but gratitude. Gratitude that my body could do this. Gratitude that I made different choices five years later. Gratitude that my wife stuck with me through the hard years of getting back here.
This hike isn't the victory lap. It's the opening chapter. I have three more Umstead hikes planned before the big one - the 11-mile loop that nearly broke me. Each one is a step closer to that reckoning.
But today? Today I walked out of Umstead feeling like I own a piece of it. That's new.
Next week: 4.76 miles on Sycamore Trail. Then 6.2 miles. Then 7.6 miles. Then the 9-mile warm-up. And finally, the 11-mile revenge.
This park has no idea what's coming.