Karla Amador, founder of the 52 Hike Challenge, joins Jackie to share the deeply personal story behind a movement that has inspired hundreds of thousands of people to get outside. After becoming a mom at 17, navigating a young marriage, and later going through a painful divorce, Karla found herself in a dark season where hiking became a path toward healing, strength, and self-trust.

What started as a simple goal to hike once a week for a year grew into a nationwide community, complete with chapters, resources, finisher stories, and now a new nonprofit arm called Beyond 52. In this conversation, Jackie and Karla talk about nature as medicine, taking life one step at a time, building something meaningful from personal pain, and why the outdoors can help us reconnect with ourselves, each other, and the land beneath our feet.

Karla’s story is a beautiful reminder that you don’t need to have the whole path figured out before you begin. Sometimes the first step is simply putting on your shoes, stepping outside, and letting the trail show you what’s next.

Resources:

• Find and follow 52 Hike Challenge at 52 Hike Challenge
• Follow them on Instagram: @52hikechallenge
• Find and follow Karla at @lovekarlaamador
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Produced by NOVA 

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