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Gene Espy

1927 – 2025

American hiker who was the second to thru-hike Appalachian Trail

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About Gene Espy

Lived 1927 – 2025 (aged 98). Gene Espy was an American autobiographer and engineer.

Eugene Marion Espy (April 14, 1927 – August 22, 2025) was an American hiker who is recognized as the second person to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail, making the entire 2,025-mile journey alone in one outing, covering 14 states in just over 123 days.

Biography Born and raised in Cordele, Georgia, Espy first heard about the Appalachian Trail from his seventh-grade teacher.

During his hike, Espy chanced to meet Chester Dziengielewski, who was thru hiking southbound, at the Smith Gap Shelter in Pennsylvania on August 6, the first ever meeting of a northbound and a southbound thru hiker on the Appalachian Trail. Dziengielewski completed his hike 10 days after Espy.

The Appalachian Trail Museum honored Espy by including him in the first group of individuals inducted to the Appalachian Trail Hall of Fame.

Personal life

Espy married Eugenia Bass in 1954.

Works The Trail Of My Life: The Gene Espy Story (2008)

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Education
Georgia Tech

People in Gene Espy's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Gene Espy's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Gene Espy?

American hiker who was the second to thru-hike Appalachian Trail

When was Gene Espy born?

Gene Espy was born on 14 April 1927 in Cordele.

When did Gene Espy die?

Gene Espy died on 22 August 2025.

What was Gene Espy's occupation?

Gene Espy was an autobiographer and engineer.

What nationality was Gene Espy?

Gene Espy was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Gene Espy

· Wikidata: Q5531198

· DBpedia: Gene Espy

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Gene Espy. https://biography.guide/gene-espy/

MLA: "Gene Espy." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/gene-espy/.

Chicago: "Gene Espy." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/gene-espy/.

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