John Barton, Tanner DiBerardino, Jay Melton, Scott Hagans, and Bruce Barton drive from their homes in Palm Bay, Florida, to a campsite in Fontana Dam, North Carolina. John, Tanner, Jay, and Scott introduce themselves to the audience via interviews.
The 5 hikers leave Fontana Dam and civilization as they take their first steps on the Appalachian Trail. They soon realize, however, that one of them isn't quite ready for what the Trail has to offer.