Connor Timpone said it was an easy decision to live outdoors for about five months.

When she was a young girl, she imagined herself as an explorer hiking along the Appalachian Trail, which winds more than 2,000 miles between Georgia and Maine.

In June, the Chestatee High School graduate began the trek to make her dream a reality as she set off into the wilderness shortly after graduation.

"I've been talking about this trip since I was 5," Timpone said. "My family was kind of like, ‘That's great,' and pat you on the head. My mom and dad knew I would do it and they were very supportive."

As is custom for Appalachian Trail thru-hikers, Timpone gave herself a trail name, "Flora." The woman she originally started her journey with, Clara Olsen, was called "Fauna."

The two began their trip in Maine and headed south.

While Timpone said the beauty of the trail was constant, so were many of the challenges.

As the seasons and elevations changed, the weather varied from extreme heat to cold. There was also a close call with a rattlesnake in Pennsylvania, Timpone said.

"I was walking and I heard the rattle, and you think, ‘Oh no,'" she said. "I looked down and it wasn't very long but it was really fat and sitting in the middle of the trail. I screamed. We kind of stared at each other and he slithered off."

Fatigue was also common on the trail.

Timpone said Olsen became injured after overexerting herself one day and needed to end the journey early.

Timpone continued, but said loneliness was never an issue - she found other hikers to join her.

Out on the trail, there were no stereotypical hikers, Timpone said. Some were ex-military or students out of college who couldn't find work.

There were also "trail angels."

"In the hot months, people would leave gallons of water on the trail if the weather was dry," she said.

Though Timpone packed a tent - as well as a camera, flashlight, stove and other supplies - she said she rarely used it. Many sites had shelters, which often were three-sided buildings with a platform inside to sleep on.

As the months wore on, Timpone said it was hard not to miss some of the comforts of home, such as a shower and home-cooked meal. Many of her meals and snacks included granola bars.

"I don't know if I'll touch another granola bar for a long time," she said.

Despite the ups and downs, Timpone said the journey transformed her in many ways.

"When you're hiking out there, you work on people skills and you grow up," Timpone said. "You're very independent. You can't call mom and dad and say ‘I'm cold and wet; bring me a blanket please.' You need to do things for yourself."

Timpone said she will take the lessons she's learned to college when she begins classes at the University of Georgia in January, where she plans to study environmental science.

"After the trip, I think I gotta be outside now," she said.