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Ben “Paladin” Cox

@bencox357

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Husband, Father, Hiker, Environmentalist,Hunter/Fisherman,Sports Enthusiast, Woodworker,World Traveler 🌎, @thru_r Board Member, @wcu_alumni

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Whether you’re in the backcountry or the backyard, our XLC Gen 3 can be enjoyed from both. Thanks for sending this into us @bencox357

#hammocklife #adventuregear #campinggear #ultralight #americanmade

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Ben Cox has never really hiked alone.

He carries what he calls a permanent tramily — everyone who passed before they could come with him. His grandfather, who died when Ben was 15 and made sure a specific rifle, a saddle, and a skinning knife went to his cowboy grandchild before the end. The girl in West Texas who passed that same summer.

At 26, after a relationship ended and a work situation resolved, he bought a plane ticket to San Diego and hiked 2,650 miles north. He didn’t know a single soul on the Pacific Crest Trail when he started.

This is the story of what he was carrying, what the trail asked of him, and what he found on a Tuesday in Ocean City when it was all over.

The Permanent Tramily. Out tomorrow. Wherever you consume your podcasts.

#DarkMiles #HikerTrashRadio #PCT #ThruHiking #HikerTrash

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One of the highlights of attending Appalachian Trail Days this past weekend was finally getting to meet several past Hiker Sessions guests in person for the very first time. And I’ve got to say… they were every bit as awesome as I imagined they’d be! 😃

There’s something really special about turning trail conversations into real-life connections. A huge thanks to everyone who took the time to chat and make the weekend such a memorable experience!

#AppalachianTrail #ATTrailDays2026 #HikerSessions #TrailCommunity #hikinglife

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Trail Days 2026 was an absolute blast - tramily is family
♣️♥️♦️♠️🎰

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How is this even real… 16?! 😳

From tiny human to this amazing, opinionated, hilarious, kind soul—I wouldn’t trade a single moment.

You challenge me, inspire me, and make life way more interesting. Your daily roasts keep me humble 😂. I’m extremely proud of the person you are, as well as the person you’re turning into ❤️❤️.

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📣 We’re continuing with our new Board of Directors intros (since we’ve converted to a nonprofit!!). Next up in the "Fab 5" is our President: Ben “Paladin” Cox aka @bencox357 here on IG.

Ben is a hiker, backpacker, and environmentalist who enjoys weekend trips as well as section and thru-hikes. He’s thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, and he now enjoys smaller hikes as time permits. His connection to the trail reflects a strong respect for the outdoors and a commitment to stewardship and responsible recreation. 🌿

Outside of hiking, Ben is a father and shares life with two rescue dogs who often join him on trails. He values sustainability, community, and protecting wild spaces for future generations 🤎

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📣 Introducing your new (hiker trash) Board of Directors! We're calling them the "Fab 5"...

Since we've converted our hiking community to a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, we wanted to introduce you to the people behind the scenes. All are thru-hikers and...we thought we'd give a little teaser before official introductions 😂. They definitely look like leadership material to us!

Stay tuned in the next week for highlights on each of your new board members! If you've been involved in the hiking community for awhile, you may know them 😉

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THRU-r board gathering was a huge success last weekend! We set up trail magic in two locations and had a little camp out too!!

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🎙️ Season 12: That’s a Wrap. 🌲✨

Season 12 took us everywhere—from deserts, snowfields, and long trails to vans, studios, classrooms, newsrooms, and kitchens filled with trail magic. We heard stories of faith and resilience on the PCT, healing through hiking, second acts sparked by saying yes, creativity born on the trail, family legacies built one mile at a time, and the many ways the outdoors shows up for us when we need it most. 🥾💚

To our guests: thank you for trusting us with your stories. You showed us what courage looks like in motion—whether that meant summiting mountains, rebuilding life after loss, serving others through the trail, or simply choosing to begin. Your honesty, wisdom, and heart are what made this season so special.

And to our listeners—this community continues to amaze us. Your support, messages, shares, and encouragement remind us why Hikes & Mics exists in the first place. You make space for these conversations, and you carry them far beyond the mic.

Season 12 was about movement, mindfulness, connection, and coming home—again and again. Thank you for walking this season with us. We’ll see you on the trail for Season 13. 🎧🏞️

#HikesAndMics #OutdoorStories #TrailCommunity #PodcastLife #SeeYouOnTheTrail

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✨ Trail magic, as Ben shares in this week’s episode, is anything that lifts your spirit on trail — a moment of sun breaking through a misty summit right as you arrive, or the unexpected kindness of complete strangers offering a meal, a ride, or even a place to stay.

From solo mountaintop moments to generosity that stays with you for years, trail magic is woven into Ben’s story — shaping how he hikes, how he hosts others, and how he “pays it forward” in his own life.

His reflections on why it matters (and how it shows up even in the middle of Scotland with a stove canister rescue) remind us that the trail is as much about people as it is about miles.

📲 Listen to Ben’s full episode at the link in bio.

#HikesAndMics #TrailMagic #ThruHikingLife #BackpackingStories #HikingCommunity PodcastLife PNWOutdoors AdventureTalks HikingPodcast NatureStories TrailAngels PayItForward

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🎙️ The Trail Angel With a 7-Course Welcome 🍽️

This week we sit down with Ben — better known on trail as Paladin — whose story threads together the Appalachian Trail, the PCT, Trans-Catalina sunrises, and a whole lot of good humanity along the way.

From childhood summers tracking animals on his grandfather’s farm to section-hiking the Smokies in college, his path into long-distance hiking runs deep. The AT became home. The PCT became a dream. And somewhere between snowfields and desert rain, a trail name was born from a Western theme song and a code of honor he still stands by.

We talk about postholing misery, trail-family dynamics, the power of kindness from strangers, and how he now pays it forward with legendary Trail Magic — full resupplies, campfires, and multi-course meals for weary hikers.

At the heart of it — legacy, connection, and the belief that moments shared outside can change us forever. 🌄

🎧 Tune in at the link in bio
📲 Follow Ben: @bencox357

#HikesAndMics #ThruHiker #TrailMagic #PCT #AT TransCatalinaTrail BackpackingLife HikeYourOwnHike

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