Portraits of Adventure / BTA / Vicki Proctor
Vicki Proctor
Great Miami River Recreation Area, Dayton, OH
September 2025
Vicki talks about the trail the way someone talks about a place they’ve spent a lot of quiet hours in. There’s no big speech behind it, just a clear sense of what the work actually looks like. She knows her section well enough to picture exactly what happens if nobody shows up for a few weeks. Branches start leaning in, weeds take over, the path closes itself off. It’s the kind of knowledge you only get from being out there often enough to see those changes happen in real time.
What stands out is her practicality. She doesn’t make the work sound heroic. It’s clipping, clearing, checking on things, and doing it regularly so hikers don’t feel abandoned out there. She thinks about the people who pass through, section hikers, thru hikers, and how different their experience is when the trail feels cared for instead of forgotten.
Vicki’s perspective comes from years of showing up, even when no one sees it. She understands how quickly a trail can disappear without steady hands on it, and she steps into that gap without needing recognition. Being with her makes it clear that stewardship isn’t a grand idea. It’s slow, patient work, and she’s someone who’s learned to keep at it.
More from The Buckeye Trail Association
Explore other Chapters
