Trackless Wild with Janisse Ray | Substack

Trackless Wild with Janisse Ray

This is the place where the story gets wild.

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“Beautiful, thoughtful, soulful essays on nature and what makes us feel alive, by the author of 'Ecology of a Cracker Childhood'”...”

“Beautiful, thoughtful, soulful essays on nature and what makes us feel alive, by the author of 'Ecology of a Cracker Childhood'”

Terrell Johnson, The Half Marathoner

“Janisse is a jewel. Every week she takes us on journeys that illuminate and inspire. Wish I could be her neighbor, but this is the next best thing!”...”

“Janisse is a jewel. Every week she takes us on journeys that illuminate and inspire. Wish I could be her neighbor, but this is the next best thing!”

Jeanne Malmgren, Rx Nature

“Janisse is a terrific place-based writer and wonderful teacher. Great insights here.”...”

“Janisse is a terrific place-based writer and wonderful teacher. Great insights here.”

Simmons Buntin, Urban Wild, by Simmons Buntin

Trackless Wild with Janisse Ray

The Astounding Act of Reading in Public
A flash essay + a few initiatives
Jun 18•Janisse Ray
75
39
10

Welcome to Trackless Wild, a place for trail-walkers, prairie-gazers, stream-dabblers, forest-lovers, beach-combers, Earth-guardians, and…
A place to find your people.
Dec 19, 2025•Janisse Ray
12

Tell Me a Little Bit About You
Who you are, where you live, what you do, what's on your mind.
Dec 19, 2025•Janisse Ray
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13

Recent posts

What It Really Feels Like to Live on a Farm
150 pounds of potatoes to keep love flowing.
Jun 11•Janisse Ray
75
55
9

A Girl, a Baby, and an Old, Old Tree
Into the hidden swamps of the Altamaha River, Part II.
Jun 3•Janisse Ray
79
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6

No Road to These Trees
Into the hidden swamps of the Altamaha River, Part 1.
May 27•Janisse Ray
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4

The Thing You're Seeking Is Seeking You
Field notes from late motherhood: the baby is walking now + Happy Gotcha Day.
May 20•Janisse Ray
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1

Installation #3: Postcard Secrets
"I never imagined I'd end up so completely alone." The final postcards I received in the Wild Confessions Project.
May 13•Janisse Ray
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13
1

Where To See Longleaf Pine Forests
This is a living, crowd-sourced guide that begs your input.
May 6•Janisse Ray
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4

The Big Wildfires
Living through drought, fire, and a changing South Georgia landscape
Apr 29•Janisse Ray
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6

Happy Earth Day Through the Smoke
Get your free ebook of Ecology of a Cracker Childhood.
Apr 22•Janisse Ray
75
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8

End Sleepless Nights Wondering If You'll Ever Write
I'm here to make you happy you got it done. Or to help you realize you aren't willing to pay that price.
Apr 15•Janisse Ray
30
15
3

Lovingkindness In a Time of Crisis
A personal letter from me to you, standing at the fence.
Apr 8•Janisse Ray
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5

What the Baby Saw in the Firebox
Little Fawn encounters the wild where it shouldn't be.
Apr 1•Janisse Ray
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6

An Embarrassment of Riches
It's hard to confess how good this life is sometimes.
Mar 18•Janisse Ray
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Trackless Wild with Janisse Ray
This is the place where the story gets wild.