Thinking about planning an Appalachian Trail thru-hike -- that 2,174-mile footpath between Springer Mountain, Georgia, and Maine's Mt. Katahdin?
Great! I highly recommend the journey, which was one of my life's most soul-satisfying, difficult, wonderful, uncomfortable, inspiring, tiring, exhilarating, challenging, and fun experiences.
I'm quite the anal planner, and I started my Appalachian Trail thru-hike adventure well before passing the first white blaze by attempting to plan every day of it.
Once I decided to fulfill my dream, I set out the pens, notebooks, books, and calendar. I made lists and more lists and began scheduling to the max. I'd hike 15 miles this day and stay at that campsite or lean-to. I'd send a maildrop with pre-purchased food to such-n-such a town, where I'd arrive on a particular date.
Then, one day, I tossed the whole thing. Sure, planning is good practice, even if you scrap the entire kit and kaboodle before putting any of those best-laid plans to the test. After all, the process can teach you much about what you're setting out to do and help avoid potential problems just by the knowledge and awareness you'll gain.
See also: Walking Nepal's Great Himalaya Trail
At the same time, it's almost impossible to plan for every situation, whim, and factor beyond your control. This is especially true when talking about roughly six months of backpacking through 14 states, six national parks, eight national forests, and more than 400 named peaks.
Most people who try to stick to a schedule on the Appalachian Trail fail or find it too confining and illogical within the first few weeks, if not the first few days. And many thru-hikers who pre-pack maildrops find they're sick of certain foods in no time and leave much of their maildrop contents in hiker donation boxes or, unfortunately, trash cans.
There are, however, certain things you can plan for and count on when setting out for an end-to-end Appalachian Trail thru-hike (or even a long section), regardless of which direction you hike, your experience level, or what Mother Nature and other forces lay in your path.
Table of Contents
Tips for an Appalachian Trail Thru-Hike
Plan to be spontaneous
Follow your heart and sometimes your whims. Drop your pack and sun yourself on that warm slab of rock. Take ten to take in the view. Make that dip in the cool mountain stream.
Get that burger and big salad you've daydreamed about for the past few days as you rehydrate your dinners. Don't pass up the chance to do what tickles your fancy to stay on some predetermined schedule.
Plan to be flexible
A change in the weather? A sore foot that's giving you grief that day? Whatever it may be--something physical that's bugging you, someone you want to continue hiking with who doesn't want to go as far on a particular day, a stretch of trail more difficult than you'd expected--it's okay to bend.
Do fewer miles than you may have expected to cover, or maybe no miles at all. Or, occasionally, hike a few more miles if you're up to it.
Plan to be cold
Yes, you'll get chilled, at least for short periods, till you can retreat to your sleeping bag or put on those extra layers. As long as you're prepared for it, though, and don't leave out vital insulation because it is warm while packing and trying to go ultra-light, you should handle the cold just fine.
Plan to be hot
And plan to be that way for days at a time. Embrace the sweat dripping into your eyes and off the tip of your nose. Be one with your body odor and that of other thru-hikers who come anywhere near. Just don't short yourself on water.
Take a siesta during the hottest part of the day, and hike early and late. Take a bandanna bath or use a refreshing wet wipe when you get to where you'll camp. Just think about how cold you've sometimes been and enjoy the heat!
Plan to be wet and dirty
There's nothing like hiking in a downpour or sloshing through the mud for miles, and you'll undoubtedly do both on an A.T. thru-hike.
So, keep a spare set of clothing deep in your pack in a big Zip-Lock baggie or a garbage bag or Sil-nylon stuff sack, so you know you'll have something dry to put on when you're finished hiking for the day.
It's comforting to know the dry and at least somewhat cleaner clothes are in there, not to mention a physical relief when it's time to put them on.
Plan to have sore feet
Breaking in boots before hitting the trail will certainly help, but I haven't met a single thru-hiker who has not experienced blisters, bunions, a multi-colored toenail or two (if not the whole set), or just plain ol' foot pain during the trek. But sore feet show-and-tell is a great way to bond with your fellow hikers.
Plan to have new aches and pains
It's not just the feet. Maybe you'll get some cool chafing from your backpack, clothing, or even skin rubbing against your skin for hours.
Your back and neck might ache, especially if you're not used to carrying a full pack for eight or twelve hours a day and sleeping on hard, uneven ground or the planks of a shelter floor. And the knees--even with trekking poles, your knees will be tested. You'll perfect the art of the "hiker hobble."
Plan to be at least a little scared
Lightning, bears, boogie monsters, oh my! Rattlesnakes and copperheads don't let you know they're there until you almost step on them. The occasional bit of terrain gives you the willies. Or maybe that was just me?
Plan to be tired
But it's a good kind of tired—an "I lived today" kind of tired. It's a twenty-miles-on-my-feet-up-and-down-five-mountains-today kind of tired. I loved it! And if you enjoy physically putting yourself to the test as I do, you'll love it, too.
Plan to laugh
Even things that aren't ordinarily funny will probably be funny, like being filthy, soaked, and smelling like rotten peaches. There are lots of things to laugh at about life on the trail. So laugh and laugh often.
Plan to live for the moment
Be here, now, on the Appalachian Trail. Hiking a long-distance trail is a chance to slow down and suck the juice out of life.
Plan to be part of a great community
If you want to be alone, you can find solitude. But the friendships are out there if you want them. It doesn't matter who you are, where you're from, whether you're shy or outgoing, or your background.
The shared experience of hiking the Appalachian Trail creates a bond that surpasses most differences that otherwise might make a difference off the trail.
And plan to be fulfilled
It just gets under your skin--the fresh air, the sheer physical exertion, the camaraderie with others who walk with packs on their backs. That 2,174-mile footpath, marked with 165,000 painted white blazes as it winds, climbs, and descends from Georgia to Maine, has a way of grabbing hold of your psyche and heart and not letting go.
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About the Author: Deb Lauman, the long-distance backpacker known as "Ramkitten," is also a writer and a member of a Search and Rescue Team based in Flagstaff, Arizona. You can read about her SAR experiences at Deb's Search & Rescue Stories.
Deb will be spending three months in Nepal, learning about the country's only rescue squad so she can write a book about them and the many lives they've touched. Learn more about the Himalaya Rescue Dog Squad Nepal Book Project on Kickstarter.
ottsworld says
Great advice! I love the "Plan to be a little scared" Can you actually plan being scared...seems impossible, but I love the thought!
michaelapotter says
Congrats Deb on tackling a Thru-Hike! My brother Daniel did it in 2003 and raised money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in memory of a friend. I helped him establish Thru-Hike For A Cure (http://thru-hike.org/) in order to do so and tracked his journey from Georgia to Maine. A group of us even met him at the very end to hike Katahdin together. To this day, that is still the hardest hike I've ever done (and I've done many, including Nepal).
I'm excited to hear more about your excursion to Nepal!
And what about adding "Plan a trail name" to the list!
joanna_haugen says
I would LOVE to hike the Appalachian Trail! Thanks for this post ~ it's a lot different than others I've seen about how to do it.
Deb Lauman says
Well, no, not really. I was being kind of tongue-in-cheek there, but I guess "expect to be" would be more appropriate than "plan." And then, if you're not ... yay! I'm probably more chicken than most, anyway. :)
Deb Lauman says
I checked out that website and read about Joe. That's great that Daniel combined fulfilling a dream with such a meaningful cause. And I'll have to check out Hadrian's Wall. Hadn't heard of that before.
And, yep, a trail name. I didn't think of that! (Although, my article was already on the long side, so...)
Deb Lauman says
Thanks for your comment, Joanna. :)
michaelapotter says
Hadrian's Wall is just about 100 miles, so much more do-able in a short amount of time. It's a "thru-hike" of sorts in that it spans coast to coast. It was actually the wall keeping the Scots out of England when it was ruled by the Roman Empire.
I've visited portions of it but didn't do the hike with my brother. Apparently you can camp in the backyard of pubs - could be dangerous :)
Deb Lauman says
Well, no, not really. I was being kind of tongue-in-cheek there, but I guess "expect to be" would be more appropriate than "plan." And then, if you're not ... yay! I'm probably more chicken than most, anyway. :)
Deb Lauman says
I checked out that website and read about Joe. That's great that Daniel combined fulfilling a dream with such a meaningful cause. And I'll have to check out Hadrian's Wall. Hadn't heard of that before.
And, yep, a trail name. I didn't think of that! (Although, my article was already on the long side, so...)
Deb Lauman says
Thanks for your comment, Joanna. :)
michaelapotter says
Hadrian's Wall is just about 100 miles, so much more do-able in a short amount of time. It's a "thru-hike" of sorts in that it spans coast to coast. It was actually the wall keeping the Scots out of England when it was ruled by the Roman Empire.
I've visited portions of it but didn't do the hike with my brother. Apparently you can camp in the backyard of pubs - could be dangerous :)
michaelapotter says
Hadrian's Wall is just about 100 miles, so much more do-able in a short amount of time. It's a "thru-hike" of sorts in that it spans coast to coast. It was actually the wall keeping the Scots out of England when it was ruled by the Roman Empire.
I've visited portions of it but didn't do the hike with my brother. Apparently you can camp in the backyard of pubs - could be dangerous :)
wooden key cabinet says
I wanna find more info about this, anybody could?
Jennifer Barry says
Hi Deb, I've been thinking about this hike since I was a little kid in NY. I first stepped foot on the Trail in Bear Mountain St. Park. I featured this post on my blog recently. Cheers!
Joshua says
Great advice. I hiked near 800 miles in a stretch a few years back and absolutely loved it. Only advice I would add is that after the hike, you tend to only remember the good times... in part because the bad times on the trail make the good that much more special. Also, plan to hike at your own pace and meet up with hikers who naturally match your speed. I went with a friend at first and it was truly frustrating for both of us because we had completely different hiking styles.
If I could, I'd also like to plug my wife's project. She's working to become a new travel tv host at Paradise Hunter, but needs daily online votes to stay in the running.
Thanks so much and keep up the great articles. I so miss the AT.
Lesli says
My favorite line is "Then one day, I tossed the whole thing." There's only so much you can plan for. My husband and I hiked the PCT and the CDT together (2007 and 2010) and he hiked the AT in 2002. I love your "plan to be..." very very true and honest. I love reading about other thru hikers experiences and invite you to visit my blog to! http://thruhikes.blogspot.com/
Derrick Wilson says
i am planning to thru hike th trail.My 16 yr old son and i are doin it to support my wife and mother of our three sons.she has a very sever case of SLE, or lupus.she just had her spleen removed an now battles blood clots in her lungs and legs.she is tough but after 8yrs now it is taking its toll.we have been married 16yrs.I want to raise support in hopes of finding a cure.we will hike for her and lupus suffers everywhere.we will document wth photos and jurnals and possibly write a book about the experience.support and sponsors are needed.pleas contact us at ,,[email protected] or [email protected]
Honeybee says
This is a really great article!!
I thru-hiked this past year and it was the best thing I have ever done. It may seem like waking up and hiking everyday would be a predictable life style, but you are right, it is so important for people to realize that they will be faced with the unexpected everyday on the AT. Planning to be spontaneous and flexible is the best planning advice you can give! I love that you talk about the hardships of the trail because they are so important. And Prepare to laugh- I love that. Laughter was what got me through most of the hardest moments on the trail. It's amazing how you can feel miserable yet be so happy in that same moment- that is the beauty of trail life and why you will experience a feeling of accomplishment and fulfillment everyday. Really great advice!!
Good luck to those of you planning a Thru hike in the next few years, you will not regret it!!
Also, for future thru-hikers, mail drops can be really helpful especially when it comes to trail towns that don't have many options for resupply- it can get expensive shopping at gas stations and hostels. Check out this new mail drop service and see if its something that would be useful for you're upcoming hike!
Happy Trails :)
Mark Wagner says
Nice perspective, and refreshing! I am a thru-hiker in planning. Thanks for taking the time to share.
Walk-on!
Steve Bleau says
I would like to start the trail at the northern end and move south, any comments ar advice you could offer would be appreciated