Thru Hiking the Appalachian Trail
- Michelle Michaud
- Apr 15
- 3 min read
Any type of hiking along the Appalachian Trail can be challenging and overwhelming for many. Are you just a day hiker? Maybe you enjoy spending a week out camping and hiking. Or, just maybe, an entire Thru-Hike of the Appalachian Trail is part of your future dreams. No matter how you plan to hike, do your research and figure out what type of hiking you like best. Start off with a day hike with a small pack. If that is enjoyable, and you have no experience backpacking, hike an experienced backpacker or guide to help you with gear, and take a short overnight weekend or week backpacking trip to see if camping in the woods is something you enjoy. If after a trial camping trip you want to do more, then check out backpacking longer sections or an entire Thru-Hike. But, do your research. It's a lot harder than most people think, and a lot of logistics to plan out, so do a lot of research first. Get the guidebooks, get the FarOut App, go on the AT hiker forums on Facebook, read a few books, and even check out the movie A Walk in the Woods to get a feel of what backpacking the Appalachian Trail will be like. Get as prepared as you can. And, if the logistics and prepping is still overwhelming, then hire an Appalachian thru hiking support company that has the backpacking experience and knowledge to help train and support you along the way. Having a Support Team following and helping with logistics and planning can be a life saver for many hikers who find the hike and logistics a little overwhelming. This way all you need to do is concentrate in the hike and let others do the rest.
Any way you approach the hike, do your research before attempting anything overnight or longer. After a week in the woods, most hikers know by then if they love it or can leave it. No matter what you decide to do, stay safe and enjoy the experience!
The Earlier Days
Back in the earlier days of Appalachian Trail hiking, hikers would have to have gear that was durable, lots of food, and water, and any other supplies that was needed for an extended time. Ultralight wasn't a thing yet, and most packs would weigh 40+ pounds easy. Now, with the trail being so busy, businesses have popped up along the way to help hikers with resupply, and gear has gotten not only lighter, but also very expensive. This does allow the hiker to save weight on the hike by having lighter gear, and with so many businesses along the way, hikers now only need to carry about 3 or 4 days of food before hitting a place to buy more.
Another change seen along the trail is more hikers out there. With the power of social media, the Appalachian Trail has gotten quite known and busy with all sorts of hikers. Hikers attempting an entire Thru-Hike just 20 years ago averaged about 1,500 thru-hikers starting off each year with about 300 finishing. Of those 1,500, most of the hikers were young males. Now, the numbers are staggering. With over 5,000 hikers each year attempting a Thru-Hike, the trail seems like a super highway in the spring, where the numbers decrease significantly after just 1 month. Of those numbers, roughly 1,000 will finish. And, best of all, hikers come from all ages and demographics. There are now just as many ladies out there as men, with many of them over 50! It's wonderful to see the diversity out there which is one of the draws for so many people. Want to go for a hike? Let's go!
Wandering Boots
