Appalachian Trail Prep

If you’re a woman who dreams of walking the Appalachian Trail as either a thru-hike or in sections, you probably have thoughts and questions you’d prefer answered with a female perspective. Based on my experience preparing for my Appalachian Trail thru-hike and what I discovered during my trip, I’d like …

Your clothing for an Appalachian Trail thru-hike doesn’t have to be overly complicated—in fact, simpler is better because you don’t want to carry anything you’re not going to use. What you do want is clothing that is durable, doesn’t chafe or rub you the wrong way, and that is easy …

People who section hike the Appalachian Trail, hike it a segment at a time, on weekends or whenever it’s convenient for them to get away for a few days. There’s no need to quit your job or school. While it’s not as glamorous or social as a thru-hike, you can …

Appalachian Trail Shuttles are hiker taxis that will ferry you to and from the trail when you need to leap-frog to the end of a section or need a ride to a nearby town, hostel, train or bus station. They’re part of the unregulated network of hiker services that you …

You do (still) need maps to hike the Appalachian Trail, but they’re probably not the kind that you expect. There are two halves to every Appalachian Trail experience: backpacking the trail itself and navigating the communities that border the trail. While you don’t need to carry paper maps anymore to follow …

If you’re thinking about thru-hiking or section hiking the Appalachian Trail, make sure you take a buy the latest A.T. Guide, written and compiled by David Miller (trail name AWOL). The Guide has town maps, GPS coordinates to trail heads, mail drop instructions, sections on town and trail etiquette, elevation profile …

Had a reader contact me recently asking me how I managed to get any sleep when backpacking solo. He’d gone on their first overnight trip in Dolly Sods (WV) and been freaked out worrying about eastern bears at night and being attacked while he lay in his hammock. My response: “I am …

Many ultralight backpackers bring extra clothing on trips that they never wear and end up carrying for no purpose. Doing this has a ripple effect, because it means you need a larger backpack to carry the extra clothing, which is probably going to weigh more. Instead of bringing extra clothes, …

National Geographic publishes a thirteen map Appalachian Trail Illustrated map set of waterproof paper maps that cover the length of the Appalachian Trail from Springer Mountain, Georgia to Maine’s Mt Katahdin. Available as a complete set or in separate 200-250 mile sections of trail ($14.95 each), they’re cleverly packaged in booklet form instead of …

It’s a sad fact that many of the grocery stores you used to find in small towns along the Appalachian Trail and other hiking trails have been replaced by gas station convenience stores. The quality of food available has suffered and it can be difficult to walk away with anything resembling …

Backpacking and outdoor gear companies sponsor hikers and other athletes because it’s a very inexpensive form of advertising. The basic formula goes like this: they give you a piece of free gear or a steep discount on purchases you make through them, and you become a walking billboard for their …

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy says that 20% of the people who claim to hiking the Appalachian Trail each year are section hikers, although I suspect that the actual number is much higher. While some section hikers complete the trail in just a few years, many others take a decade or more to hike all …

Cell phones have become a ubiquitous sight in the Appalachian Trail and for good reason. Cell phone service is pretty good along most of the trail, provided your phone is on the Verizon Network or serviced by a discount network like StraightTalk. (StraightTalk is much less expensive than Verizon but has …

Lyme Disease is reaching epidemic proportions on the Appalachian Trail yet hikers still insist on hiking in short sleeve shirts and short pants. The easiest way to protect yourself from Lyme Disease is to wear long pants, a long sleeve shirt, and hat when hiking, preferably ones treated with Insect Shield …