Become An Appalachian Trail Thru-Hiker

First, a little introduction to the Appalachian National Scenic Trail. The AT was the first to be designated a National Scenic Trail. Light reading here, with some trail history, a list of notable past hikers, some highlights along the trail, and links to official information.

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And now a little more meat. Whether a thru-hike is a successful, life-enhancing experience or a miserable folly depends largely on preparation and expectation. It isn't all fun and games out there. A long-distance hike requires attention to many issues before you even take the first step. From information gathering and logistics to physical and mental conditioning, this page will show you how to prepare for a thru-hike.

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Some things just have to be learned through on-trail experience. But you can learn a lot from the experience of others. This is a list of the top ten tips for backpackers that I've picked up in my 3,000-plus backpacking miles.

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It's not just hiking tips that you'll learn out there. No matter how much you research and learn before you go, there will always be the unexpected. Whether you're a new college graduate or a retiree from the workforce or somewhere in between, the trail has something for you. A thru-hike is a metaphor for life, so you can expect to learn important life lessons from the Appalachian Trail.

This is a continuation of lessons learned on the Appalachian Trail. While every thru-hiker climbs the same mountains and weathers the same storms, the lessons they each take away from the experience depend on what they've brought to the trail. Go open to the trail and to the lessons it has to teach you.

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Now you've read all about getting ready and about what to expect out there. You've chosen your gear, planned your itinerary, and packed your supply boxes. You're ready to go! But maybe you should give some thought to what happens when you're done hiking. It's a good idea to ponder what will be your life after the Appalachian Trail.

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As I mentioned, I thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2001. It was a dream I'd had for a very long time. I'd never done such a thing before. In fact, I'd never been backpacking at all until I decided to thru-hike the AT, and then I only managed to do a couple of training hikes before the big one. Here I relate my background, my preparations, and my fears leading up to my hike on the Appalachian Trail.

I spent a couple of years researching gear, the trail, and the day-to-day life of a long-distance hiker. I spent countless hours reading trail forums online. But still, it was all theory until I got out there and hiked. I wouldn't change a thing about my thru-hike; it happened exactly as it needed to for the lessons I needed to learn at the time. But, having had the experience, there are some things I'd do differently on the next Appalachian Trail thru-hike.

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Thru-hiking is different from doing short hikes, and a thru-hiker needs some different information. The Quick Guide to the Appalachian Trail lists just the bare-bones information on the AT.

Now you've read what I think is important for becoming an Appalachian Trail thru-hiker. But how do you know I really know what I'm talking about? How do you know I didn't just pull all this stuff off the web and throw it together? You can read more about me and about My Own Hike, the book I wrote about my thru-hike. It's an honest, day-to-day look at the joys and anguish of thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail.

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