Hiking with a Purpose
October was the first time I spoke about the Appalachian Trail out loud. It had been a rough three years. I had uprooted my life post college and moved 6,000...
Hiking Within the Guidelines: Reflections on an Appalachian Trail Weekend Hike
A love for the Appalachian Trail comes with a great respect for the trail. For me, this means not only respecting the physical trail, but also the guidelines from the...
Aqua Blazing the Shenandoahs
I first heard the term aqua blazing the week before starting the trail. I was trying to figure out where to start my hike. Corona had crashed my plans like...
![[Book Review] Experience and Spirituality Shine in New AT Memoir](https://is.thetrek.co/w600-h400-cfill/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/24171809/IMG_0036-scaled.jpg)
[Book Review] Experience and Spirituality Shine in New AT Memoir
Returning to Katahdin: A Thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail Author: Bruce “RTK” Matson Publisher: Campbell & Parker, 221 pp. with black-and-white photos MSRP: $9.99 Where to buy: Available
Southbound Thru-Hikers: The Appalachian Trail Hiker Survey
Since I finished my Appalachian Trail (AT) thru-hike in 2014, I’ve been working with The Trek to survey thru-hikers each year. Most of the hikers who take our surveys are...
Quitting a Thru-Hike
Let me start off by saying, this is not something that I ever thought that I would address in this way. I fully intended on hiding behind the long line...
This Artist’s Illustrations Highlight Challenges Faced by BIPOC Thru-Hikers
The following is a guest post courtesy of Marie Draws. Marie is a PCT thru-hiker and artist who is using her skills to tell the stories of backpackers from diverse...
The Kindness of the AT Community
I started writing this post back in May, the week after Mental Health Awareness Week here in the UK. The theme for this year was Kindness. I attended a webinar...
Walking with a Face Mask: Hiking During Corona
There is one piece of gear I am carrying backpacking that I have never used before. Face masks. Now I carry two masks in my backpack in separate plastic bags...
How to Tell Your Husband You’re Hiking the Appalachian Trail
Ever wonder how to you tell your husband that you’re dreaming about taking off life for five months to solo hike the East Coast of the United States? The answer...