featured
The 2023 Appalachian Trail Thru-Hiker Survey: General Information Part 1
The 2023 Appalachian Trail Hiker Survey is here! This year we’ve added a lot of questions, mostly about the experience aspect of the hike and safety. As such, we’ve also...
11 AT and PCT Thru-Hikers Share Their Favorite Gear
As the 2023 thru-hiking season draws to a close, we’ve asked our Appalachian Trail and Pacific Crest Trail finishers to share which gear items became their favorites during their journeys....
How Fast is too Fast? 6 Lessons from a Sub-80 Day Thru-Hike
I summited Mount Katahdin on September 4, 2023, and started heading south. On November 21, 78 days and ~2200 miles later, I reached Springer Mountain in Georgia. I think in...
10 Awesome Snow-Free Winter Thru-Hikes
Snow really isn't my thing. Does it turn trails into absolutely breathtaking wonderlands? Definitely. Do I enjoy hiking through it? Nope. If you're like me and love cold-weather hiking without...
Backpacker Radio #230 | Bennett Lee on Caving and His Calendar Year “Half” Triple Crown, Plus Rachel’s Colorado Trail Hike
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by Bennett Lee, an avid caver, backpacker, and photographer. This year Bennett attempted the calendar year triple...
The Worst Conditions on the Appalachian Trail and How to Survive Them
There were several times throughout my Appalachian Trail thru-hike where I thought, Why am I doing this? I don’t have to put myself through this. I can just quit. But...
Backpacker Radio #229 | Ruth Morley on Section Hiking vs. Thru-Hiking at Age 70 and Eating Plant-Based
In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by Ruth Morley. Ruth, in addition to being a Trek Blogger, is an avid backpacker, having trekked...
8 Appalachian Trail Thru-Hikers Share Their Favorite and Most Challenging Sections
As the 2023 thru-hiking season draws to a close, we’ve asked our Appalachian Trail finishers to share their thoughts on which parts of the trail were their favorites and which...
Wildfires Close Sections of the Appalachian Trail
Last week, wildfires closed sections of the Appalachian Trail and the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina and Virginia, and containment is still in progress. The Black Bear Fire began...
Iconic Appalachian Trail Viewshed Officially Preserved After ATC’s Multi-Year Effort
One of the most iconic viewsheds along the Appalachian Trail has officially been preserved thanks to a multi-year effort by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC).What is now referred to as...