Advice
What 2020 PCT Hikers Need to Know I: Gear, Permits, and Getting to the Terminus
Being a 2020 PCT hiker means you're going to have to do some research. There are plenty of questions you'll spend hours thinking about before you ever take your first...
10 Things 2020 CDT Hikers Need to Know
Planning a CDT thru-hike this year? Don't know where to begin? Start here! We'll cover the basics, from getting to and from the trail, what type of navigation to use,...
Appalachian Trail State Profile: Maine
Two hundred and eighty-two miles of adventure are sandwiched between New Hampshire’s Mount Success and Katahdin, the revered Northern Terminus of the Appalachian Trail. Many hikers consider Maine to
10 Thru-Hiking Tips to Reduce Environmental Impact
As thru-hikers, we're already traveling off the beaten path. In an era of single-use plastics, disposable toiletries, and landfills the size of small islands, hitting the trail for months at...
Appalachian Trail State Profile: New Hampshire
Somewhere in the vast green forest of New Hampshire, the Appalachian Trail steals across a small stream called Oliverian Brook, which snakes through a notch of the same name. This...
The Science of What’s in Your Water, and Different Treatment Options
You know you should treat your water. You know there are bugs potentially floating in that water, but what exactly could be in there? When should you use a certain...
Appalachian Trail State Profile: Vermont
As the Appalachian Trail moves north through New England, the sections get steadily longer—and so do the climbs. Stretching 150 miles between Massachusetts and New Hampshire, Vermont beckons with
Here’s How 5 Thru-Hikers Figured Out Their Lives After The Trail
The gear, permits, finances—not to mention the thru-hike itself—are enough to think about when you decide to attempt a long-distance trek. In fact, it's so much that often the "what...
The Long Trail Survey: Favorite Towns, Restaurants, Shelters, Gear, and More
A few weeks ago, The Trek’s founder, Zach Davis, completed the Long Trail, which runs 272 miles through Vermont from the Massachusetts border to the Canadian border. Zach also conducted...
Post-Trail Depression: It’s Not What You Think
Over the past month, I have had the immense pleasure and privilege of interviewing thru-hikers (and one LASHer) about their experiences transitioning from trail back to "normal life." I spoke...