Thru-Hiking Culture

Join the 25th Annual Hike for the Homeless

Join the 25th Annual Hike for the Homeless

On Saturday, March 4, 2023, from 7:30-11am, St. Joseph the Worker (SJW) will host its 25th annual Hike for the Homeless fundraiser at McDowell Mountain Regional Park Pemberton Trailhead in...

Feb 21, 2023 : Guest Post
10 Trek Bloggers You Should Be Following This Winter

10 Trek Bloggers You Should Be Following This Winter

It may not be the ideal season to tackle a thru-hike in your neck of the woods, but these intrepid adventurers have chosen their trails wisely. From the Everglades and...

Feb 17, 2023 : Katie "Oats" Houston
Want to Work on the Appalachian Trail? Here Are 4 Amazing AT Job Opportunities

Want to Work on the Appalachian Trail? Here Are 4 Amazing AT Job Opportunities

If you’ve spent any time hiking on the Appalachian Trail (A.T.), you’ve likely seen crews performing Trail maintenance or encountered a ridgerunner helping visitors. These are the highly visible

Feb 13, 2023 : Guest Post
Meet Old Lady on the Trail: 81-Year-Old Triple Crowner Mary E. Davison

Meet Old Lady on the Trail: 81-Year-Old Triple Crowner Mary E. Davison

Mary E. Davison — trail name "Medicare Pastor" — is the Old Lady on the Trail, and she's proud of it. A retired pastor and grandmother of ten, she began...

Feb 9, 2023 : Alison Young
A Hike Powered by Spreadsheets, Vanity and Gear

A Hike Powered by Spreadsheets, Vanity and Gear

Panic is usually not the best response to challenges, but sometimes it’s a motivator. It worked as the latter last month, when I realized how quickly my departure date was...

Jan 3, 2023 : Ruth Nasrullah
18 of The Trek’s Top Posts of 2022

18 of The Trek’s Top Posts of 2022

This year wasn't perfect by any means, but it was admittedly an improvement over the previous two years. Plus, our Trek Bloggers and Editors put out some pretty awesome content!...

Dec 28, 2022 : Rachel Shoemaker
The 10 Lessons I Learned

The 10 Lessons I Learned

On December 12th, I reached the Southern Terminus of the Appalachian Trail. After nearly two weeks of rain, it was finally sunny. I heard birds singing for the first time...

Dec 23, 2022 : Althea Collier
The 4 Major Differences Between the AT and the PCT

The 4 Major Differences Between the AT and the PCT

Check out our resource for thru-hiking the PCT, Pacific Crest Trials. Many of us leave the AT with dreams of another trail but instead return to jobs, school, and normal...

Dec 23, 2022 : Carlie Gentry
Next Year is Two Weeks Away

Next Year is Two Weeks Away

In 2023, I will hike sections of the Appalachian Trail, creating videotaped presentations on cultural and natural history in each section. I’ll be documenting the preparation here, so sign up...

Dec 16, 2022 : Ruth Nasrullah
Deep Hiking: India “Diagonal” Wood May Be the First To Complete the “Colorado X”

Deep Hiking: India “Diagonal” Wood May Be the First To Complete the “Colorado X”

It was 2020 and life was staring India Wood in the face. She’d exhausted herself trying to find an agent for her memoir and just closed her business-research firm after...

Dec 15, 2022 : Clay Bonnyman Evans