Hiking the Arizona Trail in 2025 – Before The Trail

This spring I’m hiking Northbound on the Arizona Trail, and this is my first blog post! I’m going to be talking a little about why i’m hiking, and some planning I have started doing. This post will also include my gear list, resupply strategy, and rough budgeting. 

Why I’m hiking?

I’ve been backpacking often for a few years now. I started off with a couple overnights, and now frequent 3-4 day trips monthly, having backpacked in 14/50 states. I also work in conservation, so much of my time the past 6 months has been spent sleeping, living, and existing outside. Last spring I hiked the roughly 140 mile Centennial Trail in South Dakota, and had a great time exploring a new place and getting to know a long time friend quite a bit better. After that trip, I’ve been craving the feeling of long distance foot travel, and living as minimally as possible. I’ve never been to Arizona, so I’m really excited to explore a new place this way. 

 

Bear Butte State Park, SD

Gear List

Here is my tentative gear list that includes everything I plan to start the trail with, sans food and water. I’m still debating between cold Soaking/cooking, whether or not to bring a puffer, and foam pad/air pad. I also may decide to upgrade to a more robust tarp, or a bivy. My current base weight is floating between 9.5 and 10.3lbs, depending on the previous options. I’m trying to keep my BW as low as possible, because I may have to carry 4L of water and up to 6 days of food at a time.

Big 3:

I cannot rave enough about how awesome Pa’lante is! The backpacks fit great.  I really love the bottom stretchy pocket for trash and the huge water bottle pockets. My pack is 37L and comfortably fits everything I need. (I’m not sponsored, you can trust my word)

Backpack: Pa’lante V2

Quilt: Enlightened Equipment Enigma 10° Down Fill

Sleeping Pad: Nemo Tensor Extreme Conditions (8.4 R value)  or Gossamer Gear 1/8in foam pad

Shelter: Gossamer Gear Solo Tarp, partnered with a piece of tyvek to use as a groundsheet

Me on the Summit of Mt Whitney, with my Pa’lante V2 on the ground.

Food + Water

I switched from Sawyer to Platypus maybe a year ago after my squeeze kept losing the O-Ring. I really enjoy the Platypus’ fast flow rate, and how easy it is to backwash. I may carry a couple coffee filters to double filter any questionable water sources.

Platypus QuickDraw + Backwash

Talenti jar + gas station spoon for cold soaking

1L water bottles x4 + Platypus 2L water bladder

Food Bag: Hilltop Packs food bag + Opsak + thin cordage I found in the street

 

My friend Michael filtering water in Humboldt Toiyabe NF, California

Electronics:

I love my camera. I have had it for a couple years now, and use it all the time. I plan on uploading lots of pictures I take on my Instagram, which is linked in my profile! Anyways here are the gadgets I plan to start out with.

20800 mAh battery bank (no branding)

Cords for IPhone, Garmin, headlamp, battery pack

Dual port wall adapter

Fujifilm A220 Digital Camera + SD card reader

Nitecore NU25 headlamp

Garmin inReach MINI 2

 

A few pictures I’ve taken with my FujiFilm A220

Clothing: 

I plan to hike wearing a sun hoodie and shorts every day, with the ability to add leggings/rain pants and the equivalent layers for upper body. I’m still unsure about bringing a puffer on this hike. I often hike the entirety of the days, so I should either be moving or in my sleeping bag.

Thermal Leggings, an essential for a warm nights sleep

Mountain Hardware Summit Grid fleece hoodie

Outdoor Research Stratoburst Stretch rain jacket

REI rain pants to double as a wind layer

Altra Lone Peak 8s

DarnTough socks

Extra Underwear

Injinji Toe socks

Sunhoodie from REI

Hat from Mohican State park back home.

Shorts from Target

Dirty Girl Gaitors

Sunski Sunglasses

 

My friend Elle rockin the Injinji Toe Socks

Miscellaneous: 

Just some leftover items. Split between a ziplock and my fanny pack.

Gossamer Gear Bumster Jet

Nivea hand crème

Bamboo tooth brush

Travel size toothpaste

Mini 1oz Nalgene bottle for pills

Clipper lighter

Very minimal first aid kit

8 assorted tent stakes

Dirtsaw Deuce trowel 

Leki Trekking Poles

 

Leki Poles holding up my Gossamer Gear solo Tarp

Obviously this list is bound to change a little as I get closer and closer to my start date, and i’m always open to suggestions in the comments! Here is a link to my LighterPack:

https://lighterpack.com/r/ktlknc

Resupply Strategy

With the AZT being nearly 800 miles, I’m going to have to stop in quite a few towns to resupply on food, fix gear, wash clothes, and eventually get new shoes. J. Taylor Bell, a writer for The Trek published a great article with loads of information about trail towns on the AZT, and I have used his info along with other sources to help plan out my resupplies. I will link his article here:

https://thetrek.co/the-ultimate-guide-to-resupply-and-towns-on-the-arizona-trail/

As of now, my resupply strategy is to rotate between mailing boxes ahead on trail for me to pick up, and shopping at the nearby grocery stores/gas stations/whatever the hell I can find. I’m currently working as a conservation worker in Northern California, and plan to have some leftover money on my food stamp card I can use for food when it’s an option. I calculated the miles between towns and estimated how many days between to have a rough idea of how much food to pack. I’m also opting for some longer resupply stretches to avoid hitching in and out of town super often. My longest food carry as of now is a 6 day stretch between Flagstaff and Grand Canyon Village. I’ve been using a notebook to write out all of my plans, as I find it easier to organize my thoughts when it’s on paper.

Budgeting for my hike

This part is kind of tricky. Although I’d love to stop in every trail town and eat at all the glorious Mexican restaurants that span across Arizona, I’m doing this hike on a very tight budget. Working the job that I do has its benefits, but a fat paycheck is NOT one of them.

I already have nearly everything I’m bringing on the AZT, since I use most of it for work weekly. I can save money by not buying new gear for the trip, and a majority of the gear that I have bought, I did so using discount codes I receive for being an outdoor industry worker. 

I calculated all of the bills I have to pay while I’m hiking on trail. This includes my car payment, streaming services, and other monthly expenses. 

Next I calculated transportation from Los Angeles to Tucson, and I’m opting to take a bus to save money. Hopefully a red eye to avoid staying in a hotel. I’ll also need money for the Shuttle to trailhead, and I’m setting aside some money for getting back to Los Angeles after my hike. 

I’m planning on taking minimal days off while hiking, and will probably opt for an on trail zero rather than a hotel room. Obviously though, shit can and will happen, so I’m setting aside money for a couple nights in a hotel, along with the cost of  a few loads of laundry at the local laundromat. 

We’ve already discussed food, but I plan to mail 4 resupply boxes of food. I also plan to use the EBT card whenever possible resupplying in towns. But even so, I’m still setting aside some money for food, just in case grocery stores don’t accept EBT or I run out. 

I’m also budgeting myself some money for on trail spending. It’s impossible to always resist the tasty town food, and in South Dakota I ended up going way over my budget on food. What can I say, a hungry hiker is an impulsive spender! 

Lastly, I was sure to calculate some money to have after I finish my hike. I’ll need to drive from LA to my next job, and will probably want some money to have as a cushion while I’m in between jobs. 

 

Closing thoughts

I’m super stoked to get on trail in a couple months! I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little nervous to go into it Solo, but I’m sure I will make friends along the way, and I’m excited for the community I always seem to find while backpacking. Counting down the days!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Comments 2

  • Jess : Feb 3rd

    Hey Finn! Thanks for sharing your gear and strategies for your hike. I LOVE my Dirty Girl Gaiters. Great choice!

    Reply
  • Oliver Edwards : Feb 4th

    Hope to see you out on trail Finn! I’m starting March 26 NOBO. Pretty detailed kitlist! Must be a truly awesome camera, I must confess I won’t be packing anything more than a GoPro and my smartphone, which takes pretty good pictures most of the time. I had one other comment… oh yes! On your puffy. I did a section hike on the AZT last spring, and I DEFINITELY was glad I brought my puffy! Desert nights are chilly, and also the sky islands are very high. It gets chilly up there in the rarefied air. Stay in touch, I’ll watch for you out there!

    Reply

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