Welcome to the world of thru-hiking.
What is thru-hiking?
Walk the full distance of an established long distance hiking trail in one direction from start to finish - without getting off trail for an extended period of time - and you are a thru-hiker!
It’s just walking, how hard can it be?
There’s only one way to find out.
You haven’t showered in days, getting rid of your deodorant at the first re-supply town (as really, what’s the point).
It’s all about the number of miles you hike each day, where the next water source is and how much food you have left.
You embrace your new identity as hiker trash and have never been happier.
Thru-hiking is physically and mentally tough. Whilst at the same, it is spectacular and rewarding.
It’s also a huge commitment. Bid farewell to your creature comforts and head off for weeks or even months at a time, carrying everything you need on your back. As your calve muscles get larger, so will your desire to crush miles!
Hiking American style vs. European style.
If you are travelling from overseas and haven’t hiked in the USA before, there are a few things that may be different.
Backcountry hiking.
This is remote, wilderness hiking.
You may be hiking for days without access to civilization, sleeping in a tent or a hammock.
Whilst huts and designated camping spots may be available on a few trails, this isn’t the norm in the USA - expect to set up your tent in the middle of nowhere!
Water purification.
To ensure water safety on the trail, you will need to be prepared to purify all the water that you get from natural water sources.
Popular water filtration choices include:
Sawyer mini filter
Katadyn BeFree water filtration system
Safety is your responsibility.
Due to the remote nature of thru-hiking, safety is your responsibility.
You could be miles away from civilization, where help may not be immediately available.
As a result, personal locator beacons or GPS satellite devices are an essential piece of equipment.
Leave No Trace principles.
To protect and preserve the trails, you will need to be familiar with and practice the seven ‘Leave No Trace principles’ - developed by the Center for Outdoor Ethics.
How do you thru-hike?
Some trails are well marked, whereas others require more navigational expertise.
Explore off the beaten track, in the backcountry - you will be hiking in remote, undeveloped and isolated areas.
Permits are required for selected trails - plan ahead and check with the trail’s official organisation for permit requirements.
Stay on track - hit the trail with multiple navigational tools, including paper maps, guidebooks, compass and trail hiking apps.
There may be no designated places to camp - simply follow ‘Leave No Trace’ principles and camp at least 200 feet from lakes or streams.
Build up your daily mileage slowly - most hikers average start at around 3 miles an hour and once you get your trail legs, you could be hiking 25+ miles per day.
4 - 6 days hiking in the backcountry. Repeat.
If the idea of hiking for months seems daunting, think of it as a series of multi-day trips, back to back!
Re-supply - oh the joy of a town day! You will be heading into a local town every 4 to 6 days to re-supply food, as well as enjoying a shower, laundry, eating cheese burgers and binging on free Wi-Fi!
Zero or nero - you can either take a nero day (hike a few miles) or a zero day (0 miles hiked - aka rest day) in/ or out of town.
Pack out what you packed in - get rid of all your trash in town.
Popular long distance trails in the USA.
Here is a handpicked selection of some of the most popular and scenic thru-hikes in the USA.
Triple Crown of Hiking
>> Epic long distance trails covering a total of 7,645 miles <<
Appalachian Trail (AT)
Pacific Crest Trail (PCT)
Continental Divide Trail (CDT)
National Scenic Trails.
>> 11 trails designated as ‘National Scenic Trails’ <<
AT, PCT and CDT
Arizona Trail
Florida Trail
Ice Age Trail
Natchez Trace Trail
New England Trail
North Country Trail
Pacific Northwest
Potomac Heritage
Popular shorter trails.
>> Epic trails sharing miles with the Triple Crown <<
‘National Trails System’ - scenic, historical and recreational trails.
In addition to the National Scenic Trails, there are a number of historic and recreation trails - collectively forming the National Trails System.
National Scenic Trails - 11 designated trails
National Historical Trails - 19 designated trails
National Recreational Trails - 1,000+ trails (in and around urban areas)
“Hike your own hike”.
You will hear this a lot on the trail and it’s sound advice - centered around finding out what works for you and doing things your way.
Everyone is thru-hiking for their own personal reasons and goals.
You may have started the trail with a friend who wants to see how fast they can hike everyday, whilst you’re at the back enjoying the moment with no desire to push miles.
You may have researched the s**t out of which gear your favourite thru-hiker used or how many miles they hiked every day and want to follow what they did.
You might be hiking with someone who has thru-hiked before and ‘knows everything’ (*eye roll*) and you end up following their lead.
You get the picture! This is your hike and the best way to hike it is to hike your own hike.
Gear
Some hikers are ultra-light (low base weight), whilst others? Not so much.
Re-supply strategy
Some hikers like to send food boxes ahead, whilst others don’t.
Daily mileage
Some hikers are fast, whilst others are simply that bit slower.
Zero days
Some hikers take loads of zeros (0 miles hiked), whilst others like to keep moving.
Top reasons to go thru-hiking.
Sense of community.
The feeling of camaraderie and community on trail is overwhelming - from fellow hikers and trail angels to the locals.
Be present.
On the trail, you have a single-minded focus on the day ahead - enabling you to live and be present in the moment.
Connect with nature.
The benefits of being in nature are well documented - enabling you to experience a slower and simple way of life.
Meet like-minded people.
You make fast friends on the trail that become your ‘tramily’ (trail family) - connected by a shared goal and understanding of trail life.
