Hiking the Appalachian Trail can be an exciting adventure but can also be overwhelming. The Appalachian Trail is almost 2,200 mile long and runs from the state of Maine to Georgia and is on many hikers “bucket list”.
The hiking season on the Appalachian Trail normally beings in April and lasts until mid-October. Over the last several years, people have started hiking the Appalachian trail earlier in the year to avoid the high number of people and groups starting their hiking adventure at around the same time. March has now become the new crowded month, when 50 to 70 hikers start their hiking trek every day. This crowd makes it more difficult to find good camping spots and trail accommodations.
I will focus this blog on hiking the entire Appalachian trail, known as thru-hiking. Thru-hiking the entire Appalachian Trail needs about six months of your time to hike the entire trail. It also requires proper planning, resources and adequate financial commitment and last, but not least the most important thing is to hire an experienced hiking guide that is very familiar with hiking the Appalachian Trail. Even for season hikers having a hiking guide to support your Appalachian Trail adventure is extremely important for ensuring a successful and safe Appalachian Trail hike.
For thru-hikers I suggest starting in April if the weather cooperates or in early May. Before you start planning your thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail, you need to research information on trip reports and blog posts of other hikers who have successfully completed an Appalachian Trail thru-hike. There are plenty of online how-to videos as well as blogs about what to expect and how to have the best hiking experience.
I recommend two resources for your thru-hike adventure. Bill Bryson’s famous travel book, A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail (available on Amazon) is an excellent informative account of his thru-hike.
You can also find information about hiking the Appalachian Trail in The A.T. Guide by David Miller, a great book written in great detail. There’s information about shelters, trailside towns, resupply stations, road crossings, parking spots and everything between.
Here are my recommendations for all thru-hikers hiking the Appalachian Trail.
1. Know Your Limits
Long-distance hiking is a great opportunity to learn and grow and see some of the best outdoor scenery and wildlife in the country.
There’s no skirting around it: the Appalachian Trail is hard, really hard. Only one in four Appalachian Trail thru-hikers will finish the entire hike. If this is your first thru-hike you will probably end up with blistered feet and swollen joints. That is why it is important to make sure that you are fully prepared and have an experienced thru-hiking support hiking guide service accompany you on your hike. This can make all the difference in having a successful thru-hike or not.
2. Build Up Your Body
It’s important you don’t underestimate that a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail is a demanding physical challenge. Some people may think they’re ready for a thru-hike after some jogging a couple of weeks. They just may wind up puffing and panting their way to the nearest place to catch a ride home. Here is how you can avoid making the same mistake.
Here are three physical training things to focus on:
CARDIO: Strength alone won’t get you over the finish line; endurance will. The best way to build up your cardiovascular stamina is to train on a treadmill or by taking long walks and runs over an extended period of time. Cardio is especially important for people coming from living in areas of lower elevations. The higher elevations on the Appalachian trail can impact your breathing and lung capacity.
BALANCE: You need to be comfortable wearing a heavy pack while traversing difficult and rough terrain. The best way to practice is to wear a backpack weighing approximately the weight you will be using on your hike while taking short hikes on some rough terrain in your community.
STRENGTH: If your legs and arms can’t handle the stress of long-distance hiking, you are going to be in for a world of pain and hurt. My suggestion is to do some exercise specifically targeted at strengthening your arm, leg and shoulder muscles.
3. Planning and More Planning
The logistics of planning a six-month Appalachian Trail thru hike can be overwhelming. Listed below are some my helpful hints.
Depending on where you live you can start in Georgia or Maine. If you start your Appalachian Trail thru-hike in late March or early April, you may want to start in Georgia, since during that time of the year, the temperature and climate will be warmer than Maine
Number of hikers. For safety reasons, I recommend that at you hike with at least one other person and no more than 5. Hiking alone for the entire trail hike is not recommended unless you have done it before.
What gear should you pack. Listed below are some of my recommendations. Some of the items may be more than you can carry on the hike, so that is why it is important to have a hiking support service at your disposal.
Two hiking canes, a water proof back pack, Comfortable hiking boots that have excellent ankle support, a light weight rain proof jacket or parka, 1 or 2 changes of clothes, insect repellent, small first aid kit, a survival knife, water bottle, cell phone with additional charger, bear spray, sun screen, hat, light weight sleeping pad, camping tent, foot powder, current printed hiking maps of the trail, flashlight, a butane lighter, energy type bars, energy drinks, identification, any medications you may need, cash and a credit or debit card that can be used at ATM’s
Where are you going to stay overnight. You may decide to camp on the trail, however there are many hiking shelters, hostels and other lodging accommodations along the Appalachian Trail at the many trail heads where you can stay, eat, rest and sleep.
4. Support and Safety. I highly recommend that if you intend to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail, that you hire a professional and experienced Appalachian hiking guide support service. These services can follow you on the hike with a support vehicle, carry some of your heavier gear, supplies and food and can bring you supplies on the trail at the trail heads and/or provide urgent or emergency services.
I recommend Wandering Boots, An Appalachian Trail Support Guide Service. They have years of guide experience in Appalachian Trail hiking; Wandering Boots offers a unique hiking guide service that has not been done before. They offer a professional, highly experienced, EMT trained hiking guide for a completely Supported & Assisted Appalachian Trail Thru-Hike for the entire length of the Appalachian Trail for 6 months.
To contact Wandering Boots you can visit their website at https://www.appalachiantrailhikingsupport.com/ or call Michelle Michaud aka Fyrfly at (407) 234-1209 or email her at fyrflyfla@yahoo.com. Michelle is the owner and experienced Appalachian Trail thru-hiker.
