Thru-Hiking
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Five questions with Shilletha “Dragonsky” Curtis, whose memoir ‘Pack Light: A Journey to Find Myself’ explores her transformative hike on the Appalachian Trail
From bucket hats to visors, headgear blocks out the sun and helps define your trail persona. Our hiking columnist helps you choose which hat is best for you.
Five questions with Matt Lyons, the Instagram comedian who skewers outdoor cliques
For a handful of lucky students in Emory and Henry College’s Semester-a-Trail program, the AT is the ultimate teacher
Walking across deserts and mountain ranges taught the author important lessons on friendship, compassion, and understanding others
From meal planning to meeting the townies, every aspiring thru-hiker should hear this hard-won advice
I could barely walk, a condition doctors told me would likely deteriorate further. That prompted me to plan an adventure of a lifetime.
Dreaming of an extended trek on a storied trail? Here’s everything you need to know to get started at thru-hiking or get better at it.
The Appalachian, Pacific Crest, and Continental Divide trails pass through a combined 22 states. Our hiking columnist categorizes them from hardest to easiest.
Inexpensive motor inns and roadside lodges offer all the accoutrements that an adventurer needs
Our hiking columnist lost contact with his spouse in Colorado’s remote San Juan Mountains. After a frantic search, he reached for his Apple smartphone.
Doyle set a speed record on the AT 50 years ago, long before YouTubers and partying twentysomethings had flooded the iconic trail. Through his Appalachian Trail Institute, which he's run since 1989, he’s still trying to convert a new generation of thru-hikers to his personal philosophy of what the trail should be.
Our hiking columnist loves the simplicity and familiarity of a flavor additive called True Lemon, which lurks in the condiment zone of rest stops
For most AT thru-hikers, Katahdin is the finish line. For Will French, it was the halfway point on a 25-year, 4,320-mile journey along the prehistoric spine of the Appalachians.
Kristian Morgan set a new southbound FKT on the Appalachian Trail, but he’s not done yet
The rise of social media has created a new breed of influencers who tackle the world's longest trails with their audiences in tow. But success isn't guaranteed on a thru-hike—and bailing with thousands of eyes on you is more complicated than it looks.
On a winter thru-hike of the Ozark Highlands Trail, Jeff Garmire contended with snowstorms, swam a river, and bushwhacked paths overgrown with bramble—and discovered the rugged heart of one of America’s lesser-known long trails
Veteran hikers call it the “Middle Blues.” You have already hiked an impossibly long distance, and somehow still have an impossibly long distance to go.
What really happens to you when you spend months trekking the Pacific Coast Trail? Getting tired and filthy is just the start of it.
Learn from the mistakes of our hiking columnist, who suffered a painful accident while traversing the Continental Divide Trail
Belgian ultrarunner Karel Sabbe just shattered the fastest known time for a supported trek along the iconic pathway
Call him crazy, but our hiking columnist loves climbing hills. A fifth of the way into the epic Continental Divide Trail, he’s got some ways to improve your form, function, and mental performance on the ascents.
Will Peterson overcame downpours, flooding, and his own hectic schedule to smash the unsupported FKT on America’s oldest thru-hike
Cops say Robert “Steady Eddie” Kerker was caught in a swollen waterway in July
One of the most popular mountains on the Appalachian Trail closed to overnight visits after visitors trashed it in 2020. Now, those temporary restrictions are starting to look permanent.
Live electric wires and bridge damage are among the hazards that trail crews have found so far—but it’s not all bad news
You’re supposed to be happy for them, right?
The CDT’s traffic is ballooning. In Montana, the National Park Service isn’t facing what that means for Glacier.
Most of this year’s PCT class is skipping the snowbound Sierra. A small group of adventurers is pushing straight through.
Fear and overzealousness often lead to an overstuffed pack, which you’ll regret for hundreds of miles. Our thru-hiking columnist has advice on what not to take when you’re heading out.
After surviving 9/11 at ground zero, the thru-hiker started walking—and never stopped
Four years ago, our hiking columnist didn’t know the triple crown of hiking existed. Now he’s on the verge of completing it—or at least trying to.
Over 7,000 miles on trail, our hiking columnist has tried coffee and caffeine in most every form imaginable. But the humblest one of all taught him something about himself.
After losing a friend on a camping trip, the writer thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail to process his grief. Out there he learned that making the most of life requires fully committing to every moment.
Trips to or through hostile areas feel increasingly risky for many people in this community, given the rise of anti-LGBTQ+ policies
The Benton MacKaye Scenic Trail starts at the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail. It could become our country’s next big hiking route.
In a moment of isolation on the trail, the record-setting thru-hiker found the will to keep walking by turning to her younger self for support
After a five-year hiatus, thru-hiking legend Heather “Anish” Anderson just set another FKT: the 250-mile section of the Appalachian Trail that runs through Pennsylvania. In this essay, she explores how her relationship with the sport has evolved over the past decade since her groundbreaking Pacific Crest Trail record in 2013.
Can’t take 6 months off to hike the PCT? We understand. Here’s how to take a big trip without getting fired.
Thru-hiking is for everyone—but if you really want to build your life around the trail, some careers make it easier than others
Got a few days off, a pair of healthy feet, and a pain threshold higher than Dean Karnazes? You can (possibly) blaze the length of America's Most Beautiful Trail.
Our hiking columnist went to the AT’s legendary Trail Days this year with one mission—to figure out what hikers were and weren’t putting on their feet
A pilgrim seeking peace and purpose on Spain’s famed Camino de Santiago finds much more
A small injury during Morgan Brosnihan’s Pacific Crest Trail thru-hike inspired a big idea: Why not set up a mobile clinic for hikers who need help?
Developed and tested on the Pacific Crest Trail—the new adidas TERREX Free Hiker 2.0 is your next long-distance shoe
Authorities in North Carolina say the duo were selling marijuana, mushrooms, and LSD to thru-hikers
When the thru-hiker’s dream trip was cut short, she learned that failure is just a chance to reset your goals to match your reality
Completing a winter journey on the Appalachian Trail convinced the fun-loving thru-hiker that he can accomplish whatever he dreams up
Like all intense hobbyists, hikers start Instagram pages just for their adventures. Why not integrate it into the rest of your life already?
The PCT traces the west coast of the U.S. over almost 2,700 miles. Our expert trail columnist reveals everything you need to know about what to pack, eat, and read, plus where to sleep and how to have the most fun on this scenic long trail.
Our hiking columnist has spent more than a quarter of the past four years on trail. Every morning out there, without fail, he eats another perfect packet of Pop-Tarts.
Rescue crews in SoCal are already warning hikers to skip the snowy San Jacinto Mountains
Last January, Carl Stanfield set out to break the world record for the most miles ever hiked in a year. In failing, he found his temporary limit—and, he hopes, a renewed version of himself.
This year’s white winter in the Sierra Nevada could create dangerous conditions along the iconic trail in the spring and summer
Long-distance hikers love to reach towns and binge. I temporarily gave up the cycle, and maybe it changed my life.
The shredders, climbers, policy-makers, barrier breakers, and scientists who forever changed the way we view the world
Perry’s time for a self-supported trek on the trail nearly broke the best mark for a supported effort
Our hiking columnist knows firsthand that buying gifts for the hiker in your life can induce anxiety. These affordable finds from independent companies can’t miss.
Nick “Chezwick” Gagnon became the fastest person to circumnavigate the enormous route, which takes in sections of five major thru-hikes
In less than 800 miles, the Arizona Trail offers a steady string of stunning landscapes, uncanny animals, and changing circumstances. If your time is limited, it’s the national scenic trail to try.
The 27-year-old former Navy SEAL may be one of the most gifted runners on the planet. Good thing he doesn’t want to race—yet.
Jon Anderson overcame temporary snowblindness to complete the 2,650-mile journey from Mexico to Canada
After 2,194.3 miles, this is the equipment that they loved the most
Sun hoodies are the multi-tool of the hiker’s wardrobe, but they often get gross, fast. Not Coalatree’s new Suray.
The results, however hilarious, remind us how hikers destigmatize the body
Andrea Sansone spent the summer scouting Nolan’s 14 before setting the FKT
The veteran hiker takes us through his three-day attempt, which saw him battle bladder problems and extreme exhaustion
Your guide to all-things Long Trail for your upcoming thru-hike
The distance runner shaved more than two hours off the JMT’s previous fastest time
On Thursday, they finished the last leg of the triple crown, but they’re not done yet
On Sunday night, British hiker Josh Perry decimated the trail’s long-standing self-supported records after chasing Timothy Olson’s 2021 time
They’re 1,706 miles in and this is what they like most
With inflation on the rise, I scrapped plans for another long summer hike. On little daily walks through South Dakota’s Black Hills, I’ve rediscovered the surprise and delight of getting back to basics.
Michael Charles Lombardo, 55, frequently walked the famed trail with his pet Chihuahua
Scott Benerofe finished a rare and daunting southbound winter thru-hike of the AT. His self-proclaimed normalcy about the endeavor suggests such treks might not stay so rare for long.
It’s way more expensive and not as comfortable. Our gear director weighs the pros and cons of an über-light kit.