A year after Hurricane Helene knocked down thousands of trees, flooded miles of trail, and heavily damaged some of the Appalachian Trail's most beloved towns, hiker Grayson Haver Currin headed back to see whether it had recovered.
Since a massive storm ravaged the AT in September 2024, hikers have worried the iconic trail may be unusable in 2025. To find out, we sent a veteran thru-hiker to do its worst-hit miles.
The Appalachian Trail Conservancy—the nonprofit that supports the United States’ most iconic footpath—turns 100 this year. To celebrate, AT thru-hikers Mary Beth "Mouse" Skylis and Grayson Haver Currin pick the 100 best miles of trail, spread out over 19 bite-size sections.
Whether you’re about to begin your first thru-hike or finish your tenth, these are the questions strangers will ask you. And these are some of the ways we’ve fantasized about answering them.
Lots of people say they hike to change their lives. For some, that starts by changing their love lives.
For a veteran thru-hiker, 1,200 miles across, down, and up Wisconsin sounded simple. Suffice it to say, there were unexpected obstacles.
In the ’70s, Ray Jardine changed rock climbing forever when he invented Friends. In the ’90s, he teamed up with his wife Jenny to do the same for backpacking, kickstarting the ultralight movement with their innovative gear designs. In a rare interview, they explain why they left the industry they helped create.
A viral TikTok post claimed that Helene demolished nearly 900 miles of the AT. But on the ground, locals dealing with the hurricane's aftermath tell a different story.
Ultrarunner Tara “Candy Mama” Dower shaved 13 hours off Karel Sabbe’s previous record for hiking the iconic route
On a long hike, Snickers, GORP, and instant coffee can start to become as draining as the miles. Here are five—admittedly fancy—alternatives we love.
A safe place to sleep, a good library with air-conditioning, and a bar that feels familiar? These are just some things that make a town on trail feel ideal.
Stretching from the tip of Florida to the western panhandle, this 1,500-mile haul is full of swamps and swamp creatures, snakes and snack foods. It is wild and wildly fun.
Our trails columnist has hiked thousands of miles. These are the routes at the top of his bucket list. Thrill yourself with a trip to an amazing trail this year.
In pursuit of the Triple Crown, many hikers save this high route through the Rocky Mountains and New Mexico desert for last. It’s not so scary—as long as you’re prepared.
Borders can be arbitrary political edicts or hard facts of geographical existence. Crossing them on foot opens a rare view into both sides.
With the recent completion of the Capital to Tahoe Trail, Carson City is looking for two hikers to go from its core all the way to Canada for good money.
In 2023, Sam “Shade” Carter tried to hike the Calendar Year Triple Crown with a $19 Amazon daypack, an emergency bivvy, and no tent, sleeping bag, or sleeping pad. Is that too ultralight?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
Long-distance hikers love to reach towns and binge. I temporarily gave up the cycle, and maybe it changed my life.
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.
The results, however hilarious, remind us how hikers destigmatize the body
A complete list of everything the new record holder carried and wore
On Sunday night, British hiker Josh Perry decimated the trail’s long-standing self-supported records after chasing Timothy Olson’s 2021 time
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.
Each year, more families seem to earn attention by taking to long trails with small children. What are their motivations, and is it bad for the kids?
Water weighs a lot, audiobooks weigh nothing, and more semi-philosophical tips to guide rookie trekkers to a strong finish
The pain I experience while thru-hiking draws me back to the present and makes me more aware of my privilege
I tallied the waste I created for a month of my thru-hike. It was embarrassing. Now I know how to begin fixing it.