Appalachian Trail

Water weighs a lot, audiobooks weigh nothing, and more semi-philosophical tips to guide rookie trekkers to a strong finish

With over 30 years of thru-hiking and section-hiking long trails all over the country (but never the PCT), Andy Niekamp is definitely the voice of experience. Backpacker sat down with him to find out his tips, tricks, and favorite gear.

With over 30 years of thru-hiking and section-hiking long trails all over the country (but never the PCT), Andy Niekamp is definitely the voice of experience. Backpacker sat down with him to find out his tips, tricks, and favorite gear.

He averaged about 10 miles every day, but still had the energy to play freeze tag at night.

The Appalachian Trail is the adventure of a lifetime. Make it yours with our ultimate guide to the country's most famous footpath and the prep, gear, and knowledge you'll need to go the distance.

Hike some of the East Coast's wildest wilderness on the AT.

See the peaks, parks, and hotspots of America's most storied long trail in this interactive 3D map from BACKPACKER.

Visit Georgia's best section of the Appalachian Trail in winter for a crowd-free experience and Blue Ridge vistas frosted in white.

It takes most thru-hikers around five months to finish the Appalachian Trail. It's taken Casey Lyons sixteen years—and counting.

Six months on the AT means a whole lot of time for singalongs under the stars. But as Case Conover discovered, taking along an instrument on America's most famous walk isn't easy.

We’re throwing a 2,180-mile party from Georgia to Maine! Join us on August 20th for our record-setting attempt to hike the Appalachian Trail in 24 hours.

Ticking these three prestigious trails off your list is worth the time—but it'll take a lot of it.

A little creak in the joints didn’t stop them. Emotional maturity, discipline, and life experience helped these eight badass older hikers thru-hike as well as—if not better than—any younger trekker.

Dreaming of a truly long hike someday? Don't limit yourself to the famous options like the Appalachian Trail. Take this quick quiz to find out which trek is really right for you.

Long distance hiking is awesome, but becoming a thru-hiker can have some…side effects.

Start planning and training for next year’s long trail now.

Rowdy hikers and an ultrarunner's clash with park rangers have officials threatening to move the northern terminus of America's most famous trail.

Register for our 24-hour thru-hike AT in a Day on August 20, 2016 and be part of something huge.

Answers to your AT in a Day FAQs