Creating a thru-hike-worthy trail ranks as one of the hardest challenges in the outdoors. It takes decades to wrangle government agencies, assemble trail crews, raise money, and establish an organization that will maintain the trail. It’s a wonder we have any long trails at all. Yet not only do we have long trails, we’ve got a country of them. Of course there’s the Triple Crown—the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, and Continental Divide Trail—and dozens more, spanning tens of thousands of miles. Whether you want to hike for six days or six months, start your search here.

Got the itch? Get ready for your first-ever thru-hike by joining our Thru-Hiking 101 course.

Get Ready for Your First Thru-Hike

Whether it’s 100 or 3,000 miles long, tackling your first-ever true long trail can be an intimidating challenge. Get prepared for it with help from Backpacker’s long-trail resources.

• Train for your attempt with record-setting thru-hiker Jennifer Pharr Davis.
• Get your gear together with packing lists compiled by hikers who have done it.
• Learn to avoid the most common mistakes thru-hikers make.
• Cutting your pack weight is an easy way to make your trip easier on your body. Ultralight columnist Chris Meehan has some ideas.
• Have a question about life on the trail? Liz “Snorkel” Thomas probably has the answer in Ask a Thru-Hiker.

Originally published in 2015; last updated December 2021