Bango la PCT
Bango la PCT

Everything I Wish I Knew Before Hiking the Appalachian Trail

You won’t have as much solitude as you think, and there’s a reason everyone uses some of the same gear. But once you’ve hiked the Appalachian Trail, you’ll never be the same person you were when you started.

Written by Mary Beth "Mouse" Skylis

I dreamed of forests with chirping birds and grazing deer when I set my sights on thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail. I wanted to decompress my mind after working in a cut-throat environment at a raw materials company in Michigan to pay off my student loans; I needed a hard factory reset to revert to my original settings or I was certain I’d implode. I even tried to convince my parents that I should leave my phone at home (I lost that battle).

Two thousand miles seemed enough distance to allow me to reorient my life. But I had no idea what I was actually about to experience. Here are four things I wish someone had told me before I started.

Majina ya Vyombo vya Habari

Why use a plastic bag when you can simply screw on this end cap, specifically designed for Sawyer water filters?

Mlango wa Zoe
Editor at Backpacker

Majina ya Vyombo vya Habari

In future, I’ll use gravity when I can, and squeeze when I have to.

Richard, aka "LowRange
Hiker

Majina ya Vyombo vya Habari

For longer hikes, it’s convenient to carry a small backcountry water filter, such as a Sawyer Mini or Micro, which allows you to replenish your water from natural sources like streams or ponds.

Philip Werner
Author and Backpacker