{"id":21161,"date":"2016-06-04T10:47:37","date_gmt":"2016-06-04T17:47:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/?p=21161"},"modified":"2022-09-23T10:36:25","modified_gmt":"2022-09-23T17:36:25","slug":"appalachian-trail-backpacking-gear-list","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/travel\/appalachian-trail-backpacking-gear-list","title":{"rendered":"Appalachian Trail Backpacking Packing List"},"content":{"rendered":"
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America\u2019s original long-distance trail has captured the imagination of lug-soled adventurers for decades. First completed in 1937, today\u2019s Appalachian Trail (A.T.) passes through 14 states and dozens of federal, state and local parks and forests along the way. Sources differ on end-to-end mileage, but the\u00a0Appalachian Trail Conservancy<\/a>\u00a0(ATC), the grassroots organization that manages the trail, lists the total as about 2,180 miles.<\/p>\n

Most thru-hikers finish the Appalachian Trail in five to seven months, although record holders have completed it in under two.<\/p>\n

If your wanderlust has gotten the better of you, we want to help prepare you for the challenge. Our advice comes courtesy of\u00a0REI Knoxville<\/a>\u00a0camp\/climb specialist Tim Bird, who thru hiked in 2014 and teaches classes and hosts forums for aspiring A.T. hikers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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A.T. Planning Considerations<\/h3>\n

Many factors will influence your gear planning and preparation, including the time of year you start your trip, direction you travel and length of time it takes for you to finish the trail.<\/p>\n

Terrain:<\/b>\u00a0The A.T. wends its way through stark wilderness and crosses more than 500 public roads. Terrain ranges from forest paths to precipitous scrambles.<\/p>\n

Weather:<\/b>\u00a0Conditions for thru hikers vary from the possibility of snow flurries in spring and fall to the sweltering heat of summer.<\/p>\n

Route planning<\/b>:\u00a0<\/b>The vast majority of thru hikers travel\u00a0south to north,<\/b>starting at Georgia\u2019s Springer Mountain, leaving between late February and mid April. Avoiding the snowy north in early spring is one reason, but culminating the journey atop Mount Katahdin in Maine\u2019s Baxter State Park is also a big motivator.<\/b><\/p>\n

The north-to-south route kicks off with a grueling ascent of Mount Katahdin, where the trail can be closed by snow until late June. Black flies and swollen creeks greet you at the start, while snow in the southern Appalachians often awaits you at the end.<\/p>\n

Another strategy involves starting in the middle and doing the trail in sections, but not continuously in one direction. This approach lets you enjoy a throng-free and snow-free start. (It requires a commute plan to connect sections and, unless you jump sections multiple times, it means forgoing the Mount Katahdin climax.)<\/p>\n

Timing considerations:\u00a0<\/b>Elite athletes have done the full trail in as little as 54 days, but the average is about 6 months (preceded by about 8 to 12 months of preparation).<\/p>\n

Differences in daily mileage and the length of layover days add up, ultimately determining whether you finish in 5 or 7 months. The hiking gods\u2014conjuring blizzards, blisters and other tests of your resolve\u2014will also have a say.<\/p>\n

Your plan is an initial projection:<\/b>\u00a0Hiking thousands of miles through wilderness over many months is an unpredictable endeavor. Check the ATC\u00a0trail conditions and closures page<\/a>\u00a0before you go and when you have online access. Talk to hikers along the way. Make contingency plans ahead of time and assess conditions throughout the trip.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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A.T. Permits and Fees<\/h3>\n

You don\u2019t need a trail-use permit:<\/b>\u00a0Unlike the Pacific Crest Trail, no permit is required for the trail itself. Given the surging popularity of both thru hiking and the A.T., this might change in the future. The ATC offers a\u00a0voluntary registration page<\/a>\u00a0to help hikers select less crowded itineraries and to help gather data for trail preservation.<\/p>\n

You do need national park permits:<\/b>\u00a0Both Shenandoah National Park and Great Smoky Mountains National Park require backcountry permits for A.T. thru hikers. The ATC\u00a0permits and regulations page<\/a>\u00a0notes the fees and provides links to each park\u2019s permit page.<\/p>\n

Additional fees and reservations:<\/b>\u00a0Some of the national forests and state parks along the trail charge camping fees and require reservations. The ATC permits and regulations page (noted above) has the latest details.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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A.T. Maps, Guidebooks and Wayfinding<\/h3>\n

The ATC\u00a0maps and guidebooks page<\/a>\u00a0is an excellent resource. You can also find\u00a0A.T. books and maps<\/a>\u00a0at many REI stores around the country.<\/p>\n

Having good maps is important, but you\u2019ll find that the A.T. is generally well marked. Because the trail gets altered from time to time, you need to learn how to recognize the distinctive white blaze that marks the trail: a two- by six-inch vertical paint rectangle in a prominent place along the trail. (Two blazes are sometimes used where the trail changes directions.) When blazing differs from your map, follow the blazes. Above treeline, rock cairns are used to mark the route.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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A.T. Budget, Supply and Gear Considerations<\/h3>\n

Trip budget:<\/b>\u00a0The minimum estimate for the cost while you\u2019re on the trail is one dollar per mile. A less bare-bones budget is $3,000, though many who splurge on layover days and food choices will spend even more. The ATC estimates gear costs at another $1,000-$2,000, depending on how much suitable equipment and clothing you already own.<\/p>\n

Food and resupply planning:<\/b>\u00a0These are the nuts and bolts of your trip plan, and the details will take substantial research. You can find a wealth of information in guidebooks and online, including ATC pages that discuss\u00a0resupply<\/a>\u00a0strategies. Except for Maine\u2019s 100 Mile Wilderness, the A.T. offers resupply options roughly every 4 or 5 days. So you have lots of flexibility for your initial plan and to change things up along the trail.<\/p>\n

Gear philosophy:<\/b>\u00a0Minimalist hikers will always argue that you can go lighter, but you\u2019ll need to decide for yourself where you are on the ultralight to ultra-prepared spectrum.<\/p>\n

Gear know-how:<\/b>\u00a0The A.T. is not the place for a maiden equipment voyage. Take trips to familiarize yourself with your gear and take classes to ensure your backcountry skills are honed for the challenge.<\/p>\n

Differences from the PCT:<\/b>\u00a0While you find fewer ultralight enthusiasts here than on the PCT, A.T. hikers are nonetheless embracing this trend. Many are also choosing to swap out lighter gear for more robust gear at key resupply places.<\/p>\n

Note that, while the A.T. doesn\u2019t have deserts nor 13,000-foot passes, its hikers still need to be aware of water sources (Pennsylvania has long dry stretches) and ready for severe weather (both the southern Appalachians and northern New England are snow-prone). Thus most A.T. hikers don\u2019t carry ice axes or traction devices, but many do carry trekking poles for the added stability.<\/p>\n

Finally, because more than half the trail passes through lands where hunting is allowed, A.T. hikers need to do some extra\u00a0research<\/a>\u00a0and add some blaze orange attire to their list.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Appalachian Trail Backpacking Gear List<\/h3>\n

Bear precautions:\u00a0<\/b>Though grizzlies are not found here, the average thru hiker is likely to encounter a black bear at some point. The best defense against bears in camp is preparing and storing food properly. Use bear lockers at shelters that provide them and a canister<\/a> where its use is mandated. If you don’t want to use a canister for the whole trail, then hang your food (and anything fragrant) everywhere else you camp.<\/p>\n

On the trail, make noise to alert bears of your presence and give a bear room to move away if you see one. If the bear doesn’t run away, avoid eye contact and back away slowly. Don’t run or play dead, even if the bear makes a bluff charge. Carrying firearms is strongly discouraged. If you’re concerned, then carry bear spray instead.<\/p>\n

Ticks and Lyme disease:\u00a0<\/b>Lyme disease, though rare, is serious enough to end a thru hike. Cover up in tick-prone areas and use repellents<\/a> that are effective against ticks. Check for them frequently and remove them promptly.<\/p>\n

Note: Included in this checklist are the Ten Essential Systems you should have on every backcountry trip: navigation; sun protection; insulation; illumination; first-aid supplies; fire starter; repair kit and tools; nutrition; hydration; emergency shelter. To learn more, see our\u00a0Ten Essentials article<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Equipment<\/h3>\n