How to Hike the Appalachian Trail: A Comprehensive Guide to Plan and Prepare for a Successful Thru-Hike

by Chris Cage

Everything you need to know to complete your thru-hike.

The AT is a life changing experience and an amazing accomplishment. Half of the battle is proper preparation. This book is everything I wish I would have known before setting off on my thru-hike. Complete with personal tips and experiences.

And a whole lot more...

Genres: Nonfiction, Travel, Adventure, Outdoors, Sports

221 pages, Paperback

Published January 3, 2017

Reviews

[Aimee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This answered basically all of my questions regarding gear, logistics, trail system/shelter in each state, daily routine, finances, and prep.

Literally saved me hours of googling! This first chapter, Favorite Tales, had me worried that I chose the wrong book.. just because it was a vague telling of his experience on the AT and I could tell this was not written by a professional author. But in the following chapters, he did a great job of saying what worked for him, what didnt, other popular methods, super cheap alternatives/tips and tricks with small things like best bug spray (DEET and picaridin) weight estimates for each item, down to what journal he brought with him (rite in the rain)

If you’re looking for an ultra-light guide or to get into nitty gritty navigation details, this is not it
But that’s not what I was looking for! :)
I am glad I have a copy because I’ll be flipping through this again.

He made it a point to take away the stigma that a hiker has to be in tip-top physical shape with years of knowledge under the belt. With some proper planning, anyone can hike and learn as they go, though from what it sounds like, I don’t think it’s possible to do it without forming those friendships and connections with fellow hikers on the way. :)
It also settled some of my nerves regarding the safety of thru-hiking as a girl on the AT!
The mountains are calling, and I must go! ⛰️🥾

[Matthew Huff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite the fact that I have never been camping in my life, thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail continues to be a source of fascination for me. I have officially upgraded from reading memoirs about thru-hiking to technically instruction guides to hiking the AT. We shall see if I ever get up the courage to actually spend six months hiking this thing.

[MK ( MaKayla) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been falling in love with thru hiking and just being on the trail in general for a couple months now. During the Pandemic of course which is the worst timing .

Anyways this book made me feel like I was able to adventure while stuck in my home . I've never thru hiked over even done anything more than a day hike before but I was still geeking out over all of the equipment ! 😆

Whenever I go - whenever the world goes back to a halfway normal state of things I will be completely prepared thanks to those who have gone before me . Thank you so much for sharing your journey and your wisdom . ☺️

[Jeffery · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good basic guide on preparing for the Appalachian trail as a whole

Figured out a few details I thought I had set up just right. Changed out my headlamp & fixed up my kitchen. More confident in my clothing choices & sleeping system. It also encouraged me to be more flexible with experimenting with shelter (like using a tarp with basic groundsheet).

[Fredrick Danysh · Rating 4 out of 5]

A planning guide for hiking the Application Trail. Among the useful information is descriptions of trail sections, climate, and needed provisions. A useful tool for anyone interested in this grueling trek.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

A succinct overview of hiking the AT. I love the mix of down to earth experiences as well as details of the trail. This seems like a good starting point to see if you are interested in attempting the hike before putting in more specified research.

[Tarryn Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

helpful information but homeboy made me physically cringe a couple times with his writing

[Chris Vaile · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well very very detailed, makes me want to pack up and leave today. Though might be a tad chilly

[Andrew Satterfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very informative book for anyone interested in hiking. I will probably read again when I get closer to my thru hike.

[Ruby Messersmith · Rating 4 out of 5]

very entertaining and educational. didn't plan on thru hiking the AT but after reading seems like I could lowkey do it one day. tbh this book gave me some dangerous confidence levels like why could I literally quit school and life tmrw and just retreat in the woods for 6 months 😂😂😂

[Jake · Rating 4 out of 5]

Going to do it. Excellent guide. -1 star for the personal moments. +4 stars for the gear lists and recommendations.

[Ridel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn't really sure what to expect, but this book from an AT Thru-Hiker veteran (and Greenbelly founder) Chris Cage does give a lot of insight into the preparation phase. It covers recommendations for trail guides, how to start, how to attack the AT, reintegrating back into society and various packing methods/UL philosophy (of which I'm already familiar with).

I think I would have appreciated detailed itineraries, locations that he stayed at, and more hardcore logistical matters like lists of places he sent bounce boxes or recommended shelters/stealth campsites based on hiking fitness etc. I wanted more and I didn't get it... this book is a collection of information that can likely be found for free online, but since it's by a single person and collected in one place, it's convenient and that's about it.

[S.J. Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great overview!

Wonderful step-by-step description of what is actually like to prepare for and hike the Appalachian trail. Also full of great resources to do additional research. Will read a few times because chock-full of great recommendations and practical tips.

[Christopher Keating · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm training to hike the AT this summer and have been reading a lot of blogs, articles, and books on the subject. Too many of them have been about stories from the trail. These are fun, and somewhat helpful, but not what I'm looking for. I want something to help me prepare. This book has been the best reference on the subject I've found so far. There are a few places I wish he had expanded on, but it was, overall, very helpful. If you are seriously considering doing any trail hiking, or you just want to know what it takes to prepare, I highly recommend this book. It is a very easy read and gives a part-by-part overview of how to hike and prepare for the trail. It includes recommended list of gear and even trail food guidance. He even had a female hiker contribute sections for the needs of the women on the trail. I would've liked to see more about training in advance of starting the trail, but when you read the book you'll see this wasn't something he put much effort into. And, the penalty he paid is pertinent. It is definitely a good prep guide and should be in your library if you are at all serious about the trail.

[Ash · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great comprehensive resource for anyone wanting to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail. I would recommend aspiring thru hikers to read this first and then do additional research into more specifics like gear comparisons and what not. It makes it a lot easier than trying to research everything online without even knowing what to search for! It is nice that it is all written down in one place, so that you can take notes and reference back to in the future.

The writing style is also easy to read and personable. Chris includes a few fun stories and lessons learned from his own thru-hike. There were a few typos throughout the book.

[MissV · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you are planning to thru-hike the AP trail I think this was a great little starter book. It's easy to read, concise and gives a lot of information on gear and trail life.

I would have preferred more information about things going wrong and how to handle unexpected situations. I appreciated that the author let a woman author give the information about female hygiene, but there was little information on how to handle trail stalkers (which are not uncommon according to a lot of testimonies I've read from women thru-hikers.) The author also glosses over things like encountering wildlife, medical emergencies, first aid information, ect which I would have liked more information about.

[Ksu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great concise introduction on thru-hike 101! Gives you a general idea on what to prepare and take with you. If you are an avid hiker you might be familiar with some if not most things in the book. Everything you read in the book can be found online easily. I think you should buy and read the book if you are more than 80% sure that you are one day (or upcoming season) are going to do the journey. Otherwise u can google and youtube the stuff he talks about. Nevertheless, it is a short quick and easy read you can finish in one evening! Happy Trails!

[Kalli · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an excellent introduction with practical advice. I've long had this nebulous idea that I want to hike the AT post-retirement, but I've never had the time to do anything more than a weekend trip, so it was a daunting dream. After reading this book, I have a MUCH better idea of what to expect and while it doesn't provide all the information I'll need, it gives me enough of a baseline to know what I have to investigate further. I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in tackling the AT.

[Natasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I appreciate an adventure how-to guide written by someone who has the experience, but recognizes they are not the end-all-be-all. Unlike other adventure how-to guides written by men, it stands out to me that this author dedicates a significant section to women, and has a female author write that portion. The author combines humor with his insight, in addition to explaining what he will do differently. It is also nice to read from a SOBO thru-hiker, since they are rare. A budding thru-hiker can benefit from reading this book.

[Mark E Ferguson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Removes the mystery - in a good way

I’m a minimalist at heart and have been researching what it would take to section hike the AT. Breaking down what to expect, gear you couldn’t live without, meal planning, and more demystified what I’d not seen discussed in other books. There is still much research to be done to determine what I will need myself but I’m much more enlightened as to where to look and what to consider. Excellent resource!

[RaeCreated · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is exactly as advertised and I'm sure I'll be consulting it often as I plan my thru-hike of the AT. I would have given it five stars, but the writer and editor in me rebelled. I found myself stumbling over spelling, grammar and other mistakes that a proofreader really should have caught. Basically the literary equivalent of the trail's black flies--distracting but not enough to stop the determined hiker. If you're considering a thru-hike of your own I'd definitely recommend this book.

[Dan Summers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written. Fun and informative for a 1at timer.

I'm taking my 9 year old grandson on a 2 week AT NOBO. I'm an avid big game Gunter but this info was terrific. A lot of little tid bits I may not have thought of ie compactor garbage bag liner, smart water bottles or sock liners. Chris reinforced a lot of items like Brooks Cascadia shoes, a lot of hand sanitizer and constant hydration. Great info on food, Bears and sanitation. Great job. 👍.



Dan Summers

[Harry Fozzard · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good introduction, although my objectiove was seection hiking and I found experience of a week on the trail, combined with some of the YouTube info as well as first-hand information to be quite useful.

The equipment overview is relatively accurate. Focus on going lighter and concentrate on key information from expereinced hands. Guthook is essential as well as checking the weather when connectivity permits.

[Joan Marshall]

Great, informative book on beginning backpacking

Chris took us along on his Appalachian Trail adventures. I liked how he started each chapter with the day of his hike, the starting and finishing place for that day, how far he hiked that day and the total miles covered. Along the way Chris shares his adventures and gives us great tips. At the end of the book, Chris has a comprehensive list of items you need for a long (or thru) backpacking trip

[Larry E. Carlson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Guide

No matter the trail, this is a great starting point for gear, supplies and how to plan a hike, no matter if it is a through hike, section hike, or day hike. All the bases seemed to be covered. It gave common sense advice, and why certain gear was taken. Chris, also pointed out things, one probably doesn’t think of until you are in the hike. Well written and great advice.

[Mike Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

" This book is dedicated to everyone pursuing the life they want to live."
- Chris Cage

Excellent book to get the rundown of how to prepare and what to expect on the AT trail. Easy to read, very helpful and straight to the point.

I recommend this book for anyone thinking about thru-hiking or section hiking. Myself, I am preparing to start section hiking the AT trail and found that this book gave me a little more confidence to begin my journey!

[Tom Mobley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book, it was just what I was looking for. I have done some camping, but never backpacking.

While I don’t have plans to through-hike the AT, I will be doing a 7 day trip with my cousin this summer.

Hope he will come out with a second edition sometime, but found his greenbelly company website has gear reviews and I will be using that as I prepare for the trip.

I am on vacation right now and had 2 people ask me about his book and if I really planned on hiking the AT.

[Reverend Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Generally really helpful guide for hiking the Appalachian Trail that’s neither too broad nor too nitty gritty
Really eases the romanticized aspects of danger while also serving as a great baseline for prepping to complete such a goal
Honestly can’t think of a way this book could’ve been better so although it’s weird to rate it the same as the Alchemist and Lolita but it’s honestly just a solid helpful read 📖📖📖

[Dan Forret · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very enlighting book. I found that the information contained in this very insightful especially about his experiences and what his thoughts were as a SOBO. I've been a outdoor guy and dayhiker for some time now. Have done some 3 night stays but looking for the next grant life challenge. Thank you for your insight!

[Anthony Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helpful insights

Chris obviously has major experience and his helpful hints go a long way. I am a section hiker and I agree with his ideas on being lightweight and minimalist. I've learned some difficult lessons about packing too much gear, too much food, having the wrong clothes (never wear cotton), and other things too (dont run out of toilet paper). Thanks for this book.