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Frequently Asked Questions

It's amazing the questions people will ask about hiking the Appalachian Trail. Shown here are some of the most common and more humorous questions and answers.

Thru-hiker Carol Moore created a T-Shirt with the following answers printed on the front. He called it "The Official AT Answer Shirt". 15-20 Miles Yes, I've seen bears Mac & Cheese 50 lbs or so In a Tent 4-6 Months Over 2000 miles Yes, I walked here More... Q. Do you know how to make fire? A. Sure. I use matches or a lighter. Q. What do you do for a living? A. I walk. I retired from my other job. Q. Do you know how to use a compass? A. Yes. But the trail is marked, so you don't really need one. Q. Where else have you hiked? A. Nowhere. This is my first time.

Question:
How long is the Appalachian Trail?

Answer: The length varies slightly from year-to-year. In 2005 the trail will extend 2175 miles from Springer Mountain, GA to Mr. Katahdin, Maine.

Question:
How many people hike the Appalachian Trail?

Answer:
Annually, as many as 2000-3000 people set out to hike the complete trail, but only about 200-300 complete the trail. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy reports that 8,082 hikes have been completed since 1936.

Question:
How long does it take?

Answer:
The average trip is 6 months, however some hike it in as little as four months, and some in as many as 6 months. Others hike the trail in sections, spread out over many years.

Question:
How much does it cost?

Answer:
Depending on how much you spend on equipment, it could cost as little as $4,000 to $5,000. On the trail, hikers can expect to spend $3,000 to $4,000, and equipment will generally cost $1,000 to $3.000.

Question:
Where do you get your food? Do you carry all of your food in your pack or do you life off the land?

Answer:
Hikers generally carry about 5-7 days of food with them on the trail, stopping at towns or stores near or along the trail to resupply. A food supply will range in weight from 1.5 to 2 pounds per day. So a 7 day supply would weigh up to 14 pounds. If everyone lived off the land, there would be no Appalachian Trail. The hiking community encourages a LNT (leave no trace) approach, meaning your presence should not alter the natural state of the trail. If you pack it in, then pack it out. If you didn't pack it in, then leave it alone. It's the only way to afford everyone an opportunity to enjoy the wonder of the AT and all of out national parks and outdoor preserves.

Question:
Who is going with you?

Answer:
Nobody. Many thru-hikers hike the AT alone. However, a hiker may hike alone during the day, but will inevitably run into others along the trail. Additionally, the AT hosts many 3-sided shelters along the trail, where most hikers plan to start and end each day's hike. These shelters, especially in the early miles of the trail, are often crowded with thru-hikers, hikers and weekend campers. So even though you go alone, you hike among a brotherhood of hikers, many in pursuit of the same epic achievement.

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