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Backpacker Radio Episode #6: Steven “Twinkle” Shattuck on Dirt-Bagging for a Year, The Best Headlamps for Thru-Hiking, and Curing Anxiety on Trail
For most, disappearing to the trail for a month or two is a dream vacation. Serial thru-hiker and peak bagger Steven "Twinkle" Shattuck and his wife Grace are about to...
Sights, Sounds, and Silence: Hiking the PCT Headphone-Free
No Strings Attached We live in a world with gadgets and gizmos aplenty, more than even the Little Mermaid had in her collection. Alexa makes our to-do lists, TVs are...
Eat, Dammit: 5 Strategies to Optimize Your Caloric Intake During a Thru-Hike
When I finished my thru-hike and sat down to write articles that doled out the hard-earned wisdom of a past thru-hiker, I decided I was not going to pass on...
The Future of the Continental Divide Trail: Part I
This article is the first half of a two-part story about the Continental Divide Trail Association and their efforts to protect and finish building the CDT. Although there are many...
Stories From the Trail Episode 7 – Keith Foskett High and Low
Keith Foskett, a.k.a. "Fozzie", is a well traveled long distance hiker, a bestselling author, dog lover, and maple syrup connoisseur. In this episode, Keith joins us from his home in...
Slow Motion: Reflections on my Seven-Month AT Thru-Hike
Whenever I tell anyone who knows how long it typically takes to hike the AT that it took me seven months to complete, they tend to ask what went wrong....
Best Day Hikes in Shenandoah National Park’s South District
The hiking landscape of Shenandoah National Park (SNP) is dominated by the Appalachian Trail. Like a backbone extending down the Blue Ridge, the AT runs the length of the park...
Backpacker Radio Episode #5: Shailee Basnet on Summiting Everest, The AT vs. PCT, and Thru-Hiking Purism
Curious what it's like to go from someone who never hikes to summiting Mt. Everest? Enter Shailee Basnet. After growing up with "the secret dream to go out and play"...
Appalachian Trail State Profile: Georgia
The AT in Georgia is 79 miles long, starting at Springer Mountain outside Dahlonega, and stretching to the North Carolina border right before Bly Gap. Terrain Long, sweeping climbs to...
Mailbag with Jennifer Pharr Davis: Solo Hiking Vs. Companion Travel
The Trek Editor’s Note Welcome to our third Mailbag with National Geographic’s Adventurers of the Year. She has authored A hiker’s connection to the forest is can also be closer without other