How much money do I need to thru hike the Appalachian Trail?

Buying gear on sale from stores like REI or websites like Sierra Trading Post and Backcountry.com can make a big difference. I recommend checking out our Appalachian Trail backpacking gear checklist, which will give you a complete run down of the gear you may need to thru-hike. read more

The old rule of thumb was a dollar a mile. Those days are well in the past. I spent $9K all in - new equipment, travel to and from the trail, expenses while on the trail. read more

You definitely can do it for a lot less (I know one guy who hiked for about $1000 dollars, all borrowed from his parents), but the difference is that you give up some of your control of your hike to money concerns. read more

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy recommends $1,000 per month for the average hiker thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail. Given the average completion time of five to seven months, total on-trail spending can be from $5-7,000 per person. read more