Hiking the Appalachian Trail

57hours is committed to providing safe outdoor adventure experiences. We require all guides using our platform to have a COVID-19 safety plan and to make the details of that plan accessible to travelers. In most cases, group sizes will be reduced, guides will avoid overcrowded locations, and other safety measures will be met depending on the location and activity.

We also expect clients to respect local regulations and take measures to protect themselves, guides and the communities they’re travelling to. For more information on COVID-19 measures in Atlanta, Georgia, please refer to the Georgia Department of Public Health website.

Please contact us if you have any questions or require further information. We are happy to provide you with the most up-to-date information!

What you get in this adventure:

• A local Appalachian Trail hiking guide
• Campsites fees
• Hostel/resort accommodation for one night (Day 1, Day 4 or Day 5 depending on your chosen itinerary)
• Permits
• Transportation throughout the adventure
• Transfer back to your vehicle after the hike

What’s not included:

• Meals*
• Travel insurance
• Flights and flight taxes
• Sleeping bag, tents & personal items
• Shuttle back to the vehicle in the middle of a hike if the hiker is quitting

*Some meals are included depending on the trip you book.

You need to be able to hike for full days, carrying a full daypack or backpacking pack. Each day you will hike between four to six hours or between six to 10 miles per day for a total of 50 miles each week. The terrain can be challenging and the weather unforgiving. That said, if you are looking for adventure and up to the task of multiple days or weeks of full-day trekking, you’ll be rewarded immensely.

Your exact gear list will be dependent on the itinerary you choose and will be provided after booking. Here’s a list of the general equipment you need to bring:

• Backpacking pack large enough to carry all the items listed (around a 40-60L bag)
• Water bottle
• Sleeping bag
• Hiking boots
• Spare warm clothes
• Down or synthetic jacket
• Rainproof jacket
• Compass & map
• Toiletries (sunscreen, hand sanitizer, first aid kit, toilet paper, etc.)
• High quality sunglasses
• Head lantern
• Trekking poles
• Camera — optional (but recommended)

The camaraderie, trail magic, and the sheer number of hikers all make the trail accessible for just about anyone. People of all ages, from 5 to 86 have hiked the trail. Doing a thru-hike, though, requires a great sense of your own physical capabilities and mental stamina. Most people who stop on the trail do so because of injury, as people often set unrealistic paces and their bodies can’t keep up. For those who have successfully thru-hiked, you’ll find that they were all patient and didn’t really push themselves until they’d found their trail-legs. Take your time, set realistic goals and manageable expectations.

Groups for week-long hikes usually consist of two people for southern sections and four people for northern sections. For the three or six-month hikes, a minimum of five hikers are required for the trip to take place. You can arrange a private trip with a guide, if you’re traveling alone or a larger party. All pricing is per person.

A deposit of $200 per person is needed to secure your spot. Full amount should be paid one month prior to departure.

Everybody over the age of 16 is welcome on this hiking adventure.

With 57hours, you benefit from both our own cancellation policy as well as that of the individual guiding service that delivers your adventure. All policies regarding cancellation will be clearly laid out by your guide after booking your adventure, but rest assured that our own cancellation policy will work on top of what is provided by your guide.

For this adventure, 57hours offers a Moderate Cancellation Policy, which states:

If Client cancels the Booking anytime prior to thirty (30) calendar days in advance of the trip contemplated by the booking, Client is entitled to a full refund. For cancellations fourteen (14) to twenty nine (29) calendar days in advance, Client is entitled to a refund in the amount of fifty percent (50%) of the total amount paid when Booking. For cancellations zero (0) to thirteen (13) days in advance, the Client is not entitled to any refund.

In case of cancellation due to COVID-19, you can reschedule or get a full refund.

For more information on terms and conditions, please visit our Terms of Service page.

You’ll typically meet your guide on Sunday for a day of preparation ahead of the hike. After your stay overnight, the guide will bring you to The A.T. trailhead.

If there is a complete thru-hike scheduled, you must be able to join the group wherever they may be unless you wish to hike outside of the hiker season. If no thru-hike is scheduled, there will be week-long group hikes offered each month from different locations.

Each month there will be 2 week-long hikes offered: one starting from Amicalola Falls State Park in NE Georgia to Neels Gap, and another one further north along the trail. The September 5th hike begins at Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia, and ends at Pen Mar in Pennsylvania. 

The thru-hike usually begins around mid-March to the beginning of April at Amicalola Falls State Park near Atlanta, Georgia, and officially ends on top of Mt. Katahdin in Baxter State Park, Maine. Transportation from Baxter State Park to the bus station or Bangor International Airport will be included. Additional transportation back to Atlanta can be arranged for an additional cost.