The first three days of your 10-day-long Preparation Course for AT Thru-Hike are dedicated to arrival and orientation. Your first night is dedicated to orientation on the Appalachian Trail and covering details such as how to read the signs and guidebook, or how to get the necessary supplies before you start hiking. The entire second day of your adventure is intended for getting the camping gear and hiking supplies you need. Your guide will be happy to assist and take you to local supply shops.
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Preparation is the key to success! Intended for those who want to do the complete thru-hike, this 10-day preparation course, held at the beginning of the hiking season, will ease your body and soul into one of the most rewarding hiking experiences. During a course of ten days, you will be preparing for the challenging Appalachian Trail by learning from the most professional guides in the field! You and your guide will discuss how to tailor your hike to your experience and objectives. Learn how to conquer the traverses and move along rocky ridgelines or over open summits while your guide helps you out with everything from booking accommodation along the way, planning out your itinerary, the bureaucracy and more.
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Here’s what’s included:
- A local Appalachian Trail hiking guide
- 3 days of orientation
- 7 days of hiking
- Campsites fees
- Permits
- Hostel accommodation for one night
- Transportation throughout the adventure
- Transfer back to your vehicle after the hike
What’s not included:
- Meals
- Travel insurance
- Flights and flight taxes
- Sleeping bags, tents, and personal items
- Camping gear
- Hotel upgrades or extra days
- Shuttle back to the vehicle in the middle of a hike if the hiker is quitting
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Day three is where the adventure begins! You will be on the road by 10 am, heading to Amicalola Falls State Park, GA. Once you get there, you’ll register for the hike, set up camp, and go over the Appalachian Trail registration process and what to expect, including discussing gear and food one more time. After a short 2.5-mile hike to stretch your legs, you’ll head to town. The evening will be spent sleeping in tents. Please note, if you drive to the park, your car can remain parked in the lot for the entire duration of your hike (for $55).
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Start hiking to the first shelter. Every day, you will hike around 6-10 miles on average, depending on your group’s skills and desires for the day. Filtering water along the way, you’ll camp and prepare your food. If the shelter (a basic, three-sided building) is open, you can opt to sleep there rather than in your tent. After another day of hiking, you will reach Neels Gap, a supply point with a hostel and outfitter store. Make the most of this stop to reevaluate your gear and get food for the next section. Here is where you can get new boots, tents and everything else that a hiker might need. What’s more, many hikers use this opportunity to send packages home and get rid of the equipment they might not need anymore, or even exchange their gear for new stuff. This is also a great opportunity to take pics or buy souvenirs if desired.
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You will continue hiking up to ten miles per day with a quicker pace, as things are getting more challenging and your hiking days are becoming more diverse, with several steep uphill climbs and descents.
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As you are continuing with your hike, you will cross more demanding terrain and reach new heights. Continue reading your guidebook and checking supply points. At this point, you will already know most of the hiking tricks and will be able to do everything on your own. Don’t be surprised if you see around 50-70 people pass these trails, keep going as soon you will be reaching your final point.
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By the last day, you’ll be skilled enough and ready to continue the thru-hike on your own. You might be saying goodbye to your guide, but they remain available via email or phone for any help or support during the continuation of your hike. By now, you already have a team of people who have been with you for the last 10 days. Here is where you can say your goodbyes and get what you need from your supplies before continuing this hiking adventure.
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Each itinerary was created to experience a different part of the AT or to traverse it in a different way. Due to that, some itineraries have different things included in the cost of the trip. Please make sure to check out each itinerary before picking the one most suitable to you.
What you’ll generally get in most adventures is:
- A local Appalachian Trail hiking guide
- Campsites fees
- Hostel accommodation for one night
- 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 bags, tents, and personal items
- Camping gear
- Hotel upgrades or extra days
- Shuttle back to the vehicle in the middle of a hike if the hiker is quitting
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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 6 to 12 miles (9.7-16 km) per day for a total of 50 miles (80 km) each week. The terrain can be challenging—you can expect some scrambling even on the easiest trails. 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.
If you are joining hikes starting from Damascus, VA, or Erwin, TN, be ready for a more challenging terrain and pace. You will hike for 10 miles per day on average for 7-8 days, depending on the speed of your group.
If you are joining a slackpacking tour, you will be hiking without a backpack. Typically, this is accomplished by having another person transport the backpack using a vehicle. You’ll carry a daypack, but not all your gear, like your tent and sleeping bag. This also means that you’ll have regular checkpoints with resupplies and help on hand in case of an injury or emergency.
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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
- 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
- Water filter
- Camp stove and fuel — can be rented from the guide
- Trekking poles — can be rented from the guide
- Tent — can be rented from the guide
- Sleeping bag
- Food you can eat on the go and camp food
- Camera — optional (but recommended)
Your exact gear list will be dependent on the itinerary you choose and will be provided after booking by your guide.
For all week-long and custom hikes, you can rent any hiking or camping gear from your guide for an added fee of $200 per week.
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Dogs are allowed on the trail, but most hostels are not pet friendly. While some hostels may allow dogs inside, others will let you put up a tent on the premises and spend the night with your beloved pet outside.
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Groups for week-long hikes usually consist of two people for southern sections and four people for northern sections. The maximum number of hikers is 5.
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.
You can arrange a private trip with a guide, if you’re traveling alone or with a larger party.
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Everybody over the age of 16 is welcome on this hiking adventure.
The hiking community varies in age, occupation, experience and fitness levels. While there are hikers in their 20s and 30s, there are even more hikers in their 50s or even 60s. The only criteria you have to fit is to have a desire to be outdoors!
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Your exact meeting location and transportation to the trailhead will be dependent on the itinerary you choose and will be discussed after booking with your guide. 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.
Easiest way to get to Erwin, TN is to reach Knoxville, TN by plane or car and drive to Erwin, 2 hours away. Another option is to land in Asheville Regional Airport just 50 minutes away from your starting point.
You can reach Damascus, VA by car from McGhee Tyson Airport in Knoxville in 2 hours or Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro in 3 hours.
To reach Harpers Ferry, WV from Washington D.C. or Baltimore in under 2 hours by car.
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We highly recommend that you cover all your bases with both emergency medical and travel insurance.
With medical insurance, if you have an accident or medical emergency on or off the mountain, you’ll avoid paying out of pocket for costly expenses. This covers everything from hospital treatments to emergency air transportation and more. Travel insurance covers canceled flights, natural disasters and other scenarios that may interrupt your travel plans.
We also expect clients to respect local regulations and take measures to protect themselves, guides and the communities they’re traveling to. For more information on COVID-19 measures in Atlanta, Georgia, please refer to the Georgia Department of Public Health website.
If you need assistance selecting the right insurance for your group, let us know and we will be happy to help!
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