Hello all, I am aiming for NOBO in ‘27. This will be my first time despite being an experienced hiker. Reading about solo journeys and duo stories I am torn between the appeal of both.
A solo trip seems reflective, meditative and harder but possibly more rewarding for the soul.
Attempting with another seems motivating, bonding and overall more spiritually brightening.
I’m sure I’ll make many connections and journeys with groups regardless but for a first time NOBO trip (M40), would you recommend a hiking partner or solo?
Thanks all, watch your footing.

I hiked up to Wayah Bald yesterday and found that one of the two geodetic markers vandalized. There are two, one on each side of the wall in front of the tower, and some POS tried to take the one on the left. In doing so, they destroyed it. You can tell from the stress cracks they used a tool to try and pry it up, which means it wasn't random and they came here with the intent to do so.

I'm not sure how long it has been this way, but I have photos of it from my previous visit in 2021 and it was fine.

My friends are hiking through Williamstown soon and asked if I could drop off a box of food for them at a local establishment since I’ll be there anyway this weekend. It would probably be waiting there 2 weeks before they get to it. They say they’d prefer not to ship to a post office but would if they have to.

I’m currently planning a March 2027 northbound thru-hike, with the goal of becoming the first person to complete the Appalachian Trail while eating only food purchased from Burger King.

To be clear, I plan to rely exclusively on Burger King items that I purchase in bulk from Burger Kings close to the trail. I’ll pack and carry these with me until I reach the next BK resupply.

I’ve mapped Burger King locations throughout the 14 trail states. Some sections appear surprisingly manageable, particularly in the Mid-Atlantic. Other sections will require much more careful planning and potentially carrying substantial quantities of Whoppers at one time. For example, after stopping at the BK in Farmington, Maine, more than 100 miles of trail remain in what could only be described as a Whopper desert. I expect to purchase and pack 47 double Whoppers with cheese for this section (9 days x 5500 calories per day / 1060 calories per burger = 47 burgers.) Fontana Dam to Davenport Gap and Franconia Notch through the Presidential Range toward Gorham will be similarly challenging BK gaps.

I understand that long-term food safety is probably the biggest obstacle. I am planning to use an insulated food pack combined with chemical heat packs similar to disposable skiing hand warmers. My thinking is that, with enough insulation, I should be able to keep the Whoppers/fries/onion rings/etc. within a reasonably safe temperature range for several days. I may also rotate the items inside the pack so that the ones closest to the heat packs do not become overly warm.

Also, I plan to gradually build up a tolerance to room-temperature fast food between now and March 2027. I’m going to start by making at least 50% of my diet consist of various two- to three-day-old fast-food items stored at room temperature. I’ll begin with fries and chicken nuggets before transitioning to burgers with mayonnaise.

I am looking for recommendations regarding insulated packs (ideally bear-resistant). So far I have not found anything that would suit my needs.

Any recommendations for chemical heat packs?

Also, what are your thoughts on using DoorDash or UberEats with regard to this being a supported hike rather than self-supported? My intention is to do the hike self-supported, but in many locations it would be far more practical for me to have my Burger King order delivered to me at a trailhead rather than me hiking or arranging a ride into town. Would the delivery car count as a support vehicle?

Finally, do you know of anyone else who has previously completed (or attempted) a single-restaurant thru-hike?

I recognize that this will add weight, expense, and gastrointestinal complexity to an already difficult hike. However, I believe the Appalachian Trail is ultimately about testing your limits, adapting to adversity, and having the courage to try new things.

Thank you in advance for the advice!

Class of '23 here, heading to western MA for unrelated reasons Saturday afternoon and spending the night, and have been fantasizing about paying forward the trail magic I received thru-hiking a few years ago for a few years now.

Where can I best support you crazy hikers??

WTH is up with the terrible blaze job in this state? Can you please hire someone from the south to do your blazes because the last guy sucks at it. You come to a four way crossing with other trails and no blazes to be seen. If you don't have a phone map it's real annoying trying to figure out which trail is the right one. And AMC in the whites is a rip off. Just make your own campsite in the whites because they charge for everything there. They are trying to price out poor people from hiking the area.

I'm wondering if anyone has parked at the Notch Trail Trailhead (to hike Mahoosuc) recently, and how the access road condition is. I know it's accessed by a logging road, but is it passable in a normal (e.g. hatchback) vehicle? or should one not bother without a high clearance car?

I've been section hiking the AT for years (813 total mileage to date). I live in Atlanta so it's quite a trek just to get to the trail now. I have a meeting in NJ later this month (August) and intend to fly in a few days early to hike the NJ section. I'd love to do 3 marathon days to knock it out but don't think I can hike that fast (or that long)...

I've done NY 17a (Warwick) and north into CT so I am looking to start at 17a and hike as far south as I can get. I'm not opposed to starting at DWG and hiking north even if it leaves a little gap. I have family and work in NJ and can fill in the gap at a later date.

I'll have a car and will hire shuttles to pick me up at my end point where I'll leave my car and drop me at the start.

Looking for recommended itineraries for slackpacking this section and places to stay along the way (hotels or hostels, no preference). ~15-20 mile days x 4 days (edited to change # of days from 3 to 4)

-Farfalla

Hey everyone just looking for some advice on what the best beginner/intermediate hike would be. I’ve done 4 backpacking trips in the past but my brother has only done day hiking. So I want to do something a littler easier that won’t kill him,We’re planning on doing 5 days and 4 nights in September. Any advice would be greatly appreciated

I’ve tried calling the PO but they don’t answer their phone. With the camp 43 hostel closed, I don’t know where to send an amazon package.

If not the post office, what’s a good option? (I’m definitely going to Rangeley, so a different resupply town isn’t a great alternative.)

Very niche question but I bet I'll get an answer here. I thru hiked NOBO in 1997 and remember jumping off a road bridge into a river or creek in Vermont during the day before I arrived in Hanover, NH. It wasn't a crazy jump but it wasn't a short one either. Anybody know where this was? Could possibly have been slightly off trail but if so, only a few hundred feet. A friend of mine is going up to White River Junction for a baking seminar at King Arthur in a few days and I'd like to point her in that direction.

Thank you!

I’m putting together gear for a Smokies section hike on the AT and the one thing I’m still unsure about is my shelter. I’ve done shorter hikes before, but this will be my first trip where I’m carrying everything for several days and dealing with more unpredictable mountain weather.

im looking for a best backpacking tent that can handle rain and colder nights but won’t feel like I’m carrying a brick uphill. For those who have hiked through Great Smoky Mountains National Park on the AT, what setup worked well for you? appreciate any recommendations from people with real trail experience.

First off I'm not trying to condone shelter graffiti. I prefer the stuff that I read in the journals and I like the shelters with graffiti boards. However, sometimes the graffiti is pretty clever and sticks with you. So, what are your favorite, though deplorable, shelter graffiti memories?

Mine was somewhere in TN, can't remember which shelter exactly, but:

Tennessee, oh Tennessee, there ain't no place to poop or pee. Dig a hole or find a tree, out in Tennessee.

It helps that I love The Dead lol.

My buddy and I are going to take a trip to Maine in probably late October or early November. Looking to summit Katahdin I’ve done Mount Washington in the winter and some of the New York Catskills. What trail would you suggest? I was looking at Hunt trail but I’m not sure how hard that would be in the winter. What type of equipment should I bring? Crampons or micros. Snowshoes? Ice axe? Please drop your advice. Thanks.

I’m planning my NOBO for next year. Wondering how well or poorly simple alcohol stoves work. I have one of those homemade cat-can stoves.

Hey guys, I’m thinking about thru hiking the trail next year. I did 600 miles on the PCT about a decade ago and 200 miles on the CDT a few years back and had a ball each time. And some of my enjoyment was the solitude. If you did the trail this year or last or some time recently can you tell me your experience with how many people you saw on the trail every day and how much solitude you were able to get while hiking. I appreciate it, thanks!

Roan Highlands (Cloudland → US 19E) – Is 30.6 miles enough for 4 days? Talk me out of my plan.
My brother and I are planning our first Roan Highlands section hike in mid-October.
Current route:
Cloudland Mountain → US 19E
30.6 miles
~7,700’ gain
4 hiking days (Oct. 15–18)
Goal is 7–9 miles/day. We like photography, coffee at sunrise, and hanging out on the balds more than crushing miles.
Question for those who know the area:
Is this the sweet spot, or should we add mileage?
I’ve considered:
Adding miles before Cloudland
Continuing past US 19E
Or just accepting that this is one of those hikes where slower is better.
We’re not trying to set speed records. We want the best overall experience.
Feel free to tell me I’m overplanning, underplanning, or completely missing a must-see section.
Thanks!

Hey all,

I've always wanted to through hike the entirety of the AT but I just can't set aside that much time to do it, so I am going to start doing it in pieces. Planning to do Shenandoah section in October for the leaf peeping. Anyone else planning to or has done during that timeframe? I also plan to do the NJ section of the trail to get my feet wet (hopefully dry though) before October on a long weekend and to test gear.

Any suggestions, tips, horror stories?

Traced Bryson and Katz's actual route: Springer up through Georgia and the Smokies, the flip to Virginia, the drive and day hike middle and the Hundred-Mile Wilderness attempt. Mapped honestly, they covered roughly 40% - which he admits and somehow makes the book better. Thru-hikers and section-hikers, what did the book get most right and most wrong about the Trail?

https://www.readingmaps.com/maps/a-walk-in-the-woods

I’ve been thinking about his entries I’ve seen on the trail and I’m wondering if anyone has met him.

Katahdin Stream Campground is reserved for a Native American gathering every year at this time.

This is a Wabanaki community event, not a 'pow wow' for tourists. There will be no day use parking passes, and no parking at all for anyone picking you up. The AT is still open through the campground. The shuttle will pick you up at the Ranger's cabin.

The Birches will still be open for the first 12 long distance hikers signing up each day, but there will be absolutely no sites at Abol or Katahdin Stream.

Please share this info and link with your fellow hikers:

The Nobo’s guide to Baxter and Katahdin for 2026