This article originally appeared on The Trek, which you can read here.
On an unassuming ridge deep in the heart of the Georgia mountains sits a small plaque mounted on a rock. It may be humble, but it represents the beginning of a dream. That plaque marks the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail.
Every spring, bright-eyed hikers step onto Springer Mountain, brush their hands over the metal plaque, and point themselves north. Only about a quarter of them will eventually reach the northern terminus, 2,197.9 miles away atop Mount Katahdin in Maine.
In 2021, I was one of those hopeful hikers.
I spent nearly six months walking from Springer to Katahdin. Since then, I’ve gone on to hike thousands more miles on trails like the Pacific Crest Trail, the Arizona Trail, and other footpaths. My first thru-hike opened my eyes to the world of long trails. The AT taught me how little I actually need to be happy, and how freeing it can be to wake up each day with only one goal: put one foot in front of the other and keep moving north.
When I started the Appalachian Trail, I didn’t have much backpacking experience. Truthfully, I didn’t really know what I was doing. I made it as far as I did thanks to the patience of my trail family and my stubborn nature. Now, with several thousand miles under my belt, I often think about the person I was standing atop Springer Mountain that first morning. I wish I could reach back through time and offer her a few words of encouragement and advice.
For anyone planning to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail in 2026, this is my top advice for you — things I wish I’d known before starting the AT myself, as well as a few specific considerations for this year’s class.
1. Do Your Research (Without Planning Every Last Detail)
Before you ever set foot on trail, you should have at least a basic understanding of what you’re getting yourself into. There’s a reason the first principle of Leave No Trace is Plan Ahead and Prepare.
You’ve likely been preparing for this hike for months, maybe even years. Today, there’s no shortage of thru-hiking information. You can skim articles on The Trek, read countless memoirs, or binge any number of YouTube vlogs documenting every mile of the trail.
Read Next: 8 Inspiring and Informative Books to Read Before Your Thru-Hike
With this wealth of knowledge at your fingertips, you can’t claim ignorance when it comes to thru-hiking. Experience truly is the best teacher, but you don’t have to arrive at Springer completely clueless.
When I hiked the AT in 2021, I consumed as much trail content as I could find. I knew which sections I was excited for and which ones I was already dreading. I was eager to learn everything, but I also carried expectations with me up the trail.
Years later while prepping for the PCT, I intentionally did far less research. I wanted to arrive at places without preconceived ideas, to let the trail surprise me. I found that approach made it easier to manage expectations.
If you hike 200 miles anticipating the most epic sunrise of your life from Kuwohi because you saw it in a video, you’ll likely be disappointed when you arrive at the observation tower completely socked in by clouds. Sometimes the trail has other plans.
All that thru-hiking content I just mentioned? It can be valuable inspiration and reference material, but it also carries the threat of information overload. Moderation is key.
Doing your research means showing up prepared, not scripted. For example, you should start the trail with appropriate gear for the season. Is your sleeping bag warm enough for early spring nights? Have you actually used your water filter before day one? Do you know how to dig a proper cathole?
The rest will sort itself out. Prepare enough to feel confident, but not so much that you leave no room for spontaneity. One of the most beautiful lessons the trail teaches is how to let go of control and go with the flow.
2. Test Your Equipment
Some hikers don’t set up their tent until their first night on trail. Those are usually the same hikers whose tent collapses at 2 a.m. on the first night.
Savvy hikers embark on a shakedown hike to get a feel for their gear. Think of a shakedown as your chance to test-drive your gear before it truly matters. You wouldn’t buy a new car without taking it around the block. Your backpacking setup deserves the same treatment.
Read Next: Why Shakedown Hikes Are So Important for New Backpackers
Before my AT attempt, I planned a shakedown on the Foothills Trail. I started with the exact gear I intended to bring to Springer. It didn’t take long to realize how unprepared I was. I struggled to pitch my single-wall tent, got my bear line hopelessly stuck in a tree, and shivered each night in a sleeping bag that clearly wasn’t warm enough. After just two nights of the five-night trip, I ended up bailing. With a bruised ego, I reevaluated my gear and made adjustments.
I may not have completed the FHT, but my shakedown was still a success. It showed me what didn’t work — for my body, my skills, and my comfort level — before the stakes were higher. I made changes to my setup and showed up at Springer better prepared.
The good news is that even if you don’t realize you have gear problems until you’re already on the AT, you’ll have opportunities to swap gear along the way. Nearly everyone does. Still, even a single overnight shakedown can reveal issues you didn’t know existed and save you significant frustration early on.
Can’t manage a full shakedown hike before starting the AT? At least spend one night camping in your tent in your best friend’s parents’ backyard. Any amount of practical experience with your gear before starting the trail is better than nothing.
3. Change and Side Quests Are Your Friends
There’s a saying among hikers: the trail provides. Time and time again, I watched it happen. When I needed a ride into town, a trail angel appeared. When I ran out of food, I stumbled upon trail magic. When every hostel bunk was full, someone offered a patch of grass to pitch my tent. Plans matter, but flexibility matters more.
Some of my best trail memories came from moments when things didn’t go according to plan. The trail is going to provide you with amazing people and incredible opportunities to make memories. Say “yes” when opportunities arise. The trail isn’t going anywhere. The miles you skip today can always be made up tomorrow.
Side quests are one of the greatest gifts of the Appalachian Trail. There will be opportunities to aquablaze, sleep in fire towers, skinny dip in mountain ponds … the list goes on and on. There are endless chances to stop following the white blazes for a time and experience something unexpected and wonderful.
Thru-hiking is deeply personal. It’s your hike. There’s no single “right” way to do it. Hike your own hike, in every sense of the phrase. It isn’t a one-size-fits-all, and no one side quest is the same. Be open to what the trail gives you.
4. Be Open to New People and Experiences
Long trails attract people from all over the world. I had no idea what a melting pot the Appalachian Trail would be. I’ve shared miles, meals, and campsites with people from vastly different backgrounds, cultures, and life experiences, all brought together by a skinny dirt path through the woods. That common connection makes conversation easy and genuine. It’s normal to bond quickly, to trade stories around a campfire, and to stay up far past hiker midnight laughing with people you met just days earlier.
Be curious. Be kind. Be open. How often in life do we get to live alongside people from so many walks of life, stripped down to the basics? The friendships you build on trail can last long after you reach Katahdin. Treat it as an opportunity to learn and connect. For many hikers, the highlight of a thru-hike isn’t the scenery, it’s the community.
5. Start Slow
According to the 2025 AT Thru-Hiker Survey, one of the leading reasons people end their hikes early is injury. Overuse injuries like knee pain and tendonitis are especially common. Overuse injuries can happen when hikers ramp up their mileage too quickly, don’t give their body time to rest and recover, or come from general wear and tear.
Read Next – These Are the Most Common Injuries Reported by Appalachian Trail Thru-Hikers (Plus Injury Prevention Tips)
One of the biggest mistakes I’ve seen on every long trail I’ve hiked is people pushing too hard too early. “Crushing miles” right out of the gate might seem impressive, but it can have devastating long-term consequences. Give your body time to adapt to its new reality. No matter how much training you put in before arriving at Springer, there is no way to prepare your body for walking for 12+ hours a day. Give your body time to adjust to its new normal.
On the AT and PCT, my goal was to do less than 10 miles each day for the first week. From there, I gently increased my mileage until I finally got my trail legs. My rule of thumb is 8-10 miles a day the first week, 10-12 miles a day the second week, upwards of 15 miles by week three. Easing into higher mileage gives your body time to adjust and reduces the risk of overuse injuries.
Read Next – These Physical Therapist-Approved Techniques Can Help You Hike Faster and Avoid Injury
6. Be Aware of Ongoing Hurricane Helene Impacts
In the fall of 2024, Hurricane Helene devastated large portions of the southern Appalachians. Even in 2026, many mountain communities are still recovering. Hikers should expect trail closures, detours, and reduced amenities in certain areas. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy maintains updated information specifically for the Class of 2026, and it’s worth checking regularly.
Notable impacts include:
Virginia Creeper Trail Detour (Damascus, VA):
Much of the Virginia Creeper Trail north of Damascus remains closed due to storm damage and reconstruction. A section of the AT paralleling the Creeper Trail is also closed between NOBO miles 476.6 and 485.8. Hikers must follow marked detours or arrange a shuttle around the closure.
Nolichucky River Detour (Erwin, TN):
In the historic flooding in the aftermath of Helene, the Chestoa Bridge (NOBO mile 344.6) washed away. Before the storm, the AT traveled along the bridge spanning the Nolichucky River. The bridge remains closed while reconstruction is ongoing.
In 2025, there was a free ATC-sponsored ferry to get hikers safely across the river, but the ferry will be discontinued for the 2026 season. Instead, hikers can take the 3.6-mile road walk around the bridge or arrange a shuttle to the opposite side of the river.
Iron Mountain Gap Detour (NC/VA):
Per the ATC, “The Appalachian Trail (A.T.) remains closed around Iron Mountain Gap per a Forest Service order due to ongoing repair work following Hurricane Helene (NOBO miles 360.6 to 366.1).” The ~6-mile detour is currently the official AT route and is marked with temporary white plastic blazes.
Burn Bans:
There is an official burn ban in the Roan Highlands from Hughes Gap to Doll Flats (NOBO miles 374.2 to 392.6). The storm tore through the mountains, plowing down trees in its wake. As a result, there are more downed trees than ever. This puts vulnerable areas at risk for wildfires as the downed trees can act as fuel.
The ATC is strongly recommending no campfires between Davenport Gap (TN/NC) and the New River in Pearisburg, VA (NOBO miles 239.4 to 637.8) to decrease the likelihood of a wildfire.
Town Amenities:
Trail towns like Hot Springs, Erwin, and Damascus were hit especially hard. Some businesses may have limited hours or remain closed. Always check recent FarOut comments and social media updates, and support open businesses when you can, as they’re working hard to rebuild.
7. Last One to Katahdin Wins
No amount of preparation can replace real experience. You will make mistakes. You will get frustrated. You will question why you ever thought walking across an entire mountain range was a good idea. You will learn as you go, and the trail will teach you exactly what you need to learn.
You’ll look back on the hard moments with pride, and often with laughter. Even something like snapping a trekking pole in half eventually becomes a good story. Challenges in the real world seem less daunting when you know you can endure days of rain, blistering heat, and swarms of mosquitoes.
Don’t rush this experience.
The Appalachian Trail has a way of changing people in quiet, unexpected ways. You may not recognize yourself by the time you reach Katahdin. Be prepared to leave parts of your old self behind on this winding footpath.
I promise the trail will give back to you tenfold.
Magic in the Mountains 
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