Not everyone can take five or six months to thru hike the Appalachian Trail (the “AT”).  Why not consider doing a section hike of the AT instead?  When you section hike the AT, you get the experience of backpacking this historic trail but within the time frame you have available for hiking.

Personally, I am just trying to section hike the prettiest parts of the AT, as is our guest today, Monica. On the podcast and down below, you will get insights on what you need to think about, know and prepare for to section hike the Appalachian Trail.

What is the AT – Appalachian Trail

The Appalachian Trail, nicknamed the AT, is the world’s longest footpath-only trail!  Part of the National Park system, it currently runs 2194.3 miles.  The southern terminus is at Springer Mountain in Georgia, and it winds through 14 states to Katahdin in Maine. 

What States does the AT go through

The other states the AT  goes through as it winds up the Appalachian Mountains include TN, NC,WV, VA,PA, MD, NJ, DE, NY, CT, NH, VT.  Thru hikers, those who hike the entire trail, will go up and down about 464,500′!

What is a Section Hike of the AT

Because it can take as much as six months to hike the entire trail at one time, many hikers choose to hike the AT in sections.  Personally, I am just doing the exceptionally pretty parts and have done sections in every state but GA to date.  Others want to do the entire trail one section at a time as they have time to do so.  There are many places where the AT crosses roads, so it is possible to squeeze in day hikes as you travel up and down the East Coast.  But today, we are going to focus on doing multi-day backpacking sections of the AT.

Benefits of Section Hiking the AT

As mentioned, one of the best reasons to section hike the AT is that you can choose to do sections when the weather is best.  You can follow the spring and fall weather and avoid the super cold and super hot weather.  Also, you don’t have to give up family and work for close to six months.  You can hike the AT in chunks!  If you Register your hikes, and hike at least 2000 miles, you are considered to have completed the AT, even if it takes you years to do so! 

Section hiking also puts less stress on the trail by reducing crowding (avoid GA and southern NC in March and April – that’s when the Thru Hikers are coming though).

I never section hike any of the AT without tearing out the appropriate pages of the current year’s  AWOL’s The AT Guide for that section. I also use the guide to rough out a plan for my hike ahead of time.

This outstanding guidebook has all the details you need to know about the Appalachian Trail.

AT Thru Hiking vs Section Hiking and the weather

Most hikers start in Georgia and head north.  You need to make it to Katahdin before it shuts down in early fall, which means for most hikers,  that you would need to start in early spring.  This therefore means a LOT of spring rain and mud!

If you prefer to hike Southbound, you need to wait until around mid-June for the snow to melt enough.  This means hiking in the south during the worst of the summer, so it will be really HOT.

Many do an AT Flip Flop, which means they start in the mental middle of the trail at Harpers Ferry in WV (where the AT Conservancy is based) so that they not only have a longer period to hike, but so that they have a better chance for good weather (and less crowds!).  They head north to Katahdin, then shuttle back to Harpers Ferry to then backpack down to Georgia. Doing a Flip Flop takes the pressure off of doing a lot of miles each day to finish before the season ends and is a great way to thru hike the AT.  Plus, you’ll meet a lot more hikers this way!

But even better yet is to Section Hike the AT : you get to pick the best weather for each section!

How to Plan a Section Hike of the AT

If you want to do a section hike of the AT, you need to prepare.  Questions you need to answer include:

1. What section do I want to hike?  If you are planning to extensively section hike the AT, I recommend buying the long paper map so you can highlight and better visualize the trail.  You can get it HERE. Considerations for which section may include how easy it is to get to and from the trail from where you live.  Also, how many days can you devote to the trail (plus travel and rest time (I recommend a “0” day of no hiking at least once a week so you can resupply and give your body some rest)).  You can stay at a trail town to rest and resupply. 
2. When is the best time to do this section?  Since you have the benefit of choosing when and where to go, follow the weather!  My favorite weather website is WeatherSpark, when available.  It shows you the averages, the humidity and comfort zones, rain and snow averages and much more.  Here are average monthly weather stats for some key AT trail towns to help you choose which section is best for the time you have available:
• Springer Mountain, GA
• Hot Springs, NC
• Erwin, TN
• Waynesboro, VA
• Harpers Ferry, WV
• Duncannon, PA
• Vernon, NJ
• Fort Montgomery, NY
• Salisbury, CT
• Dalton, MA
• Rutland, VT
• Hanover, NH
• Katahdin, ME

3. How do I get to my starting trailhead and then back to my car or home? Shuttling can be one of your biggest challenges of doing a section hike!  You can find shuttle drivers and their phone numbers/email addresses is in AWOL-David Miller’s AT Guide.

There is no set rate and drivers can set their own rates, so check before your get in the vehicle.  Most were charge per mile.

Where do I park my car? You can leave you car at most trailheads.  However, whenever you can, leave your car at an area hostel and use their shuttle.  While there aren’t many car break ins, it IS becoming more common.  Hostels charge a nominal daily fee – inquire.

4. How many days do I plan to be out (so you can plan food)?  From my experience, it takes several days of backpacking for my metabolism to rev up enough for me to want to consume much more food than normal.  The goal is to bring what you need, plus a little “emergency” food, but not much more, because food is heavy!  

On average, you will be bringing about 1.5 pounds of food per day.  Be sure to bring enough protein to feed your muscles.  However, this is also a great opportunity to eat the junk food you normally refuse!  Crap food tends to be high calorie and lightweight.  Mix up your sweet and salty snacks.  Either dehydrate your own food, or buy some of the quality premade dehydrated meals.

Here is a typical day’s backpacking food for me:

1. • Breakfast:  Oatmeal with chopped nuts and dried fruit (you can get sick of this quickly!) or instant mashed potatoes with chunks of beef jerky or fiber cereal, dried fruits and powdered milk.  Tea.
   • Lunch:  Tuna packets or whole wheat tortilla with peanut butter and raisins (sometimes with Nutella, too).
   • Dinner:  A purchased dehydrated meal or a packaged Knorr Pasta or Rice dish with beef jerky chunks.
   • Snacks:  Snicker bars, goldfish cheddars, Oatmeal pies( your basic junk food:)  I got tired of trail mix and can barely eat it anymore.
   • If you sweat a lot, perhaps bring some electrolyte powder packets

If you are out long enough to need food resupply, you will need to decide whether to send your resupply to a post office [General Delivery] or your hostel for pick up, or to buy food in a trail town, or some combo.  I prefer to buy my food in town as it is really hard to figure out what you’ll be in the mood to eat.  I know my face would fall if my resupply box contained (more) trail mix, oatmeals and other foods I got sick of. 

On your mailing label, put the expected week you think you will pick up your package:

Your Name [AT hiking week of the week you expect to pick it up]

General Delivery

City, State, Zipcode [of the post office you want to pick it up from]

Our guest Monica out on a hike

You shouldn’t carry more than 20% of your body weight, but try to work up to several pounds more than you expect to carry.  My base pack weight is 19 lbs.  With food and water, it is normally 28 – 30 lbs.  So I train to 35 lbs so that my pack feel light on the trail.  

If you want more guidance, you can hire my friend and affiliate, Becki of Trailblazer Wellness.  She can customize a fitness plan just for you and what you plan to do that you can do at home with the equipment you already own.  Mention Kit and ATA to get 10% off!  Becki offers a free consultation to see if you two are a good fit.

 It is important to get in several back to back day hikes in your training!  For me, one of the hardest things is getting my body, especially my feet, used to the fact that I have to hike with this weight on my back several days in a row.

7. Who do I notify about my plans?  Once you come up with a plan, be sure to share it with a loved one with complete details of where you anticipate being each day.  While cell phone coverage is much better along the trail, you can’t count on it!  Plus, your battery might die or you could drop your phone in a stream.  And if you pick up a trail name, tell this person that as well.  Be sure to sign all log bogs that you find in the AT shelters.

The AT Conservancy also asks that you register your section hike with them.  You can do so HERE.

Study What To Do If You Get Lost in the Woods. 

Best Sections to Hike on the AT  

100 Mile Wilderness

Baldpate, Maine

Baxter State Park, Maine

Clingman’s Dome, TN

Dragon’s Tooth, VA

Grayson Highlands, 

Max Patch, NC

McAfee Knob, VA

Mount Killington, VT

Mount Mahoosuc, ME

Mount Katahdin, ME

Roan Mountains, NC

Shenandoah National Park

Smoky Mountain National Park

Stratton, ME

The Pinnacle, PA

Tinker Cliffs, VA

White Mountains, NH

How to Navigate on the AT – Do I need a map on the AT

The Appalachian Trail is marked with white blazes.  These small verticle painted rectangles are generally posted on trees so that you can see one right after you pass one.  On rocky outcrops, you will see the blazes painted on the bedrock and maybe a stacked rock cairn as well.  So the trail is very well marked – in most places.  However, there are a few places where it can get a bit confusing.  

So not only would I carry a paper map (rip out the pages of your AT Guide book), but you can also download the trail section on an app.  I like All Trails.

There are many places without cell coverage along the AT.  You may wish to carry a GPS Satellite Tracker, especially if you will be hiking solo, in case you get hurt or lost.

Is it safe to hike solo on the AT

I feel very safe solo section hiking the AT.  Particularly in season, you will see lots of other hikers on the trail.  You are likely to meet someone with whom to hike some of your section with, too!

My biggest worry is towns and roads.  So I have a couple of rules:

1. Never camp within a mile of a road (or anywhere it would be easy to carry a case of beer).  Encountering drunk ‘Townies’ is my major concern.
2. Be cautious around roads in general.  Stay back and don’t cross when people/cars can see you crossing a road solo.
3. If you are nervous, stay in or by one of the many AT Shelters, or look for a more hidden campsite (there are tons of camping areas along or just off the trail).
4. If anyone gives you the heebie jeebies, trust your instincts and don’t camp near him.  Look for others to camp nearby.  Hikers are a friendly lot!
5. Consider bringing some pepper spray if it will make you feel safer. 

Critters on the AT

Ticks  – Before your hike, spray your clothes and tent with washable permethrin spray.  Lyme Disease from tick bites is a legit concern on the AT. Also use DEET and consider gaitors.  Do a tick check each night.

Snakes – You’ll probably see some.  Most are not venomous.  That being said, never put your hands or feet where you can’t see.  Look over a tree blow down before putting your foot on the other side.  Most bites come from surprising the snake.

Bears – Only black bears are along the AT, and there is a chance you will see one.  Most are shy around humans and will run when they see you.  In the National Parks, however, stupid people have either fed bears or been careless with their food and so the bears are aclimatized to humans.  I covered what to do in you encounter a bear on my companion podcast, the Adventure Travel Show (ATSP), and website.

General Bear Rules:  Cook your food away from where you’ll be sleeping.  Ideally use a Bear Canister  or Hanging Sack, but in any case, hang your food in a tree.  Sometimes it is hard to find a good spot, but you want to hang it 10′ from the trunk, 15′ in the air and at least 50′ (ideally 200′) from your sleeping area.

Lightning on the AT  

Lightning is my biggest fear when backpacking.  If a storm is rolling in, get off the ridge!  You can’t avoid trees in a forest but never shelter under a lone tree.  Also, don’t hide in a cave or rock overhang as the rock is loaded with metals.  See this POST for more complete details on what do do if you get caught in a thunder storm.

Bringing a dog on the AT 

A well mannered, leashed dog is allowed on much of the AT, but there are several sections where it is forbidden:  The Great Smoky Mountain National Park, Bear Mountain State Park Trailside Museum and Zoo, and Baxter State Park.

The rocky terrain of the White Mountains, and some parts of PA and ME can also be quite painful for dog paws.

The AT Guide also lists the mile markers of water sources.  But remember, if there hasn’t been a lot of rain, some marginal sources can dry up.  This happened to me once on a long, 20 mile day.  So be sure to check with hikers coming from the opposite direction.  I like to use a 3L water bladder which I fill with the amount of water I think I’ll need until my next refill, and then keep a back up non-BPA water bottle on the side of my pack that I can ration if my bladder runs out (It’s hard to know how much is left in your bladder).

Who can section hike the AT : YOU!  

Provided you plan and train, YOU can section hike the Appalachian Trail!  There have been people with all sorts of disabilities that have managed to thru hike the AT, so if section hiking the AT is a dream for you:  Go For It!!!

PODCAST SUMMARY:  Appalachian Trail Section Hiking: A Beginner’s Guide

Listen to my podcast interview of Monica HERE

Want to hike the Appalachian Trail without committing to 2,200 miles?

In this episode of Active Travel Adventures, Kit Parks interviews experienced hiker Monica about section hiking the Appalachian Trail (AT)—a flexible and achievable way to experience one of the most iconic long-distance trails in the world.

Whether you’re new to backpacking or looking to build endurance for bigger adventures, this episode covers everything you need to know.

🗺️ What is Section Hiking the Appalachian Trail?

The Appalachian Trail (AT) stretches about 2,200 miles from Georgia to Maine, but most people don’t hike it all at once.

👉 Section hiking means completing smaller portions of the trail over time.

Benefits:

• No need to quit your job for 5–6 months
• Easier logistics
• Flexible planning
• Great for beginners

📍 Why the Appalachian Trail is Perfect for Beginners

The AT is one of the best places in the world to start backpacking:

• Well-marked trail system
• Shelters every 8–12 miles
• Frequent water sources
• Nearby towns and resupply options
• Strong hiking community

👉 It’s often called the most accessible long-distance trail in the U.S.

🧭 How to Plan a Section Hike

Planning is easier than you might think.

Key Steps:

• Choose a scenic section (like Roan Highlands or Virginia Triple Crown)
• Determine daily mileage (realistically!)
• Arrange parking and shuttle logistics
• Research water sources and shelters

👉 Many hostels offer parking + shuttle services, making logistics simple

🥾 Best Appalachian Trail Sections to Hike

🌄 Roan Highlands (Tennessee/North Carolina)

• Famous grassy balds
• 360° mountain views
• ~16 miles for the best section

👉 One of the most scenic sections of the entire AT

🏔️ Virginia Triple Crown (Near Roanoke)

• McAfee Knob
• Tinker Cliffs
• Dragon’s Tooth
• ~35-mile loop option
• Easier access and bailout points

👉 Perfect for a long weekend adventure

🎒 What to Pack for a Section Hike

Essentials:

• Backpack (lightweight preferred)
• Tent or shelter system
• Sleeping bag + pad
• Water filter (Sawyer, Katadyn, Platypus)
• Food (1–1.5 lbs per day)
• Layers for changing weather

👉 Keep your pack light—everything adds up quickly

💧 Water Strategy on the AT

Water is generally available but requires planning:

• Fill at streams
• Use a water filter
• Carry extra in hot conditions

👉 Don’t assume every source will be flowing

🍴 What to Eat While Backpacking

Snacks:

• Trail mix
• Energy bars
• Candy (yes, really!)

Meals:

• Dehydrated meals
• DIY dehydrated food
• Tuna packets, crackers, cheese

👉 Hiking is one of the few times junk food = performance fuel

🔥 Camp Routine: What a Day Looks Like

Typical day on trail:

• Early wake-up (sunrise)
• Hike 2–4 hours → break
• Repeat throughout day
• Set up camp in late afternoon/evening
• Eat, socialize, sleep

👉 Many hikers average 2–2.5 mph pace

🏕️ Where to Camp on the AT

Options include:

• Shelters (with bear boxes + social vibe)
• Tent sites nearby
• “Stealth camping” (less crowded, more private)

👉 Shelters are great for beginners

🧍‍♀️ Solo Hiking: Pros & Cons

Benefits:

• Freedom to hike your own pace
• Confidence building
• Deep connection with nature

Challenges:

• Safety concerns
• Less social support
• Requires more planning

👉 Many hikers do a hybrid: solo + social at camp

⚠️ Safety Tips for Section Hiking

• Tell 2+ people your plan
• Check in daily
• Avoid camping near roads
• Trust your instincts
• Be aware of surroundings

👉 Most AT hikers report very safe experiences

🐻 Wildlife on the Appalachian Trail

Common concerns:

• Bears (rare encounters)
• Mice (more common!)
• Ticks

Tips:

• Store food properly
• Use odor-proof bags
• Hang food or use bear boxes

👉 Most wildlife avoids humans

🧠 Mental Benefits of Backpacking

Section hiking offers:

• Reduced stress and anxiety
• Mental clarity
• Confidence building
• “Reset” from daily life

👉 Many hikers describe it as life-changing

💪 How to Train for Backpacking

Focus on:

• Hiking regularly
• Strength training (VERY important)
• Leg and core workouts
• Endurance building

👉 Strength helps prevent injury more than cardio alone

🌟 Key Takeaways

• Start small—section hiking is ideal
• The AT is beginner-friendly
• Plan realistically
• Pack light
• Train smart
• Stay flexible

👉 Anyone can do this with preparation

🎬 Bonus: Representation in the Outdoors

This episode also explores an important topic:

• Diversity in outdoor recreation
• Accessibility barriers
• Representation on trails

👉 More voices and stories = stronger outdoor community

🎧 Resources & Links

• AT Guide (AWOL)
• Water filtration resources
• Backpacking gear guides
• Training support

🔥 FAQ SECTION

❓ What is section hiking the Appalachian Trail?

Section hiking means completing smaller portions of the Appalachian Trail over time instead of hiking all 2,200 miles at once.

❓ How hard is the Appalachian Trail for beginners?

Moderate. The terrain can be challenging, but shorter sections are very manageable with training.

❓ How many miles should beginners hike per day?

Typically 8–12 miles per day, depending on fitness and terrain.

❓ Is it safe to hike the Appalachian Trail alone?

Yes, with precautions. Most hikers report safe experiences, especially when following basic safety practices.

❓ What is the best section of the Appalachian Trail?

Popular sections include:

• Roan Highlands
• Virginia Triple Crown
• Shenandoah National Park

❓ How do you get water on the Appalachian Trail?

From streams using a water filter like Sawyer or Katadyn.

❓ What should I eat while backpacking?

High-calorie, lightweight foods like trail mix, bars, dehydrated meals, and snacks.

Full Podcast Transcript: Appalachian Trail Section Hiking Guide

This transcript includes a detailed conversation on how to plan, pack, and safely complete a section hike on the Appalachian Trail, including solo hiking insights and beginner tips.

[00:00:00] Than just being able to kind of conquer something on my own that I didn’t think I would be able to do. Sometimes even in the moment, I think, I don’t think I can do this, and then you kind of get through it, which I believe can benefit you. It’s really in your daily life.

Today we’re gonna be discussing getting out on the trail for several days, backpacking and in particular section hiking the Appalachian Trail. But the tips and insights that our guest provides apply to all section hiking adventures. I can’t wait to share it with you. So let’s get started.

Welcome to the Active Travel Adventures Podcast. I’m your host Kit Parks. I have personally hiked at least a day hike and often backpack sections of the Appalachian Trail or the at over the last 10 years, I’d say, in fact, I’ve done so in all but a couple of the [00:01:00] 14 states. The Appalachian Trail runs through from Georgia to Maine.

The trail itself is about 2200 miles and takes most folks, if they’re doing it all at one time, about five to six months. But not many of us can or even want to be out in the trail that long. So a great compromise is to section hike the abolition trail. This means simply hiking a chunk of this magnificent trail and doing so in the time that you have available.

Until recently, it had been a while since I’ve been out in the at, but now that I’m in eastern Tennessee by the mountains and I’ve joined a fun hiking club, I’m off and out in the ATS on Saturdays. And just last month I went on a backpacking section of the stunning Rone Highlands with my friend Taylor.

That cool young man I met at Zion National Park last year, and whom he first heard about in my Utah podcast on Taylor and i’s last night in the Highlands. We met Monica as she came into camp. Monica is currently section hiking much of the at and I wanted to get her insights on it. Monica’s a filmmaker based outta DC in Maryland.

She’s a woman [00:02:00] who loves the outdoors and in addition to through hiking the John Muir Trail, she’s been solo section hiking parts of the Appalachian Trail. Thanks for coming on the program, Monica. I sure appreciate it. Thank you for having me. I’m excited. Before we get started, so we have an idea who Monica is.

Could you tell us, um, a little bit about yourself, maybe how old you are, how you got into backpacking and hiking and all that kind of thing? Just so we know who, who we’re talking to today? Yeah, sure. So. My name is Monica. I’m 34 years old. Grew up, uh, on the East coast in Maryland, so right outside of dc.

I’ve always loved hiking and, and just being outside. I think I get my outdoor enthusiasm definitely from my dad. He loved to go camping and fishing and. Biking and was always outside. And ironically, we didn’t do a ton of outdoor things as a family, but as I got a little older, I did go fishing with him a few times.

But I would say my love for the outdoors has definitely been since I was a kid. I would be [00:03:00] outside riding my bike all the time, and back in like the mid nineties, you just. As a kid in the summertime, you just ride your bike outside as far as you can go. Right. Until it gets dark and then you come back home.

Right, right, right. That’s how I grew up as well, except for I did not get the whole memo about the outdoors until maybe the last decade. So you’re, you’re decades ahead of me and all that and, and getting out there and really joined the benefits of the outdoor life. Yeah. And you know, as a teenager, once I was able to drive, I would just go on these local trails with my dog and go hiking and not having any sort of navigation skills except for where I parked the car, and I would just kind of retrace my steps back.

But fast forward to around 2017, my friend took me out on my first longer day hike, and it was about nine miles. We went down to, uh, Shenandoah. And after that nine miles, I was exhausted. My feet hurt. I was not wearing the right shoes, but there was something about it that just kind of kept me coming back.

There was something about the endurance of it and the challenge of it that made me want more. And so [00:04:00] since then, I eventually got into backpacking and some long distance hiking, which I felt came to me very naturally. And so, yeah, it just kind of took off from there.

Oh, cool. So today our, our topic we’re gonna be talking about is section hiking the Appalachian Trail. And in fact, that’s how we met you, were doing a section hike up on the at in their own highlands. Tell us a little bit about a section hiking in particular. Are you trying to do the whole at or, or give us the backstory on that.

Yeah, so right now my plan is not to do is not to through-hike the entire at, but I didn’t really know anything about the AT until probably four years ago. And I think being on the East Coast and given the history and the popularity of the Appian Trail, it was kind of a natural lure for me. And you know, it’s so many through hikers now on YouTube and on the internet.

No matter what section you’re on, it kind of feels familiar and so there’s a little bit of a comfort there. I had seen [00:05:00] the section where we met on the Rone Highlands that had looked like a really beautiful section to me. And so that had been something that I had been wanting to do probably in the last year or so.

And so I figured, you know what, I’m just gonna go out there, solo section, hike it on my own and just have a great time. And so yeah, seeing different sections of the at, especially down down in Tennessee, North Carolina, where we were, and I’m hoping to be able to see some more sections up more north up in Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine.

So. As of now, I am pretty familiar with the Maryland, Virginia area and then Tennessee, North Carolina, so I’m definitely hoping to get more sections off my bucket list. Oh, cool. Yeah, I, and I’m like you, I, I don’t aspire to do the entire trail, which is 20, approximately 2200 miles long, and takes the average hiker maybe five months.

I don’t wanna give up that much of my time to it, but I try to pick the pretty parts, like the Roan Highlands, which I’d done before. And so I’d wanted to take my friend who had not been up there to make sure that he got a chance to [00:06:00] see that. Yeah, definitely. And you know, I think it’s also been great for a training ground for me to do other hikes that I really wanna do out west.

And so I think because the at is certainly more physically challenging when it comes to that endurance, there’s a lot of up and down as opposed to some, some of those west coast trails like the PCT where it’s a lot of gradual climbs. Sections on the at have definitely helped for me as just kind of as a way to kind of train and really build my endurance up for some trails that I want to definitely do.

So how did you plan this section? So if somebody says, okay, I’m, I’m like you guys. I don’t wanna do the whole thing, but I’d like to dip my toes into it. And do you, you did what? A four day hike, something like that. Tell us how you come about planning something. What goes into planning it? Yeah, so the nice thing about the Appalachian Trail is that it’s super well established, right?

There are towns [00:07:00] every 10 to 20 miles or so, and there’s a lot of hostels and a lot of people that have volunteered their time to kind of serve the hiking community. And the trail is what you would call trail angels, right? And so you have a lot of people out there that are willing to. Help other hikers out, whether it’s giving rides or shuttles or letting people stay at their homes or give them meals or something like that.

So for this particular section, I actually found a, a guide on somebody’s website on this particular section of their own highlands. And so it was super helpful, which is how I heard about the, the hostel. So I had heard about the mountain harbor bed and breakfast hostel. Went to their website. They had a great website, lots of information, and it turned out that they had shuttles.

And so it was kind of the perfect, perfect thing for me because I was driving down there in my own car from Maryland. So they allowed people to park at their parking lot and they gave shuttle rides to, to and from wherever you needed to go. And so I scheduled my shuttle from there [00:08:00] to the trailhead that I started at, and then essentially just walked back to my car.

So it was actually pretty seamless. It’s not always. That easy. I would say some places are a little bit more remote and so you might need to hopefully have a friend help you out or you know, just do a little bit more pre-planning ahead of time. But yeah, that’s the really nice thing about the at is that there are so many people that are willing to help you out when you need it.

So I.

Terrific. And there’s an excellent guidebook, uh, that’s called the, the at guide by awol. I’ll put a link to that in the show notes. That really breaks down the different sections. You could see the elevation gain and loss, how many miles, what kind of amenities there, water, trail towns, et cetera. So speaking about water, what did you do about water?

I mean, it’s hot summertime. Yeah, and it’s funny because I can’t remember if I said this to you guys at the camp, but the water sources definitely felt a little bit more cumbersome than what I’m typically used to on the Appalachian Trail. I think I was expecting like [00:09:00] rushing rivers and just a lot more easier access to water.

But for this particular hike, I would fill up on streams. I use a water filter and I use. The Caine B free water filter, very popular filter. The Sawyer is another popular one. I know Platypus has a filter, so there’s so many different water filters out there. I just choose the The Caine ’cause it’s worked for me.

Yeah, and, and that’s pretty much what I did for water. I would fill up wherever I saw a stream and then just filter my water there to drink and cook. And so definitely had to make sure to drink plenty of water out there. It was pretty humid, it was pretty hot and there was a lot of climbing, and so honestly, looking back, I probably could have done a better job staying a little more hydrated, but I survived.

And I, I will also, my companion podcast, the Adventure Travel Show podcast. I did an episode on water purification systems. I’ll also put a link to that in the show notes. So let, we talked about water. How about food? What do you eat? That’s usually the biggest [00:10:00] bugaboo for me. Yeah. You know, and it’s so funny, before I left as I was packing, I really tried to think, okay, how much food do I actually need?

Right? How hungry was I? Because when you’re packing, you always think I’m gonna be so hungry. Right? And some people are. Some people get that hungry right away and they just go to town on all their food. But I think a lot of people don’t get as hungry as they think they do when you are. Expending that much energy takes a little bit more effort to eat, and so I really tried to pack the right amount of food that I would need for each day.

And so I do a couple of things. One thing that I do is I’ll pack my snacks that I’ll have throughout the day, so that might be trail mix. I get a lot of those. Single package, uh, trail mix from, uh, trader Joe’s. You can get them from the store, granola bars, Lara Bars, candy. I had a bag of gummy bears, which I ended up losing unfortunately, the second day it was so devastating.

And then for dinners, there’s a couple ways you can do dinners, right? You can buy [00:11:00] those prepackaged, dehydrated meals from your local outfitter. REI. Or what I do actually is I will dehydrate my own meals and so, which has been actually super great. I bought a dehydrator on Amazon for like $40 and started looking up some kind of easier recipes like spaghetti, lasagna, rice and beans, things like that.

And yeah, I would just cook it a couple of days before. I’d eat it that night and then I would dehydrate the rest overnight and then pack it in these Mylar bags, you know, that they can kind of zip up and keep the heat. So that’s what I did for my dinners and I skipped over lunch. Typically for lunch, I’ll do like tuna packets, maybe some cheese crackers.

So I think it’s always important to kind of be eating a little bit throughout the day just to kind of keep your energy up, make sure you don’t bonk or anything like that. You know, have some sugars on you to eat that. And so, and then in the evening you don’t, you wanna have a good dinner with good protein, something that’ll help your muscles recover.[00:12:00] 

I.

Definitely, and I, I’m like you the first, when I go backpacking, maybe the first three or four days my appetite’s about the same, but the next time after that or the next week, I’m ravenous. So if you’re only going out for a few days error, I mean, you wanna have enough food. But I think, I think that’s really good advice because food is heavy.

It’s about a pound and a half per day. Which adds up. I mean, you’ve gotta carry all this on your back. Yeah. Oh, nice, nice. Yeah. Right. That definitely happens to me after I get back. Of course, your metabolism is all outta whack, right? And so your body thinks, oh, we’re gonna be doing this 15 mile a day again.

Okay, we should like preserve, you know? So make sure that you’re all good. And so you think that, oh yeah, I just need to start eating more. No, no, no, no, no. It’s okay. You can, you can chill out. So that’s. Definitely something that I, I tried to be mindful of this time around after I came home. It’s like, no, I might be a little bit more hungry than usual, but it’s okay.

I don’t need to start just, you know, binging everything. [00:13:00] And then another thing I wanted to mention when you were talking about dehydrating, I met a, a guy on the trail once, that he had a deal with his hiking partner, that he would carry the kitchen and the food if the guy would cook the food. He said everything was delicious and he got it out of a book called Lip-Smacking Backpacking, so I’ll also put a link to that in the show notes as well.

You might wanna check it out too, since you’re such an avid, ’cause he swore that it had the best food, but you can’t, when you are backpacking, it’s actually a great time to eat all the gummy bears and junk food you don’t normally do at home because it’s, it’s lightweight, fast, a lot of calories, and so it’s a good excuse to look like a kid buying the stuff in the grocery store, even if you would normally eat that stuff at home.

Exactly. Yeah, hiking. Hiking is the one thing that you can just eat all the junk food and still lose weight, so it’s great. So walk us through a typical day for you. Yeah, so I will typically get up or pretty early in the morning. Usually when you kind of see the first light [00:14:00] is when you start getting up, right.

I would say my morning routine hasn’t changed very much. I think after hiking the John Muir Trail last year, I got a pretty good routine going as far as being efficient. And one thing I will say is everybody has their own way of camping and backpacking. Some people like to take a little bit more time at camp.

Some people like to take less time. I would say I fall a little bit in the middle. There are some mornings where I get up and I kind of want to get going and start walking. I might eat my breakfast maybe a mile or two into my walk, or sometimes I might make some coffee in the morning when I’m still at camp.

Right. So it just kind of depends on how I’m feeling. I. But I think this last hike, there was one morning where I did get up, pack up right away. I started walking and then I stopped about a mile in to make some coffee, eat a little breakfast, and kind of chilled there for a little bit. And then there was another day where I got up in the morning, made some coffee, hung out, talked to some people.

And took a little bit more time at camp, and so it just kind of depends on how I’m feeling for that [00:15:00] day. But when I’m hiking throughout the day, I will typically take a break, maybe every four miles or so, so every couple of hours. I’m not a super fast hiker, and I think that’s one thing it’s to point out sometimes, especially if you’re hiking with other people, sometimes there can feel almost like a pressure to kind of keep up with the next person or whatever.

I’m not much of a fast hiker. I’m kind of a two, two and a half mile an hour pace kind of person. And so I try to take my time while I’m out there during the day and take a break every couple of hours or when I just feel tired, and then I will. Hike the amount of miles that I need to do for the day. And once I get to camp, I will set up all of my tent and my sleeping stuff and then make my dinner after that.

And if there’s people at the camp, I’ll talk with them, hang out with them for a little bit, and then pretty much just go to bed. So kind of going back to my style of backpacking is very much on the trail. I don’t spend as much time at camp as some others do. So some people [00:16:00] might get to camp. In the afternoon, maybe around three or four o’clock.

I like to hike a little bit more into the evening, and then really just use that time at camp to kind of eat and go to sleep. Yeah, I know she came in, it was like seven or eight o’clock. I was like, boy, I’d have been in camp at least three hours. About four o’clock I start looking for shelter and we, they do have shelters about like eight to 10 miles apart.

But there’s also lots of places that you can camp in between if you, particularly if you wanna be by yourself. So you wanna talk a little bit about that and how hard it is to find a place to camp. Yeah. Another really nice thing I’ll say about the at is that you have, like you said, you have those shelters every 10 to 12 miles.

And so if you don’t want to stealth camp necessarily, you can always camp at the shelter. And that’s typically what I’ll do unless my plans change. I did a section hike down in Roanoke earlier this year, and I think I hiked about 12 miles on the first day. And I started a little later than I wanted to just ’cause I [00:17:00] had to work in the morning.

And so by the time I had climbed up to the, the past that I was going to, it was already starting to get dark and there were some tent sites there. And so I decided to just set up right there, you know? And so I would’ve rather had camped at the shelter. ’cause I’ll say a lot of the shelters have. The bare boxes and you kind of have a little bit more amenities, quote unquote.

But yeah, sometimes it just kind of depends on where I’m at along the trail. But I will typically try and camp at the shelters if I can along the at. So if I’m not on the at, that’s, that’s a different story, but

Right. And the shelters do give you some socialization. ’cause generally speaking, particularly in season, people are gonna be there. But now you traveled solo. Let’s talk a little bit about what it’s like to to to backpack solo, some of the pros and cons. Yeah. So far I have really enjoyed traveling solo.

Some of the pros, you meet a lot of different [00:18:00] people. You meet different people from all, all walks of life, right? I think the, the trail kind of humanizes everyone in a way to where you can meet someone one day and then you know, you’re kind of having burgers with them maybe the next day or something like that.

I think the nice thing about going solo is that you can kind of go your own pace, right? You can kind of. Hike your own hike essentially as they say, you can kind of do what you want to do. Yeah, it’s definitely helped my confidence in the outdoors, but I think it also has its drawbacks, right? So obviously hiking solo is more risky, right?

So in the case that I’m by myself, I’m a little bit more vigilant in keeping up with my people at home. And I would say another drawback to. Going alone is something that pertains to the season that I’m in right now and kind of this back and forth of wanting to be settled in a community, but also wanting to go out and explore.

And as nice as it is going out on my own and exploring some of these new places, it [00:19:00] does sometimes take me away from investing in the community or the people that I have here at home. Right? And so I think that’s something that I’m trying to figure out a balance, but. Going out solo has just really been beneficial to me.

And of course, you know, my mental health and just being able to kind of conquer something on my own that I didn’t think I would be able to do. Sometimes even in the moment, I think, I don’t think I can do this, and then you kind of get through it, which. I believe can benefit you really in your daily life.

And so I think going in groups, I would always encourage people to hike in groups. It’s certainly the safest way. And if everyone’s on the same page and communicates expectations beforehand, you can make some great memories. Right? I mean, I frequently think about the John Muir Trail and the groups of people that I got to hike with last year, and I think about that all the time, right?

So I think when you do go in groups, you. Are able to make those lasting memories. Whereas if you’re going solo, sometimes [00:20:00] it’s really just a time to be fully present where you are. Right. Which I think is great. So plus and minuses to both for sure.

Right. And sometimes you can do a combination. You can be with people like, uh, when I went with, uh, Jane and Jerry, I hiked faster, so I was normally quite a bit ahead, so I was kind of getting the feel of being solo. But we all met. At the same place for lunch. We stayed at the same place at at night for dinner.

So you can kind of do a hybrid if you have a hiking partner that is at a different pace than you. Yeah, definitely. That’s how we did it a lot on the JMT. Last year there were four of us hiking together, but we were hiking all day, every day for 19 days straight. And so there were plenty of times where I would be by myself where we would kind of split up, but we would always meet up at the end of the day.

So it was a great compromise there.

So somebody’s looking for you. If you don’t show up, say you get hurt, or one thing you know, they’re gonna say, oh, [00:21:00] Monica’s a girl. Isn’t that scary? You know what, you know? Is she afraid? Is she afraid of the the, the boogeyman hurting her? I mean, is that something I’ve never felt fear there, but I certainly can understand where it comes from.

What are your thoughts on that? Yeah, I think that’s probably the concern that I hear about most from people, and the reality is not everyone is an angel out there, right? Not everyone is great, and I think that that’s where you really have to just kind of use wisdom, use discernment when you just be alert.

If you see somebody on the trail that is in the back country that doesn’t have any hiking gear or doesn’t look like they’re section hiking or through hiking, that could be a red flag, right? But in general, I have had a positive experience. I haven’t been doing this forever, but so far I have not had any issues as far as safety concerns.

I guess I would say the closest thing that could have been a potential danger was I was getting ready to do a training hike out on the at, on the Maryland [00:22:00] side and uh, I pulled up to the trail head and somebody told me, oh, hey, you know, just be careful. There’s a man at the shelter and he might be homeless.

We’re not really sure, but just be careful with him there. I decided I don’t need to go down there. I didn’t have any backup plans, and so I just ended up bailing all together, right? So I didn’t need to put myself in a potential dangerous situation. It probably would’ve been fine, but again, just using wisdom when I can.

If I can avoid something, when I can, then I’m going to, and then of course, checking in with your people at home. I always tell at least two people where I am, where I’m going when I plan to be back. I’ll check in when I get to camp. So, yeah, for me, it’s just a matter of taking those safety precautions to mitigate those risks.

Excellent advice. And I have my own little rule too that, um, I worry not so much about fellow through hikers or backpackers, but townies, you know, so I, I do not camp, say within a [00:23:00] mile. A road or something like that and you have your maps will tell you that I anywhere if somebody could carry a case of beer where they might do something stupid, I just try to stay outside of that perimeter.

Yeah, that’s a good idea. What about animal people? Like is in a bear gonna eat you? What? Talk about the critters. Yeah. You know, so I would say people and animals, right? Are the, the number one concern. Probably animals are probably people’s number one concern, right? Bears and things like that. Even though a bear is probably the the animal that you’re least likely going to see.

Some people will go hike the first time and they’ll see a bear 10 minutes into their hike. My friend Justin, on the other hand, he’s been on the at since February. He saw his first bear four months in. So I guess it all depends on your luck, right? But I mean, same kind of thing. It’s so funny because I have yet to see a bear on trail.

I have not seen one yet. I haven’t seen any scary animals yet. Part of me just kind of [00:24:00] wants to have the bear encounter just to like get it over with. If I’m gonna see a bear, just like have it happen so I can do all the right things and survive it. But I still have yet to see a bear. Ironically, even doing the entire JMT and all the sections of the at that I’ve done, I have not seen a bear yet.

I. But it’s the same kind of thing, right? You, you do what you can to mitigate those risks, right? And it kind of goes back to hiking in groups. If you’re with at least one other person, you’re probably going to be talking, you’re gonna be making a little bit more noise. So usually that’s gonna naturally scare off any bears, right?

As far as the smaller critters, you know, like mice, those are the ones you really have to worry about mice and, and ticks and things like that. Best way to kind of handle that is to really store your food properly. I keep my food in the piece sack bags, so they’re like these odorless plastic bags that you can buy on Amazon for like 10 bucks.

I think those can help keep the smell away from critters or any animals that you don’t want to get to your food. Doing small things to kind of mitigate those [00:25:00] risks, even though it doesn’t completely eliminate it, but also knowing how to handle it if something does occur. Right? Good procedure is to hang your food away from where you’re camping.

So if a bear does come into camp and he is going after the food, he’s not anywhere near you. And frankly, most places on the at bears are hunted. So the the bear hears you, he is gonna run. Right, right. Most of these bears out here don’t want anything to do with you and, but helps to camp at the shelters where there are more people, sometimes at some of these established campsites, right?

You have people that don’t necessarily know how to store their food properly. So sometimes there can be frequent bears there, but for me, I kind of look at it as more people, more power. And so I’d rather camp where. There are more people that are gonna be camping there rather than camping alone somewhere else where a potential threat might occur.

So what are the kinds of things that [00:26:00] you see on the trail? What’s the appeal Aesthetically. Ooh. You know, it’s kind of cool to see the different ecosystems change, right? Even starting at low elevation right on the ground and then kind of climbing a bit higher, particularly in the south, like Southern Virginia, and then around the road Highlands, down in Tennessee, North Carolina.

It’s a lot more Sandy. When you get a little bit higher in elevation, and the trees were really beautiful. The trees were just like these big brown trunks and very tall pine trees, which is really cool. Something you don’t see as much up this way in Virginia or Maryland. So that was really appealing to me.

And of course the beautiful views, the beautiful hills and just the gorgeous mountain ranges that you can kind of just see far off into the distance. Really, really beautiful. And so it’s, it, it’s been cool to kind of see those different sections of the, at that it does have some variety to it because I think sometimes it can feel a little bit monotonous, right?

The kind of the tree tunnel, right? But there are [00:27:00] some really beautiful sections and you know, especially like in Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire, you know, as you get closer to Canada, you start seeing some of those big mountain ranges, which is really cool.

So we actually met on a bald, which is, uh, that is one reason I wanted to return to this area. So. They’re not quite sure what started originally, although they’re mowing them now, but they’re, the tops of these mountains are just grassy fields with no trees. So you get this 360 view that you feel like you’re Julie Andrews and the sound of music, and it’s just spectacular.

Just being up in the Blue Ridge mountains and just seeing mountains as far as the eye can see, it’s, it’s really something you feel like you’re on top of the world. Yeah, I love it. And you know, I have really come to appreciate just the, the mountains and the, the Appalachians out here on the East coast. I think.

Hiking out doing the JMT and hiking a lot out west. So you have the high elevations, right? You kind of have the big snow cap mountains, but there is something that is really special and serene about the [00:28:00] Appalachian trail. I love the greenery, I love the green trees. I love just the contrast and the colors of the dirt and all the, the rivers and this.

And the streams and kind of like just endless streams you have. And so, yeah, I’ve really come to appreciate just the whole at, and I really enjoy hiking out this way. As much as I do love the big mountains out west, I definitely have an appreciation for the East coast trails.

Yeah, I, I’ve, you know, I’ve traveled and, and hiked a whole bunch of different kinds of mountains and this, uh, southeast Appalachian, I believe are my favorite mountains I’ve seen so far in the world. Do you have any favorite stories that you’d like to share last year? Hiking the John Muir Trail, I think.

It’s so funny because as we were planning on going out there, our number one concern was forest fires, right? We were kind of coming up with backup plans. We said, okay, maybe we’ll go to the Tahoe Rim trail if the fires are too bad, and things like that. So we were all concerned [00:29:00] about forest fires, which is a great concern.

But during our first week out there, our main concern became thunderstorms. Right. And so those kind of afternoon thunderstorms that hit when you are at 10,000 feet is not great, not ideal. So we were climbing one of the passes. It was about 11,000 feet or so. We came up to the pass and we start seeing the clouds roll in.

And so we said, okay, let’s get back down. We gotta go back down. And so we’re all kind of shuffling back down and of course it starts to rain and we all end up down far enough to where we’re in a safe location, but also still a little, a little sketchy. At the same time, and we’re all just kind of standing there.

As it starts to just pour rain, it starts hailing on us and we all throw our checking poles ’cause we’re all afraid we’re gonna get electrocuted. And we stood there for probably a solid hour until we all started shivering and kind of got borderline hypothermic. It was a whole thing. And I think that was like an awakening for us that Oh yeah, these mountains, they don’t care who you are, they [00:30:00] will just kill you if you’re not careful enough.

And so that was certainly something to remember. And yeah, it was a pretty big storm. ’cause I remember people were talking about that one storm for days and days on end. But that was certainly memorable, just being caught in that thunderstorm, you know, borderline hypothermic, and also having to hike through it and realize that there was nowhere we could go at the time.

Right. And so. Nowadays, it’s kind of funny because now when I go on a day hike or even a section hike and it starts to rain or something like that, I don’t worry as much because especially when you’re on a day hike, I’m like, well, you know what? I’ll be at the car in two hours, so it’s all good, but you get a little bit more of appreciation once you’ve been in a situation that you can’t just get out of right away.

Right. And I actually lightning. That’s my biggest fear out there is it’s more than the boogeyman, more than bears or [00:31:00] snakes or whatever. That’s the one. And, and actually I did it a show on that too. On, on my companion podcast. I put a link on that. But you just, in that situation, you do not wanna be on, on the top.

You’ve got to get down and you gotta get away from trees as best you can. Yeah, definitely. And that’s something that I learned and it’s funny because I probably should have been more concerned at the time. I probably wasn’t concerned enough. I knew that we shouldn’t be on an exposed ridge during a storm, but I wasn’t as fearful as some other people were.

And I probably should have been more concerned than I was.

Do you have any favorite sections of the Appalachian Trail that you would recommend? Good. Yeah. You know, I think honestly the Rowan Highlands, what we had just came from is probably one of my favorite sections for sure. It was just beautiful. And the balls, like you said, you feel like you are in sound of music when you’re up there and you don’t have to hike as many miles as I did.

I did about 50 miles total, [00:32:00] but most people hike. About the 16 mile section, which is where you get some of those best views from Carver’s gap up to 19 E. So I would definitely recommend doing that section. You can do it in one night. You could do it in one day, you could do it in two days, you know, whatever works for you.

But I would say my other favorite section is down in Roanoke. That’s where you get the Triple crown. So they call it the Triple Crown of Virginia. So you get McAfee Knob, tinker Cliffs and Dragon’s tooth. And so those are three really cool summits. McAffee Knob has that famous rock that kind of sticks out when everyone takes a picture up on top there.

And Tinker Cliffs has a beautiful sunset and it’s great because it’s a loop so you can do. Section of the at, and then there’s another trail that connects, and you can turn it into a, a loop. So total, it’s about 35 miles or so. So a lot of people go there on weekends to do that section. And so that’s become one of my favorite sections.

One because it’s closer to town. So for me as a solo hiker, I, I kind of like [00:33:00] knowing that I have multiple bailout points, right? And so knowing that if I need to get off trail for whatever reason, it’s relatively easy. I also like it because you have the shelters along the at which have the bear boxes there, so that’s nice.

Yeah, and it’s just beautiful. It’s a beautiful hike. So I would say the Rowan Highlands and the Triple Crown of Virginia, those are probably my two favorite sections. And where do you park to do the Triple Crown? Well, it’s nice because it’s a loop so you can, there’s multiple places you can park. I think there’s different ways people say it, but I will typically park at the Cafe Knob parking lot, and so.

Sometimes the parking lot can get a little crowded on the weekends because you have a lot of day hikers that do a McAfee knob in one day that kind of go up and then come back. So the parking lot can get a little bit crowded, but if you go at the right time, you can get a space and just leave your car there for the weekend.

But Dragon’s Tooth also has a parking lot. The Tinker Cliffs Trailhead also has a lot, and so it just kind of depends on where you wanna start.[00:34:00] 

Cool. So I want you to think back in time and look at your experiences and your blunders and the things that you’ve learned. What advice would you give somebody that was thinking, Hey, I’d like to try this for the first time. I will say when it comes to planning a backpacking trip, I would say be as realistic as you can.

Right? And so what I mean by that is, we kind of talked about it before about like planning for food, right? How hungry am I actually going to be? Do I really need. Seven dinners for two nights, right? Or how many days do I need to hike this trail? How in shape am I to hike this trail? Right? So I would say be as realistic as you can and do what works for you.

They say hike your own hike. For a reason, and even though it’s become kind of a cliche term, I think it’s true, right? You want to hike the miles that work for you. If you want to camp, if you want to be at camp [00:35:00] longer, be at camp longer. If you want to go with a group, you should definitely go with a group.

The other thing I’ll say is it’s a lot easier to plan. A very grandiose trip in the comfort of your air conditioned room, right? Until, until you get out there and you get in a thunderstorm or something happens. And so you always wanna be ready just to change your plans or you just wanna be flexible. I would say more on a philosophical level, don’t let societal norms hold you back.

Right? And so I think that’s something that I am learning right now. You know, I’m 34, I’m kind of established in my career comfortable lifestyle, and so sometimes I think those things can hold me back from. What I really want to do, right? And so I’ve thought about, oh, maybe I will go move to this different city and just explore the trails in this city or that city and, and yeah, I think if that’s something that you want to do, don’t let societal norms hold [00:36:00] you back.

I think that’s one great thing about the internet is that we see that’s there’s so many people that live differently, right? There’s so many ways to live and explore the world beyond our own bubble. Another thing is gather as much resources as you can do your research. That’s one of the things that really goes into, for me, choosing the trail that I’m going to do, is how much information can I gather from a particular trail, right?

If I can’t gather a lot of information on it and it’s kind of off the beaten path, I’m probably not going to do going to do it. I’m not much of a off the beaten path kind of person. I’m very much a, okay. Is there a trail here? Is it well marked? Is the town relatively close or is it pretty well established?

And that’s pretty much what I look for when I’m looking at different trails to do is how much information can I gather about this particular hike? So definitely do your research, watch videos. There’s so many resources out there. So read the books, watch the videos, you know, surf online, all that good stuff.[00:37:00] 

Definitely. And I do also wanna, I keep referring back to the Adventure Travel Show podcast. That’s my sister podcast that has all the skills and how to really geared a lot towards hiking. There’s a lot in there about backpacking, what to pack, what not to pack, all those kinds of things. So I, I refer you to go look through that website and the podcast and you can pick up all sorts of tips, uh, that will kind of flesh out some of the things Monica and I have been talking about today.

And like you mentioned earlier, the at is so well marked, so well planned out that if you wanted to dip your toes into section hiking, I can’t think of a better trail to do it on. Yeah, exactly. I agree and that’s why I keep going back to it because what’s so well established, I think there’s just a comfort there and there’s a familiarity there and you kind of know what to expect when you get on the, sometimes it, it almost feels a little strange.

Sometimes if I’m on the at, and then if I have to go, if I’m doing a loop, like in [00:38:00] Roanoke for example, if I’m doing a loop, half of it is on the at and then the other half is on a different trail. So it almost feels a little strange to kind of make a left turn and then go on a different trail and then you’re off the at because you can, you’re kind of losing a little bit of that familiarity there.

But doing at sections is kind of the per the perfect place if you’re wanting to get. Some experience backpacking if you’re wanting to train for maybe a harder hike if you’re wanting to meet some good people on the trail. Yeah, it kind of provides all those things for you.

Very cool. And uh, Monica did a fantastic video that I’ve already embedded on the website for this episode. Monica’s a filmmaker, so you know it’s gonna be good. So make sure that you check out her YouTube channel and subscribe and you can get an idea of, of this section that she and I were doing when we met just a couple weeks ago.

Yeah. Thank you. Yeah, it, it was a lot of fun. I’m super glad I got to do it. I definitely wanna go back, I’ll probably go back and do just the bald section like you were speaking about [00:39:00] before. ’cause it was just, uh, so beautiful. It’s it in fact, um, up there on the, the little hump mountain I found where I wanna camp.

’cause there’s oddly enough a few trees in this one smaller bald with this spectacular view. I was like, I’m gonna just stick out there, bring a good book and just hike up there one day and spend the weekend just chilling and, and join and then hike back down to my car. Yeah. Yeah. And I met a, a girl when I was up on Hump Mountain actually, and it was kind of cool.

We got to talking and we just had a little lunch together and she hiked the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail, I think back in 20 13, 20 15. So way back, I mean, not super long ago, but. Long enough before, I think the, through hiking on the internet became really, really popular. Right. So she was like an OG to me and, and, uh, she was telling me a little bit about her experience.

And so, yeah, it’s just really cool. You meet all, all sorts of people out on the trail, people from different walks of life and yeah, like I said, it just kind of humanizes [00:40:00] everybody in a way that just allows you to kind of be fully present where you are and with other people. I know that me section hiking, you know, a lot of my listeners will remember me.

I referred back to it all the time because that two week section I did on the at totally changed my life. It changed my perspective on how much stuff do I need at home, you know? ’cause you learn that everything you need fits in your back and it just. It tilts you in a better way. I think I really, really, really like backpacking for that reason.

Yeah, exactly. That was, that was my experience on the JMT, you kind of learn efficiency. You just kinda learn what you can get away with essentially, and so that’s allowed me to kind of keep my pack relatively light and kind of switch things up a little bit. It’s like, oh, okay, I don’t really need this, or do I actually need this?

So when you finish one of these adventures in one of these sections, how do you feel? I know you’re tired, but how do you feel mentally? I almost feel like I’m kind of recentering myself [00:41:00] right when I’m out there. It’s a nice time for me to just. Clear my head and not really think of anything that I have to do that I should have done, that I might have to do in the future and coming back.

It really allows me to just kind of be in that space at least for a few days, and approach things from more of a pure level, right? I feel more, I feel a little bit more calm as I approach new challenges. If that makes sense. I feel like my anxiety levels are down. I feel like my stress levels are down when I come back.

Now, physically, I might wanna take a nap each day for the next three days, but mentally I feel like I’m just a little bit more centered and a little bit more back to myself, if that makes sense. It’s always a good thing necessarily to use it as a way of escape all the time, but it’s kind of like taking that challenge that you’re doing, taking that endurance and using that in your daily life, right?

[00:42:00] So when you get back home and say you have to face something that’s challenging, or you have to have a tough conversation. You can have that tough conversation knowing that you just climbed up this pass and or you just faced this really challenging time on the trail, or you got through a thunderstorm and survived it knowing that you kind of got through some of those physical and mental challenges on the trail.

I think when you faced those things in your, in your life, I think you can always refer back to that and say like, okay, yeah, I can, I can do this. If I can get through that, I can definitely get through this. Right. And I think also, like if I go day hiking, I, my mind will still wander about all sorts of different things.

You know, the, the little, uh, Hampshire cage goes around and around, but when I’m backpacking you are, or at least I am thinking about, oh, though there’s a drag and flock, you know, and I, I’m not thinking about my problems, I’m not thinking about home, not thinking about any of that stuff, but just me in the woods and putting one foot in front of the other.

Yeah, definitely. Yeah, I definitely feel proud of myself when I get back. I was like, I feel [00:43:00] like a badass. You know, it’s, most people can’t do it, but anybody who trains for it can do it. So, I mean, if I can do it, anybody can do it. Can you tell us how you train or how you prepare, uh, physically for these adventures?

I. Yeah, so there are different ways you can train, right? Of course, the number one thing would probably be to hike as much as you can, right? And so I try to hike as much as I can on the weekends. Another thing that I do that I personally enjoy, I actually like doing the high intensity workouts. It’s not for everybody, but for me it kind of helps get that energy out, kind of, again, going through that physical challenge and sort of that endurance challenge kind of thing.

So. I will typically go to the gym and do these, those high intensity workouts. But another thing you can do is you can get some weights at home. You can order them, you know, off of Amazon or whatever, and you can do your own workouts at home. And what I would actually suggest is not just training for [00:44:00] cardio and endurance, but also training for strength, right?

So. Doing squats, doing kettlebell swings, you know, really training your muscles and your calves to be strong to prevent injury. ’cause at the end of the day, you don’t, you don’t necessarily have to be the fastest hiker, but you also, but you don’t wanna get hurt, right? You wanna prevent those injuries. And so a lot of times I think people will focus more on the endurance and the cardio, but forget about the actual strength training, and then potentially end up.

Hurting themselves or getting a stress fracture on trail or maybe hurting their knees. And so my suggestion would definitely be to train just as much for strength, do a lot of strength training, as much as you do a cardio. And so that would be my word of advice for training. And so what I try to do when I’m doing the HIIT workouts is if I’m lifting, I’ll try to lift a little bit heavier than I might be a little more comfortable with.

And I’ll just, yeah, I’ll try to like. Up the weight just a little bit more just to kind of get a little bit more resistance in that [00:45:00] training and Excellent, excellent advice. Thank you. Thank you. I sure appreciate you coming on the program. Monica, any where? Where to next? Yeah, so currently I am planning on doing the auto maroon bells, the four pass loop.

So I’m hoping to do that later this summer, probably in August. I would love to do the Tahoe Rim trail. I started planning it earlier this summer. But another thing that I’m actually working on is I’m working on a film documentary, is just a quick plug working on a film documentary called Outer Soul, and it’s actually about black hikers.

And so, uh, you know, being. Black myself. There’s not a ton of us out there. And so when I started backpacking more, I said, man, I would really love to just kind of make a documentary that kind of represents our experience out in the outdoors and talks about our relationship with the outdoors. And so it follows my friend Justin, who’s on the at right now, he’s been out there since.

February and so he should be finishing up his through hike [00:46:00] probably in August or so. So I got some things planned, you know, working on the film, doing section hikes. Hopefully I can do the Tahoe Rim trail next year after the film and everything is finished, but that’s what’s going on. Well, yeah, because that, that reminds me of when I met you.

Um, it was your birthday and that other man, I don’t remember his name, but, um, he was looking for you and when we said we hadn’t seen a through hiker, the lady said, well, it’s a black girl and you’re the only black woman we saw the whole day. So when he came up, I said, ah, there’s a man looking for you. And that’s kind of weird, but that’s, that is the state of things, that there’s just not, you just don’t see a lot of black people out on the trail.

And I’m glad you’re doing the documentary. So people’s, you know, I don’t know, I don’t, you, you tell me what, what do we need to do so that they, they, they get to see the joy that you and I are get out of the trail. Yeah. I mean, that’s one of the reasons why I am making these videos for my YouTube channel, just to send them to friends and really inspire people.

There are so many layers to it, and I’m hoping that I can cover the, [00:47:00] the basis in the film, but I’ll talk a little bit about some of the. Systemic reasons behind why the trails are not as diverse. Part of it is just accessibility, right? Part of it is from fifties, you know, forties, fifties, sixties, and things like that.

And so I’ll cover some of that in the film, but really, I just want to show people that, that we are out here and we’re not afraid to be out here, right? We are comfortable in the outdoors. We love the outdoors, and we want to see more people that look like us in the outdoors and enjoying ourselves without.

Any hesitation, and we want it to be a place of freedom for us, and so I’m hoping to show that in the film and inspire people to do that. And so, yeah, I’m excited for it to come out. It’s been a fun process. It’s been a challenging process, and so yeah, we’ll see what happens with it. When it’s ready, let us know.

We’ll link to wherever we need to so that people can find it. But even just saying that reminds me, so I mentioned earlier I didn’t, [00:48:00] I didn’t do any of this stuff until about 10 years ago ’cause I wasn’t exposed to it. If you’re not exposed to it, you don’t even know it’s there. It’s like something other people do, but not something people like me do.

And so maybe it’s something along those same lines as well. Who knows? Uh, hopefully you’ll, you’ll dig down a little deeper and come up with some answers and, and help people feel more comfortable getting out there. Yeah, definitely. Definitely. A lot of it is accessibility and things like that. And like I said, there’s so many layers, but Right.

Hopefully films like this. And there’s also so many black hiking groups out there that are starting to do different hikes and go on different trips and things like that, so I think the population’s growing for sure, and so I’m excited about it. Thank you again, Monica, for coming on the show. We sure appreciate it.

Thank you. Had a blast. I hope Monica has inspired you to consider section hiking the at or some other grand trail that you’ve had your eyes on. I want to reiterate that my companion podcast, the Adventure Travel Show and its website feature, all the how-tos of adventure travel. It’s a tremendous resource to help you [00:49:00] gain the skills and confidence to tackle amazing adventures like section hiking.

There are links on the show notes, or you can go directly to adventure travel show podcast.com. If you’re enjoying the show, I would appreciate you sharing it with your adventurous friends and family. Word of mouth is the number one way folks find new podcasts. And if I can never help in any way, you can always reach me at kit@activetraveladventures.com or just hit the contact button on the active travel adventures.com website.

Thanks for listening. I really appreciate it. Until next time, this is Kit Parts at Adventure on.

Meet our AT Section Hiker Guest, Monica Singleton

“I am a filmmaker from Maryland, just outside of DC. I’ve loved hiking and the outdoors from a young age. I started backpacking just a few years ago and quickly fell in love with section hiking and long distance hiking. I completed my first thru hike on the John Muir Trail in 2021, which gave me more of a hunger to challenge myself and my endurance on the trail.

Since then I’ve completed multiple solo sections hikes along the AT in the Shenandoahs, Roanoke VA, and the Roan Highlands. One of my goals is to inspire more people of color to enjoy the outdoors with confidence and see nature as a place of freedom. When I’m not on trail, you can find me filming and editing videos, playing drums, or researching the next trail 🙂   — Monica

My companion podcast and website, the Adventure Travel Show, is a “How To” of adventure travel.  Below are some of the shows.  You can listen from any podcast app or directly from the website link below, where you’ll get more details about the topic, see pics and more.  All of the topics are also listed on this site, so you can use the Search Bar for more indepth details.

If you sign up for the FREE monthly Newsletter, you’ll also get access to ALL the ATSP and ATA travel planners, checklists and downloads.  Sign up HERE.

Adventure Travel Show Podcast & Website How To Topics:

How to Backpack

What to do if you sprain your ankle on the trail

Backpack Emergency Kit

Wilderness First Aid

Backpack Water Purification Options

How to Fit and Pack Your Backpack

Hiking Boots vs Hiking Shoes: How to choose

Choosing Your Backpacking Sleep System

Tents vs Tarps: the Pros and Cons of each

UltraLight Backpacking

Safety Tips for Bear Country

What To Do if You Get Lost in the Woods

Backpack Nutrition

How to Build a Campfire

Lightning Safety

Outdoor Etiquette and Leave No Trace Principles

How to Choose a Campsite

How to Cross a River

How to Train for Your Adventure

Training for Altitude

How to get cheap flights

Sustainable Travel

Solo Travel Tips

Solo Supplements

Understanding and Buying Travel Insurance

15 Benefits of Adventure Travel

How to Plan a Walking Holiday

How to Build Resilience

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