Hey, you know what would be fun? One person asked another. Not having an income for six months while we walk in the woods. How much does it cost to hike the Appalachian Trail anyways? It can’t be that expensive.
The truth is that funding a thru hike can often cost much less than you think it would. I got to do my own Appalachian Trail thru hike in 2023 and using some of the tips below, I was able to keep the costs at or under $1,000 a month. However, funding a thru hike isn’t quite as easy as just turning in your two-week notice at your job and blissfully wandering through the blooming wildflowers of the Eastern US. If you’re wondering how to afford a thru hike, here’s how to make it happen.
How much does it cost to hike the Appalachian Trail?
People have completed an Appalachian Trail thru hike with budgets anywhere from $3,000 to $15,000. It depends on what gear you already have and what experience you want. However, the average budget is around $1,000 a month, or $7,000 total, including gear.
Budgeting $7,000 provides you with enough money to stay in some hostels, take the trains to D.C., or New York City if you’d like, eat out in town sometimes, and eat decently well on trail. However, $7,000 does not account for multi-day zeros, staying in hotels or private rooms, eating out every town, slackpacking, etc. The more things or in-town experiences you want to have on trail, the more money you’ll need to plan on spending.
Budgeting your Appalachian Trail thru hike
Unless you have a source of income while you’re on your thru hike, you’ll need to plan ahead how much you’ll need to set aside for this adventure. Here are some tips for planning for both off-trail expenses and on-trail expenses.
Off-trail expenses
Before you think about how much money you’re going to be spending on trail, think about how much money you need to have to cover your off-trail expenses. This will be things such as health insurance, rent or mortgages, car payments or insurance, pet care, phone service, etc.
Write them down and then multiply the amount by the time you’re estimating to be in town. For instance, if you’re expecting to be on trail for 6 months and you’re renting an apartment, you’ll want to have six months’ of rent saved up before you go on trail.
Try to lower your off-trail expenses as much as possible. This could mean selling your car so you don’t have to pay insurance or subletting your apartment during the time you’ll be gone. If you have any streaming services, subscriptions, or anything else that you won’t actively be using on trail, cancel them to save yourself those costs.
Another tip: Before you go on trail, put as many things on autopay as possible to make it as easy as possible for you while you’re traveling.
On-trail expenses
For your on-trail expenses, there are several different things you need to take in account: purchasing your gear, any gear repairs or swaps you’ll need to do on trail, food, and town days. I also recommend you have an emergencies bucket for anything unexpected and a travel fund so you have that money set aside to get to and from each terminus.
If you want to categorize your expenses, your main costs will be:
- Food
- Hostels and shuttles (this includes laundry fees)
- Town days (including restaurant foods)
- Gear
As you’re planning your budget, think through these things:
- How much gear do you already have? If you’re starting with all new gear, estimate about $1,000 to $3,000 for gear, depending on how ultralight you want to go or if you want to buy all new gear vs used gear. Looking for a gear list? This can help you get started.
- How often do you want to be in town? The more you’re in town, the more you need to set aside for restaurants, hotels, hostels, shuttles, and more.
- What lodging do you want when you’re in town? Do you only want hotels or private rooms? Those are going to run about $70-140 per night. Are you okay with a shared bunkroom at a hostel? There you can estimate $25-35/night in the southern states and $35-50/night in the northern states.
- Are you hiking with anyone you can split costs with? Oftentimes, you can split food, share gas cans for the stove, and split shuttle fees to help save money.
- Do you have any special food preferences or requirements? If you’re hiking with food allergies or a specific food palate, it may be harder to find the food you like, and thus, could cost more.
Ways to make the Appalachian Trail more affordable
If you’re adding up how much it costs to hike the Appalachian Trail and are feeling overwhelmed, don’t worry! There are some ways to make it more affordable and enable you to still pursue your dream.
Lowering your gear cost
Unless you’re traveling quite a distance to get to the terminus of the AT, buying your thru hiker gear is going to be your most expensive one-time purchase. Backpacking gear is not cheap, especially if you want to go for more ultralight weight gear. However, there are a couple of ways to keep the price lower.
Shop used. I got most of my gear for my thru hike from used gear sites or thrift stores. It can really cut down on the amount of money you spend!
Know where to splurge. Your top four are the things that you’ll use the most and that have the most impact on your weight and experience. They are your tent, sleeping bag, backpack, and sleeping mat. Consider spending more money on these than on other items since they have such a big impact on your experience.
Balance weight and cost. Often, the high price point brings a lower weight. However, having a higher weight isn’t necessarily bad. Consider the original thru hikers with their external frame backpacks, heavy gear, and oversized hiking boots. A backpack that weighs 35 pounds might not be as nice to carry as the guy with a 20 pound pack, but it’s not going to end your thru hike.
Appalachian Trail hostels
The time you spend in town will make up another big portion of your funds. However, there are some ways to reduce that as well.
Tent at the hostel. Rather than spending money on a bunk or a private room, consider tenting at the hostels. You’ll still receive access to the showers, shuttles, common areas, kitchen, laundry, and more, but at a much cheaper price than a bunk.
Nero more (or rather) than zero. Rather than taking a full zero in town, consider camping just outside of town and hiking only a few miles in. This saves you the money of needing to stay in town but still allows you an easy, restful day, plenty of time to eat a big restaurant meal, charge your devices, and get laundry done.
Get a “day pass” to a hostel. Some hostels will let you pay a small amount to hang out there for the day. You’ll have access to the showers, laundry, charging, etc., without having to pay to stay there the night.
Take advantage of the free shuttles. Oftentimes, hostels will provide free shuttles along with your stay. Oftentimes, this can help make the hostel stay pay for itself and gives you an easy way to get to the hostel and/or any stores you need to. Several towns have free shuttles for hikers as well.
The trail provides
When you’re on trail, you’ll hear a common phrase: “The trail provides.” It’s a way of saying take each day at a time. When you need something, somehow things work out: your community steps in, trail magic happens, or sometimes you end up finding exactly what you need in the most unlikely place.
Hiker boxes. Always stop by the hiker boxes in town before you do your shopping. You can often find extra food, goodies, supplies, and more. If you have any extra food in town that you don’t want to carry on trail, leave it in the hiker box. The next person that comes through may be able to use it.
Trail magic. Somehow, trail magic always tends to show up when you most need it. There’s a curve in the trail, you come out to a road intersection, and there is someone with a cold drink, a burger, a ride to town, or sometimes even a full selection of food. Always be thankful for the supplies you’ve been given, but don’t take it for granted.
Coming home from trail
You’ll also need to consider the time after you come off of trail. While some people have the benefit of having a job ready for them as soon as they come off trail, not everyone does. Make sure that you’re planning for that time coming back too.
How much time will you need to find a new job? Have a couple of months of expenses saved up, including rent, car insurance, health insurance, and more.
Don’t let fear hold you back
Though a thru hike takes a lot of determination and a bit of planning, it’s not as impossible as some people would have you to believe. Don’t let fear of the financial side of things hold you back. You can absolutely make a thru hike affordable! If you’re over here scratching your head, worrying about how much does it cost to hike the Appalachian Trail, take a deep breath. You can do it. Just follow these simple tips and set out on the adventure of a lifetime.
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