Long-distance backpacking is having a moment, and readers planning a first thru-hike want to know how to prepare without wrecking their body, their gear budget or their trip. What is a thru-hike and ...

A thru-hike can reshape your body, your mindset and your sense of what’s possible in a few weeks on foot. It can also grind you down fast if you show up unprepared. That gap between transformation and ...

Backpacking a long-distance trail in a single continuous push is one of the most demanding and rewarding challenges a hiker can take on. A thru-hike goes far beyond a weekend walk in the woods, and ...