As Gavin and I prepare for our long trip through the woods, there are many resources that we have been studying. I believe in being informed, so for the past two years, I have read books, read web pages, and watched videos nonstop. For any readers who might be interested in learning more about the Appalachian trail, I thought I would share some of my favorite resources. Specifically, this post will be about some of the many books I’ve read and enjoyed.
A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson
This is the first book I read about the Appalachian Trail and it rekindled my interest in completing a thru-hike. As a youngster, I took several short trips on the trail, and even then, I thought it would be loads of fun to hike the whole trail from start to finish. In fact, in cleaning up my laundry room a few weeks ago in case the hurricane caused flooding, I found my high school book bag. It had several patches from some early scouting events, but front and center was an Appalachian Trail Maine to Georgia patch. If you haven’t read Bryson’s book, I highly recommend it. At a rather advanced age (and weight), Bryson decides he wants to hike the whole trail. In searching for someone to hike with him, he accepts, as a last resort, a high school classmate whom some would say “had let himself go.” The story itself details the many trials and tribulations faced by the pair as they set out on their first ever hike. It is incredibly funny, and it provides some information about what one might expect in completing a thru-hike. A Walk in the Woods was also turned into a movie, but I would highly recommend against the movie, even if you are a Robert Redford fan. It is without a doubt the worst book-to-movie transition I have ever witnessed.
I have no idea in what order I read each of the following books, but each was exceptional for its own reason. Many of these are stories of the authors’ trips, while others offer how-to advice. I would recommend any of these for folks who are interested in learning about the trail.
My Appalachian Trial I: Three Weddings and a Sabbatical and My Appalachian Trial II: Creaking Geezer, Hidden Flagon by Steve Adams
These are two of my favorite AT books. Steve “Mighty Blue” Adams is a 60+ Brit who, in his third marriage, confesses to, “drinking far more than was strictly necessary.” His dry wit permeates the whole book. While describing the trail, he provides much information on things he learned as a first-time hiker. I’m not sure he had even slept in a tent before ending his first day atop Springer Mountain. I also recommend Hiking the Appalachian Trail is Easy: Especially if You’ve Never Hiked Before and his podcast. The podcasts are divided into two-parts. In the first part, Steve interviews a notable hiker, and in the second, he reads a chapter from My Appalachian Trial. Once you finish the podcasts at mightyblueontheat.com, you will also have “read” both of his books. These books I have read twice, and I’ve only recently started listening to the the podcast.
AWOL on the Appalachian Trial, David “AWOL” Miller
This is David Miller’s story about his thru-hike. It is an enjoyable read and I finished it quickly. I would also note that after the trail, Miller has been publishing The AT Guide, known to hikers as AWOL’s Guide. This book lists landmarks, summits, water sources, shelters, hostels, and many other features of the trail. In addition, it has maps and descriptions of towns that are close to the trail so hikers can plan resupplies and lodging. It is available in NOBO and SOBO versions, and each describes the trail from start to finish. The guide lists points of interest with both mileage from Springer Mtn. and to Katahdin, elevations, and in the case of road crossing, GPS coordinates. Very few hikers start the trail these days without this guidebook. I enjoyed reading about AWOL’s trip along the trail, but The AT Guide is a godsend in terms of planning for the trip.
Lost on the Appalachian Trail, Kyle Rohrig
This book is the subject of Kyle’s journey with his dog Katana on a north-bound hike of the AT. It is a great story, but Kyle caught a bunch of grief for taking Katana to the summit of Katahdin, even though dogs are strictly forbidden in Baxter State Park. While I understand his argument that Katana had been with him the whole trip, thus earning the “right” to summit, I believe that hikers have a duty to respect the trail and the few rules that have been put in place to ensure its enjoyment for future generations of hikers.
Grandma Gatewood Walks, Ben Montgomery
Emma Gatewood is the first woman to hike the Appalachian Trail. She began her trip in 1955, at the age of 67, after telling her grown children that she was, “going for a walk.” She hiked the trail twice more, in 1960, and in 1963. Grandma Gatewood certainly didn’t have the luxury of ultra-lightweight gear that we have today. In fact, she hiked the trail in Ked’s tennis shoes, and carried her gear, including a wool blanket, in a bag slung over her shoulder. It is an absolutely remarkable story that I would recommend to anyone.
There are several other “trail story” books that I’ve read. To avoid the risk of redundancy in my descriptions, I’ll simply list title and author.
Becoming Odyssa: Adventures on the Appalachian Trail, Jennifer Pharr Davis
Skywalker—Close Encounters on the Appalachian Trail, Bill Walker
Where’s the Next Shelter, Gary Sizer
Balancing on Blue, Keith Foskett
The other type of book that has been invaluable is the “how-to” type of books. Here are three that I have found particularly useful.
Take a Thru-Hike: Dixie’s How-to Guide for Hiking the Appalachian Trail, Jessica “Dixie” Mills
Jessica Mills, or Dixie, is a 2015 AT thru-hiker. She is famous for her website and YouTube channel Homemade Wanderlust. She is now an aspiring triple-crowned. She completed the Pacific Crest Trail in 2017, and her YouTube channels shows that she is 25 episodes into completing the Continental Divide Trail. She is an authority on backpacking, and this book is the first of the “how-to” books I read. It is also one that I have read a second time as my trip draws nearer, and I am a regular visitor to her YouTube channel.
Appalachian Trials: The Psychological and Emotional Guide to Successfully Thru-Hiking the Appalachian Trail, Zach Davis
This is another book that I have recently reread. As its title implies, this one prepares the reader for the mental side of hiking the trail, which I’ve heard is a much harder battle than the physical one. One early piece of advice that Davis (and Dixie) give is, “to tell everyone,” and was the impetus for starting this blog. Another suggestion is to make lists such as, “I am hiking the AT because…” and “When I successfully thru-hike the AT I will…,” and “If I give up on the AT I will…” I will certainly take this book and my lists, in ebook form, on the AT to help me through those days on end when it is 30° and raining.
How to Hike the Appalachian Trail: A Comprehensive Guide to Plan and Prepare for a Successful Thru-Hike, Chris Cage
Cage’s book has chapters devoted to specific aspects of planning for and executing a thru-hike. He also includes a state-by-state guide to the trail. For each state, he gives a general overview of the trail and tells how many miles of the trail reside in the state in question. Like the many others, this is a book that I’ll take with me on the trail.
Thanks for enduring to the end of this article. I’ve been working on it for about a week, and though it may interest only a few people, I felt like I needed to write it. I am also planning a post about different YouTubers that I’ve been following for those of you who prefer moving pictures to the printed word.