How to Finish the Appalachian Trail Without Breaking a Sweat
You decided to start the Appalachian Trail and have read Appalachian Trail Hiking: The Ultimate Guide to Starting the Appalachian Trail. Now, you need to know how to finish. Consider bookmarking this page to have it available as you get closer to the finish line.
This post starts in Maine at the Wilderness 100. The Wilderness 100 is the last 100 miles before the Mount Katahdin summit. It gets its name because there are no towns, no Internet or phone service to make contact, and no resupply. In theory, this means you need to bring food and supplies for the entire 100 miles. However, that is not true.
Here is the way that we completed the last stretch of the trail along with additional pieces of information to help you make strategic decisions and ease some anxiety. You made it this far and the last thing you want is to stress. We want you to finish strong!
Table of Contents
1. Check the Weather
2. Stay at Shaw’s Hiker Hostel
3. Plan a Food Drop
4. Finish the Last 50 Miles of the Wilderness 100
5. Plan Your Summit at Baxter State Park
6. Get Ready to Summit and Take Your Picture!
7. Pat Yourself on the Back
**This post contains affiliate links and On the Move with Liza and Stephen will be compensated if you purchase after clicking on our links, with no cost to you.
First, here is an overview of the series we wrote on the Appalachian Trail. Hopefully, this will be helpful for your adventure. We completed our northbound thru-hike on the Appalachian Trail (AT) in 2022 and it was one of the most difficult and rewarding experiences of our lives. The difficulty is not only from the number of miles but also the terrain, obstacles, steep ups and downs – and the weather! We started the AT on April 13, 2022 and finished on October 6, 2022. We put this Appalachian Trail series together to get you from the start to the finish successfully.
Appalachian Trail Hiking: The Ultimate Guide to Starting the Appalachian Trail
For more information on how to get to the AT and when to go.
Hiking the Appalachian Trail: 10 Logistical Ideas to Help You Plan
This article will provide insights on how to make your adventure easier.
Weather on the Appalachian Trail: 10 Things to Prepare You For Your Thru-Hike
This one is essential, especially when choosing when to summit.
The Most Essential Weather Gear to Wear on the Appalachian Trail
Your gear could be the difference between completing the trail and not!
Performance Gear Essentials for the Appalachian Trail
An overview of clothes to wear.
What You Should Expect to Spend on an Appalachian Trail Thru-Hike
How to budget for the Appalachian Trail and how much money we spent on our thru-hike.